Chitwan National park, one of the richest and most well known wild life reserve in Asia, is situated 165 km overland or 25 minutes by air to the south-west of Kathmandu in the lowland of inner Terai on the foot hills of great Himalayas of central Nepal. The park covers an area of 932 sq. km and conserves more than 43 species of mammals, 450 out of total estimated 750 specifies of birds in Nepal, many varieties of butterflies and 45 species of amphibians and reptiles. The national park offers a unique ecosystem encompassing hills, ox-bow lakes, flood plains, tall grasslands and thick jungles dominated by sal trees (Shorea Robusta).
Chitwan is also the home to One-Horned Rhino, Bengal Tiger, Gharial Crocodile, Gaur-Baison, wild Elephant, four horned Antelope, sambar Deer, Chital, Hog deer, Barking Deer, Sloth Bear, common Leopard, wild Dog, Langur, Rhesus Monkey, Pangolin, Striped Hyena, Gangetic Dolphin, Monitor Lizard, Python etc and exotic varieties of birds like the Giant Hornbill, Sarus Crane, Bengal Florican, the Racket-Tailed Drongo and many more.
