KOSHI TAPPU WILDLIFE RESERVE (176 sq km)
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve has carved a place for itself as a birdwatcher’s paradise. The reserve spreads over Saptari and Sunsari districts in East Nepal over the embankments of River Koshi. The reserve has been recognized as a Wetland site from 1987. The vegetation of the reserve is mainly grassland with patches of scrub and deciduous riverine forests. The reserve has recorded around 439 species of bird variety, some of which fly all the way from Siberia during winter. A wide variety of ducks, herons, storks, egrets, ibis are seen on the riverbanks. Koshi Tappu Reserve also has one of the few elephant stables of Asia. Other animals found here are wild buffalo, wild boar, hog deer, spotted deer, blue bell and jackal. Gharial Crocodile and Gangetic Dolphin are other attractions.

Activities: Game viewing, bird watching
Accommodation: Resorts & Tented Camp
Access: 90-minute drive (40km) from Biratnagar which is 50 minutes by air or 541 km by road from Kathmandu
Best Season: Oct-Mar; Apr-Jun (hot), Jul-Sep (rainy)
Reserve Headquarter: Kusaha, Tel: 025-530897

PARSA WILDLIFE RESERVE (499 sq km)
The Parsa Wildlife Reserve spreads over parts of Chitwan, Makawanpur, Parsa and Bara districts. The vegetation is tropical and sub tropical and sub tropical mostly covered with Sal forests, while the hills are covered with chir pine. Khair, sissoo and silk cotton are found along water areas. Ther reserve provides good habitat for animals like wild elephant, tiger, leopard, sloth bear, gaur, blue bull and wild dog. Other common animals in the reserve are sambar, chital, hog deer, barking deer, langur monkey, rhesus macaques, striped hyena, rat, palm civet and jungle cat. There are 527 species of birds found in the reserve, one being the endangered great hornbill found in certain parts of the forest. Other bird species include peafowl, red jungle fowl, flycatchers and woodpeckers. Birds and animals apart the reserve also habitats snakes like king cobra, common cobra, krait, rat snake and python.

Activities: Jungle safaris on elephant-back, jungle walk, jeep drive
Access: Fly to Simara from Kathmandu (15 minutes) and then by road the reserve headquarters (7 km), or overland all the way from Kathmandu (150 km via Hetauda)
Best Season: Oct-Mar; Apr-Jun (hot, 30-35 degrees Celsius), Jul-Sep (monsoon):
Reserve Headquarter: Adhabar, Tel: 053-521051, 520246

SUKLAPHANTA WILDLIFE RESERVE (305 sq km)
Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve is located in the far-eastern lowland Terai of Nepal. The pristine sub-tropical jungle makes Shuklaphanta Nepal’s second largest wildlife Reserve in Terai.

The open grasslands and numerous waterholes of the park is a vast expanse of plain grasslands and Sal forests, while marsh vegetation is found along rivers and lakes. The park that was originally reserved as a hunting area was later converted to wildlife reserve to protect swamp deer. Ther reserve now shelters almost 2,000 swamp deer, around 50 wild elephants and 30 tigers. Other animals found here are spotted deer, blue bulls, barking deer, hog deer, wild boars, leopards, jackals, langurs and rhesus monkeys. Among birds the reserve provides habitat to sarus crane, swamp francolin, grass owl, warblers, flycatchers, and the endangered Bengal Florican. Reptile species include marsh mugger, crocodile, cobra and python.

Activities: Wildlife viewing on elephant-back
Accommodation: Jungle lodges
Access: Fly drive to Mahendranagar (695 km from Kathmandu)
Best Season: Feb-Mar (22-25 degrees Celsius); Dec-Jun (cold, foggy), Apr-Jun (hot, up to 42 degrees)
Reserve Headquarter: Majhgaon, Kanchanpur, Tel: 099-521309