Nepal protects 20% of its territory across 12 national parks, 1 wildlife reserve network, 6 conservation areas and 1 hunting reserve. Within these boundaries live some of the most remarkable wildlife concentrations in Asia: the recovered Bengal tiger population now exceeds 355 individuals, the Greater one-horned rhinoceros thrives in the Terai grasslands, and the elusive snow leopard roams high Himalayan terrain from Sagarmatha to Shey Phoksundo. For wildlife travelers, Nepal punches well above its size.
The country divides naturally into two wildlife zones. In the lowland Terai along the southern border, tropical and subtropical forests support Chitwan National Park and Bardia National Park - both accessible by road and air from Kathmandu, both offering jeep safaris, elephant experiences, canoe trips and guided jungle walks. In the high Himalaya, national parks and conservation areas protect the mountain ecosystems that trekkers pass through on routes to Everest, Annapurna and Langtang.
Below is a guide to Nepal's major national parks and wildlife reserves, with the key facts for planning each visit. All can be combined into a Nepal tour itinerary - contact us to design a custom wildlife package to match your interests, budget and available time.
Location: Chitwan district, Terai lowlands | Area: 952 sq km | UNESCO World Heritage Site
Chitwan is Nepal's most visited national park and one of Asia's great wildlife destinations. Established in 1973 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, it protects a pristine stretch of Terai lowland habitat - sal forest, riverine grassland and oxbow lakes that sustain one of the subcontinent's most successful wildlife populations. The park holds over 700 Greater one-horned rhinoceros, confirmed Bengal tiger presence, gharial crocodile, wild elephant, gaur (Indian bison), sloth bear and 500+ bird species.
Safaris run by jeep, elephant back, canoe and guided foot trail. Sauraha village on the northern boundary is the main hub with accommodation from budget guesthouses to riverside lodges. The park is 4-5 hours from Kathmandu by road or 25 minutes by domestic flight to Bharatpur. Best wildlife visibility is October to April, with February to April offering the best viewing as vegetation thins. See our Chitwan safari packages and Nepal wildlife tours.
Location: Bardia district, far-western Terai | Area: 968 sq km | Nepal's largest national park
Bardia is Nepal's best wildlife park for those who want genuine wilderness without crowds. Covering 968 sq km of pristine sal forest and tall-grass savanna in the far west, it is larger than Chitwan and receives a fraction of its visitors - which is exactly what makes it exceptional. The park holds Nepal's densest tiger population outside Chitwan, a recovering wild elephant herd, the endangered Gangetic river dolphin in the Karnali River, swamp deer (barasingha) and over 230 bird species. The probability of a tiger sighting here is higher than almost anywhere else in Nepal because the animals face far less disturbance.
Getting to Bardia requires a domestic flight to Nepalgunj (1.5 hrs from Kathmandu) followed by a 2-hour drive. That distance is the park's biggest asset. Multi-day walking safaris, jeep safaris and community-based jungle camps are all available. Two nights is the minimum; four nights gives a genuinely immersive experience. See our Bardia safari packages for full itinerary options.
Location: Solukhumbu district | Area: 1,148 sq km | UNESCO World Heritage Site | Altitude: 2,845m to 8,849m
Sagarmatha National Park encompasses the entire Khumbu region including Everest (8,849m), Lhotse (8,516m) and Cho Oyu (8,188m) - three of the world's fourteen 8,000m peaks. Established in 1976 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, the park protects outstanding mountain scenery and significant biodiversity including snow leopard, red panda, Himalayan tahr, musk deer and the Himalayan black bear. Over 100 bird species have been recorded including the Danphe (Himalayan Monal), Nepal's national bird.
The park is accessed via a domestic flight from Kathmandu to Lukla (2,840m). The main trekking routes to Everest Base Camp (5,364m), Gokyo Lakes and the Three High Passes all pass through the park and require a park entry permit (NPR 3,000) and TIMS card. See our Everest region trekking packages.
Location: Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Sindhupalchok districts | Area: 1,710 sq km | Nepal's first Himalayan national park
Langtang is Nepal's first Himalayan national park, established in 1976 just 32km north of Kathmandu. Despite its proximity to the capital, the park contains dramatic and varied high-altitude terrain - from subtropical forest through temperate rhododendron and oak forest to alpine meadows and permanent snowfields at the Tibet border. The park is home to red panda, snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, ghoral, serow and Himalayan tahr.
The main trekking route through the Langtang Valley leads to Kyanjin Gompa monastery at 3,870m, with side routes to Tsergo Ri (4,984m) and the sacred Gosaikunda lakes at 4,380m. The park suffered major damage in the 2015 earthquake but has been fully rebuilt and the trekking infrastructure is operational. See our Langtang trekking packages.
Location: Dolpa and Mugu districts | Area: 3,555 sq km | Nepal's largest national park
Shey Phoksundo is Nepal's largest national park and one of its most remote. Located in Dolpa in the trans-Himalayan zone, it protects an extraordinary landscape of arid Tibetan plateau, deep river gorges and ancient Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayan rain shadow. The centerpiece is Phoksundo Lake - a stunning turquoise body of water at 3,611m elevation, considered one of Nepal's deepest lakes at over 145m. Wildlife includes snow leopard, Tibetan wolf, blue sheep (bharal), Himalayan tahr and musk deer.
Access requires a restricted area permit (Upper Dolpa: USD 500 for 10 days) and a domestic flight to Juphal. The ancient Bon-Buddhist culture of Dolpa - largely unchanged for centuries - is as remarkable as the wildlife. Contact us for Dolpa and Shey Phoksundo trekking packages.
Location: Mugu and Jumla districts | Area: 106 sq km | Nepal's smallest national park
Rara National Park surrounds Rara Lake - Nepal's largest lake at 10.8 sq km and 3,060m elevation - in the remote northwest. It is Nepal's smallest national park by area but one of its most pristine. The lake is accessible only by domestic flight from Nepalgunj to Talcha (3,080m) or a multi-day walk from Jumla. Visitor numbers are extremely low - making Rara one of the few genuinely uncrowded highland wilderness experiences left in Nepal. Wildlife includes Himalayan black bear, red panda, ghoral and over 200 bird species. Best visited October to December and March to May.
Location: Sunsari district, eastern Terai | Area: 175 sq km | Ramsar Wetland Site
Koshi Tappu is the best destination in Nepal for birdwatching. A Ramsar-listed wetland on the Koshi River in the eastern Terai, the reserve has recorded over 440 bird species - more than any comparable site in Nepal. Species range from the rare Bengal florican and Sarus crane to the Gangetic river dolphin, black stork, white-necked stork and enormous flocks of migratory waterfowl during the October to April season. The reserve also protects the only surviving wild water buffalo (arna) population in Nepal. Day trips from Biratnagar (1 hr flight from Kathmandu) are feasible alongside multi-day camp visits.
Location: Sankhuwasabha and Solukhumbu districts | Area: 1,500 sq km
Makalu Barun protects the Makalu massif (8,481m - world's 5th highest mountain) and the pristine Barun Valley in eastern Nepal. Connected to Sagarmatha National Park, together they form one of the largest protected Himalayan ecosystems on earth. The park is a global biodiversity hotspot recording 25 threatened mammal species including snow leopard, red panda and clouded leopard, along with 440+ bird species and 3,000+ plant species across an extraordinary altitudinal range from 435m to 8,481m. The Barun Valley remains one of Nepal's most untouched wilderness areas with fewer than 1,000 trekkers visiting annually. See our eastern Nepal trekking packages.
Location: Far-western Nepal | Area: 225 sq km
Khaptad National Park in far-western Nepal occupies a unique landscape of rolling grassland plateaux and oak and rhododendron forest at 3,000-3,500m elevation. The park contains several sacred lakes and Hindu temples associated with the revered sage Khaptad Baba. Wildlife includes Himalayan black bear, leopard, ghoral and serow. Accessible via domestic flight from Nepalgunj to Silgadhi or Chainpur.
Nepal's protected area network also includes the Annapurna Conservation Area (7,629 sq km - Nepal's largest protected area), Manaslu Conservation Area, Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, Parsa National Park adjacent to Chitwan, and Shuklaphanta National Park in the far west with Nepal's largest open grassland and a healthy blackbuck antelope population. Contact us to plan visits to any of these destinations as part of a custom Nepal wildlife itinerary.
Chitwan National Park is the best developed for wildlife tourism with reliable rhino sightings and good tiger probability. For a more remote and authentic experience with potentially higher tiger sighting rates, Bardia National Park is Nepal's best kept wildlife secret. Koshi Tappu is unmatched for birdwatching with 440+ species recorded.
Yes. Nepal's tiger population exceeded 355 in 2022 - a near-tripling since 2009 when only 121 remained. Tigers are present in both Chitwan and Bardia national parks, with Bardia offering higher sighting probability due to lower visitor numbers. Tiger sightings are never guaranteed but a 3-4 night stay significantly improves your chances.
By road it is 4-5 hours via the Prithvi Highway. By air, Bharatpur airport is 25 minutes from Kathmandu and 12km from Sauraha village. Tourist buses and private transfers are available from Kathmandu's Thamel area every morning. We arrange all transport as part of our Chitwan safari packages.
For Terai parks (Chitwan, Bardia), October to April is best. February and March offer peak wildlife visibility as vegetation thins and animals concentrate around water. For Himalayan parks (Sagarmatha, Langtang), the best trekking seasons are October to November and March to May. Avoid monsoon (June to September) in the Terai due to flooding, leeches and road closures.
Yes. Entry permits are required for all national parks. Chitwan costs NPR 1,500 for foreigners per entry. Sagarmatha National Park entry is NPR 3,000. Bardia is NPR 1,500. For trekking areas within conservation areas, TIMS cards and ACAP/MCAP permits are required additionally. We handle all permits for our clients as part of any tour package.
Chitwan National Park is the best starting point. It is the most accessible (4-5 hrs from Kathmandu), has the most developed safari infrastructure, offers the widest range of accommodation, and virtually guarantees rhino sightings. A 2-night Chitwan stay pairs naturally with a Pokhara visit and Kathmandu sightseeing as part of a classic 8-10 day Nepal tour.
Yes - this is one of the most popular Nepal itinerary structures. A classic combination: 2-3 nights Kathmandu (cultural sightseeing), 2-3 nights Chitwan (jungle safari), 2 nights Pokhara, then 5-14 days trekking in the Annapurna or Everest region. Sagarmatha and Langtang national parks are walked through on trekking routes - the park entry fee covers the visit.
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Getaway Nepal Adventure (P.) Ltd.
Thamel Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: +977 98510 38 908
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