Chitwan National Park is preparing to resume jeep jungle safaris from Friday, October 9 (Ashwin 23), after suspending safari operations inside the park for the monsoon season.
The park had suspended jeep safaris from July 1 (Ashadh 17) due to the rainy season. It has since been carrying out road maintenance, repairing sections damaged by floods and removing fallen trees and other obstacles from safari routes.
Flood Damage Delays Safari Resumption
According to Chitwan National Park Information Officer Avinash Thapa Magar, safari operations were initially planned to resume in the second week of October. However, heavy rainfall and flooding during that period damaged several routes inside the park, delaying the reopening.
“The plan was to resume jeep safaris from the second week of October, but heavy rainfall at the same time caused floods in various streams and rivers inside the park, damaging the routes. We are currently repairing them and preparing to resume operations from October 9,” Thapa Magar said. The park has been working on repairing the damaged routes and clearing areas affected by the monsoon to ensure that safari operations can resume safely.
Riu River Flood Damages Tiger Tops Route
The route leading toward the Tiger Tops area has suffered significant damage following flooding in the Rapti River during the second week of October. Park authorities are currently adding gravel and carrying out necessary repairs to restore the route. The repair work is expected to be completed before jeep safaris resume.
Safaris Continue in Buffer Zone and Community Forests
Although jeep safaris inside Chitwan National Park have remained suspended, jeep and elephant safaris have continued in the park’s buffer-zone areas and community forests. Elephant safaris are not operated inside the national park even during the regular season. Meanwhile, jungle walks continue throughout the monsoon period, as they are not suspended during the three-month closure of jeep safaris.
Major Source of Tourism Revenue
Jeep safaris are an important source of revenue for Chitwan National Park and contribute significantly to tourism activities in the region. The majority of foreign visitors coming to Chitwan National Park participate in jeep safaris, while the activity also remains popular among domestic tourists. The park receives more than 200,000 domestic and international visitors on average each year, making it one of Nepal’s major wildlife tourism destinations.
Safari and Entry Fees
The national park currently charges Rs. 5,000 per jeep for entry. In addition, individual visitors are required to pay separate park entry fees based on their nationality. Foreign tourists are charged Rs. 2,000, visitors from SAARC countries pay Rs. 1,000, while Nepali citizens are charged Rs. 150. The fees make safari-related tourism an important contributor to the park’s overall income.
More Than 50 Jeeps Operate from Major Entry Points
Jeep safaris operate inside Chitwan National Park through several major tourism hubs. Around 30 jeeps enter the park from Sauraha, while 10 operate from Kasara. Similarly, seven jeeps operate from Meghauli and five from Amaltari.
A jeep can accommodate up to 10 passengers, allowing a significant number of visitors to participate in wildlife safaris each day. With the repair of flood-damaged routes underway, park authorities are working to restore normal safari operations ahead of the upcoming peak tourism season.
