Rhinos and tigers in Chitwan National Park

Chitwan National Park is one of the premier drawcards in Nepal. The World Heritage–listed reserve protects over 932 sq km of forests, marshland and rippling grassland, and is home to sizeable populations of wildlife. It’s little wonder this place is so popular. Meaning ‘Heart of the Jungle’, Chitwan is famous as one of the best wildlife-viewing national parks in Asia, and you’ll have an excellent chance of spotting one-horned rhinos, deer, monkeys and 450 species of birds. If you’re extremely lucky, you’ll see leopards, wild elephants and sloth bears – though it’s the once-in-a-lifetime chance to spot a majestic royal Bengal tiger that attracts people in their droves. Sadly, Chitwan lost many animals during the decade-long Maoist insurgency, when the army were preoccupied with the conflict and unable to provide adequate protection from poachers. However, the good news is that recent census figures show rhino & tiger numbers are increasing.