Nepal. Chitwan National Park

Chitwan National Park is one of the few places in the world where you can observe wild animals in their natural habitat. Despite being just two hundred kilometers from Kathmandu, the journey took us over seven hours. The road traversed high mountain passes and was further hindered by poor road conditions. Within the protected area, we planned to spend three days and two nights according to the tour purchased from the hotel, which included transportation, meals, accommodation, as well as a one-day jungle trek, canoeing, elephant rides, and other recreational activities...

Crossing the pass, the comfortable bus window offered beautiful views of mountains with numerous terraced fields. The landscapes outside kept us entertained throughout the journey...

Upon arrival at the bus station in the village of Sauraha, near the jungles, we were greeted by representatives from a local hotel who transported us there in a small jeep...

Some tourists arrived at the hotel in more extravagant vehicles...

After settling into the hotel, we took a shower and had lunch...

Following lunch, as per our itinerary, we went for a walk around the outskirts of Sauraha village, accompanied by a very pleasant local guide who engaged us not only with his stories but also with his positivity... Initially, we approached an enclosure with wild elephants, their legs chained to wooden beams. It was advised not to get too close to them...

Then we approached the river that separated us from the jungle territory...

We saw people returning from the jungle in quite an exciting manner, considering that crocodiles inhabit the river..

Reaching the main embankment of the village to witness the enchanting sunset, we also had the opportunity to watch the classic crossing of people from the jungle area to the other side of the river, where the village was located, a less dangerous way than fording the river on foot...

The sunset was truly beautiful...

The next morning, we were looking forward to a one-day jungle trek and canoeing. Waking up early and having breakfast, we were provided with packed lunch to take with us. We were also introduced to guides who were assigned to accompany us through the jungle. Under the backdrop of a sunrise that was one of the most beautiful sights due to the haze expertly diffusing the light, we embarked on a new adventure...

Approaching the animal world from the riverside, we could see a crocodile languishing on the riverbank, seemingly awaiting a new victim...

According to the plan, we were supposed to first float along the river in a long canoe, traditionally made from cottonwood, and then venture deep into the jungles...

The canoe trip was very exciting... At times, we saw a crocodile near the shore, just meters away from the boat, and various species of birds delighted our eyes. All this accompanied by the vibrant sounds of the jungle, primarily composed of bird songs. The sounds produced by the peacock, in particular, gave a mysterious and mystical effect, but capturing this atmosphere in photos is simply impossible...

On the shore, the blooming cottonwood trees looked very beautiful, from which not only canoes are made but also the fibers of the fruits are used to fill pillows and blankets...

On one of the trees, we saw a little monkey...

And on the shore, we could see deer...

The houses by the river also fit well into the landscape...

We spent over an hour in the canoe, after which we landed on the shore in search of wild animals. First, our guides briefed us on the jungle etiquette, emphasizing that adhering to these rules would ensure our safety in extreme situations. The main rule was to stay together, not lag behind, and not run upon encountering predators... Then, armed with binoculars and tracking skills, our guides led us deeper into the tropical forest...

As we continued, we stumbled upon the trail of a black bear - the most fearsome predator in the park...

And here's all that was left of a deer that apparently encountered a tiger...

During breaks for rest, we stopped at specially arranged places on high ground...

The guides provided to us explained that the national park is divided into three main parts - the "riverine", the "grassland", and the "sal forest". Initially, we walked in search of rhinos and predators in the riverine part of the park, which started from the river and ended in an area dominated by grass and lonely cottonwood trees - the "grassland" part...

On the way, we encountered a termite mound that had already been dug up by a bear...

On one of the cottonwood trees, we saw a Marabou...

Continuing our journey, we entered the third part of the park - the "sal forest", which covers more than 70% of the reserve. The likelihood of encountering a tiger here is much higher than in other parts... Finding a comfortable spot under the shade of sal trees for lunch, we shared our meal consisting of fried rice with vegetables and boiled eggs with our cool and smiling guides.

Walking along paths amidst tropical plants, we occasionally came across wild partridges, and once even saw a whole herd of deer, which quickly disappeared upon sensing our approach...

On the way, we came across a small camp set up by people who maintain order and cleanliness in the park. Staying here at night is dangerous, but during the day, this place serves as a resting place for them...

Returning to the "grassland" part in search of rhinos, we still couldn't find them. Despite visitors to the park the previous day seeing about nine rhinos... The most likely place to encounter them, near the lake in the grassland part of the park, also did not yield results for our photo hunt...

Gradually leaving the jungle territory, we stumbled upon a tiger trail. We didn't see the tiger either, which might have been fortunate :), but we did see one group that was lucky enough to encounter this noble animal. They enthusiastically shared their impressions...

Tiger trail:

As we passed by, we came across a tree with wild lemons...

Arriving at the river and walking along the shore for a while, we boarded a boat that took us to the other side. That's how our day in the jungle ended.

Heading back to the hotel, we passed through the households of rural residents. It's quite something to have an elephant in your yard...

And isn't this hemp bush lovely...

Returning to the hotel, after a short rest and dinner, we were taken to the local club where a so-called "cultural program" was organized. For about an hour, we watched vocal and dance performances by local groups in national costumes. It was very charming and educational to see the tools of labor of this region demonstrated in the dance performances. We particularly enjoyed the stick dances performed by the boys, just like our guides who accompanied us in the jungles...

The next morning, we were greeted by the same stunning sunrise...

The main event of today was an elephant ride through the jungle. We were among the first to climb onto the pedestal from which we climbed into a specially placed elephant chair-saddle and set off to explore the jungle...

Moving on elephants, the animals are not so scared and therefore it is much easier to observe them...

Arriving at a clearing, we saw a huge number of grazing deer and deer. It was just like a fairy tale picture...

Every time we saw a peacock on a tree, the man controlling the elephant would approach closer so that we could better see the bright colors of this beautiful bird, which makes the most enchanting sounds in the jungle...

The morning mist gave the elephant ride a fantastic atmosphere...

Meeting deer became commonplace...

But we had already given up hope of seeing rhinos... However, we were lucky, and practically towards the end of our journey on elephants, we finally met two rhinos - a mother and her calf... Happiness knew no bounds...