“This wild far-western park is the best place in Nepal to glimpse a Bengal tiger, the untamed alternative to Chitwan.”
About Bardiya National Park
Bardiya was established to protect the largest expanse of undisturbed wilderness in the Terai, and its remoteness in the far west kept it less developed than Chitwan. Conservation efforts, including anti-poaching work and habitat protection, helped its tiger population recover, making it a premier tiger destination. The park also shelters rhinos, elephants and the endangered Gangetic dolphin, and its wild character draws committed wildlife travellers.
Bardiya National Park, in the far-western Terai of Nepal, is the largest and most pristine wilderness area in the country's lowlands, often described as the wilder, less-crowded alternative to Chitwan. Its forests, grasslands and the Babai River shelter abundant wildlife, and it has become one of the best places in Asia to spot a wild Bengal tiger.
Its forests, grasslands and the Babai River shelter abundant wildlife, and it has become one of the best places in Asia to spot a wild Bengal tiger.
Nepal's Best Chance of a Tiger
Bardiya's remoteness has kept it wild and uncrowded, and its healthy population of Bengal tigers, supported by successful conservation, makes it arguably the finest destination in Nepal for tiger sightings. Beyond tigers, the park is home to wild elephants, rhinoceros, deer, crocodiles and the rare Gangetic dolphin in its rivers, along with rich birdlife. Walking safaris, jeep drives and river trips through its forests and along the Babai offer a rawer, more adventurous safari than the busier parks.
The Experience
Moving through the park by jeep, on foot with guides, or by river, tracking tigers along the Babai River area, spotting rhinos, deer and elephants in the forests and grasslands, and watching for crocodiles, dolphins and birds in the waterways. The quiet, the sense of true wilderness and the realistic chance of a tiger sighting make Bardiya a thrilling, immersive safari, far from the crowds of the more popular parks.
Why It Matters
Bardiya National Park is a stronghold of Nepal's wildlife and one of South Asia's best places to see wild tigers, a flagship of the country's conservation success. As the wild, uncrowded alternative to Chitwan, it offers an authentic and rewarding safari and protects vital habitat for the Terai's endangered species.
Bardiya National Park is a stronghold of Nepal's wildlife and one of South Asia's best places to see wild tigers, a flagship of the country's conservation success.
Why Visit
Nepal's wildest lowland national park and best chance of seeing a Bengal tiger, plus rhinos, elephants and dolphins, a remote alternative to Chitwan.
✦ Insider Tips
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It is Nepal's best park for spotting wild Bengal tigers.
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Try walking safaris for a rawer wildlife experience.
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Look for rhinos, elephants and Gangetic dolphins too.
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March to May is prime for tiger sightings at water.
