Bardiya National Park is in the Terai region of Nepal.

Understand

Landscape

The park has a surface of 968 square kilometers.

Flora and fauna

The park hosts tens of different mammals species and hundreds of different bird species.

Climate

The best season to visit the Bardiya park is from October to March. From April to June it is the hot season with temperatures up to 42°C. The rainy season is fromn July to September.

Do

Volunteer. Ask around locally & in the guesthouses. Mr.B would be a great help here and almost anybody in the village would be able to help out and recommend something or somebody. There are an incredible number of schools between Thakurdwara and the highway junction at Ambassa for such a short distance and English speakers/teachers are obviously always welcomed enthusiastically, generously and with wide, open arms.

So, basically just turn up and do the groundwork when you arrive. Shouldn't take more than a few days to sort something out. Krishna Karmal at 'The Wild Route' Guesthouse is somebody who would be able to offer info and ideas also. Track him down and talk it over some rice beer.

Eat

Eat and drink in town as much as you can. Some great tea shops in the 'centre' of town (ie the three all next door to each other) over the bridge. Reputedly the best tea in town. All much of a muchness though. Dal Bhaat around 100Rs or so. Grab a plate of chaana, a chia and watch the village ramble by.

Heading down the road towards the National Park entrance on the right(about 200metres from the shops above) next to the pharmacy and little book shop is another excellent tea shop. Tea, samosas, doughnuts et al also here. Absolutely essential is the purchase of a bowl of 'chola'. Look for the outside stove.

Drink

Local alcohol. Rice Wine(roxi) and rice beer(chaang).

Sleep

There are some resorts which provide tourist accommodations.

1.Forest hideaway hotel & cottages Pvt.Ltd (www.foresthideaway.com) 3.Tiger Top Karnali lodge. 4.Rhino lodge 5.Bardia cottage. 6.recy shade

Nepal Wildlife Resort: http://www.nepalwildlife.net, bsng_comp@wlink.com.np, Tel: 977-1-442-6642. The resort is on the bank of one of the tributaries of the Karnali River, a 5-minute walk from park headquarters. It is the only resort which actually overlooks the river and the National Park. Each room has its own balcony with nice views.

Bardia Wildlife Resort "Paradise": http://www.wildlifeparadiseresort.com Tel: 084-692083.

Mr B's Place: http://www.mrbsplacebardia.com/ Tel: 974 800 4032 One of the few backpacker-friendly places in Bardia. Most places insist on packages; Mr. B lets you choose the activities you want to do. Free pick-up from bus station.

• Bardia Jungle Cottage (Trekking & Tours), Bardia National Park (By bus), ☏ +977-84-402014, info@bardiajunglecottage.com.np. Highly recommended for best budget lodge and best wildlife safari organizer at Bardia National Park. Ask Mr Kumar for volunteering program who will be helpful to organize volunteering program in Nepal. Ask Bardia Jungle Cottage for Trekking or any other adventure activities in Nepal as they have their own trekking company named Anu Treks International P. Ltd located in Thamel, Kathmandu. US15.