Bird Watching

Experience Bird Watching in:

Langtang National Park

Trek to Langtang if you want a relatively short itinerary with all the excitement of the Himalayas. Here, th trail is less crowded and the trek more rewarding.
This is one of the most accessible trekking regions near the Kathmandu Valley with short day hikes or week-long ventures into the lake district. An ideal region if you are short on time but still want to trek the Himalayas and experience the wonderful cultures of the native Tamangs.

The region was affected by the earthquake in April 2015. With reconstruction and renovation efforts underway, the area has reopened for trekking, and the local people have also welcomed tourists.
Langtang has over 70 glaciers of varying sizes, the Langtang and Ganesh Himal mountain ranges, and high-altitude lakes including Gosainkunda, Parvatikunda, Bhairavkunda, and Dudhkunda.

The people in this place are mostly of Tamang and Tibetan origin, whose culture goes back to hundreds of years.The craftsmanship, dress, traditionally-built stone houses, and the beautifully carved wooden porches reflect their rich Himalayan heritage.
Partly protected as Langtang National Park, visit to the area gives Himalayan nature experience and an insight into the lifestyle and culture of the Tamangs who are predominant inhabitants of the region.

Located about 30 km toward the north of Kathmandu near the Tibetan border, Langtang, and extending in an east-west direction, it is bordered on the north by the main crest of the Himalayas, dominated by Langtang Lirung (7,245 m), the highest peak in the area.
To the south are the Chimse Danda (ridge), crossed by the Ganja La pass (5,122 m), and Jugal Himal, culminating in Dorje Lakpa (6,989 m). Glaciers spawned by the slopes of Dorje Lakpa, Langtang Lirung and other peaks feed the Langtang Khola (river).

The Langtang River passes through the high, gentle Langtang Valley before emptying in a raging torrent into the Bhote Kosi River through a long, narrow defile at the west end of the valley.
Whereas the major rivers of Nepal flow south from Tibet cutting through the Himalayan chain, the Langtang Khola, a major tributary of the Trisuli Ganga, flows east to west, cutting, as it were, across the grain of the country.

The Trisuli, or Bhote Kosi as it becomes above Dhunche, forms an important corridor and ancient trade route through the mountains between the Ganesh and Langtang Himal, to Kerung in Tibet.
The inhabitants of the Langtang Valley are thought to be descendants of Tibetans from Kerung who intermingled with Tamangs from the Helambu area.

They are mainly sheep and yak herders, but grow some hardy grains and vegetables. The daily life of the villagers includes raising livestock, agriculture, and trade with Kerung in Tibet. Wheat, maize, potato, soyabean, and millet are their staple food.
Tourist facilities are available in Dhunche and Syabru. Established accommodation facilities are available in Langtang route and Gosainkunda route. Trained guides and porters are also available in the villages.

Bardiya National Park

Ride through the silent jungle catching wildlife by surprise in the largest national park of Nepal in Bardiya or take nature walk under the guidance of expert naturalists with years of experience.
Combine it with white-water rafting in the longest river of Nepal, Karnali, where you could even spot dolphins or gharial on a lucky day. And meet the charming Rana Tharu and Dangora people of southern Nepal to know more about their culture.

A trip to Bardiya is certain to stay in your memory as one of the most enduring experiences in Nepal. These jungles in the south-western parts of Nepal are an hour’s flight away with an incredible variety of mammals, reptiles and birds.
Bardiya National Park is also one of the most undisturbed protected areas in the Terai and is home to the endangered Royal Bengal tiger and Nepal’s famous one-horned rhinoceros. The park located in the far western district of Bardiya, is bordered by River Karnali in the west, the Churia range in the north, while the River Babai flows right through.

The varied geographical factors together with the cover of Sal, Savannah forests and grasslands render this region ideal as wild animal habitat. The park hosts 30 different mammals, more than 250 species of birds, and several varieties of reptiles and water animals.
Some of the other animals found here are elephant, swamp deer, blackbuck, gharial crocodile and marsh-mugger crocodile. The exotic Gangetic dolphin is also sometimes seen in River Karnali. Birds include endangered varieties of Bengal florican, lesser florican, silver-eared mesia and sarus crane.

The park offers opportunity of fishing at River Karnali and River Babai. The best time to visit is autumn, winter and early summer when the weather is warm and dry. Bardiya can be reached by road via Nepalgunj or by flight to Nepalgunj or Surkhet from where the park can be driven to.
Several safari lodges in Bardiya provide excellent accommodation and facilities for guests to enjoy wildlife activities. The nearest cities from here are Nepalgunj and Mahendranagar. Park headquarters Thakurdwara is approximately an hour’s drive away from the Nepalgunj-Surkhet road.

Everest Region

Reach the highest point on earth or choose to live out your dream by standing at the foot of Mt. Everest (8,848 m).
The Everest region in Nepal is more than just trekking, it is a milestone in anyone’s life; and some have even described the experience as a journey close to Nirvana. Located in the northeast province of Nepal, this is a colony to dramatic glaciers, deep settlements, several majestic mountains.

Passing through legendary Sherpa villages, the trek is a mix of a deeply cultural and spiritual experience in addition to the physical one. Buddhist lamas, monks and nuns led by Rinpoches (reincarnate lamas) serve the predominantly Sherpa communities from gompas (monasteries).
The journey to Everest or Everest Base Camp, begins from Lukla, if you are taking a direct flight from the capital. However, for die-hard lovers of trekking, there is an another switchback starting from Jiri through the mid-hills of Solu; ethnically diverse and flora-rich.

Taking a flight is a time-saver, while trekking from Jiri gives you the opportunity to take in each tiny detail of the trek, with extra time to to meet the charming people and see the rich flora and fauna on the trail.
The option from Jiri will roughly take 10 days to reach the famous Sherpa village, Namche Bazaar (3,500m). The Sagarmatha National Park in the Khumbu is one of the few places on earth with the rarest bio-diversity and the highest and youngest mountain system in the world.

For those with sufficient time, a 10-12 day trek through Solu to the Khumbu and the Sagarmatha National Park is an excellent itinerary both in terms of acclimatization and to experience the changing customs, traditions, and lifestyles as you pass through lower altitude settlements to those in the higher altitudes.
A part of the Himalayan ecological zone, the park was added to the list of UNESCO Natural World Heritage Sites in 1979. The park contains three of the world’s seven highest mountains Sagarmatha or Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Cho Oyu and is also home to several other prominent peaks most of which are above 6,000 meters.

Climbers and trekkers continue to trek to Everest Base Camp and not surprisingly the “Roof of the World” continues to be the scene of some of mountaineering’s most significant accomplishments and a favored haven for alpine enthusiasts.
The Everest region has been valued as the key to evolutionary history of the Earth, and is also a habitat for some rare and endangered species like snow leopard, red panda, Himalayan black bear, musk deer and Himalayan wolves.

Chitwan National Park

In the southern region of Nepal, the jungles of Chitwan National Park await you with wildlife experiences like no other. Track wild royal Bengal tigers and watch one-horned rhinos bathe in rivers alongside great Asiatic elephants. If you want to quench your thirst for nature, Chitwan National Park is where you should be.
Witness wilderness in its real form, and do it in style like the old-day Maharajas on elephant back to spot rhinos and deer, or go jeep safari in the depth of the forest to catch a glimpse of the elusive Bengal tiger.

Another, exciting adventure is to go canoeing in the marshy Terai river amongst hundreds of marsh mugger crocodiles basking in the sun, waiting for their prey to fall in their mouths.
You can also spend some calming animal time visiting the elephant and gharial breeding farms, a perfect way to educate your kids about the animals and their life cycle.

Be a part of the local tribal life and visit the Tharu village, where you are welcomed into their traditional mud houses and treated with utmost care and respect.
At the end of the day add to the essence of the ultimate jungle experience and unwind next to a huge campfire, to the sounds of the intricate Tharu stick dance and local folk songs.

The Chitwan National Park, Nepal’s first national park lies at the foot of the Mahabharat range in the inner Terai lowlands of Chitwan. Covering an area of 932 sq. km this is the most well preserved conservation area in all of Asia.
The park is rich in flora and fauna and has a fascinating variety of mammals and birds. The park preserves some of the last habitats for endangered species like the greater one-horned rhinoceros and the Royal Bengal tiger.

The reserve was designated a national park in 1973 and was listed as a UNESCO world Heritage sites.

Khaptad National Park

Trek through the rolling hills of the Khaptad National Park (about 3,000 m) through subtropical forest of Chir pine at lower altitude, and sub alpine forests of fir, hemlock, oak and rhododendron in the higher areas. The area boasts of 224 species of medicinal herbs and is described as the living garden of herbs and a museum of natural history. It is estimated that about 567 species, 11 percent of flowering plants of Nepal, are found in Khaptad.
The park also offers excellent bird-watching opportunities, with 270 species of birds, the common ones being different varieties of Impheyan pheasant, partridges, flycatchers, bulbuls, cuckoos and eagles. Khaptad Park is also fairly rich in its variety of wild animals, common ones being barking deer, wild dog, wild boar, ghoral, Himalayan black bear, yellow-throated marten, rhesus monkey and langur monkey.

Other areas in the national park of interest to tourists are Khaptad Daha, Nag Dhunga and Upper Tribeni. Khaptad National Park also offers religious sightseeing.
Ashram of Khaptad Baba
The Ashram (hermitage) of Khaptad Baba as the name proclaims is the area where the famous Khaptad Baba (Late Swami Sachchidananda) resided. The Ashram located at Tribeni is an important destination for pilgrims and tourists to Khaptad. The meditation area includes temples of lower Tribeni. There are no entrance restrictions for visitors. In the core zone, however, grazing animals, cutting firewood and activities like drinking alcohol, smoking, slaughtering animals are prohibited.
Saileswori
Saileswori is one of the most famous religious stops on the way to Khaptad from Attariya Chowk, Kailali. The temple of Goddess Saileswori in Sigarhi, Doti, comprises temples of Ganesh and Masto. Silgarhi Bazaar, which is a historical town is the main business center of far west Nepal.

Ramaroshan
Ramaroshan lies in Achham district. It is also called Pancha Pura (five cities) in Hindu scriptures and is attached to the stories of Pauranic Age. The site is famous for the five historical cities connected to stories of Goddess Parvati. In addition are 12 lakes that are good birdwatching sites. There are also remains of old historical buildings that make this region important from archeological point of view.
Badimallika
Badimallika houses the temple of Mallika Devi (4,153 m) in Bajura district. It is believed that Goddess Sati, Shiva’s consort, was reborn as Parvati in this holy area. From this place, one can observe the enchanting views of the Himalayas. The month of April – October are ideal months to visit Badimallika. One can reach this place from Khaptad National Park within 8 to 10-day trek.

Surma Sarovar
Surma Sarovar (4,307 m) is a holy and beautiful lake site in the district of Bajhang. A temple dedicated to Surma Devi is situated near the lake. Hindus believe that Surma Devi is the incarnation of Goddess Kali. Mt. Kailash in Tibet believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva can be seen from Surma Sarovar. Surma Sarovar is 3-day trek from Khaptad National Park.
Getting There
Khaptad National Park is in Seti zone and is surrounded by districts Doti, Bajura, Bajhang and Achham.
The gateway to Khaptad is Silgarhi Bazaar in Doti district, from where the park headquarters is 50 km and almost 2-day trek away. The best way to reach Silgarhi is via Attariya Chowk in Kalali district. Silgarhi Bazaar is 9-hour drive from Attariya Chowk. Buses to Attariya Chowki, Kailali, are available at Central Bus Station, Gongabu, in Kathmandu and transportation to Silgarhi is available at Attariya Chowk. Another option is to take a flight to Dhangadi from where one can drive to Silgarhi Bazaar.

Khaptad National Park can also be reached easily from the west entry point of Nepal at Gadda Chowki, Mahendranagar. Silgarhi Bazaar is approximately 10-hour drive from Mahendranagar, while Mahendranagar is 30-minute drive from the Indian border town of Banbasa, from where buses depart to Delhi every hour of the day.

Lumbini Birthplace of Buddha
One of the world’s most important spiritual sites is home to the historic birthplace of the Buddha. Today you can visit over 25 international Buddhist monasteries, study Buddhism, meditation and visit Buddha’s birthplace itself within the sacred Mayadevi Gardens!

Mayadevi Temple is one of the important sites in the Lumbini Garden with many historians and archaeologists referring to it as the place of birth of Lord Buddha. Inscriptions on the Ashoka Pillar also refers the spot as his birthplace. It is said that here the newly born Prince took his first seven steps and gave a peace message to humanity.

This happened in the beautiful Sal grove, which is now the focal point of the Lumbini Garden. Mayadevi, the Queen of Shakya King Suddhodhana of Kapilvastu, while passing through the Lumbini Garden, on the day of Baishakha Purnima (full moon day of May in 623 BC) took a bath in the Pushkarini (the Sacred Pond) and soon after she took support of a tree branch, and gave birth to the Prince Siddhartha, who became the Buddha.

Visit beautiful monasteries built by different Buddhist countries like China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Germany and observe the different architecture and prayer areas. Soak up the peaceful atmosphere and above all  visit the Mayadevi Temple which dates back to 2,200 years, which archaeological evidence proclaim as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam or Lord Buddha in 623 BC.

You can walk around the garden or find a peaceful meditative spot to contemplate. The focal point for Pilgrims is a sandstone carving depicting the birth of the Buddha, reputedly left here by the Malla King Ripu Malla, in the 14th century, when Mayadevi was worshipped as an incarnation of the Hindu mother goddess. Another main attraction is the Ashokan Pillar, which was built by the great Indian Emperor Ashoka while visiting the birthplace of Buddha back in 249 BC.

One can visit the Panditarama Vipassana Center for some yoga and meditation and interact with the monks, who live in the vicinity of the monasteries, devoting their time to balancing the environment with religious worship.
The Lumbini Garden covers an area of 2.56 sq km or 1 x 3 sq miles and encompasses three zones each covering one square mile connected with walkways and a canal. The area has sub tropical monsoon climate with warm wet season.

If you are planning on traveling to exotic places in South Asia looking to find some Nirvana, then do not miss Lumbini in Nepal.