Bardiya National Park is the biggest national park in the lowland Terai wrapping an area of 968 sq km. It is Nepal’s highly westerly, and the major of its seven National Parks. It is called as a refuge for a broad variety of wildlife. The park was initially formed to defend the different ecosystems available in the area and to preserve tigers and prey. After expansion, the park has become one of the finest in Nepal. Savannah, lush dense forests, and riverine woodlands are home to an extremely varied range of flora and fauna. Here, you can easily find the most endangered species. You can find Rhinoceros, Wild elephant, Gharial crocodile, Tiger, Swamp deer, Gangetic dolphin, Bengal florican and the Sarus crane.
History
The park located in Nepal's Western Terai was recognized for defending the representative ecosystems. They are conserving the home of the tiger and its prey species. At the start, a small area was authorized as the Karnali Wildlife Reserve in 1976. At that moment, 1500 households of the Babai Valley were relocated exterior the park letting the wildlife and vegetation flourish. In the year 1982, it is renamed Bardiya Wildlife Reserve, and in 1984 it was extended to its present way.
Best Time to Visit
If you are interested in visiting Bardiya National Park, the best time to visit is from September to December and from Late February to May. The mornings and late afternoons are ideal for an amazing elephant ride that gives a wonderful view of the park. Now, you can also spot the amazing Gangetic Dolphin in the Karnali River while looking into the Babai valley which is noticed with the likes of the royal Tiger, Rhino and more wild animals. Well, it would be better to plan out a day safari to revel in the beauty of the park.
How to Reach
By Air
If you are planning to reach Bardia National Park by air then Nepalgunj Airport in Banke district is available to serve you. The flight takes about 50 minutes to reach. Hire a taxi or bus for a 3-hour journey. Flights run regularly as per the demands. Off-season flights are sometimes postponed until the next day.
By Bus
Bus services are easily available from: Pokhara (12–14 hours), Tansen (10 hours) and Lumbini (10 hours) to Ambassa or Thakurdwara.
If you are a nature lover, you can plan your visit to Bardiya National Park.