Chitwan National Park

Nepal's first national park, founded in 1973 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984, in the lowland Terai. It is home to greater one-horned rhinos and about 145 Bengal tigers in and around the park.

Best months: Mar, Apr

Getting there

Bharatpur is 145 km by road from Kathmandu, or about 20 minutes by air; most visitors stay in Sauraha, about 10 km from Bharatpur airport.

Sites and entry fees

Fees are per person, in Nepali rupees, as published by the bodies that collect them.

• Chitwan National Park entry (per day): NPR 2,000 (SAARC nationals: NPR 1,000). Per person, per day; under-10s go free. Sources disagree on whether 13% VAT is added on top.

Fees change; check the official source before you go. Fees and rules checked on 2026-11-02.

Know before you go

Walks in the jungle are done with guides; Wikivoyage says at least two guides are required even for one visitor, but we found no official rule. Wild animals are dangerous: an elephant killed a tourist near Sauraha in 2017. Keep the distance your guide tells you. Everyone must leave the park by sunset. March and April are good for spotting animals, when the grass is short; the monsoon runs from mid-June to late September.

Sources disagree

• VAT on the entry fee: 13% VAT added (Nepal Tourism Board); VAT included (Onlinekhabar, 2018 fee change)
• Park area: 952.63 km² (Wikipedia); 932 km² (Nepal Tourism Board)

Sources

• Wikipedia — Chitwan National Park
• Wikivoyage — Chitwan National Park
• Nepal Tourism Board — Chitwan
• The Kathmandu Post — Tourist killed in elephant attack (10 January 2017)
• Nepal Tourism Board — Park entry fees

Trekking and sightseeing in Nepal

General guidance from the sources listed, not a guarantee. Rules, fees and trail conditions change; confirm with the official source or a registered trekking agency before you go.