Best time to visit the Chitwan National Park
Best time for Birding – Migration
September to November and February to April are the best time to visit Chitwan National Park for Birding. Since the seasons are a favorable time for bird migration. Several species of birds migrate to the wetlands of the national park from different parts of the world. Study shows that almost 550 species of birds occur in Chitwan.
Most of the trips to Chitwan National Park, either Jungle safari or birding, runs from late September to May. It helps visitors to avoid the monsoon rains. The monsoon continues in Nepal from mid-June and mid-September. Nepal receives 80 % of the total rainfall during the monsoon months.
We can consider October to early March as the best time to visit Chitwan at a pleasant temperature of approximately 25 degrees Celsius. Visitors who can tolerate the temperature can visit the area between April and May. It is the end of the dry season and most of the wildlife gathers at waterholes. You have to expect meltingly hot temperatures in the mid 40°Cs during this time.
Relative to other months, January is the coldest month. It is freezing during the night. Morning and nights are more humid. The air is more humid from the end of November to the beginning of the monsoon. However, you can expect clear skies with good visibility in the winter months of November – January. But, the atmosphere around the Chitwan National Park is hazier during other times of the year. It is due to the industries near the Chitwan District.
Best time to visit Chitwan – Weather
The weather is around the year suitable to visit the Chitwan National park. However, the rainy season highly affects the lowers plains of Nepal including Chitwan National Park. The risen water level in rivers, and flooding cause problems during the monsoon time. It causes many resorts to shut down during the rainy season. The hotter dry season is attractive to enjoy the safari on a wonderful Jeep ride. People visit Chitwan throughout the year. However, February to Mid June and September to December are the best time to go for Chitwan Jungle Safari. Compared to Kathmandu and Pokhara, Chitwan lies at a lower altitude and has a warm temperature during the wintertime.
Activities to do
The Chitwan Wildlife tour is popular among nature-loving travelers. Nature Walk, Local Tharu culture, and a Jeep Safari ride to spot the wild animals are the major activities to perform during your visit to Chitwan. Visitors can choose our 2 Nights & 3 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari standard package to enjoy Chitwan in short. Besides that our tailor-made holiday trip can be customized to explore the national park in deep for a week or more. The keen naturalist, birder takes a longer break in the park. The major to do activities during Chitwan Visit includes the following activities :
- Jungle Safari
- Jeep Safari
- Nature Walk
- Enjoy the Tharu Cultural performances
- Taste the local cuisines
- Thrilling Dugout Canoe ride
- Capture the Elephants bathing
- Opportunity to encounter the One-horned Rhino in the middle of town during the night
Besides that, there are many places to visit during the Chitwan Tour. Some of the attractive places are a bit far from the Chitwan National park. However, the places are worth visiting.
Things to do in Chitwan National Park
Chitwan is one of the best family destinations in Nepal. Visit with the couple and bring the children. Our Tailor-made family holidays introduce children of all ages to the wonders of Nepal. The Wildlife of the Chitwan National Park and its wonderful highlight amaze visitors of all age groups. You can ride a canoe deep into the jungle, shoot the exotic birds, and take a jeep safari on the lookout for tigers. Encounter the one-horned rhino, deers, and mischievous monkeys.
Chitwan National Park is a paradise of colorful birds. An experienced and local naturalist guide accompanies your group and will keep little ones excited and engaged. Take a birdwatching safari. These are often an optional extra while in Chitwan, but you don’t have to be a 24/7 twitcher to enjoy them – Chitwan’s birds, in all their feathery diversity, win over anyone. By the river, look out for storks, kingfishers, and fish eagles and in the grasslands and forest spot parakeets, woodpeckers, and beautiful peacocks.
Walk. Chitwan is one of the only places in the world where you can see tigers while on foot (that’s you on foot, not just the tigers). It might seem dangerous to take a walking safari in tiger territory, but they are a safe and immersive way to see wildlife, with no rattling jeep engine and only footprints left behind. Two guides accompany each group, one in front and one behind, armed with stout sticks. As they’re local and know the park intimately, they are experts at finding wildlife.
Things not to do in Chitwan National Park
Since Oriental Journeys practices Responsible Travel, we strongly discourage visitors to join an elephant safari. There is no question that these rides provide useful conservation revenue for the park but our operational guidelines restrict it. The captive elephants present one of the biggest threats to the remaining populations of endangered Asian elephants. The Chaining process undergoes a horrific step to tame the elephants. It crushes their spirit. However, we can not deny the contribution of the Elephant breeding center in conserving and increasing the population of elephants in Nepa. Besides that there are several more activities to enjoy the charm of Chitwan with Jeep safaris, walking safaris, boat, and canoe trips. These are more ethical ways to enjoy your tour in Chitwan National Park territory.
Spotting tigers is not easy in Chitwan, but several groups spot it during Jeep Safari Drive. Don’t come purely for the tigers. Sightseeing is much more frequent in Chitwan. The fearsome reputation of the tigers prefers them to hide in the high elephant grass instead of taking a walk in plain sight. Hence it is not easy to see them. Travelers who are determined to see the tigers during their Chitwan tour are requested to join our wildlife-watching holiday. It lets you explore the National Park more deeply for a week or even longer time.
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Final Thoughts on the best time to visit Chitwan
Chitwan National Park is one of the popular destinations among both domestic and international travelers. It lies on the accessible plains of southern Nepal. The broad highways from all the major cities of Nepal connect the local hub of Chitwan. The monsoon season highly affects the area with frequent rainfall, flooded rivers, and disturbed highways. We suggest the traveler skip the rainy season to visit Chitwan. Despite the cold and foggy weather, winter is the best time to spot wild animals with the closest sights. Relatively, the autumn is better with moderate temperatures and much greenery. Furthermore, the autumn and winter are comparatively better also to observe migratory birds. Spring is definitely the best time to visit here. The less water in the rivers, colorful forests, and clear weather with rare rain lets you enjoy the safari in full.