Chitwan was great! We didn't get to see any tigers (just really really big paw prints!), but we saw lot's of elephants, peacocks, rhinos, gharials, and plenty of different birds (not to mention bugs too!). At night everyone flocks to the river side to have a beer and watch the sunset, and in the early mornings it's a great time to go on a ride down the river and a walk through the jungle with a local guide who can tell you all about any animals you might see. We also decided to do a ride through the jungle on an elephant, and while I thought it would be really neat, it was actually not what I expected at all. In the end I felt really sorry for the elephant. Its handler kept repeatedly hitting it over the head with a sharp metal rod! We got to see some rhinos up close while we were up there, (which was a highlight of the trip to Chitwan), but I don't think I'll ever ride an elephant like that again. I much prefered getting in the water with the elephants and helping to bathe them....or should I say having them bathe me, since I got more than a few face-fulls of trunk water! :)

There's a lot to see and you can definitely spend a lot of time here!

Chitwan NP was one of my fave places in Nepal. It has everything- rhino trekking, elephant washing, canoeing with crocodiles. I did Chitwan as part of my Intrepid trip (Delhi to Kathmandu) and it was brilliant. We spent a total of three days and it was the perfect place to chill out with my friends and sip a cold Everest Beer. They also have a nearby elephant conservation centre. The two biggest highlights were- 1. Being 50m away from wild rhinos 2. Elephant washing- riding an elephant bareback while it washes itself (and you!)

The electricity was only swiched on twice a day for 2 hours. I can remeber a ride down the Rapti river in a very small boat. From some distant house I could hear this special nepali music whese these monks are humming away. When we landed we took a buffalo carrage back through the villages - kids running after us and looking at us like aliens - it was wonderful. I jumped off the carrage and sat with the locals - they had nothing but still offered food which tasted...well ...strange. Everything was so quiet there - no cars no electricity. I had really the feeling they all where....happy.

I really enjoyed my time in Chitwan National Park. I stayed in the outer zone at Sapana Village Lodge and did day trips into the official park. I did the safari by elephant as I was told you could get closer to wildlife. We spotted several animals (unfortunately, no tigers) but lots of rhinos.

Take a guided jungle walk to see rhino from afar. Take an elephant ride to see rhino very close (they aren't bothered by people when you're on the back of an elephant). You can also rent bikes very cheaply in town just outside the entrance the the Royal Park Lodge.