The Royal Bardia National Park,
situated in the mid-far Western region, is the
largest and most unspoiled wilderness area in
the Terai, covering an area of 968 sq. km. The
park, a sub-tropical jungle, is thickly forested
by sal trees and carpeted with grass, savannah
and riverine vegetation. The north is bordered
by the Churia hill range, the west by the
Karnali river, while the Babai river cuts its
course almost through the middle of the park. On
the southern fringe of the park are the villages
of the unique and indigenous Tharu people of
Western Nepal. Considered as one of the most
picturesque national parks in Asia, it teems
with rich and diverse flora and fauna.
The park is home to more than 30 different
mammals, including the langur and rhesus
monkeys, civets, hyenas, wild dogs, sloth bears,
otters, blue bulls, deer and wild boars. It is a
regenerated habitat for endangered animals like
the tiger, rhinoceros, wild elephant ( the park
harbours the biggest wild tusker in Asia) and
black buck, Gharial and marsh mugger crocodiles
the great game fish-masher and the Gangetic
dolphin cavort in the river waters. The unique
birds which number over 350 species include
cormorants, egret, storks, geese, jungle fowls,
king-fishers and endangered species such as the
Bengal florican, silver-eared mesia and the
saurus crane thus making the park truly a bird
watchers paradise.
Within the park are several open grasslands
(plants) where game viewing is excellent. Many
of the forest tracks throughout the park also
offer excellent game viewing. And when you can
take in the sights and sounds of the wild
without necessarily having to give up on your
creature comforts, what more could you ask for
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