Royal Bardia National Park

Covering an area of 968 sq. km, Royal Bardia National Park is situated in the mid-Far Western Terai, east of the Karnali River. Originally set aside in 1968 as a Royal Hunting Reserve, the area was gazetted in 1967 as Royal Karnali Wildlife Reserve with an area of 368 sq. km. It was renamed as Royal Bardia Wildlife Reserve in 1982 and extended to include the Babai River valley in 1984. National Park status was gazetted in 1988. The main objectives of the park are to conserve a representative ecosystem of the mid-Western Terai, particularly the tiger ad its prey species.

Details About the Park:

• Royal Bardia National Park is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area in the Terai, providing excellent habitat for the following endangered species:
• ENDANGERED ANIMALS : Rhinoceros , Wild elephant , Tiger , Swamp deer , Black buck , Gharial crocodile , Marsh mugger crocodile , Gangetic dolphin.
• ENDANGERED BIRDS : Bengal florican , Sliver-eared mesia , Sarus crane , Lesser florican.
• More than 30 different mammals, over 250 species of birds and many snakes, lizards and fish have been recorded in the park's forests, grasslands and river habitats. The more commonly seen are:
• MAMMALS: Langur monkey, Rhesus monkey, Common leopard, Jungle cat, Fishing cat, Large and small Indian civets, Palm civet, Hyena, Wild dog, Jackal, Sloth bear, Otter, Porcupine, Bandicoots, Blue bull (Nilgi), Sambar deer, Hog deer, Barking deer and Wild boar.
• BIRDS : Flycatchers , Babblers , Sunbirds, Drongols (7 species), Eurasian thicknee ruddy , Shelduck, Warblers, Bulbuls (5 species), Woodpeckers ( 10 species), Barbets (4 species), Bee-eaters (4 species), Kingfishers (4 species), Parakeets (4 species), Doves (5 species), Pigeons (3 species), Red-wattled lapwing, Common peafowl, Red jungle fowl , Merganser duck, Black-necked stork, White-necked stork, Painted stork, Egrets (4 species), Herons (5 species) and Cormorants.
• The Geruwa, a branch of the Karnali River, forms the park's western boundary, while the                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       crest of the Churia range (Siwalik Hills) demarcates the northern limits. Along the southern edge a forest road forms the boundary, in the east it is formed by the Nepalgunj-Surkhet road. Part of the very scenic Babair River valley is included within the park. The approximately 1500 people who lived in this valley have been resettled else where in Bardia District. Since agriculture increased in the Babai valley, the regeneration of natural vegetation is increasing rapidly, making it an area of prime habitat for wildlife.
• About 70% of the park is covered dominantly with sal (Shorea robusta) forest with the balance of mixture of grassland, savanna and riverine forest. The altitudes vary from 152 meters on the Terai to 1441 meters at Sukarmala on the crest of the Churia range.

Seasons:

• As with the rest of Nepal the park's climate is affected by the summer monsoon. The best times to visit are between October and early April when weather is warm and dry. From April onwards the temperatures rise, peaking at around 45 C in May and pre-monsoon thunderstorms continue until late September. During this time most roads and rivers become impassable.

Tourist Attractions:

• Within the park are several open grassland areas (phanta) where game viewing is excellent. Blackbuck, found in a wild state only in Bardia, are frequently seen in Khairi Panditpur about 30 km south-east of the park HQ. Many forest roads throughout the park also offer excellent game viewing.
• The great one-horned rhinoceros was reintroduced to Bardia from Royal Chitwan National Park in 1986. Indications of the success of this translocation became obvious when a rhino calf was born early in 1988. The rhino's are usually seen in the western part of the park. In 1991, 25 great one-horned rhinos were also translocated to Babai valley from Royal Chitwan National Park.
• The Karnali River, one of Nepal's largest, borders the western edge of the park, providing excellent fishing for mahseer, a large game fish. The endangered Gangetic dolphin is also frequently seen.
• Sukarmala, the highest point on the crest of the Churia range, can be reached on foot from Karnali, Chisapani or Khairbhatti. From here there are excellent views north toward the Surkhet valley and south over the Terai. Another high point, Telpani, can be reached from Danawatal.

How to Get There:

• The park can only be entered by road. There are regular flights from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj. Nepalgunj, from where public buses serve the far Western Terai. To reach the park headquarters at Thakurdwara, it is necessary to alight at Motipur and walk 8 km north of Lihalpur on the Nepalgunj-Surkhet road and drive west along the fair weather road inside the park to reach Thakurdwara. This usually takes 3-4 hrs. by 4 WD vehicle. The Mahendra Rajmarg is the main highway which crosses the park.

Important Points:

• As there are no medical facilities so it is advisable to carry a comprehensive first aid kit including medicines for intestinal problems. There is a radio at the park headquarters for use in emergencies.
• If you are travelling by your own vehicle make sure that you have ample amount of fuel, as there are no filling stations in the park area.
• Tourist accommodation within the park is at a tented camp on the banks of the Karnali River, although it is not cheap, the price includes all activities and meals. There are also lodges just outside the park at Chitkaiya, near the park HQ.

Entry fees into Royal Bardia National Park:

The park HQ. is at Tharkurdwara. There is also a sub-headquarters at the eastern entrance to the park at East Chisapani. All visitors entering the park must stop and pay an entrance fee.

• National Park fees per person per day:
• For Nepali Nationals Rs 20
• For SAARC Nationals Rs 200
• For Foreign Nationals Rs 500
• Children under 10 years Free
• Be sure to keep your permit as it might be checked later by park guards.

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Parsa Wildlife Reserve

Parsa Wildlife Reserve was established in 1984 with an area of 499 sq. km. It occupies part of Chitwan, Makwanpur, Parsa and Bara Districts in Central Nepal. The reserve headquarter is situated at Adhabar on the Hetauda-Birgunj highway (22 km south to Hetauda and 20 km north to Birgunj).

The dominant landscape of the reserve are the Churia hills ranging from 750 m to 950 m, which run east-west. The soil is primarily composed of gravel and conglomerates making it very susceptible to erosion. The hills present a very rugged face with numerous gullies and dry stream beds. As the foothills are very porous, water flows underground and surfaces at a distance of about 15 km from the hills base.

Vegetation and Wildlife:

• The forest is composed of tropical and subtropical forest types with sal (Shorea robusta) forest constituting 90% of the vegetation. In the Churia hills chir pine (Pinus roxburghii) grows and along the streams and river khair (Acacia catechu), sissoo (Dalbergia sissoo) and silk cotton tree (Bombaxceiba) occur. Sabai grass (Enlaliopsisbinata), a commercially important grass species, grows well on the southern face of the Churia hills.
• The reserve supports a good population of resident wild elephant (Elephas maxinuts), tiger (Pantheratigris), leopard (Panthera pardus), sloth bear (Melursus ursinnus), garu (Bos gaurus), blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and wild dog (Cuon alpinus). Other common animals are sambar (Cervus unicolor), chital (Zxis asis), hog deer (Axis porcinus), barking deer (Muntiacus muntjac), langur (Presbytes entellus), rhesus macaques, striped hyena (Hyena hyena), ratel, palm civet and jungle cat.
• There are nearly 300 species of birds in the reserve. Giant hornbill, one of the endangered species, is found in certain forest patches. Peafowl, red jungle fowl, flycatchers and woodpeckers are a few of the other common birds found in the reserve.
• Many kinds of snake like king cobra, common cobra, krait, rat snake and python are found in the reserve due to the hot tropical climate.

Seasons:

• The reserve has a subtropical monsoon climate with relatively high humidity. The main season are winter (October-December), spring (January-March), summer (April-June) and monsoon (July-September). Summer days are characteristically hot with average temperatures ranging from 30 - 35 C.

Tourist Attraction:

• Kailash (Bhata) - a religious place and scenic viewing spot on a hilltop is 29 km away from Adhabar (the Reserve head quarters).

How to Get There:

• The reserve is accessible by bus via the Kathmandu Birgunj highway or the Mahendra Rajmarg highway. The reserve headquarters is an 8 hour drive from Kathmandu. Simara airport is 7 km away from the reserve headquarters. It takes only 15 minutes to reach Simara from Kathmandu by plane.

Important Points:

• Flora and fauna of the reserve are fully protected and must not be disturbed.
• Rubbish must be buried or disposed of in a designated place.
• Movement within the reserve is prohibited before sunrise and after sunset.

Entry fees into Parsa Wildlife Reserve:

• Wildlife Reserve entry fee per person per day:
• For Nepali Nationals Rs 20
• For SAARC Nationals Rs 200
• For Foreign Nationals Rs 500
• Children under 10 years Free
• Camping Fee per night per person - Rs 300 - (Nepali's Rs 20)
• Vehicle Fee - Rs 100 - (Nepali's Rs100)
• Elephant ride per hour per person - Rs 650 - (Nepali's Rs 100)

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Manasalu Conservation Area

This is yet another conservation area in the mountain region. Bordering the Annapurna Conservation Area to the west and Tibetan Plateau on the north and the east, the Manasalu region lies in Gorkha District to the west of Kathmandu.

Basically a trekking area, the regions altitude rises from a mere 600 m to 8163 m, the summit of Mt. Manasalu - the eighth highest peak in the world.

To make conservation a success story the government has joined hands with the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (KMTNC) and the Asian Development Bank. The Manasalu Eco-Tourism Development Project has been on in the region since 1997.

The projects main objective is to deliver tangible benefits from tourism to the local community while minimizing adverse environmental impacts through the development of eco-tourism.

The project has proposed seven Village Development Committees, totaling an area of 1663 sq. km in the Manasalu region, to be turned into a conservation area within five years.

Tourist Attraction:

• The area offers a classic setting for trekkers. Visitors here will have the opportunity to experience both nature and culture that would have otherwise disappeared had there been no conservation efforts.
• The region is full of pristine nature beckoning trekkers to explore more of it. The trekking route in the region follows the Budi Gandaki River before reaching the Larke Pass (5106 m) and crossing over into the Manang District of the Annapurna Conservation Area.
• As trekkers trudge through the rugged terrain, they can see the towering snow covered mountains to the north.
• The region harbors a mosaic of habitats for 29 species of mammals, including the rare snow leopard, musk deer and the Himalayan Tahr.
• There are over 20 species of birds and three species of reptiles. What provides cover to these fauna is over 200 species of plants, 11 types of forests, and over 50 species of useful plants.
• More than 7000 people live in the seven V.D.C's in the area. The major ethnic group, the Gurungs, has been a strong attachment towards its traditional Tibetan Culture Heritage.
• Monasteries and chhortens dot the trekking route. These are the places where festivals and traditional dances take place.
  After visiting the area, if visitors wish to extend their trek they can easily do so by reaching the Annapurna region in the neighborhood.

How to Get There:

• Trekking to the Manasalu region generally starts from Arughat, between Gorkha and Dhading.
• Arughat can be reached by bus from Kathmandu. This is also where an information center of the Manasalu Eco-Tourism Project is located. The head office of the project is located ion the Park V.D.C of the Manasalu Conservation Area.
• Another starting point to the area is Daraundi in Gorkha from where you will have to hike to Sirdiwas reaching the normal trekking trail.

Important Points:

• Like in any protected areas, the flora and fauna in the conservation area is fully protected.
• Visitors should be equipped with camping gear and fuel supply.
• Carry rubbish away with you or put in designated area.

Entry fee into Manasalu Conservation Area:

• Conservation Area entry fee per person per entry
• For Nepali Nationals Free
• For SAARC Nationals Rs 200
• For Foreign Nationals Rs 2000
• Children under 10 years Free

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