Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve Days 4 Starts Biratnagar airport Ends Kathmandu Best Time March – May & October – Decembe Country Nepal Activity Safari Trip Price: US $ 690 per person Book Now Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is Nepal’s only Ramsar–listed flood-plain sanctuary, protecting 176 km² of reed-choked marshes, seasonally inundated grasslands, and braided channels along the mighty Sapta Koshi River in the eastern Terai. Elevations barely top 80 m, yet this mosaic of wetlands, phragmites reed-beds, khair–sisoo riverine woodland, and open sand-bars cradles the country’s last intact lowland marsh ecosystem. Wildlife drama here is writ large on a watery stage: Koshi Tappu shelters the world’s largest remaining herd of wild water buffalo (Arna) and supports rare Ganges river dolphins, smooth-coated otters, hog deer, fishing cats, and the occasional Asian elephant or Bengal tiger wandering in from contiguous forests. Crocodilian royalty—mugger and gharial—bask on sunny sandbanks, while mahseer and scores of native fish thread the reserve’s oxbow lagoons. For birders, it is pure nirvana: more than 485 bird species crowd the wetlands, including Bengal florican, swamp francolin, Pallas’s fish-eagle, pied harrier, sarus crane, and vast winter flocks of migratory waders and ducks that stream in from Siberia and Tibet. Patient eyes scanning reed-beds at dawn might also net sightings of watercock, Indian nightjar, or the globally scarce white-tailed stonechat. Visitor experiences weave between river and land: dawn canoe drifts or inflatable-raft safaris reveal gharials gliding beneath, while half-day jeep drives and guided jungle walks skirt grassland tracks alive with deer and raptors. Dedicated bird hides and elevated watch-towers offer tranquil stake-outs. The dry months October-April deliver clear skies, mild temperatures, and the most concentrated wildlife action; monsoon floods (June-September) recharge the marsh yet limit access. Encircling the reserve are Tharu and other indigenous villages where stilt-raised homes, folk dances, and leaf-plate dinners immerse guests in centuries-old wetland culture. Community-run homestays, handicraft cooperatives, and evening cultural shows channel tourism revenue into conservation and plastic-free village initiatives—proof that people and wetlands can thrive together. In essence, Koshi Tappu offers an intimate, water-woven wilderness that contrasts starkly with Nepal’s hill and Himalayan spectacles—a serene hideaway where the dawn chorus of herons and the trumpeting splash of wild buffalo remind visitors what a living flood-plain should feel like. Highlights Itinerary Cost Details Early-morning jungle and nature walks in the floodplain habitat Bird watching throughout marshlands, reed beds, and riverbanks (spotting painted stork, ibises, snipes, buntings, bulbuls, etc.) Boat safari on the Sapta Koshi River to view water birds, water buffaloes, and freshwater dolphins Jeep safari for wildlife spotting (including wild water buffalo, deer, otters) Visit to Koshi Barrage for additional birdlife & Dolphin-watching vantage points Cultural interaction or briefings on local Tharu livelihoods (optional) Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Arrive Biratnagar airport. Drive to Koshi Tappu Wildlife camp. 1300 Hrs : Lunch 1500 Hrs : Birding in the nearby surroundings. 1900 Hrs : Dinner. 0530 Hrs : Wake up call.0600 Hrs : Morning nature walk nearby.0800 Hrs : Breakfast.0900 Hrs : Gentle wildlife rafting on the Sapta Koshi river with guides. View some of the water birds, water buffaloes, dolphins, marine and jungle wildlife. End boat trip by the bank of the river and have picnic lunch. Short drive to the Koshi Barrage to view bird life and fresh water dolphins. Late afternoon return to the camp.1900 Hrs : Dinner. 0530 Hrs : Wake up call.0600 Hrs : Bird watching in the jungle near by. 0800 Hrs : Breakfast. 0900 Hrs : Departure to Biratnagar Airport. Fly back to Kathmandu 0530 Hrs : Wake up call. 0600 Hrs : Bird watching in the jungle nearby. 0800 Hrs : Breakfast.0900 Hrs : Departure to Biratnagar airport. Fly back to Kathmandu Included in the Cost Accommodation in a lodge or tented camp all sightseeing and outings Park entrance fees All meals for the duration of the package tour Early-morning jungle and nature walks in the floodplain habitat Bird watching throughout marshlands, reed beds, and riverbanks (spotting painted stork, ibises, snipes, buntings, bulbuls, etc.) Boat safari on the Sapta Koshi River to view water birds, water buffaloes, and freshwater dolphins Jeep safari for wildlife spotting (including wild water buffalo, deer, otters) Visit to Koshi Barrage for additional birdlife & Dolphin-watching vantage points Cultural interaction or briefings on local Tharu livelihoods (optional) Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Arrive Biratnagar airport. Drive to Koshi Tappu Wildlife camp. 1300 Hrs : Lunch 1500 Hrs : Birding in the nearby surroundings. 1900 Hrs : Dinner. 0530 Hrs : Wake up call.0600 Hrs : Morning nature walk nearby.0800 Hrs : Breakfast.0900 Hrs : Gentle wildlife rafting on the Sapta Koshi river with guides. View some of the water birds, water buffaloes, dolphins, marine and jungle wildlife. End boat trip by the bank of the river and have picnic lunch. Short drive to the Koshi Barrage to view bird life and fresh water dolphins. Late afternoon return to the camp.1900 Hrs : Dinner. 0530 Hrs : Wake up call.0600 Hrs : Bird watching in the jungle near by. 0800 Hrs : Breakfast. 0900 Hrs : Departure to Biratnagar Airport. Fly back to Kathmandu 0530 Hrs : Wake up call. 0600 Hrs : Bird watching in the jungle nearby. 0800 Hrs : Breakfast.0900 Hrs : Departure to Biratnagar airport. Fly back to Kathmandu Arrive Biratnagar airport. Drive to Koshi Tappu Wildlife camp. 1300 Hrs : Lunch 1500 Hrs : Birding in the nearby surroundings. 1900 Hrs : Dinner. 0530 Hrs : Wake up call.0600 Hrs : Morning nature walk nearby.0800 Hrs : Breakfast.0900 Hrs : Gentle wildlife rafting on the Sapta Koshi river with guides. View some of the water birds, water buffaloes, dolphins, marine and jungle wildlife. End boat trip by the bank of the river and have picnic lunch. Short drive to the Koshi Barrage to view bird life and fresh water dolphins. Late afternoon return to the camp.1900 Hrs : Dinner. 0530 Hrs : Wake up call.0600 Hrs : Bird watching in the jungle near by. 0800 Hrs : Breakfast. 0900 Hrs : Departure to Biratnagar Airport. Fly back to Kathmandu 0530 Hrs : Wake up call. 0600 Hrs : Bird watching in the jungle nearby. 0800 Hrs : Breakfast.0900 Hrs : Departure to Biratnagar airport. Fly back to Kathmandu Included in the Cost Accommodation


