The national parks of Nepal

Nepal’s unique topography gives you the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of landscapes and experiences without having to travel great distances. Temples are scattered through its verdant valleys, tangled jungles carpet the lowlands, and immense snow-covered mountains tower far up into the sky.

Many of the most beautiful areas of the country are protected as national parks or reserves. Some exist specifically to safeguard flora and fauna, and some were created to ensure wilderness zones remain pristine. All of these safeguarded lands facilitate the trailblazing conservation measures that Nepal has so successfully introduced. When you visit these sites, whether you’re peeping out from dense vegetation or stalking across icy wastes, you’ll see that Nepal’s wildlife is as impressive as it is varied. The flora and fauna of Nepal’s national parks are unquestionably one of the major highlights of any visit to the country.

For this blog, we’ve picked a few of the most memorable Nepal national parks and outlined their most fascinating features and animal denizens.

Chitwan National Park: A sanctuary of the Inner Terai

As the oldest national park in Nepal (founded in 1973 as the Royal Chitwan National Park), some might call this preserve the “front- runner” among the country’s wildlife sanctuaries. Although we think that’s too subjective a matter for us to assign a ranking, there’s no doubt Chitwan is one of the most remarkable protected areas for Nepal’s flora and wildlife. (It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site.) Located in the subtropical lowlands region of southern central Nepal known as the Inner Terai valleys, it’s a few hours’ drive from either Pokhara or Kathmandu, so it’s accessible for many visitors interested in seeing the major Nepal national parks. Specifically, it’s about 92 miles (149 km) northwest of Pokhara via NH03 and 105 mi (169 km) north and then sharply east of Kathmandu via the Prithvi Highway.

Chitwan is well known for its interesting bird life, with over 540 species observed within the park’s boundaries. This taxonomy includes more than 20 threatened birds: For example, the slender-billed, red-headed, and white-rumped vulture populations are all considered critically endangered, as is the Bengal Florican.

Other remarkable animals you could see at Chitwan include Bengal tigers, Gharial crocodiles, Indian leopards, sloth bears, striped hyenas, elephants, and a variety of primate, cat, antelope, hyena, and jackal species. Perhaps most famous of all is the park’s thriving population of greater one-horned rhinoceros. For decades, this rhino species was poached mercilessly for their horns, and poachers still occasionally target these rare and majestic animals. But thanks to Nepal’s exemplary anti-poaching initiatives, the population has increased by around 40% since the park’s founding. Most of the nation’s rhinos live within Chitwan (about 600 of 645 as of 2015), so you are virtually guaranteed a sighting if you go on a safari there.

Bardiya National Park: A forest-surrounded shelter for Nepalese wildlife

Found in an area of the lowland Terai not dissimilar to Chitwan (but near the Karnali and Babai Rivers as opposed to the Naryani-Rapti system), Bardiya National Park consists of steamy jungle forest, savannah, and riverine geography.  This wildlife preserve in the west of Nepal is also somewhat similar to Chitwan in terms of the animals you’ll most likely see. But it is not as easily accessible due to its fairly remote location and the natural boundaries its flora place around it. This is a plus — it means the experience of visiting Bardiya is often a more peaceful and less tourist-heavy time than you’d have at certain other Nepal national parks.

Of the few greater one-horned rhinos not in Chitwan, some of the remainder are in Bardiya. Other notable mammals include swamp deer, elephant, leopard, black buck antelope, and certain wildcat species. But the major draw at Bardia National Park is arguably the Bengal tiger. While a sighting is by no means guaranteed, this sanctuary still represents your best chance of seeing the magnificent beast while in Nepal.

There are about 125 fish swimming in the river waters within the park’s boundaries, preyed upon by both marsh and Gharial crocodiles (among other carnivores). Rare birds found in Bardiya include Bengal floricans, white-rumped vultures, bar-headed geese, and Indian peafowl. Eagle-eyed birders may also spot sarus cranes, striated grassbirds, lesser floricans, and multiple warbler and prinia species. And because the park is usually not very crowded, there’s plenty of enjoyment to be had  just relaxing in the beautiful environment.

Langtang National Park: Preserving animal marvels of the Himalayas

Located about 58 mi (94 km) northeast of Kathmandu and stretching up close to Nepal’s border with Tibet, Langtang National Park displays a huge altitude range: You can go as low as the lower Langtang Valley — around 4,790 ft (1,460 m) or as high as the summit of Langtang Lirung, which reaches 23,370 ft (7,245m). As a result, the diversity of habitats is huge, and the park supports a wide variety of flora and fauna at each altitude range.

Red pandas are among the best-known animal residents of the park. You’re also likely to see at least some of the following: Himalayan black bears, wild dogs, ghorals (an antelope species), serows (imagine part antelope and part goat), and snow leopards. Musk deer and Himalayan tahr will be present during summer months.

But the main attraction of the park is its flora and other natural scenery. (Langtang was specifically established in 1976 to protect the austere, unique beauty of the Himalayas.) Thick forests of birch, sal, silver fir, and oak trees cover much of the lower-elevated areas, along with massive rhododendron and juniper shrubs. This makes the park a popular area for hiking, with fabulous views of the Langtang range and other sections of the Himalaya. It is particularly beautiful in the spring when the white, red, and pink rhododendrons are in flower and the skies are usually blue.

Sagarmatha National Park: Home to Mount Everest

The name of Sagarmatha National Park reflects the Nepali name for the world’s highest mountain. It is a popular park for trekking, especially because it serves as a base of operations for the multi- day hike to Everest base camp. But there are numerous other lesser-known — and arguably more beautiful; definitely less crowded —  hiking options as well.

The animal and plant life you’ll see are not dissimilar to what’s in Langtang National Park — at least until you reach a certain elevation, past which point only errant snow leopards usually go. But the region surrounding Sagarmartha offers a great opportunity to observe the Sherpa culture, which produces the guides so important to expeditions up Everest, K2, and other peaks. Hub towns such as Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa capital — which sits in a bowl of beautiful mountain scenery at approximately 11,319 ft (3,450 m) — are well worth visiting. Saturday is market day in Namche, and you can experience Himalayan culture from both sides of the border as Tibetan merchants frequently visit the market.

Shey Phoksundo National Park: An astonishing lake and much more

This national park is Nepal’s largest, spread across 1,373 square miles (3,555 square kilometers) of the Himalayas along the edge of the Tibetan plateau,. It’s notable for its scenic landscapes, hiking routes, glaciers, and bodies of water.

Some areas of Shey Phoksundo National Park are relatively barren compared to the verdant valleys elsewhere. This  region of Nepal receives little rainfall, and only 5% of the park’s territory is forested.

However, the grandeur and bright turquoise waters of Phoksundo Lake are worth a visit to the park all on their own. Framed on its northern end by astonishing mountains and glaciers, Phoksundo simply must be seen to be believed,. Elsewhere in the park, you can see endangered snow leopards relatively often, and there are also grey wolves, great Tibetan sheep, musk deer, Himalayan black bears, jackals, and more. 

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