Many travelers think of snow-capped mountains when they think of Nepal, but the Chitwan National Park couldn’t be further from that image. Located on the Terai—the once jungle-filled plains of southern Nepal bordering India—Chitwan is famed for its jungle activities, and sightings of the 1-horned rhinoceros are almost guaranteed.
Sitting on the Terai (the lowlands bordering India) and about equidistant from both Kathmandu and Pokhara, Chitwan National Park is easy to reach from both cities. In fact, it's Nepal's most popular jungle park partly due to its accessibility.
From Kathmandu
By Air: Duration: 20 minutes
The city of Bharatpur is the air hub for the Chitwan National Park, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Sauraha, or 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Barauli. There are several daily flights between Kathmandu and Bharatpur, which take only 20 minutes once you're in the air. It's not an especially scenic flight as you're going away from the mountains. Flying is by far the easiest and quickest way of getting between Kathmandu and Chitwan. Taxis can be found easily at Bharatpur Airport.
By Private Transfer: Duration: 5+ hours
The Chitwan National Park is about 60 miles (96 kilometers) from Kathmandu, and on a good day this journey may only take about five hours. However, road works leaving Kathmandu and along the Prithvi Highway, as well as traffic jams, can slow down the trip by many hours. It is a scenic trip though, following the Trisuli Valley much of the way, with its steep forest-covered hills and farming villages. The road turns south at Mugling and heads towards the Terai.
Many hotels and travel companies can arrange private transfers between Kathmandu and Chitwan. This is the most comfortable way to travel overland. Private transfers are much faster than buses & usually come with air conditioning, good suspension, and the ability to stop when you wish.
By Tourist Bus: Duration: 5+ hours
Tourist buses are another way to get from Kathmandu to Chitwan. These leave from near Thamel early in the morning and arrive in Sauraha five or more hours. They usually make a few comfort and meal stops, although not on demand. Tourist buses are usually air-conditioned, and moderately comfortable. Local buses are also available, but are generally uncomfortable, crowded, and not as safe as tourist buses.
From Pokhara
By Air: Duration: 10 minutes
There’s one flight daily between Pokhara and Bharatpur, and it's very short, so could potentially save you a lot of time going overland. In the peak seasons, book as far in advance as possible as this single flight fills up fast.
Chitwan is 52 miles (84 kilometers) from Pokhara. Travel specialists and some hotels can arrange private transfers. The journey from Pokhara is less likely to be delayed by enormous traffic jams, as delays around Pokhara aren't usually of the same magnitude as those around Kathmandu.
Most tourist buses leave from the Tourist Bus Park in Pokhara, although the more expensive and higher quality Green Line Bus leaves from its own stop near Damside. They arrive at the Tourist Bus Park (Bachhauli) just north of Sauraha, and make reasonably frequent comfort and meal stops. If staying in Barauli, it’s probably faster to get a tourist bus to Sauraha first and then get a private transfer (or local bus) from there.
October to early March is the best time to visit Chitwan for pleasant 25°C temperatures.
The Chitwan National Park (CNP) is a world heritage property, and it also contains a Ramsar Site – Beeshazari Tal in its buffer zone. The CNP has a history of over 3 decades in park management and a rich experience in resolving conflicts between the park and the people.
It is a rich natural area in the Terai, the subtropical southern part of Nepal. A total of 68 species of mammals, 544 species of birds, 56 species of herpetofauna and 126 species of fish have been recorded in the park. The park is especially renowned for its protection of One Horned Rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger and Gharial Crocodile.