Georgie’s Wanderlust

Bardiya National Park was a huge highlight of my time in Nepal. It is a rival for National Park experiences like Chitwan, which is much closer to Kathmandu, and therefore much more visited. Bardiya is a spectacular jungle experience, it was thrilling from start to finish!

I stayed at Kingfisher Lodge, it is located a short walk from the Bardiya National Park entrance, and the hosts of the lodge were my tour guides during the stay. They provided all of our meals, and were delightful and excitable by all things jungle, especially the tiger..

How do I get there?

Bardiya, Nepal, is was out there in the south west of the country. I chose the option of flying into Nepalgunj from Kathmandu, a quick 50 minute flight! Our hosts then picked us up from the airport in a jeep and we were on the outskirts of Bardiya in two hours, crossing crocodile infested rivers along the way.

There is the option to take a bus from Pokhara (12 hours) or Kathmandu (14 hours). You might want to check these times as buses are notoriously slow in Nepal.

What is there to do in Bardiya?

The day my friend and I arrived, we had lunch and then walked along the river through the town. The town itself is pretty small, however it was interesting to see a village on this side of Nepal.

The real action started the following day when we jumped in a jeep and entered Bardiya. We were early in the day and having mandarins at a lookout when suddenly a tiger crossed the river just down from us! Not my finest photography moment, however a magic moment and very special memory.

The jeep ride continued and we saw langur monkeys, wild boar, spotted deer, and countless bird species that were all different colours, shapes and sizes.

The following day we took a tour on foot to a different part of the national park, walking through fields of deer and monkeys, we saw many many birds, rhinos, and a second tiger!! Being in an ecosystem filled with so many species was simply brilliant. Bardiya is filled with magic, it is a nature and animal lovers dream, and for the avid wildlife photographer too!

How much time do I need?

I spent 3 days and 3 nights in and around Bardiya, Nepal. It was enough time to see lots of wildlife! However I could have easily stayed another week enjoying the national park as there was always something new to see.

Where do I stay?

I stayed at the Kingfisher Lodge located a short walk outside of Bardiya. I highly recommend this place, the two brothers who run it, Pratap and Jack, are deeply passionate about the jungle and the wildlife that inhabit Bardiya. They made everything easy and smooth, they arranged everything from the airport pick up and drop off, all of the food, jeep and walking tours, and in the evenings they are happy to chat about anything – usually birds and tigers!