Bardia National Park
Bardia National Park; In 1969, 368 sq km of Northern Bardia was delineated as a Royal Hunting Reserve, a playground exclusively reserved for the royals and their guests. Later In 1976, under the National Parks and wildlife conservation act (1973), the then government of Nepal declared the Royal Bardia Wildlife reserve and afforded its full protection under the laws of Nepal.
Moreover, in 1982, the Nepalese government resettled nearly 1500 people from the adjacent Babai Valley to expand Bardia’s territory from 368 sq km to 968 sq km. In 1988 the status was upgraded and named Royal Bardia National Park which is termed only as Bardia National Park after the end of monarchism in Nepal.
Fact Sheet
| Declare Year | 1976 AD as a Royal Karnali WildlifeReserve (348 km²) and 1988 AD as a Bardia National Park (968 km²) |
| National park area | 968 km² |
| Location | The south-western part of Nepal (Province 5 & 6) |
| Bioclimatic zone | Tropical to sub-tropical |
| Elevation | 152m (Manaughat) to 1564m (Banspani Peak) |
| Major Rivers | Karnali, Geruwa, Babai, Orahi |
|
Main mammals |
Royal Bengal Tiger, Asian Wild Elephant, Greater One-horned Rhinoceros, Gangetic Dolphin, Swamp Deer, For-Horned Antelope |
| Main birds | Bengal Florican, Lesser Florican, White-rumped Vulture |
| Major tree species | Shorea robusta, Adina cardifolia, Terminalia tomentosa, Lagestroemia parviflora, Pinus roxburghii |
| Buffer zone declared | 1996 AD and extended in 2010 AD |
| Buffer zone area | 507km² |
| Municipalities | 5 (Thakurbaba, Madhuban, Barbardia, Bansgadhi, and Bheriganga) |
| Rural Municipalities | 3 (Geruwa, Barahatal and Baijanath) |
| Population | 1,14,201 |
| Major caste | Tharu, Brahmin, Chhetri |
| Economy | Agriculture, Animal husbandry, Tourism, Trade, and Labors |
Major Attractions
- One of the major wildlife sighting destinations, offering maximum sighting probability of endangered Royal Bengal Tiger, Asian Wild Elephant, Greater One-horned Rhinoceros, Swamp Deer, Black Buck, Crocodiles, Gangetic Dolphin, and bird species including Bengal Florican, Lesser Florican, Sarus Crane.
- Habitat of the tallest recorded Asian Wild Elephant named “Rajagaj”.
- Park offers the narrowest home range for adult Royal Bengal Tiger.
- BNP nurtures the highest population of Asian Wild elephants and the second-highest population of Royal Bengal Tiger, Greater One-horned Rhinoceros, and Swamp Deer.
- Entertains the highest pray base density among the Nepalese protected areas.
- Majestic views of lush grasslands, forest in its peak canopy, rivers, wetlands, and the bioclimatic variations in tropical and sub-tropical climatic regions.
- the indigenous Tharu culture and tradition.
Location
Bardia National park lies in the southwest part of Nepal. Its 968 sq km of the area makes it the largest national park in the terai region of Nepal. With the crest of Siwalik range on the north, Karnali River and its tributaries on the south, forest, cultivated land, small villages, and Mahendra highway on its south and east. The park provides an undisturbed area of surroundings for a large number of rare species.
Climate
The climate of this part of Nepal is usually warm and has three distinctive seasons, October to March is moderate dry with warm days and cool nights, in April – May the temperature rises up to 45 degrees Celsius which is the best time to visit for a tiger encounter since the big cats come out for river water in this extra dry season whereas June – September seasons monsoon in this sub-tropical zone.
Getting There
Daily buses run from Kathmandu to Thakurdwara, the headquarter of Badia National Park. It takes around 15-16 hours to reach Thakurdwara from Kathmandu by bus. There are also daily flights to Nepalgunj from Kathmandu if you want to avoid a long ride. From Nepalgunj, buses are available to Thakurdwara, which takes around 3-4 hours. A private van can also be arranged for a more luxurious and quick ride.
Sights – Bardia National Park
The headquarters of Bardia National Park is located about 13km south of the Mahendra Highway in the village of Thakurdwar. The bumpy across road leaves the highway at Ambassa, about 500m before the Amreni army check post. It leads to a walled compound, which contains a number of attractions. Just past the gate is a simple visitor center consisting of two large this piques your interest you can arrange cultural tours of Tharu villages through most hotels; otherwise you can rent a bike and explore by yourself. Further on lies a small breeding center for mars mugger and Gharial crocodiles, as well as turtles. An adjacent enclosure contains Shivaram, a rhino who was injured as a baby in Chitwan. Blind in one eye, he used to wander freely around the park headquarters until he killed a man. Best not to pet this one.
Note that if you bring your park permit, the admission fee to visit the animal exhibits is waived. Otherwise, you can use your animal exhibit ticket to get into the cultural museum, too.
There is also an elephant breeding center about 2km southwest of park headquarters. The best time to visit is morning and afternoon when the elephants have returned from grazing in the park (10 am to 4 pm). The mothers and calves are occasionally visited by free-ranging wild males – if this happens keep well clear of the male!
Wildlife and Vegetation
With almost 70% of a balanced mixture of grassland, savannah and riverine forest Bardiya National park reside 642 species of animals, 407 species of resident and migratory birds, 125 species of fish, and 839 varieties of plants. The protected area also has several rare species such as the one-horned rhino, Gangetic dolphin, swamp deer, wild elephant, and blackbuck. Along with these rare animals, Bardia National Park is home to the magnificent Bengal Tigers.
Major Flora and Fauna
Bardia National Park harbors prime habitats of Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris), Grater One-HORNED Rhinoceros (Rhinocers unicornis), Asian Wild Elephant (Elephas maximus), Swamp Deer (Cervus duvaucelii), Black Buck (Antelope cervicarpa), Gangetic Dolphin (Platanista gangetca), Hispid Hare (Caprologus hispidus), Common Leopard (Panthera pardus), Hog Deer (Axis axis), and Barking Deer (Muntiacus muntjak). Considering the suitability of the habitat inside BNP, the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros were translocated from Chitwan National Park in 1986, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2016, and 2017 to create a second viable population in Nepal. Similarly, efforts have been started to make it the second viable population for Swamp Deer.
Bardia National Park offers a variety of wilderness experiences in its vast undisturbed landscapes. About 70% of the forest area is covered by Sal forest (Shorea robusta), and the remaining areas entertain grassland and riverine forests. A total of 56 species of mammals including 125 adults tigers, 438 species of birds, 52 species of herpetofauna, and 121 species of fishes have been recorded from the park. In addition number of migratory bird species visit the parking area making BNP an ideal wildlife tourism destination.
Things to do in Bardia National Park
- Jungle walk
- Jungle Safari
- Canoe Ride
- Boating
- Cycling
- Bird watching
- Tiger tracking
- Dolphin watching
- Fishing
- Homestay
- Tharu Cultural Show
Safety Precautions
- A first-aid kit is recommended to carry by the visitors for their own safety.
- Visitors should be alert to the wildlife inside the core area.
Stop Pollution
- Carry out what you carry in.
- Buy only what won’t pollute, or carry it out.
- Take only photographs, leave only footprints.
- Do not use polythene/ plastic materials.
Park Regulations to follow or things to remember
Protected Mammals |
||
| S.N | Name | Scientific Name |
| 1 | Royal Bengal Tiger | Panthera Tigris |
| 2 | Pangolin | Manis Pantadactyla |
| 3 | Hyaena | Hyaena Hyaena |
| 4 | Four-Horned Antelope | Tetraceurs Quadricornis |
| 5 | Asian Elephant | Elephas Maximus |
| 6 | Hispid Hare | Caprolagus Hispidus |
| 7 | One-Horned Rhino | Rhinoceros Unicornis |
| 8 | Dolphin | Platanista Gangetica |
| 9 | Gray Wolf | Canis Lupus |
| 10 | Swamp Deer | Cervus Duvauceli |
| 11 | Leopard Cat | Prinailurus Bengalensis |
Protected Birds |
||
| S.N | Name | Scientific Name |
| 1 | Black Stork | Ciconia Nigra |
| 2 | Giant Hornbill | Buceros Bicornis |
| 3 | White Stork | Ciconia Ciconia |
| 4 | Sarus Carne | Grus Antigone |
| 5 | Bengal Florican | Houbaropsis Bengalesis |
| 6 | Lesser Florican | Syphoetides Indica |
Protected Reptiles |
||
| S.N | Name | Scientific Name |
| 1 | Asiatic Rock Python | Python Molurus |
| 2 | Golden Monitor Lizard | Varanus Flavescens |
| 3 | Gharial Crocodile | Gavialis Gangetica |
Itinerary
| Day 01 | Fly to Nepaljung and Drive to Bardia National Park |
| Day 02 | Explore National Park |
| Day 03 | Explore National Park |
| Day 04 | Explore Community and Culture |
| Day 05 | Drive back to Nepaljung and Fly to Kathmandu |
For more information: