CENTRAL TERAI

Bound by the winding Tribhuvan Hwy from Kathmandu to Hetauda and the dramatic Siddhartha Hwy from Pokhara to Butwal,the cnetal Terai is far and away the most visited part of the plains.The road from Mugling to Narayangarh is the principal route south from the Kathmandu valley and the border crossing at Sunauli is the most popular land route between India and Nepal.On the way,you can detour to Royal Chitwan National Park,the largest and most famous wilderness in Nepal,and the birthplace of the Buddha at Lumbini is just a short bus ride from Sunauli.

ROYAL CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK

Royal Chitwan National Park has long been regarded as Nepal`s third biggest attraction after trekking and The Kathmandu Valley.This huge and beautiful nature reserve protects 932Sq km of sal forest,water marshes and rippling grassland.The park is one of the last refuges of the endangered onehorned Indian rhino and there are sizable population of tigers,leopards anf rare Gangetic dolphins.

Before the Maoist insurgency,Chitwan was visited by an impressive 92% of all visitors to Nepal,but tourist numbers have plummeted since2001.The upmarket lodges inside the park still attract decent numbers of visitors,but several budget resorts in Sauraha have closed and others have dropped their rates significally.

On one level,the wildlife has probably benefited from the reduced visitors numbers-it`s a lot easier to hunt when you don`t have an elephant-load of tourists shouting and scaring off your prey.However,poaching has increased significantly since the Nepali army stopped patrolling the park,and the rhino population has been hit particularly badly.

Many people visit Chitwan on package tours arranged through travel agents in Kathmandu,Pokhara or overseas.This is by far the easiest approach if you plan to stay at one of the upmarket lodges inside the park.

If you can`t afford one of the expensive lodges deep inside the park,the nearby town of Sauraha is an excellent alternative.A small but lively tourist center has grown up along the river bank about 6km south of Sauraha Chowk on the Mahendra Hwy,with hotels,restaurants,bars,moneychangers,travel agents,Internet bars and dozens of shop selling the full range of Nepali souvenirs,from pirate CDs to tiger pugmark ashtrays.

Careles development has undermined some of the safari atmosphere at Sauraha,but theetting is impressive-perched beside a wide,slow-flowing river with wall of dense jungle looming tantalisingly on the far bank.

When planning a visit to Chitwan,try to give yourself enough time for several safaris.The wildlife is unpredictable and you can`t rely on sightings every time.Two whole days in the park is really the minimum for wildlife spotting.Be ware that the popular four-day,three-night pakages to Chitwan include a day of travel at either end.

When to Visit

The ideal time to visit Chitwan is from October to February,when skies are clear and the average daily temperature is a balmy 25.During the monsoon,any lodges close and tracks through the park become impassable.Whenever you come,remenber to pack insect repellent-mosquitoes are an inescapable fact of life in the jungle and malaria is present in some area of the park.

Getting There&Away

Air

Ehen there is sufficient tourist demand,Yeti has daily scheduled flights from Kathmandu to the tiny runway at Meghuili for 82USD,but you`ll need to make advance arrangments with your lodge for a pick-up as there is nothing in Meghauli.If you are bound for Sauraha,it`s better to fly into Bharatpur near Narayangarh and take a taxi.

Bus

By far the easiest way to reach Chitwan is by tourist bus from Kathmandu or Pokhara.In either direction,the journey takes six to seven hours and the fare is Rs 300 to Rs 350,depending on which travel agent you book with.Buses leave from Mustang bus stanf in Pokhara and the Thamel end of Kantipath in Kathmandu at 7am.

CAR

Travel agents and upmarket lodges can arrange transfers to Chitwan by private car.The going rate for a car and driver is around 60USD and the journey from Pokhara or Kathmandu takes about five hours.Cars usually drop guests off at the turn-off to the resorts and you must complete the journey by lodge 4WD or elephant!