To give you an idea of what one could do after your 10 weeks with Kulturstudier, I thought I would write about my experiences in Chitwan National Park.

Chitwan National Park is located on an eight hours drive from south-east of Kathmandu. The ride is bumpy and unpleasant, but the scenery is beautiful. When you arrive at your lodge I would recommend going down to the river bank. In the evening there are great chances to see the One-Horned Rhino taking a bath in the muddy water. The rare and endangered Gharial and Muggar crocodile are also to be found lying here, just above the water rim.

After you have seen the rhinos and crocodiles you could go down to “Sunset View Restaurant” for a cheap Chowmein or Momos. The restaurant has tables on the river bank itself and, as the name implies, is a great spot to watch the sunset.

There are also a good amount of birds to be seen here and if you are willing to wake up early you can take a canoe ride on the river to spot some in the early morning sun. You might be lucky to see Darter, Shama, black-crowned night heron, grey-headed fishing eagle, common iora, crested serpent eagle and many other types of South Asian birds.

After the canoe ride, many guides offer a jungle walk. Jungle walks are a quiet way of experiencing the nature of Chitwan. There are more birds to be seen in addition to deer and monkeys. You might also come across big cats and wild elephants if you are lucky.

Mornings and late afternoons are good times for safaris. The highlights for the safari are Bengal Tigres and Leopards, these are not common and you are not guaranteed to see them, however, elephants and rhinos are more common and likely to spot. The nature of the park is beautiful and you will have a great time just enjoying all the green plants and sounds of the birds. Midway through the park, there is a crocodile breeding centre as well where one can observe tiny baby crocodiles to 3 meter long adults. The centre is doing a good job keeping the species alive and is supported by major wildlife preservers like WWF, but also the clothing brand La-coste.

When you are not in the jungle, searching for wildlife, you might want to find a place to write your exam. I recommend Nana Cafe as a nice place to sit. They have great coffee, a lovely staff and a really cosy seating arrangement on a small patch of grass, outside the building. For dinner, I would also recommend KCs and any local place you can find in town.

For guides, I can recommend “Nature Wild Eco Tour.” They have very affordable prices and are a nice group of people, who know the area well. All their guides are locals from Chitwan itself and there is no middleman taking any fees from the guides. So using their services is a nice way of supporting the local community.

Telephone number: 9845116507
Email: [email protected]

This is it from me, have a nice trip to Nepal!

-Sigurd-