Chitawan National Park

Chitwan National Park is the oldest national park in Nepal. The National Park is Established at1973. Area of this National Park is 932 sq. km. This National Park is situated in the subtropical inner Terai lowlands of South-Central Nepal. The park was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1984. The park covers a pristine area with a unique ecosystem of significant value to the world. It contains the Churiya hills, ox-bow lakes and flood plains of Rapti, and Narayani Rivers. Approximately 70% of the park vegetation is Saal forest. The remaining vegetation types include grassland (20%), riverine forest (7%), and Saal with Chirpine (3%), the latter occurring at the top of the Churiya range.

There are more than 43 species of mammals, over 450 species of birds, and more than 45 species of amphibians and reptiles in the park. Formerly, the Chitwan Valley was well known for big game hunting and until 1950 was exclusively managed as a hunting reserve for the Rana Prime Ministers and their guests. In 1963, the area south of the Rapti River was demarcated as a rhinoceros sanctuary. In 1970, His late Majesty King Mahendra approved, in principle, the creation of Royal Chitwan. Chitwan National Park gives unbeliever cultural heritage and real wildlife excursion and it is most popular wildlife sport in Nepal too.