National Parks and Wildlife Reserves – Part II – Bird-eye view series of Nepal (This will be presented in 4 parts in this series)

There are 16 national parks, wildlife reserves and conservation areas in Nepal, occupying over 16% of its total area. Trekking permits are necessary to trek in the national parks located in the mountains.

5. KOSHI TAPPU WILDLIFE RESERVE (175 sq km) is situated in the Terai lowlands. The vegetation here is mainly wetland grass-land, scrub, and deciduous forests. The reserve is unique for its wild ama buffaloes. Other mammals are the hog deer, wild boar, spotted deer, and blue bull. Over 350 species of birds including ibises, storks, egrets, herons, swamp partridges, and Bengal floricans are found here. The endangered gharial, marsh crocodile, and Gangatic dolphin are also recorded in the Koshi river.
Activities: Game viewing, bird watching
Accommodation: Tented camp
Access: 90-minute drive (40 km) 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 headquarters: Kusaha; Tel: 025-521488

6. LANGTANG NATIONAL PARK (1,710 sq km) encompasses high mountain and high Himalaya terrain. About one-fourth of the park is forest – oaks, maple, rhododrondon, chir pine, fir, blue pine, hemlock, and spruce. The holy Gosaikund lake is situated here. The animals found here are the wild dog, Himalayan red panda, pika, muntjack, musk deer, Himalayan black deer, Himalayan tahr, ghoral, serow, rhesus monkey, and the common langur. This region is also an important route for migrating birds. The majority of the local inhabitants here are Tamang and Sherpas.
Activities: Trekking, mountaineering
Accommodation: Lodges, camping
Access: From Dhunche which is 117 km by road from Kathmandu
Best season: Oct-Nov and Mar-May (cold at higher elevation); Jun-Sep (monsoon), Dec-Feb (snow)
Park headquarters: Dhunche

7. MAKALU-BARUN NATIONAL PARK AND CONSERVATION AREA (1,500 sq km national park + 830 sq km conservation area = 2,330 sq km) extends from high mountains to the high Himalaya. The elevation ranges from 500 to over 8,000 m. Most of this protected area is remote wilderness. It offers more than 3,000 species of flowering plants. Wildlife includes the endangered red panda, musk deer, Himalayan black deer, clouded leopard, and possibly the snow leopard too. Over 400 species of birds thrive here. Majority of the people living in the conservation area belong to the Rai community.
Activities: Trekking, mountaineering
Accommodation: Camping
Access: Fly to Tumlingtar from Kathmandu (one hour) and then a six-day walk.
Best season: Oct-Nov and Mar-Apr; Apr-May (hot at lower elevations), Jun-Sep (monsoon)
Park headquarters: Seduwa; Tel: 029-560137, 560236

8. MANASLU CONSERVATION AREA (1,663 sq km) is situated in a remote area to the north of Gorkha, home of the original Gorkha soldiers. It encompasses the seventh highest mountain in the world, Mt. Manaslu
(8,156 m). The environment is middle mountain to high Himalaya, and supports 2,000 species of plants with the Assamese monkey have been sighted here. There are 110 species of birds. The region has strong Tibetan cultural influences.
Activities: Trekking, mountaineering
Accommodation: Camping, lodges
Access: By bus to Dhading (87 km from Kathmandu) or to Besi Sahar
(106 km from Pokhara) and then walking
Best season: Autumn and spring
Park headquarters: Prok