Chitwan Jungle Walk – Losing Yourself In Nature

Chitwan Jungle Walk – Losing Yourself In Nature

The sounds of the jungle completely enveloped us. It was as if we had walked back into the womb of creation. We knew that dangerous animals lurked in the vicinity and yet we had never felt more secure. The jungle has its laws and as long as you respect them you are safe, probably much safer than the urban jungles that we inhabit in modern times. As we walked in silence, our ears strained to listen to every sound that emanated from the forest. The sound of a breaking twig beneath our feet. The rustle in the bushes as some unknown reptile slithered away. The chatter of monkeys high up in the air and the shrill and cacophonic notes of a strange bird that seemed to be adamant at showcasing its singing skills. The Chitwan jungle walk was taking us closer and closer to nature and in a way connecting us deeper with our own primordial selves. In the magic of those moments that we spent on the walking safari in Chitwan National Park, time seemed to stand still.

Schedules, deliverables, deadlines, receded far away and became blurred entities. What was left was pure consciousness, the feeling of being just alive and in the moment. Our jungle walk in Chitwan was much more than just another safari as it transcended the physical dimensions and triggered a spark in the core of our very beings.

Chitwan Jungle Walk – In Search Of The One Horned Rhino

The Chitwan National Park – UNESCO World Heritage Centre is a haven for those passionate about nature. Jungle trekking in Chitwan National Park unveils the many rare flora and fauna at Chitwan including the famed one-horned rhinos of Chitwan. The one-horned Rhinos are of course the showstoppers of the Chitwan safari, but there is much more to Chitwan than the rhinos. We said no to the elephant safari which sadly is quite popular at Chitwan and instead chose jungle walking in the Chitwan National Park.

An open jeep drove us from the Jungle Villa Resort where we were staying on the periphery of the Chitwan National Park to the edge of the jungle. Two guides accompanied us on our Chitwan jungle walk.

Our guide briefed us on what to expect on a walking safari in Chitwan National Park. He also explained the safety precaution for Chitwan jungle walk. We listened very carefully as following safety instructions are paramount when you are in the jungle. Also, the thought of one of the recent Chitwan animal attacks lurked in the back of our mind. We had heard that just the day before a tiger had attacked army personnel on the outskirts of the jungle. In fact, we had seen a jeep of the World Wildlife Fund(WWF) entering the jungle in pursuit of the animal. Later news confirmed that the tiger had been sedated and captured and would be freed deep in the jungle shortly. This incident heightened our excitement as we knew that there was always danger present in the wild even though the guides were ensuring that the Chitwan National Park safety norms were being followed.

Chitwan Map

Chitwan Jungle Walk – Safety Precautions

We listened intently as our guide spoke about what to do and what not to do while on the Chitwan Jungle Walk. He also told us what to do in case we had an animal encounter during the Jungle Safari. Here is a gist of the instructions he gave us and these will apply to any other jungle safari too.

🔹 Walk close to each other in a group and do not lag behind as wild animals are not likely to attack a group, so essentially strength in numbers

🔹 Do not make noise or speak loudly during the jungle walk

🔹 Follow the instructions of the guide at all times and do not get adventurous

🔹 Do not touch any plants or other vegetation without knowing about it, ask the guide first

🔹 Do not panic in case of animal encounters

🔹 If confronted with a bear, do not make eye contact and do not run

🔹 If you are face to face with a tiger, do not panic and take to your heels, look the tiger in the eye and back off slowly

🔹 In case of a Rhino attack, do not run, just stay still and find some cover like a bush or tree

🔹 If elephants ever charge you, run in a zig-zag pattern or try making a loud noise and enter a dense forest

With these safety instructions ingrained into our minds, we followed our guides as we moved into the jungle following a narrow path that meandered through the forest. Chitwan National Park – is it safe? we wondered as we looked at our guides walking nonchalantly into the jungle armed with nothing but their wits and a flimsy cane! But we trusted their experience and instinct and looked forward to an interesting experience in the jungle. We knew that this may not be on the same level as our trek on the trail of the mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. However, we realized that this was another unique experience as Chitwan National Park is one of the biodiversity hot spots in the world and home to some of the endangered species including the one-horned rhino.

So off we went into the Chitwan National Park, wary of every sound and movement. Our eyes wide open and darting from right to left in anticipation. Our guide signaled us to stop and pointed with his cane to a blurry shape in the distance. We focused our eyes desperately towards the spot he was indicating. And soon amidst the natural camouflage of dried tree branches, we spotted not one but a herd of deer looking shyly in our direction. They vanished into the depths of the jungle within a flash, but not before endearing themselves to us with the grace of their fluid motions.

It is not only animals and birds that are of interest on your Chitwan jungle walk, Bird watching tour, nature tour, or a jungle safari anywhere in the world. What is equally if not more interesting are the different plants, trees, flowers, and fruits that you encounter.

Our guide showed us different exotic plants and explained their uses. He showed us plants and fruits that were edible and could be eaten if lost in the jungle. He showed us a shrub whose botanical name was Clerodendrum viscosum, the plant had large leaves. He demonstrated how the leaves could be used to remove ticks from the ears. Ticks can be irritating when in a forest and especially so if it gets into the years.

We walked along the barely visible path in the jungle behind our guides. Suddenly the guides looked upwards to our right and with concern on their faces, asked us to move fast. We did without wasting time asking questions. They stopped after some time and we too followed suit, gasping for breath.

“What was it”? we chorused. Oh! a bird disturbed a huge beehive up there, said one of the guides pointing in the distance. We noticed a massive beehive high up in the trees in the distance. So it was the bees from whom we had made good our escape!

We moved further into the forest and we had not seen any of the so-called stars of the forest including the Rhinos. There was a movement in the bushes and as we stopped and stared, out came a peacock preening itself and seeing us disappeared into the undergrowth. We climbed atop a tall observation tower that stood overlooking a water body, but we did not find any trace of wild animals.

Probably it was not our day, we thought as we headed back to civilization. Though we did not actually see anything apart from herds of deer and a handful of peacocks, we thoroughly enjoyed our jungle walk in Chitwan National Park. In fact, we could have continued walking for the entire day, and yes you can do an entire day Jungle walk if you are up to it.

We really enjoyed the Chitwan Jungle Walk. The pristine nature that surrounded us helped us find inner peace. It is in these moments snatched in time when we are in the midst of nature that we exult in the sheer joy of being alive and one with the elements. Chitwan National Park is a place that connects you with nature and your own inner self.

How To Get To Chitwan National Park

🔸 If you travel a distance of 169 kilometers from Kathmandu, you will reach the Chitwan National Park

🔸 Bharatpur has the nearest airport located to Chitwan National Park at a distance of 22 kilometers

🔸 Chitwan National Park is connected to both Kathmandu and Pokhara by public buses

Tips For Chitwan Jungle Walk

Here are some travel tips:

🔹 Wear clothes that are comfortable and not too shiny or colorful so as not to attract animals

🔹 Wear clothes that cover your hands and legs, avoid shorts and half sleeve shirts and Tees as you may come in contact with nettles and other vegetation that could harm your skin

🔹 Footwear should be covered and comfortable so that you do not expose your skin to leeches

🔹 Use an insect repellant if required

🔹 Protect yourself from the sun with a good hat or cap and also use sunscreen

🔹 Carry drinking water and emergency rations

Chitwan Jungle Walk FAQ

Is it possible to visit Chitwan with young children?

Yes, Chitwan National Park is a great place to introduce children to the natural splendors of the forest.

Is it likely to sight the single-horned Rhino on a Chitwan Jungle Walk?

Yes, the chances of Rhino sighting are very much there on a jungle walk.

What is the best time to visit Chitwan and do the Jungle walk?

The winter season from September to November is the best time to visit Chitwan and also go on a jungle safari, the jungle walk should be avoided during the monsoon months of June to September.

What is the Chitwan Jungle Walk Price?

There is an entry for the Chitwan National Park and a separate fee for the Safari, most resorts arrange this and include it in the package.

Is a guide needed for the Jungle Walk?

An authorized guide is mandatory for the Chitwan jungle walk. In fact, two guides are mandatory as per the Nepalese authorities. We were a group of three and had two guides accompanying us.

What are the different types of treks available at the Chitwan National Park?

There are different types and duration of treks in Nepal that one can choose from depending on fitness levels and time at your disposal. There are half-day treks, full-day treks, as well as treks that last longer.

What can I shop for in Chitwan?

Chitwan is the place to buy some pure honey, local handicrafts, and mustard.

Are you planning a trip to Nepal?

If you planning a trip to Nepal then book flights and hotels here.

Accommodation At Chitwan

There are many accommodation options in Sauraha Chitwan and in the area around the buffer zone of Chitwan National Park. There are many resorts which have complete packages that take care of accommodation, food, as well as Jungle safaris. We stayed in a beautiful resort called Jungle Villa Resort and had a great experience.

You can plan your stay in Chitwan or any place in Nepal. We stayed at Jungle Villa Resort in Chitwan. For the best hotels and resorts or the best accommodation in Chitwan area or places in Nepal, we suggest checking out our favorite sites to book here. We always use these sites to book our stay. Hotel booking can be done through TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Booking.com to save huge and get best deals on booking your stay.

To benefit you, we have curated some exciting tours. You can choose and book tours for your Chitwan trip here:
Chitwan Tour
Chitwan Jungle Safari
Wildlife Adventure
Chitwan Jungle Safari
Kathmandu Chitwan Pokhara
Chitwan National Park Tour
Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan Tour
3-Nights Chitwan Wildlife Adventure Tour from Kathmandu (Chitwan Jungle Safari)
Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour
2N3D Chitwan Luxury Package
Chitwan tour

We hope you liked this Chitwan National Park travel blog about the jungle walk. For more information about Chitwan do check out our detailed post on Chitwan National Park.

Do let us know your thoughts through our comments section.

You might want to read our other posts on Nepal:

Chitwan Jungle Safari | All About Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Travel Tips for Nepal – Things to Know Before Traveling to Nepal
Trekking in Nepal – Best Trekking Places in Nepal
A Paradise called Pokhara beckons you

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