| I first visited Nepal in 1997 and have been looking | | | | the journey. The rooms were equally comfortable |
| forward to a return trip ever since. It has been a | | | | with simple yet tasteful décor, en suite |
| long time coming but I have just spent two weeks in | | | | bathroom and four poster beds with mosquito nets. |
| this enchanting country, and it was everything I | | | | The lodge is sympathetically built using local materials |
| remembered and more. The purpose of my visit was | | | | and is located right on the park boundary. Tiger |
| to research a possible group trip to the lesser visited | | | | Mountain also own their own elephants so guests can |
| Bardia National Park in the lowland Terai region, as | | | | enter the park by elephant without driving to the |
| well as some additional options for trekking - an | | | | main entrance gate a few kilometers away. I spent |
| activity that everyone associates with Nepal. After | | | | five nights at the lodge with a one night trek during |
| my overnight Jet Airways flight to Delhi, I connected | | | | my stay. |
| to my onward flight to Kathmandu and we were | | | | Being less accessible than the better known Chitwan, |
| soon descending over the Kathmandu valley. As we | | | | Bardia offers a true wilderness experience that is |
| neared the airport the fertile patchwork quilt of | | | | hard to find elsewhere in the subcontinent. Nepalese |
| farmland, river beds and rolling foothills gradually give | | | | national parks are more flexible than in neighboring |
| way to building development and the increasingly | | | | India, allowing walking and camping actually within the |
| sprawling city. Having had a night to recover from | | | | core area. The location near the Karnali River and its |
| the flight, I set off on the first leg of my trip. | | | | tributaries also means that the area lends itself to |
| Starting from Dhulikel, around 1 ½ hrs drive | | | | rafting and river trips which can be linked in with your |
| South East of the city, I spent the next three days | | | | treks. |
| and two nights trekking in the stunning Kathmandu | | | | Despite the long grass and dense jungIe I was |
| Valley area. This rarely trekked and under rated route | | | | rewarded with some excellent sightings. On my |
| was incredibly scenic, taking us away from the main | | | | second trip in to the park we tracked rhino for over |
| valley and up to the serene Namo Buddha Monastery. | | | | an hour, plodding through the seemingly impenetrable |
| Here the prayer flags flapping in the breeze create a | | | | forest on board our trusty elephant until we found |
| bright contrast to the backdrop of lush terraced | | | | ourselves in a clearing just 5m from a female rhino |
| fields and tree covered mountains. We averaged | | | | and her calf. As well as many prey species, we also |
| around 5 - 6 hours walking each day, staying in small | | | | found tiger, leopard and fishing cat pug marks whilst |
| local guesthouses in the villages of Balthali and | | | | exploring on foot! |
| Lakhure Bhanjyang, and finished in the small town of | | | | The overnight trek was also a great way of getting |
| Godavari to the south of the city. Despite the | | | | to know the area better; we set off from Chisipani |
| proximity to the rapidly expanding Kathmandu, the | | | | bridge to climb a steep 4hrs up to the tiny village of |
| small friendly villages en route are largely un touched | | | | Gaine Kanda, where our porters from the lodge had |
| and still have a remote feel - the views towards the | | | | set up camp prior to our arrival. We cooked over an |
| city and valley floor are also spectacular. This is | | | | open fire under the stars with a few visitors from |
| relatively easy going never reaching a high altitude - | | | | the village joining us for a drink and a chat. The trek |
| Lakhure Bhangyang is the highest point of the trek at | | | | down the following day was an adventure and the |
| around 1500m. | | | | time of year and late monsoon meant that there |
| Following the trek I returned to Kathmandu for | | | | were barely any paths or trails on our chosen route. |
| another night before setting off for Bardia national | | | | After around 6 hours slashing through the long grass |
| park which is best accessed by flight to Nepalgunj, | | | | and crossing landslides we finally decided to stop in a |
| followed by a 2 ½ hour drive to the park. I | | | | clearing to eat our packed lunch and take a much |
| made sure I sat on the right hand side of the plane | | | | needed break. |
| to take in the dramatic mountain views on the way | | | | We were thinking of moving on for the last leg of |
| there. It is quite humbling to be thousands of feet in | | | | the trek when I noticed two black shadows moving |
| the air, only to be dwarfed by the Himalayan range | | | | amongst the trees around 25 metres below where |
| peeping through the cotton wool clouds above you. | | | | we were sitting. The figures turned out to be sloth |
| There had been some heavy rainfall in the region and | | | | bears and we excitedly (and nervously) followed |
| many of the rivers had burst their banks as the rain | | | | them on foot, hiding behind trees for around 20 |
| water from the past few days made its way down | | | | minutes until they disappeared over a ridge. It was a |
| from the mountains. Nonetheless, 4 hours and some | | | | whole new experience to be able to see these |
| exciting river crossings later and we were deep in the | | | | elusive animals at close quarters with no jeep or |
| countryside passing through the small tharu | | | | elephant for back up. |
| communities, with many of the villagers up to their | | | | Overall, a great return trip to Nepal and whilst the |
| waists netting the channels alongside their rice fields | | | | frequency of wildlife sightings may be similar to other |
| for small fish. A section of the drive to the Lodge | | | | parks, the overall experience and range of activities |
| actually took us in to the park itself where we were | | | | on offer in Bardia make it great option for those who |
| greeted by herds of Chital (spotted deer), Langur | | | | want to get off the beaten track and spend some |
| monkeys and a pair of Jackal. From the main bridge | | | | time exploring. A trek in the Kathmandu valley is also |
| over the river Babai we also saw four gharial | | | | a great contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city |
| (endangered long snouted crocodile) fishing in the | | | | and a perfect beginning or end to your travels in |
| water beneath us. | | | | Nepal. Watch this space for details of my group trip |
| We arrived at the Karnali Lodge at around 8:30 and | | | | to these regions for next year. |
| the main building was the perfect place to relax after | | | | |