22/08/2026
Jungle jungles jungles, I’m never happier than when in a jungle. So, it was no hardship to go and check out Sanctuary Chitwan which sits on the banks of the Narayani River, in the quieter western reaches of the park. The overall style is low-key and unobtrusive, muted tones, mud and bamboo all in the architectural style of the local Tharu community, so it blends right into the village adjacent to the forests surrounding it.
To get into the National park, you cross by boat to reach the park itself, and it is one of the few jungles where, if the mood (and sightings) take you, you can spend the whole day.
The team here, led by Amit and the unforgettable Tulsi, know this park inside out and are a mine of information on the wildlife and birds, and you’d better be taking it in as they’ll be asking questions later! They'll also take you into one of the last traditional Tharu villages nearby and the local tribal museum too, so you leave understanding not just the wildlife but the people who share this landscape with it.
There’s evening BBQ’s great breakfasts and the sightings — a hefty male rhino charging straight for our jeep and seven Great Hornbills lifting off in flight together will long be etched in my memory!
