CHITWAN
Home of the Chepangs

Background
Nepal’s Terai possesses a beauty that is totally unexpected in a country known mainly for soaring snow-covered mountains. Chitwan, a majestic and powerful location teeming with wildlife hosts one of Asia’s finest national parks, renowned for its dense concentration of wildlife. Seas of elephant grass ripple beneath a magnificent sunset and pervasive sense of relaxation soaks in deeper the longer you stay. Chitwan literally means ‘heart of the jungle’ and in recent years, Chitwan tops the list of things to do in Asia. With its astounding wildlife, Chitwan is a true safari adventure. Elephant rides, jeep tours, canoe trips and walks offer a different slant on the luxuriant teeming forest.

Attractions

• Royal Chitwan National Park
  Sal forests cover 70% of the area and there are about 600 species of plants and are home to the only significant number of one-horned rhinos and other endangered species like the Royal Bengal Tiger, the Gangetic Dolphins and the Gharial Crocodile. There are altogether over 43 species of large mammals, 526 species of birds, 150 different types of butterflies, 126 species of fish and 49 species of reptiles.
• Wildlife:
  The fauna of the terai is striking and the most obvious are the handsome black-faced, grey langur monkeys and the common brownish red rhesus monkeys. Deers include the spotted, barking, samber, hog, swamp and Asia’s largest antelope, the blue bull. Other animal species found here are leopards, wild dogs, various species of mongoose and cats, wild boar, porcupines, bats and squirrels. Today, Chitwan boasts of nearly 500 one-horned rhinos; a quarter of the species total and their numbers continue to grow. About 100 tigers have also been counted in the park.
• Nature trek to Gadi Hill:
  Uppardang Gadhi is a classic octagonal artillery fort, passing into the Chitwan hills that defended the surrounding countryside during the reign of Bahadur Shah. The fort offers spectacular views in every direction. Village walks, nature and bird watching tours and the Chepang Chitwan Hills trail will be of special interest to visitors. The area is accessible from as far as Shaktikhor, walking uphill. An alternate route is to start from Hugdi (80kms from Kathmandu)
• Siraichuli Viewpoint:
  A new trail has been identified which offers magnificent sunrise and sunset views from the top of Siraichuli hill. A panoramic view of the Himalayas, a mixture of experiences of hills and Terai, Cultural Experiences of Chepang and other ethnic groups, bird watching, home-stay and other natural attractions make this trail a must to visit.
• Paragliding:
  One of the newest adventure sports on offer at this location is paragliding. Visitors can make arrangements with their respective travel agencies.
• Home-Stay tourism and culture:
  Villagers offer a unique accommodation opportunity. Stay in their beautiful home as guests and discover the unique culture in this area.
• Bird Watching:
  Chitwan is a birdwatcher’s delight with more than 450 migrant and local species recorded. The most sightings are in February-March (spring) when thousands of water birds migrate along the Koshi Tappu reserve.
• Rafting
  Raft down the Trishuli River to Chitwan for a different start to the Chitwan experience. A gentle 2_3 day floats down to Narayanghat; only 8kms from Chitwan. Trips start at Mugling or further up.

Getting there
Chitwan lies south-west of Kathmandu, near the Indian border on the tropical terai. It is accessible by Air from Bharatpur and Meghauli and by road. The best time to trek in this area is September to May when the climate is warm, temperate and pleasant.

Getting Around

• Hugdi
  The Praja Trail commences at Hugdi River, halfway between Mugling and Krishna Bhir in Dhading. You can either take a bus or raft down Trishuli River. The trail takes you on an uphill climb through Gakla Chautara & Khor Bhanjyang which is also a campsite filled with spectacular beautiful views of magnificent Himalayas and landscape, terraced fields with unspoilt biodiversity and rural settlements.
• Hattibang
  This is a major stopping point where one can encounter cultural programs and get to know about their culture.
• Siraichuli
  One of the highest hills in the Mahabharat range (1,945m). The trek from Hattibang to Siraichuli is exciting and challenging- Steep boulders, streams, ridges and intact vegetation. Wide range of Himalayas in the likes of Fangi, Peak 29, Annapurna Range, Gorkha Himal, Gaurishankar, Dhaulagiri range, Langtang, Rolwaling, Manaslu, rare view of flatlands and spectacular sunrise and sunsets can be clearly observed.
• Shaktikhor
  8km from Hattibang, it is an uphill trek but a steep descent. Home-stay facilities and cultural activities of the locals are famous.
  

Indigenous People

Ethnic groups found in this region largely comprises of Chepang, Tharu, Musahan, Satahar, Danuwar, Tamang, Kumal Gurung and Magar. One of the most backward ethnic groups of Nepal, the Chepangs inhabit in the remote and sparse contours, outback and rolling precipices of the districts of Makwanpur, Chitwan, Gorkha ad Dhading, They have their own distinct language, lead a nomadic life and their primary lifestyle includes hunting, foraging for wild roots and fishing and traditional farming near jungles. Their settlements, house construction, social organization, language, customs, festivals and religion are unique. It is felt that their religion and culture are influenced by the Tamangs. Especially a Praja Pande (faith healer) might be an interesting figure for culture tourists to be introduced to.

Safety/ Code of Conduct

• Do not enter rhino or tiger habitat, inside or outside the park, without a guide.
• A rhino will lower its head and take a step back if it’s about to charge; if it does, try to run in a zigzag path and throw off a piece of clothing as a decoy. The rhino will try to smell it or better, try climbing a nearest big tree
• If a bear or tiger charges, climb a small tree.
• Don’t get anywhere near a mother with young ones of any of these species
• Lookout for crawling reptiles

Statistics:

District Area: 2238.39 sq km Highest Hill: -Siraichuli-1946m Population: 468695 (in 2001) Literacy: only 65.08% (female-51.94%; male-70.62%) Weather: warm temperature climate, hot temperature on lower plains during April to August. Economic occupations: 62.6% Agriculture, 0.11%Forest, 1.91%Business, 1.91%Construction Access: 46kms drive east to west (Mahendra Highway), 36kms drive Mugling Narayanghat High way, 17kms Mugling to Mahakhola (Prithivi Highway). Flights to Bharatpur and Meghauli. Entrance fee to Royal Chitwan National Park: NRs. 500 (to be bought prior to departure from KTM or at the National Park itself) SAARC Nationals: Rs. 200 The Chitwan Chepang Hills Trail is promoted and supported by TRPAP (Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Programme), a programme of HMG/N, supported jointly by UNDP, SNV (Netherlands) and DFID (UK). The programme works to develop sustainable tourism in 6 districts of Nepal. In the development of this district, TRPAP works closely with the Chitwan District Development Committee and the Chepang Organization.