Bardia National Park

Bardia  National Park is a protected area covering an area of 968 square kilometers and is the largest National park in Nepal which was established in 1988 as Royal Bardia National Park. The area is well famous place to see wild animals which is situated in the subtropical Terai lowlands of mid-western Nepal. The national park together with the neighboring Banke National park represents the Tiger Conservation Unit (TCU). The both national park together extends over 2,231 sq. km. of alluvial grasslands and subtropical moist deciduous forests.

The national park is filled with different species of vegetation, fauna, mammals and birds. About 70% of the park is covered with forest with the mixture of grassland, savannah and riverine forest. The park comprises 839 species of flora which includes 173 vascular plant species, 140 dicots, 26 monocots, 6 fern and one gymnosperm species. The national park also provides excellent habitat for 642 faunal species among which 125 species of fish are recorded, a small population of Gharial inhabits the river, 23 reptile and amphibian species have been recorded in this national park. It is also home to at least 53 mammals including Rhinoceros, wild elephant, swamp deer, Bengal tiger and gigantic dolphin. According to current checklist, the national park includes 407 species of bird. Bengal florican, white-rumped vulture, peafowl, and bar-headed geese are symbolic birds of the park. Lesser florican and sarus crane are present; grey-crowned prinia, jungle prinia, pale-footed bush warbler, aberrant bush warbler, striated grass bird, golden-headed cisticola and chestnut-capped babbler occur in the park’s grasslands.

Bardia  National Park also offers great opportunity to experience wonderful culture of native Tharu community. The homestay facilities of dalla’s and Thakurdwar Temple are the next attraction nearby Bardia  Natioal Park. Thakurdwar temple is one of the oldest religious temple with its own religious significance and the statues of this shrine are believed to be since of Lichhavi period.