Bardiya Jungle Safari

Fly to Nepalgunj in western Nepal (1 hour), then drive 3 hours to Bardiya National Park — Nepal's largest and most pristine protected area and the country's best chance of spotting a wild Royal Bengal Tiger in its natural habitat. Far less visited than Chitwan, Bardiya delivers a genuinely wild experience with minimal tourist infrastructure. Check in to your riverside safari lodge. Evening briefing by your experienced naturalist on the park's wildlife, ecology and tiger-tracking protocols. Meals: All included.

Full day in the sal forest and Khauriala grasslands — Bardiya's prime tiger habitat. Morning 4WD safari into the grasslands at dawn when tigers are most active. Your naturalist guide tracks pugmarks, scratch marks and territorial sprayings. Bardiya has over 125 tigers and your guide knows each individual by territory. Afternoon: walking safari through riverine forest with a trained armed ranger. Bird life is extraordinary: Bengal florican, lesser floricans, sarus cranes and fishing eagles are regularly sighted. Meals: All included.

Morning boat safari on the Karnali River — one of Nepal's great rivers, flowing from Tibet through the Himalaya to the Ganges. The Karnali is home to the endangered Gangetic river dolphin: sleek, nearly blind freshwater dolphins that navigate by echolocation in the silty river. Gharial crocodiles and marsh mugger crocodiles are also regularly seen. Afternoon: deep-forest walking safari in the tiger and elephant corridor. Meals: All included.

Guided night walk along the park boundary with torch and experienced armed ranger — a chance to see leopard, hyena, porcupine and the extraordinary density of nocturnal wildlife that Bardiya's undisturbed ecosystem supports. Dawn safari the following morning for the final tiger-tracking session. Meals: All included.

Final sunrise walk along the Karnali riverbank before transferring to Nepalgunj airport for the return flight to Kathmandu. Bardiya — wilder, quieter and more authentic than any other jungle safari destination in Nepal — leaves a lasting impression. Meals: Breakfast.