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 mostly covered with Sal forests, while the hills are
covered with chir pine. Khair, sissoo and silk cotton are found along water
areas.
The 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 safari on elephant-back, jungle walk, jeep drive
- Access: Fly to Simara from Katmandu (15min.) and then by road to the reserve headquarters (7km), 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
