Well, whenever we think about the possible places to look for wildlife, conservation areas and national parks are the places that come to our mind. Nepal in the last few years has become one of the best places in the entire world to see tigers. According to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Nepal is one of the top 5 countries on the Global wild tiger population index for 2022 with an estimated number of 355 tigers.
You can find Nepal, many opportunities to visit many places popular for tigers, and the lowland of Nepal’s Terai region is one of them which sees an increase in the tiger population.If you've never seen a wild Tiger, let us assure you that it's an experience you'll never forget. In 2018, 700,000 tourists visited the national parks and conservation areas of Nepal and the number is consistently increasing.
As mentioned above, the Terai region of Nepal is popular as the main habitat of Tigers. The Karnali River and Ghaghara River areas are home to 83 tigers and 18 tigers were found in Parsa. Besides, the conservation of tigers has always been a priority for Nepal so besides the Terai Arc Landscape, Tigers are also found in protected organizations and national parks. Chitwan National park out of all the national parks has the most prominent number of tigers as 93 tigers are believed to exist in Chitwan National Park.
UNESCO has listed Nepal's Chitwan National Park as a world heritage site. It is the first national park to be established in Nepal founded in 1973, and in 1984 it received the designation of a World Heritage Site. It is spread over a total space of 360 square miles and is well-known due to the presence of the Bengal tigers. In addition, Chitwan National Park is regarded as one of Nepal's most visited national parks for animal viewing.
Within the boundaries of the Chitwan National Park, you can go on a jungle safari and observe 50 different types of mammals, 55 different amphibian and reptile species, and over 525 different bird species. For someone who enjoys watching animals and birds or even a researcher for their studies, visiting Chitwan National Park and taking part in the jungle safari can be a very enjoyable experience.
The chance to see "endangered" Bengal tigers is what makes the trip to Chitwan national park exciting. In the Nepali national park, tigers are frequently spotted roaming around in groups or alone. Chitwan National Park is undoubtedly the best place in Nepal to see tigers due to the good population of tigers here. The park is situated in Sauraha, Chitwan which comes under the low lands of western Terai of Nepal.
When you visit Chitwan National park for seeing tigers, there is a very high chance of you seeing a good number of tigers however, occasionally bad luck strikes due to the weather conditions and seasons. Therefore it is suggested that you always keep in mind the season you are planning to travel to Chitwan national park. For instance, winter and fall are the best time to see tigers in Chitwan whereas summer and spring are the worst. But why? Let’s know more about the perfect time to go see tigers in Chitwan Nepal.
Even while the mornings and nights in winter are extremely chilly, the afternoon temperatures, which typically range from 20 to 25 OC, are quite pleasant. Locals trim the grass in the jungle during the months of January and February, substantially enhancing the visibility of tigers and other wild animals. If you go to the national park at this time, you can see tigers, sometimes from as near as a few feet away.
Fall in Nepal normally starts in mid-September and lasts until November, when Chitwan experiences pleasant temperatures and beautiful evenings. Traveling in Chitwan in the fall is simply because of the mild temperature; you won't perspire much and experience a lot of tour activity.
The hottest days occur in May, June, July, August, and September in spring and summer. The creatures of the national park are regularly observed attempting to cool themselves in lakes, rivers, and water holes. The days can become exceptionally sunny and hot, with highs of up to 40 degrees celsius.
The town of Sauraha also frequently drowns during severe storms/rainfall, which forces many accommodation establishments to close for the remainder of the season. In this weather, it is rare to see animals, however during this wet season, leeches are abundant.
Besides Chitwan national park, there are also some other places where you can see tigers although the possibility might not be very good due to less population. Bardia National Park, which is situated in the southern region of Nepal, is a fantastic location to watch tigers as well.
Likewise, some other national parks and conservation areas of Nepal like Parsa National Park, Banke National Park, and Suklaphanta National Park also offer incredible sights of Tigers.
For a better experience of seeing tigers and exploring them, you can participate in a tiger tracking tour. A tiger tracking tour can be 1 to 3 days long and takes you deep into the woods where there are traces of tiger paws and most spotted places for tigers inside the national park.
The tour continues for 1-3 days in hopes of seeing the tigers if there has been no improvement over the previous days and visiting the central sections of the national park. In a tiger tracking tour, you'll visit a number of locations where you can find plenty of tiger evidence scattered throughout the park.
Similarly, there are several observation towers inside the national park from where you can observe the grassland and spot tigers and also other animals like elephants. You can either go for the tiger tracking tour in an open-top private safari Jeep or just walk.
Besides tiger tracking, you can also go sightseeing during this tour.
By hunting them and destroying their natural habitat, humans have driven the majority of tigers to almost complete extinction. It is a good spot to visit Nepal to see tigers and also many other endangered species. To see the tigers, people come to Nepal from all across the nation and worldwide.
For a convenient and safe exploration of tigers in Nepal, national parks and conservation areas are the ideal location. You must pack up and arrive early in the morning or late in the evening in order to see the tiger easily.
Elephants, sloth bears, leopards, gaurs, and other animals are some of the other attractions of the national parks and conservation areas of Nepal. Apart from these organizations, it is the responsibility of everyone as a global citizen to protect and promote these beautiful creatures.
Interesting fact: Leonardo Dicaprio, a Hollywood superstar actor, had previously stayed in Nepal for a few days for tiger exploration and had also given the WWF $3 million to help Nepali tigers. Nepal is working to protect its tigers and also expand the overall tiger population for which you are cordially invited.
