On safari in Nepal

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Day 524: Saturday 5th December - Calm after chaos

I’m not sad to be leaving Kathmandu behind this morning. It isn’t a city to relax in and I’ve had enough of the constant noise and chaos that accompanies it. I get up early (5:30am) to pack my bag only to find that there is another of Kathmandu’s frequent power cuts. I have to pack my bag by torch light and trust to luck that I leave nothing behind. Bruno and I then walk to the bus station, through Kathmandu’s already buzzing streets and get on the bus to Royal Chitwan Park, in the south of Nepal, and a 6 hour drive from Kathmandu. I try and sleep most of the way which is easier said than done with Nepal’s roads and the constant use of the horn by Nepali drivers.

The first thing that strikes me when we get off the bus at lunchtime in Sauraha, the nearest town to the park is the heat. Terai, the southern part of Nepal lies much closer to sea-level, maybe a drop of 1000 metres elevation from Kathmandu and the weather is sub-tropical. It is winter here so that makes it hot, but not too hot, an ideal climate for a European. Closely followed after the heat is the ‘crocodile farm’. This is not my description of the many touts shouting that greet us when we climb from the bus, but that of Adrian, our Swiss host at the guesthouse we eventually choose to stay at. It is excessive, and unnecessary and creates a bad first impression of our stay in Chitwan, but one thankfully that doesn’t last. One guy is not shouting and using pressure tactics to get us to go to take us to his lodge, so I follow him and manage to drag Bruno away from the rest of the ‘hungry crocodiles’.

We choose wisely as we end up at Chitwan Forest Resort, a series of bungalows set in nice gardens. I can hear myself think properly for the first time since finishing the trek 11 days ago. Lakeside, Pokhara and Thamel, Kathmandu are unashamedly touristy and offer all the amenities but you have to trade this off against a lack of escape from the hassle and the hubbub. Once we have had chance to settle in, relax into our peaceful surroundings and eat lunch, Adrian comes and discusses what activities we can do in and around the park over the next few days. There are plenty of options, it is too late in the day today to do much so we get acquainted with our surroundings and discuss our options on the way.

Adrian recommends walking to the river to see the buffalos crossing as the sun sets. It is a 40 minute walk past mud huts with thatched roofs amidst a sea of yellow. The sea of yellow is oil seed rape, and with the forest of the national park in the background it is very beautiful and a world away from Kathmandu this morning. I am reminded very much of south-east Asia, minus the stifling humidity. The villagers are friendly and love Bruno. Just as in Tibet he has learnt a few key phrases in Nepali and they all think he can speak Nepalese as he starts to chat away to them. Just as the conversation gets too much, Bruno cleverly switches to English and says ‘see you again’ in Nepali, and walks away. I’m walking a few strides behind him and there expressions are all alike. They all believe that he can speak fluent Nepali and are seduced by his friendly manner. It is great to see. We reach the river in time to see the buffalo’s and then cross to the elephant breeding centre. There are several elephants being fed but it appears we have missed the best of the action when the elephants play football. In the fading light we walk back towards Sauraha where after eating we are in bed by 8pm. We’ve had successive early starts, a long journey, I’m still not feeling 100% and my body is crying out for a rest.

Day 525: Sunday 6th December - A long day on safari.....plenty of B-listers but no A-listers

Yesterday evening we arranged our schedule for our two full days in the Royal Chitwan Park. We start today with a dugout canoe ride along the Rapti River, followed by a jungle walk and then a jeep safari in the afternoon. An action packed day of animal watching awaits! The Royal Chitwan National Park was created in 1973, but the area has been protected for much longer being used as a hunting reserve for Nepali and foreign aristocrats. Today Chitwan, a 932 sq km park, boasts 50 different species of mammals, including monkeys, sloth bears, wild boar, hyenas, deer and elephants. In addition, there are over 450 species of birds and butterflies and numerous reptiles and amphibians in the park. The high-profile species that everyone wants to see is the One Horned Indian Rhino, The Royal Bengal Tiger and leopards and just below these ‘A-listers’ would be the Mugger crocodile and the Gharial crocodile.

Our day starts in the early morning mist, and in the relative cold of the Rapti River. It is a gentle and tranquil start to the day as we float down the Rapti river in a dugout canoe. Initially in the cold mist we see nothing other than many of Chitwan’s bird species, most notably the kingfisher. But, as the suns starts to burn through the mist and warm the river up, we see crocodiles on the riverbank. We see both species of crocodile found in the park. First, the Gharial crocodile, with its long, distinctive snout crammed with teeth and then we see the more common and more dangerous Mugger crocodile, a distant relative of the Australian saltwater crocodile.

Our trip down the river finishes after a couple of hours and then we transfer to the land and start our jungle walk with our two guides. Before we start walking we get a safety briefing on what to do if we encounter the four animals in the park which are really dangerous: the tiger, leopard, elephant and rhino. We should maintain eye contact if we meet the first two and not turn our backs and run, which sounds easier than I imagine it to be if you’re met by a man-killer. If we meet either a wild elephant or rhino we should run in long zig-zags and climb a tree if we can find one suitable. Our guides are carrying wooden poles as a deterrent but I very much doubt they will save our lives from a tiger or leopard which tastes blood or a elephant or rhino weighing in at several tonnes! I guess it all adds to the excitement of not quite knowing what could be around the corner.

The walk is through grassland forest, one of the three different vegetations of the Chitwan Park. Sal forest which covers 70% of the park and Riverine forest are the other vegetation types. The elephant grass is at least 6 metres high and offers perfect camouflage for all of the animals. I am already thinking we are unlikely to see any of the star animals or maybe anything at all. I’ve done several jungle walks across the world on my travels and the common factor has been the inability to spot any wildlife other than insects on any of the walks, be they during the day or at night. This walk proves to be no exception, although we do see a Mugger crocodile so I guess I shouldn’t complain. The walk if anything is an hour too long, and I’m physically tiring when it comes to its conclusion three hours after it started. It is six hours since we ate and I am now absolutely starving.

We have no time for lunch as it is now a quarter to one and our jeep safari is supposed to start in 15 minutes. We have just about enough time to sit for 30 minutes, get a cold drink, some chocolate and some lunch to eat on the jeep and then it is back across the Rapti River and into the park once again. The jeep safari also lasts 3 hours, again probably an hour too long. We fail to see any of the ‘A-listers’ but do see 3 deer, 3 wild boars, a number of crocodiles and many birds. We also stop at a Gharial Breeding Centre and see a tiger, albeit a caged one which is pacing the length of its wooden cage and is sad to see. We finish our safari at 5pm, in the fading light. It has been a long day of animal watching, a very full day but it has been enjoyable nevertheless. It would however have been nice to stop for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. It was just too packed for me today.

After stopping for a while to look around in Sauraha, Bruno and I walk back to the guesthouse to get dinner. We share dinner with John and Ruth, an English couple we did the canoe safari and jungle walk with this morning. They have driven to Nepal all the way overland from the UK. It has taken them 5 months and it is interesting to hear their stories, and countries they have been through on the way. Their travel experiences are very different to mine but there are many ways to see the world, and that is one of the beauties of travelling. After a long day, another early night beckons.

Day 526: Monday 7th December - An Elephant safari

A more relaxing day is on the cards today after yesterday was non-stop. This will also be the last day for some days where we can do this. The next sequence of days has us getting up early to travel, to cross borders and for sightseeing in the various cities we will be visiting. The rest is welcome as I’m still not feeling 100%. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. I have obviously eaten something that didn’t agree with me some days ago, but it seems more than that. I don’t feel great, I have a lack of energy but I also wonder if I’ve hit some sort of brick wall in a wider sense after travelling for such a long time. Two days ahead of India, and the intensity that will bring in every sense, this is not a position I want to be in.

After a morning doing little, Bruno and I get lunch overlooking the river where we watch a stream of women walking from the forest across the river, through the elephant grass and then across the river, carrying large bundles of firewood. They are all dressed in colourful saris and it makes for quite a sight. Who needs wildlife?! At 3pm we take an Elephant safari into some Sal forest on the same side of the river as Sauraha, therefore not technically part of Royal Chitwan. The ride lasts two hours, is uncomfortable towards the end, but at this time of the year with the high grasses, this is undoubtedly the best chance of seeing wildlife. On the safari we see four rhinos, several deer and a colourful peacock. The rhinos seem tiny in comparison to the elephants, but I bet that would be different if I was stood on the ground. In the evening, on the recommendation of John and Ruth we visit the Tharu cultural show in the village. It lasts an hour and is a mix of dancing, singing and a performance with sticks. I think their opinion was exaggerated as it was okay, nothing more, nothing less.

Royal Chitwan is a safari on the cheap. For accommodation and our programme I paid 5000 Rupees (£40). Had we decided to stay in the park at one of the expensive lodges it would probably have been 4 times this, but still not that expensive compared to a safari in Africa say. Then again, Royal Chitwan is not comparable to the Serengeti or the Masai Mara in terms of wildlife seen. Nevertheless, it has been an enjoyable few days in a nice spot, we’ve seen some interesting wildlife, and it offered the chance of real relaxation after Kathmandu and prior to India.

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