8 Breathtaking National Parks in Nepal – Permits and Fee

Wildlife diversity is a notable feature in Nepal, with 10 National parks, 3 Wildlife reserves, one hunting reserve and 6 conservation areas and 11 buffer zone which covers 22.23 % “34,186.62 square km” area of the country. Wildlife tourism is one of the main tourism resources in Nepal.

Thanks to the variation in climate from tropical to glacial and Effective Park and reserve system, Nepal has managed to preserve and been home for more endangered species of flora and fauna in comparison with other Asian Countries. Among the many national parks, Chitwan National Park and Sagarmatha National Park are listed in the UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.

1. Chitwan National Park

Activities: Jungle safari on elephant back, jungle walk, canoe ride, jeep drive, experience Tharu culture.

Accommodation: Resort and lodges

Access: Park headquarters at Kasara is a 21-km drive from Bharatpur which is 20 minutes by air or 146 km by road from Kathmandu. [Chitwan Jungle Safari]

Wildlife: 56 species of mammals that include one-horned rhinoceros, Royal Bengal tiger, rhesus monkey, langur, deer, leopards, gaur, wild boar, wild dog and wild cat; 49 species of amphibians and reptiles that include the endangered long-snouted gharial, marsh mugger crocodile and python.

Birds: 539 species of birds that include summer migrant birds like paradise flycatcher, Indian pitta and parakeets. While winter birds include waterfowl, Brahminy ducks, pintails, bar-headed geese, cormorants and migratory birds from Siberia.

Vegetation: Deciduous forest with 600 plant species.

Best Season: October-March (average temperature 25 degrees Celsius); April- June (hot, up to 43 degrees Celsius), July-September (rainy)

Nepali	SAARC	Foreigners	Total Foreigner Fee	Child Discount
NPR 150	NPR 1000	NPR 2000	Npr 2000	Below 10 Years Free

2. Sagarmatha National Park

Activities: Trekking, Mountaineering, experience Sherpa culture

Accommodation: Resort hotels, lodges, tea houses, camping

Access: Fly to Lukla by air from Kathmandu and then trek onward [Everest Base Camp Trek]

Wildlife: Himalayan tahr, ghoral, musk deer, pika (mouse hare), weasel, jackal, black bear, wolf, lynx and snow leopard

Birds: 193 species of birds including impeyan pheasant (Danphe), blood pheasant, red-billed chough, yellow-billed chough, snow cock, snow pigeon, Himalayan griffon and lammergeier

Vegetation: Pine and hemlock forests at lower altitudes, while above 3,500 m silver firs, birch, rhododendron and juniper trees forest

Best Season: October-November and March-May; December-February (snow, daytime temperature 5 degrees Celsius) June-September (rainy)

Nepali	SAARC	Foreigners	Total Foreigner Free	Child Discount
Free	NPR 1500	NPR 3000+NPR 2000(regional tax)	NPR 5000	Below 10 Years Free

• At Monjo, there is the Sagarmatha National Park entrance station where you will have to show your passport and pay a National Park fee.

3. Bardia National Park

Activities: Jungle safari on elephant back, jungle walk, boat ride, jeep drive

Accommodation: Jungle lodges

Access: 3 hours drive (95 km) from Nepalgunj, which is 1 hour by air or 516 km by road from Kathmandu

Wildlife: 53 mammals that include the Royal Bengal tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, elephant, swamp deer, blackbuck; reptiles include gharial crocodile, marsh mugger crocodile; fresh-water Gangetic dolphin is mostly seen in the Karnali River

Birds: 400 species of birds include Bengal florican, lesser florican, silver eared mesia and sarus crane

Vegetation: Sal, savannah forests and grasslands

Best Season: October-March, April-June (hot, up to 42 degrees Celsius), July-September (rainy)

Nepali	SAARC	Foreigners	Total Foreigner Fee	Child Discount
NPR 100	NPR 750	NPR 2000	NPR 2000	Below 10 Years Free

• The park HQ. is at Thakurdwara and a sub-headquarter at the eastern entrance to the park at East Chisapani. Visitors entering the park must stop and pay an entrance fee.
• Be sure to keep your permit as it might be checked later by park guards.

4. Langtang National Park

Activities: Trekking, Mountaineering, the experience of Tamang culture

Accommodation: Lodges, camping

Access: From Dhunche, which is 117 km by road from Kathmandu [Langtang Valley Trek]

Wildlife: Wild dog, red panda, pika, muntjac, musk deer, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan tahr, ghoral, serow, rhesus monkey, langur monkey, snow leopard

Birds: 373 species of birds including tragopan and impeyan pheasant

Vegetation: Subtropical forests of alpine shrubs and grasslands below 1,000 m

Best Season: October-November and March-May (cold at higher elevation); June-September (monsoon), December-February (snow)

Nepali	SAARC	Foreigners	Total Foreigner Fee	Child Discount
NPR 100	NPR 1500	NPR 3000	NPR 3000	Below 10 Years Free

• The park Headquarters is at Dhunche and a check post at Ghora Tabela. All visitors must stop at either place to pay an Entrance Fee, and are required to show your passport.
• Be sure to keep your Entry Permit as it might be checked later by the park guards.

5. Makalu Barun National Park

 

Activities: Trekking, Mountaineering

Accommodation: Camping

Access: 40-minute flight to Tumlingtar from Kathmandu and then a six-day walk 

Wildlife: Endangered red panda and snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, clouded leopard, ghoral, Himalayan tahr, wild boar, barking deer, Himalayan marmot, weasel, langur monkey and serow; Arun River has 84 varieties of fish including salmon

Birds: 400 species of birds including wren babbler, olive ground warbler

Vegetation: Subtropical forests to subalpine and alpine vegetation

Best Season: October-November and March-April; April-May (hot at lower elevations), June-September (monsoon)

Nepali Fee	SAARC Fee	Foreigner Fee	Total Foreigner Fee	Child Discount
NPR 100	NPR 1500	NPR 3000	NPR 3000	Below 10 Years Free

6. Annapurna Conservation Area

Activities: Trekking, Mountaineering

Accommodation: Resort hotels, lodges, camping

Access: From Pokhara [Annapurna Base Camp Trek]

Wildlife: 102 mammals including blue sheep and endangered snow leopard; 39 species of reptiles and 22 species of amphibians

Birds: 474 species of birds including multi-coloured impeyan pheasant, kokla and blood pheasant

Vegetation: Various species of orchids and rhododendrons

Best Season: March-May; September-November

Nepali Fee	SAARC Fee	Foreigners Free	Total Foreigner Fee	Child Discount
NPR 100	NPR 1000	NPR 3000	NPR 3000	Below 10 Years Free

7. Kanchenjunga Conservation Area

Activities: Trekking, Mountaineering

Accommodation: Tea houses, camping

Access: Fly to Taplejung via Biratnagar from Kathmandu 

Wildlife: Endangered snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, musk deer, red panda, blue sheep, rhesus monkey

Birds: 252 species of different birds including impeyan pheasant, red-billed blue magpie, ashy drongo

Vegetation: Indigenous gymnosperms, Nepal’s endemic flowering plants, varieties of rhododendron and orchids

Best Season: March-May; September-November

Nepali Fee	SAARC Fee	Foreigners Fee	Total Foreigner Fee	Child Discount
NPR 100	NPR 500	NPR 2000	NPR 2000	Below 10 Years Free

• To get a permit to this conservation area you need to be part of an organized trekking group. [Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trekking]

8. Manaslu Conservation Area

Activities: Trekking, Mountaineering

Accommodation: Camping, lodges

Access: bus to Dhading which is 87 km from Kathmandu or to Besisahar 106 km from Pokhara and then trek [Manaslu Circuit Trek]

Wildlife: 33 species of mammals including snow leopard, musk deer and Himalayan Tahr; three species of reptiles 

Birds: 110 species of birds

Vegetation: 1,500-2,000 species of flowering plants

Best Season: March-May; September-November

Nepali Fee	SAARC Fee	Foreigner Fee	Total Foreigner Fee	Child Discount
NPR 100	NPR 1000	NPR 3000	NPR 3000	Below 10 Years Free