Bardiya National Park Tour | 4 Days Journey To Find Tigers In Nepal

After arriving in Kathmandu, you meet the team outside the airport and begin a short drive toward your hotel. The route follows the airport road, joins the Ring Road briefly, then turns toward the city center.

As you move west, you pass local neighborhoods, roadside shops, and busy junctions before entering Thamel. Travel time depends on traffic, so the transfer usually takes around 30 minutes to 1.5 hours.

After checking in, the rest of the day is free to rest after the journey or take a short walk near the hotel.

Then, in the evening, our team will come to meet you at your accommodation. There, they will give you a quick brief about the tour.

Afterwards, you gather for dinner at the hotel or a nearby restaurant before staying overnight in Kathmandu.

After breakfast, you leave your hotel and drive to the domestic terminal. The transfer usually takes around 20 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic. At the airport, you complete check-in and security screening before boarding the flight.

Morning 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM Flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj

The flight heads southwest, moving from the hill landscape into the low plains. From the window, you can see himalayas fading into wide farmland areas as the aircraft descends toward Nepalgunj.

Late Morning 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM Drive from Nepalgunj to Ambassa

After landing, you meet the vehicle and begin the drive out of the city. The road passes local market areas, then opens into flat farmland with scattered villages and roadside trees. The first section is mostly paved highway, with steady, straight driving.

Afternoon 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM Ambassa to Thakurdwara Lodge Area

From Ambassa, the route turns toward Bardiya and becomes slower as the surface changes to gravel and dirt sections. You pass smaller settlements and field edges before the landscape shifts toward forest fringe. Sal forest begins to appear along the road, and a few seasonal stream crossings may slow the pace.

You arrive in Thakurdwara by late afternoon. After check-in, you have time to settle in and review the next day’s plan. The evening is usually quiet in the lodge area before staying overnight in Thakurdwara.

After tea or coffee, you meet your certified jungle guide at the lodge and check the water, packed lunch, and walking pace. Breakfast is light and early. Before leaving, the guide explains walking order, hand signals, and where to stop if wildlife appears.

Morning 6:00 AM to 7:15 AM Lodge to Karnali River Branch

The walk begins behind the lodge area on a narrow footpath through village fringe vegetation. After 10 to 15 minutes, the trail enters the sal forest with leaf litter underfoot and damp sections in shaded areas. The guide often stops to read tracks and scratches on trees.

In this section, tiger signs are common, especially pugmarks on soft ground and along animal paths. Black storks, crested serpent eagles, and kingfishers are sometimes seen near water edges.

Morning 7:15 AM to 8:30 AM Riverine Forest to Open Grassland

The trail shifts into riverine forest, then opens into tall grassland. The grass can reach head height, and the guide chooses a narrow path through it. This is a key hunting area because deer herds feed in open sections while using grass cover as shelter.

Spotted deer are common here, and sambar deer may appear deeper near the tree line. Peacock movement and calls are possible in open patches. If deer give alarm calls or move suddenly, the guide usually stops and scans the grass line.

Morning 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM Grassland to Forest Re Entry Trail

After the grassland, the route re enters forest on a single-file path. The ground has roots, low branches, and short creek crossings. The guide follows animal tracks that often connect forest cover to water points.

Tiger tracks can appear more frequently deeper in this forest section, especially near shaded bends and soft river-edge soil.

Late Morning 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM First River Viewing Point

You reach a clearing on a main branch of the Karnali River with open views across the water. The guide places the group at a viewing position based on wind and visibility, often behind bushes, rocks, or in a tree position.

This is a known tiger drinking and crossing area. Tigers may appear on the opposite bank or along the river edge. Rhinos sometimes come to bathe, and crocodiles can be visible from a safe distance. Kingfishers, cranes, and white birds fishing in shallows are common.

Midday 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM Picnic Lunch and Rest

Lunch is taken in a shaded spot near the river or grassland edge. While resting, the guide often points out prints in sand or mud and explains how the animals move between forest cover and water.

Afternoon 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM Tin Kune Three Rivers Junction

From the lunch area, you walk toward Tin Kune, where river branches meet, and animal movement funnels through the junction. The trail follows river paths and opens into wider sightlines with sandbanks and water edges.

Tin Kune is the primary tiger hotspot of the day. The group usually stays longer here, scanning river edges, opposite banks, and crossing points. Deer herds often appear near water, and monitor lizards may be visible on the banks. Rhino activity is also possible in this zone.

Afternoon, 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM Secondary Viewing Points

After Tin Kune, the guide decides the route based on tracks and activity. The walk may include another river junction area, a forest tracking section, and a grassland overlook. These areas can show fresh signs even if animals stay hidden in cover.

Elephant signs can appear in forest edges, and bird activity remains steady along riverine sections.

Late Afternoon 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM Return to Lodge

The return follows a loop route to cover a slightly different forest and grassland line. You cross the same river branch again, then walk back through sal forest toward the lodge. After arrival, the evening is for shower, dinner, and rest, overnight in Thakurdwara.

The last day at Bardiya starts after breakfast, when you meet the jeep driver and guide at the lodge entrance. The jeep enters the park on dirt tracks and follows established safari routes through grassland patches and forest edges. The guide uses radio updates to choose the first viewing area.

Morning 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM Northwestern Grassland Sector Drive

The jeep heads north and northwest into wider grassland areas with scattered sal forest patches. The track is rough and dusty, with short muddy sections depending on the season.

In this open zone, you often see spotted deer herds and grassland birds. The guide looks for tiger tracks on the road edges and sandy patches, and also checks elephant signs near forest lines.

Morning 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM Water Hole Observation Area

The jeep moves toward water points where animals gather during warmer hours. You stop near a viewing platform or tower area and scan the water edge and the surrounding grass line.

This is one of the stronger tiger probability areas during jeep safari because prey animals must come to water. Rhino visits are possible, and elephants sometimes approach water as a group. Monitor lizards can be seen on warm banks, and bird activity remains high around the water.

Midday 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM Picnic Lunch Break

Lunch is taken at a designated open area or shaded spot. The guide reviews the morning sightings and adjusts the afternoon route based on tracks and radio updates.

Afternoon, 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM Western Sector and Karnali River Area

After lunch, the jeep heads west toward the Karnali boundary through more riverine forest. The road becomes narrower with more tree cover and fewer open sightlines.

You stop at a Karnali river viewpoint to scan sandbanks for tracks and watch river edges for crocodiles. The safari then continues to a forest grassland junction where animals move between cover and open feeding areas.

This transition zone is used by tigers for hunting routes, and elephants also use it for movement.

Afternoon, 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM Return Drive, Airport, and Flight to Kathmandu

You return toward the lodge area, collect your bags, and begin the drive to Nepalgunj via Ambassa. The surface changes from a rougher local road back to a paved highway, passing farmland and settlements.

At Nepalgunj Airport, you complete check-in and board the flight to Kathmandu. After landing, you drive to your hotel area and check in. The evening is free, and overnight in Kathmandu.