Chitwan Safari Extension

Chitwan Safari Extension Trip Notes

Ways to Travel: Guided Group
Destination: Nepal
Programmes: Trip Extensions
Activity Level:
2 out of 7 - Easy & Moderate
Ages: 16+
Trip Code: XTNCTW
Carbon Footprint: 46kg CO2e

Trip Overview

Discover the low-lands and wild side of Nepal

This five day wildlife extension is the ideal opportunity to explore the low-lands of Nepal and take in some rest and relax after the challenges of your trekking journey.

Travel from Kathmandu to your jungle lodge in search of the roaming wildlife at Chitwan National Park. With the help of an expert naturalist, you will explore the home of the one-horned rhino, while also spotting birds, crocodiles, deer and boar.

This extension starts on the departure day of your main tour, you will check out from your Kathmandu hotel with the group and then transfer directly to Chitwan.

At a Glance

4 nights / 5 days land only
3 nights classic jungle lodge; 1 night classic hotel
Price based on twin-share: from £749 / US$ 1,350
Compulsory solo traveller supplement from: £365 / US$ 660
Single supplement (hotels only) from: £115 / US$ 210
Option to upgrade to include domestic flights

Highlights

Join an expert naturalist for a wildlife-watching adventure in Chitwan National Park
Seek out the one-horned rhino from your jeep safari
Ride a dugout canoe down the Rapti River in search of crocodiles

Is This Trip for You?

This trip extension is rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate)

For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

It is not a physically demanding adventure, but some journeys are long, rough drives.

This extension starts in Kathmandu on the departure day of your main tour – you will check out from your Kathmandu hotel with the group and then you will transfer directly to Chitwan. For those that wish to, there is the option to take a domestic flight from Kathmandu to Chitwan, as well as from Chitwan to Kathmandu on the departure day (Day 5) which can be booked in advance for a supplement. Please speak to your sales representative for more information.

Your main trip leader will meet you at your hotel in Kathmandu on the last day of the main trip to brief you on the extension transfer arrangements. The leader will not be accompanying you on the extension.

If you are the only person booked onto the extension, a compulsory solo traveller supplement will be added to your booking. This rate is based on single room occupancy so no extra single supplement is required. Should additional passengers book onto the same departure, your solo supplement will be removed and your booking will be based on twin-share rooming. You can choose to upgrade to include the optional single supplement if preferred.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Group

For this extension, you will not have a dedicated local leader accompany you for the duration of the trip.

However, on arrival at your jungle lodge in Chitwan, you will be met by one of the in-house English-speaking Naturalists who will guide you through your wildlife program of activities for the duration of your stay. All Naturalist guides are highly experienced and most come from the local community with outstanding expert knowledge and passion for the indigenous flora and fauna of the local area.

Adult min age: 16

Min group size: 1

Max group size: 16

Itinerary

Land Only

Start City: Kathmandu
End City: Kathmandu

Land Only Itinerary

After breakfast and bidding farewell to your group, you will meet your driver at check-out.

The five-hour drive to Chitwan takes us out of the city and along the Himalaya foothills before. Following a Chinese-built road running parallel to the range, the journey slows as we pass through the hilly region. Our reward, however, is plenty of amazing Himalaya views encompassing terraced farms, numerous villages and finally, alongside the Trishuli River into lowlands of Chitwan.

We should arrive in time for a late lunch. After you will be introduced to your in-house Naturalist who will go over the activities for the next two days. Late afternoon, you’ll receive your first introduction to the local area on a bird walk, a great chance to stretch out after the long journey.

This evening, we watch a Traditional Stick Dance performance, an important part of Tharu culture. The dance is performed by members of the Tharu community, who use long sticks to create an engaging, energetic performance. It is believed to have originated as a means of protecting the Tharu communities from various threats, including wildlife and evil spirits, and is now a celebration of Tharu identity and a way to preserve and showcase their cultural heritage to visitors.

Please note, the order we do activities is decided by the naturalist depending on local factors.

Accommodation: Green Mansions Jungle Resort

For those that wish, there is the option to upgrade and take a domestic flight from Kathmandu to Chitwan which can be booked in advance for a supplement. Please speak to your sales representative for more information.

Meals included: Lunch, Dinner

Today is dedicated to discovering the wildlife of Nepal and exploring the jungle in Chitwan.

In the morning, we take a traditional dugout canoe made from a single tree trunk along the Rapti River, our naturalist guide helping us to spot birdlife and crocodiles as we gently cruise on the water.

After lunch, we head out again from our resort on a jeep safari through Chitwan National Park. Along the way, we keep our eyes peeled for several deer species, wild boars, endangered one-horned rhinos and the very rare Bengal tiger. Our certified Naturalists are typically local to the park, often from the indigenous Tharu community, who have a long history of living in close harmony with the nature of the Chitwan region. Their knowledge of the local ecosystem, animal behaviour and traditional practices makes them excellent nature guides.

Accommodation: Green Mansions Jungle Resort

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, you have the option to rise early and head out before breakfast for a bird-watching walk in the Bagmara Community Forest, around a five to 10-minute stroll from our resort, joined by a naturalist guide.

Returning to the lodge for breakfast, you have some free time this morning to relax and enjoy the lodge facilities.

This afternoon your local guide will take you on a leisurely jungle walk nearby the lodge pointing out indigenous flora and (hopefully) fauna along the way.

There is also the option to add an additional jeep safari to your trip, taking you back out into the national park for more opportunities to encounter the local wildlife.

Accommodation: Green Mansions Jungle Resort

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast it’s time to leave the jungle and forests of Chitwan. We check-out and board our transfer for the five-hour journey, following the River Trisuli out of the low-lands and back to the hills into Kathmandu.

For those that wish, there is the option to upgrade to a domestic flight from Chitwan to Kathmandu which can be booked in advance for a supplement. Please speak to your sales representative for more information.

Accommodation: Royal Singi Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

The adventure comes to an end after breakfast.

Departure transfers are available for any flight, provided you have supplied your sales representative with your flight details in advance and have requested one.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation

Jungle lodge & hotel

3 nights classic Jungle Lodge; 1 night classic hotel.

In Chitwan, we usually stay at the Green Mansions Jungle Resort, nestled on the edge of the community forest. Green Mansions offers traditional cottages encompassed by nature. The highlight may well be their in-house team of naturalists, who bring the landscape to life with their expertise. Other pluses include a pool with half-sunken loungers and poolside bar, a multi-cuisine restaurant where dishes include produce from the hotel garden, and relaxing gardens with pergolas and hammocks .

In Kathmandu, we usually stay at the Hotel Royal Singi, well located near the buzzing Thamel district, close to banks, restaurants, shops and attractions.. There is a restaurant, bar and an outdoor courtyard, plus free wifi in the lobby and login codes for the rooms are available at reception. There is an Exodus desk in the hotel reception area and an Exodus representative is usually available daily in the mornings and evenings.

Extra accommodation

If you require additional accommodation in Kathmandu, either before or after the tour, we can book this for you (subject to availability). Please enquire with your sales representative.

Single accommodation

If you prefer your own room, we offer a single supplement for the hotel nights in Kathmandu and Chitwan.

Food & Drink

All breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners are included. Allow approximately 3,000-5,000 rupees (US$22-US$38) per day for meals not included in Kathmandu.

Meals in the lodges range from traditional Nepalese food to Chinese and Western dishes. The food is good quality and usually served buffet style. You are provided with safe drinking water on trek and in Chitwan.

Dhal bhat is the staple diet in Nepal and comes in many different forms but generally comprises curried lentil dhal and meat or vegetables, rice, and a pickle/chutney. Another popular snack is momos, a Nepalese dumpling filled with meat or vegetables.

If you have a gluten-free diet, we strongly recommend you bring extra food and snacks with you to supplement the food on trek as there will be little variety available to you, particularly for breakfast. Even many of the soups are from powder/packets and contain gluten.

Drinking water

Staying hydrated is important, particularly in the warmer seasons where it will be hot and humid in the lowlands around Chitwan, on this trip it is generally recommended to carry a 33floz (one litre) water bottle and drink at least 67floz (two litres) per person per day.

However, we strongly encourage you not to buy bottled water as this contributes to the growing problem of plastic pollution in the trekking areas of Nepal.

Exodus has partnered with Water-to-Go, a filtration system that eliminates more than 99.99 percent of all microbiological contaminants from any non-saltwater source – visit Water-to-Go for more information. Exodus customers can claim 15 percent off their first order and, better still, 15 percent of the purchase value will be donated to the Exodus Travels Foundation.

Transport

A private air-conditioned SUV/minibus with seatbelts (depending on group size) is used for the main road journeys and shared 4WD jeeps are used in Chitwan National Park.

There is the option to upgrade to domestic flights between Kathmandu and Chitwan. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to explore this option and also read carefully the information provided below on flight safety in Nepal.

All internal flights in Nepal are subject to weather conditions; if the flight is cancelled due to fog or bad weather, for example, travelling by road will be unavoidable.

Nepal flight safety: Many of our trips in Nepal use domestic flights to reach certain areas. The mountainous Nepalese terrain is subject to changeable weather, which makes flying conditions complex and challenging, and unfortunately there are significantly more incidents here than in other countries, including fatalities. The EU highlighted the poor safety record in Nepal in 2013 by including all Nepalese-registered airlines on the EU banned list, which prevents them from flying in EU airspace. While no Nepalese-registered airlines currently fly within the EU, the EU instigated this ban to highlight the risk of flying in Nepal to EU citizens. These airlines are unlikely to be members of internationally recognised safety audit systems and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Nepal does not operate to the same standards as those of Western nations.

Flying within Nepal is therefore a known risk, and we strongly encourage you to consider this carefully before booking. We suggest you refer to the following sources:

The current travel advice for Nepal issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
The Air Safety Network entry for Nepal

In response to concerns over this safety record, Exodus arranges for independent air-safety auditors to visit Nepal annually to assess the suitability of the available carriers. We then restrict our use to only those approved as part of this audit. In emergency situations, we will need to use helicopters, so we also have a list of approved helicopter carriers. Should concerns arise regarding the safety of an airline on our approved list, we will remove the carrier from the list immediately, and it would only be reinstated once our air-safety auditors are confident the airline meets acceptable safety standards.

We appreciate you may have concerns about flying within Nepal, so we ask that you consider all the information above when deciding to book and optional domestic flights for this trip.

Weather & Seasonality

The main seasons in Nepal is from October to mid‐May when daytime temperatures are generally comfortable, the sky is clear much of the time and rain and snow are occasional occurrences. Daytime temperatures will vary from 15ºC to 35ºC. Different seasons offer different advantages for wildlife watching.

Post Monsoon/Autumn: Mid-September to December: The northerly winds are cool, coming down from the mountains, and this is the best time of the year to see the Great Himalayan Range, the air being particularly clear in November. Daytime temperatures will be up to 32C (90F). Nights will be colder with temperatures dropping to about 10C (50F).

Pre‐monsoon: March to May: Both day and night temperatures will be warmer in general but haze will often build up in the afternoons and there can be humidity and rain. Temperatures rise to 35C (95F). Nights will be a bit cooler, around 12-18C (53-64F).

Please remember that in any area the weather is never wholly predictable and you should be prepared and equipped to deal with any differences in weather beyond the conditions
described above.

What To Take

Essential Equipment

There is a left luggage store (free of charge) in the Kathmandu hotel if you wish to leave any of your gear from your main trip behind to travel light for your extension.

In addition to your normal daily clothes, you need:

Backpack for the day
Sunhat, sunglasses, sunscreen
Mosquito repellent
Mid-layer (fleece) for cool mornings and evenings between December-March departures
Light cotton clothes in dull colours for game drives
T-shirts/shirts/base layers
Lightweight trousers (pants)
Shorts
Refillable water bottle
Hand washing gel
Small personal first-aid kit
Rain jacket and rain trousers (pants).

Nepalis are still traditional in the way they dress. Out of respect for the country we ask you to dress conservatively ‐ no sleeveless tops. Although shorts are acceptable they should be modest and reach to just above the knee.

Optional Equipment

Binoculars

Practical Information

Visa

Nepal

You can obtain your visa in advance or on arrival. The Immigration Department of Nepal has suspended visas on arrival for certain nationalities – please check if this applies to you with your nearest embassy or consulate.

Visa in advance

Apply for this through your local consulate or embassy. Further details on this option can be found here:

For UK passport holders: https://uk.nepalembassy.gov.np/visa/
For US passport holders: https://us.nepalembassy.gov.np/tourist-visa/

When applying for your visa in advance, the Nepalese government has an online application system (see links above for more info), but it is currently only accepting payments through Nepalese payment channels. Once the online form is completed, the applicant is required to print out the form and either send it, together with the passport, to the embassy, or attend in person.

Visa on arrival

When you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, there will be three lines. If you have already secured your visa, go straight to the Immigration line. If not:
Fill in a tourist visa form at the electronic kiosks. After inserting your passport, the machine will automatically fill out an application form, take an electronic photograph of you and print a paper slip. If the machine won’t read your passport, complete the details manually using the touchscreen. We recommend taking a passport photo with you just in case.
Top tip: This process can be completed through the online immigration portal (click ‘Visa On-Arrival’) within 14-days prior to arrival in Kathmandu, helping you to avoid lengthy queues at the kiosks when you come through immigration – ensure you print and bring the confirmation with you. If you have completed your visa on arrival form in advance, go directly to the visa fees counters with your printed confirmation and skip the kiosk queues.
Proceed to the visa fees collection counter and pay the visa fee (in cash, if possible). Make sure to keep the receipt. Card payments are not always possible, so paying in cash is easiest, most currencies are accepted but US dollars are preferred.
Go to the relevant immigration desk and present your tourist visa form, payment receipt and passport to obtain your 15-, 30- or 90-day visa stamp. Please check you have been given the correct visa duration.

Vaccinations and Health

Nepal

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, cholera, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Some travellers may also need proof of a polio vaccination. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

There is little to no risk of malaria in Nepal; therefore, antimalarial tablets are not usually advised although may be considered for certain high-risk groups. You may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

Additionally, dengue fever and chikungunya are known risks in Nepal. Both are tropical viral diseases spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for either, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Most of our trips to Nepal go to high altitudes where there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please refer to the Altitude Warning within the Trip Notes for further advice on AMS.

When trekking at altitude, and particularly in cold weather, there is a higher chance of developing a cough (sometimes referred to here as the Khumbu cough) or cold symptoms. These symptoms could be a result of inhaling cold mountain air or dust (in the Everest region). You can mitigate against picking up coughs and colds by washing your hands with soap and water at available opportunities and using hand sanitiser. Also wear a buff over your neck and mouth when walking at altitude, particularly in colder weather, which will help limit cold, dry air entering your airways and keep your neck and chest warm.

Local Time

Nepal's time zone: Asia/Kathmandu (UTC +05:45)

Electricity

Nepal's electricity: Plug types C (two round pins, European standard), D (three round pins) and M (three round pins) – 230V, 50Hz Mains electric 'load shedding' (planned temporary power cuts) occur regularly throughout towns and cities in Nepal. On teahouse treks, the majority of lodges now have electricity and charging facilities in the communal areas for batteries, for a fee. Battery life can be affected by cold; lithium batteries are best.

Money

Nepal's currency: Nepalese rupee (NPR) It is illegal to import or export rupees, but foreign currency is not limited, provided it is declared on arrival. Keep your change receipts, as you will need them if you want to change rupees back into hard currency at Kathmandu airport.

ATM Availability

There are ATMs in Kathmandu but might be limited in Chitwan. Please do not rely wholly on ATMs as many are broken or run out of money. Some banks have a withdrawal limit equivalent to about US$120 per time but there is usually a transaction fee, if you need to withdraw more money than this you should look for another ATM with a higher limit (others have a maximum withdrawal limit equivalent to about US$360 per time).

Credit cards are accepted in many of the larger shops and restaurants in Kathmandu and the jungle lodge in Chitwan.

Extra Expenses & Spending Money

Your stay in Chitwan will be on full board basis but excluding beverages. You may wish to carry a small amount of cash for snacks/drinks on the journey to/from Chitawan as well as any incidentals, drinks (soft/alcoholic) and possible small souvenirs in Chitwan. The hotel will accept credit cards if preferred.

Tipping

Tipping is customary in Nepal and usually expected. Tipping can often be an awkward affair, especially when in an unfamiliar country where you are not sure when or how much to tip. As such, the following are some rough guidelines on what you can contribute.

Naturalist Guide: 1,350 – 2,000 rupees (US$10 – 15) per passenger, per day

Drivers, Kathmandu to/from Chitwan (per each-way transfer): 1,500 rupees (US$10-12) in total for the journey

Hotel porters: 150 rupees (US$1-2) each time for each room
Restaurants: 10% of the bill if good service

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony though practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.