Sauraha is a village in Chitwan District of Nepal situated close by the Rapti River and the Chitwan National Park. It is the eastern gateway to Chitwan National park
It is located 160 kms by road from Kathmandu, 155 kms by road from Pokhara and 160 kms by road from the Indian border at Sunauli. The Chitwan National Park is home to Bengal tigers, rhinoceroses, bears, leopards, crocodiles and monkeys amongst others, and hundreds of species of birds and butterflies. The village of Sauraha is separated from the national park by the Rapti River, which is safe to swim in. During the dry season one can wander the sand dunes of the shrunken river. It is possible to walk for miles along the roads west, north and east of the village to other, rural Tharu villages.
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What to do:
The adventurous jungle walk, elephant ride, jeep safari, canoe ride, tonka ride, Tharu cultural program, elephant bath, observation of wild life trophy exhibition, views of sunrise and sunset, Bird watch on the oddly-named 20,000 lake (bis hajari taal) / Stay overnight in the jungle spotting wild animals from the lookout tower are the major tourist activities available in Sauraha.
Similarly, the traditional culture of Tharu community is also the specialty of the area. Sauraha is famous for the study and observation of the indigenous tradition and cultural heritage of Sauraha. The Bachhyauli village considered the tourist heart of Sauraha .
How long:
You might really like the laid back atmosphere and stay longer than you had originally planned. The small village has a few restaurants as Pokhara and Thamel, but local-style eateries as well. Life is tranquil here. You will want to spend at least one day in the national park, and a couple more days to walk/bike around about. Give yourself at least a minimum of three days.
When to go:
The dry season would be best (November-April) and March would be the ideal time. The daytime temperature is not too hot and the elephant grass in the national park has been cut, allowing for better animal spotting.
Where to stay:
The Chitwan National Park offers a wide variety of accommodation, not only in size, facilities and visual appearance, but also In price range. If you are looking for exclusive comfort with superior personalize service right in the heart of the park then visit Sauraha for a previews of private luxury and luxury and budget accommodation
How to reach Sauraha:
you can take a Flight from Kathmandu to the Bharatpur airport everyday. from bharatpur airport sauraha is 11 km away.It takes 30 minutes to reach.Regular tourist buses depart to Sauraha at 7 AM from Kathmandu, More than 70 hotels and resorts operating in Sauraha that serve the tourist. Similarly one can get tourist bus from Pokhara tourist buspark to sauraha every morning .
Transportation around Sauraha
Sauraha is a relatively small town. So it’s easy to walk around. There are several roads running through it but there’s only one main road that run through it to the Rapti river. Getting around Sauraha is normally done on foot. There are however cycle rickshaws which will take you around. Hotels often run mini van and jeep services between popular areas such as the elephant breeding center or sunset by the river. Theses services are usually part of package tour. Elephant transport is available but must be booked privately.
