Exploring Bardia National Park
Karnali Lodge Extension
Overview
Enjoy intimate jungle encounters at Karnali, a comfortable safari lodge on the edge of Bardia National Park, the largest wilderness area in Nepal. Bardia is home to an abundance of wildlife including tigers, rhinos, spotted deer, and a fantastic profusion of birds. Accompanied by expert naturalist guides, you'll search for the park's wildlife on foot or by jeep. You can also take a gentle river safari by boat and visit a local village school. Accommodations are in comfortable en suite rooms with ceiling fans and mosquito netting for the beds, with meals served in a dining room or al fresco in the evening around a roaring fire.
Arrive: Kathmandu, Nepal
Depart: Kathmandu, Nepal
Highlights
- Search for tigers and one-horned rhinos in Nepal's Bardia National Park
- Safari by jeep, on foot, and by boat, with an option to visit a village school
Itinerary
Transfer to the Kathmandu airport and fly by light aircraft to Nepalgunj, where you are met by a Karnali Lodge representative for a scenic drive to the property (about 2 hours). Karnali Lodge is located in Bardia National Park, the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area within Nepal. Bardia is home to at least 53 species of mammals, including rhinos, swamp deer, and the ever-elusive Bengal tiger. Enjoy lunch on arrival and have the afternoon to settle in and explore the grounds or enjoy a swim in the pool. In the late afternoon, head out on a jeep safari to the national park to search for elusive tigers and leopards. Tigers hunt in the cool of the day so dusk is a great time to catch a glimpse of the great cats patrolling their territories. Returning to the lodge, enjoy a cocktail around the outdoor fireplace before heading to the dining room for a delicious dinner. Overnight at Karnali Lodge...LD
Rising early, take a tour of the jungle to track tigers or the great one-horned rhinoceros in the morning light. After a buffet breakfast, explore the park on foot with your expert naturalist guides, head to the river for a fun float trip, or go on a gameviewing safari in search of resident wildlife. You can also choose to relax in a sunny spot in the lodge's garden with a good book and a cool drink. After a delicious dinner, made from ingredients from the onsite organic farm, relax around the outdoor fire pit and recall the highlights of the day. Overnights at Karnali Lodge...BLD each day
After a leisurely breakfast, you'll transfer back to the Nepalgunj airport in time for your scheduled light aircraft flight back to Kathmandu, where you are met for a transfer to your hotel...B
Note: This is a sample itinerary. The exact order of activities may change upon your arrival at the lodge.
Note: This is a sample itinerary. The exact order of activities may change upon your arrival at the lodge.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
Submit the form below to download itinerary
Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.