Chitwan National Park Nepal is one of the best places in the world to see rhinos, and it’s easy to reach from either Pokhara or Kathmandu. You can even do it as a stopover (like we did) as a way to break up one very long bus ride or skip an expensive flight. We went from Pokhara to Chitwan to Kathmandu, but you can easily do the reverse. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Chitwan National Park in Nepal.
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Chitwan National Park
Chitwan National Park is most famous for its rhinos, but it’s also home to tigers, clouded leopards, sloth bears, elephants, crocodiles, pythons, hornbills, and more. You can pretty much guarantee you’ll see crocodiles and rhinos in Nepal here. But everything else is up to chance. (And I know it sounds exciting, but keep your expectations low on the tiger or leopard front.)
Most Chitwan National Park tours run 2 nights and 3 days. One night doesn’t make any sense once you factor in travel time. Three nights is a good option if you want to take it slow, but it ends up being much more expensive. Two nights is the sweet spot.
I did a package tour (but I don't necessarily recommend it)
It seemed like a good idea at the time. A package tour was an easy way to fit a lot of activities in Chitwan National Park into a few short days without needing to do much planning or worry about transport. And it did deliver on that.
We paid for everything in advance. Then we hopped on a bus in Pokhara, someone was waiting for us at the bus station to take us to the hotel, all meals and activities were organized for us, and they drove us back to the bus station at the end of it all.
But booking your own buses and hotel is probably a better option if you’re willing to do a little more admin, especially if you’re on a budget.
Our hotel was mid, we were at the mercy of the buffet food (which fortunately was pretty good), and never had time to explore the town. We were either at the resort or out on activities. I just picked the first tour company that popped up on Google, which I wouldn’t do again.
The argument in favour of a package tour
A package tour is a good option if you’re travelling from Pokhara to Kathmandu at some point anyway (or vice versa).
A one-way flight is about 100 USD, and a Chitwan package is roughly 195 USD, so the stopover costs more than flying but gave us the chance to see rhinos. Fair trade IMO.
Just do a bit more shopping around than I did. I kind of just picked the first tour company that popped up on Google (Green Valley Treks), but there will be better options out there for sure.
This Chitwan tour looks like a better option
This GYG Chitwan National Park tour doesn’t include elephant riding and does include a night tower stay if you do 3 nights.
It also has solid reviews and because it’s through Get Your Guide, has free cancellation until 24 hours before the trip. They do pick-ups/drop-offs in both Kathmandu and Pokhara. So you’d just have to reach out directly and ask them if they’d let you get picked up in one city and dropped off in another. I’m sure they’d say yes.
Booking everything in Chitwan yourself
My honest verdict is that booking your own buses and hotel is the better option if you’re willing to do a little more admin, especially if you’re on a budget.
You get far more choice of hotel (or hostel or guesthouse or whatever). Booking direct means you can choose based on reviews, location, and what you actually want from a stay.
You also cut out whatever the tour company is charging for organizing it all. With a package you’re paying for the convenience, and a lot of that markup disappears when you book direct.
Then when it comes to activities, you can really dial in whatever you want to do and when. It’s another money-saving opportunity because you can cut out anything that doesn’t appeal. (*cough* elephant breeding centre *cough* — more on this below.)
But there's a middle ground
Alllll that said, unless you’re on a shoestring budget, I don’t see the point in DIY-ing literally everything in Chitwan. Booking your own bus, taxis, jeep, canoe, and jungle walk separately is a lot of hassle for not much gain.
The sweet spot is a hotel that includes a pre-determined set of activities you want, or will at least book stuff for you. I think most hotels you’d book on your own include the activities and transport within the park, but check before you commit.
Then you get the convenience of having it all planned, plus the freedom to go and get your own dinner. You can likely find a better deal, a better quality hotel, or both.
Hotels in Chitwan National Park
Hotel National Park Sauraha
One of the only hotels that specifically focuses on ethical experiences and doesn't support elephant tourism.
- Ethical
- Budget-friendly
- Rooftop for yoga
Barahi Jungle Lodge
A luxurious base for nature lovers, with evening cultural dances, and quick access to safaris in the national park.
- Spa & wellness centre
- Riverfront
- Pool
Where we stayed in Chitwan: Safari Adventure Lodge
The lodge looked nice in the pictures but was ultimately pretty mid. “Fine” is the word. You’d still have a good trip if you stayed at the Safari Adventure Lodge (we did!), but I’d encourage you to shop around. To be brutally honest, it felt like it was pretending to be something it wasn’t. But we were comfortable enough and the staff were very friendly.
- General pros: Inside the national park; has a pool.
- Food: Good qual (for buffet hotel food), with a nice variety.
- Rooms: Definitely tired and beds not that comfy.
- Power: The wall plugs were massive and loose, and there was only one by the bed. We couldn’t use it, and had to go downstairs and ask for a very niche adapter just to use one plug. We travel full time so believe me when I say we have a lot of adapters.
How to get to Chitwan National Park
The only real way to get from Pokhara or Kathmandu to Chitwan is by bus. If you’re feeling bougie you can pay for a private car, but it’s much more expensive: about 10,000 NPR per person, compared with about 1,800 NPR for the bus.
Our package booking included a Swift Holidays bus on both ends of the trip. The buses were pretty comfy but didn’t have the bells and whistles of other buses we saw. That’s perfectly reasonable for a short journey, but if you make your own arrangements you could opt for a newer, better bus.
Here are the estimated bus journey times:
- Pokhara to Chitwan: 4 hours.
- Chitwan to Kathmandu: 6 hours. (Ours took a gruelling 9, but there had been landslides, so it was no one’s fault.)
Chitwan safari activities
Here are the main activities you can do in Chitwan National Park:
- Traditional dugout canoe trip down the river
- Jungle walk
- Jungle jeep safari
- Tharu cultural experiences (village tours, dance performances)
- Night tower stay
- Elephant breeding centre (skip!)
The canoe trip and jungle walk were the highlight for me. We saw soooo many crocodiles from the boat — both the standard marsh mugger and the strange-looking gharial. And it felt extra special to come across rhinos in the wild just on foot. Chesney almost stepped on a green viper but lived to tell the tale.
The overnight stay in the night tower looks so cool, but I only found out about it when we were leaving. It might give you a better chance of spotting a tiger, though the chances are still very low. You can find details on Nepal Dynamic Eco Tours.
What to know about the elephants in Chitwan National Park
The elephants were the hardest part of the trip, and they’re sad to see.
You might think national park = wild animals. But the reality is that there are only about 40 wild elephants in Chitwan, compared with about 100 “domesticated” ones used for breeding or tourism.
That’s right, tourists can ride them. Some are “government owned” and used for “patrolling” to catch poachers, whatever that means. Sounds like an excuse made up to appease tourists — there are countless other ways to track down poachers. South Africa is proof of that.
Elephant rides
In the park, we saw handlers riding the elephants, using them to carry grass, and jabbing them with sticks. Our jeep stopped next to one being ridden as if it were a wild sighting so we could take a picture.
We also saw big groups of other tourists riding elephants across the river while we were canoeing. I think elephant riding should be banned, and we should be shaming the people who still do it.
The elephant breeding centre
At the breeding centre, elephants are chained to wooden posts all day. They get a short break when they’re ridden out to eat, then they go back. It was about 10 mama elephants and their babies, all chained up in pairs and unable to socialize.
I gave the centre the benefit of the doubt and expected a bit of an educational element, but there wasn’t one. Just animals chained to posts for pictures.
Side note: At our final Safari Adventure Lodge breakfast, handed out a feedback form asking us to rate every part of our stay. The “Elephants” section was crossed out lol. They clearly know most guests don’t like it, yet they keep bringing tourists there and don’t want to hear about it.
Don't contribute to elephant mistreatment
Lots of tour companies — including some mainstream ones on Get Your Guide — have elephant riding as part of the package tour. So if you want to practice responsible tourism, make sure you double check, and choose a company that doesn’t support elephant riding. I’d even skip the elephant breeding centre.
On a positive note, it does seem like there’s a movement towards government action for ethical tourism that would protect elephants. However, I think it’ll be a long road.
Chitwan National Park packing tips
Here are some quick packing tips for any trip to Chitwan National Park:
- Light-weight long-sleeved shirt and pants: There are sneaky little caterpillars hanging mid-air that will give you a rash if you touch them. And leeches. And snakes. Best to be covered from head-to-toe.
- Close-toe shoes: For the same reason as above.
- Mosquito spray: Because bugs.
- Neutral earth-toned clothing: Vibrant colours make you stand out to some animals. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t have a safari-chic set in camel/sand ready to go, but don’t wear red or highlighter yellow. This is a blanket rule for any safari you ever go on in your life.
- Swimsuit: In case your hotel has a pool.
- Binoculars: These are truly game-changing. A few rhino sightings we had were wayyyy off in the distance, and it’s just not the same spotting them through the grainy 15x zoom lens on your phone. We got a cheap pair of binoculars in Pokhara for 4500 NPR and they were more than worth it.
- Cash for tips: You will be asked for tips for boat and jeep drivers, so carry some small bills. We also tipped our guide 1000 at the end of the trip.
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FAQs about visiting Chitwan
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about visiting Chitwan National Park in Nepal.
What's the best time to visit Chitwan?
The best time to visit Chitwan National Park is between October and March. The park is effectively closed for monsoon season (around June to September) as there are no jeep safaris. You can visit for other activities, but I’m also not sure I’d want to do a river canoe ride in the pouring rain. Leeches are also a higher risk on the jungle walks — ew.
We went the first week of November. Everything was open, we had great weather, and there were lots of animals out and about.
What animals are in Chitwan National Park?
Chitwan is home to rhinos, crocodiles, tigers, clouded leopards, sloth bears, elephants, various deer, pythons, plus over 500 species of bird (including hornbills).
Rhinos are the main event, and you’re almost guaranteed to see them. You’ll also likely see marsh mugger and gharial crocodiles along the riverbank.
How many tigers are in Chitwan National Park?
There are currently about 145 tigers living in Chitwan National Park, according to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation’s July 2026 survey. Sounds like a lot, but they’re most active at night and very elusive, so don’t get your hopes too high. (Sorry.)
How far is Chitwan National Park from Kathmandu and Pokhara?
Chitwan is right in the middle, about 160 kilometres from either Kathmandu or Pokhara. But the road conditions make the drive times a little different.
It’s about 6 hours from Kathmandu or 4 hours from Pokhara, but even then it depends heavily on the road conditions.
Landslides and blocked sections are common (especially right after monsoon season) so don’t be surprised if the journey takes a few hours more than you were hoping.
The best way to get to Chitwan National Park from Kathmandu or Pokhara is by bus. Taking a car won’t get you there much faster and costs 5x what the bus costs.
Is visiting Chitwan worth it?
Look, I’m spoiled after doing safaris in South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Borneo. But I still think visiting Chitwan National Park is worth it if you have time. You’ll see rhinos and crocodiles (maybe some chained up elephants), but otherwise it’s mostly about the birds.
After spending like two months in bustling Pokhara and Kathmandu, it was just nice to be out in nature. Since Chitwan is so easy to reach from Kathmandu or Pokhara, it’s an easy thing to tack on to your itinerary, and overall worth it.
Naomi Lai
Naomi is a Canadian travel editor and writer with 13 years of international travel across Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, New Zealand, and beyond. She covers everything from budget backpacking to luxury travel — always from personal experience.
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