Location
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve lies in the Rukum, Myagdi and Baglung Districts in the Dhaulagiri Himal range in western Nepal. Putha, Churen and Gurja Himal extend over the northern boundary of the reserve.

Features
This is the only hunting reserve in the country, attracting Nepalese and foreign sports hunters with blue sheep and other game animals. The reserve is divided into six blocs for hunting management purposes.

The reserve is characterized by alpine sub-alpine, and high temperate vegetation. Common plant species include fir, pine, birch, rhododendron, hemlock, oak, juniper and spruce. Pastureland at higher elevations occupies more than 50% of the total area of the reserve.

The reserve is one of the prime habitats for blue sheep. Other animals found are leopard, goral, serow, Himalayan tahr, Himalayan black bear, barking deer, wild boar, rhesus macaque, langur and mouse hare.

Pheasants and partridges are common and their viable population in the reserve permits controlled hunting. Endangered animals in the reserve include musk deer, wolf, red panda, cheer pheasant and danphe.

Khaptad National Park
Area: 255 sq. km

Location
Khaptad National Park is located in the mid-mountain region of Far-Western Nepal at an air distance of 446 km. from Kathmandu. The core area is situated at the cross point of the Bijhang, Bajura, Doti and Accam Districts of Seti Zone.

Features
The park covers the unique mid-mountain ecosystem of Western Nepal, and is situated at about 300 m. elevation. The upland is a rolling plateau of grasslands intermixed with oak and coniferous forests.

There is a great variety of vegetation types ranging from sub-tropical forest in the lower altitudes (Jhingrana and Chaikot of Doti) to temperate forest on the Khaptad plateau. The most common tree species are chirpine, spruce, fir, maple, birch, alder and rhododendron. Dense bamboo stands (nigalo) and wide varieties of medicinal herbs occur in the park.

The most common fauna in the park are leopard, Himalayan yellow-throated marten, Himalayan tahr and others. The common bird species include Impeyan pheasant, chkor partridge, kalij pheasant, monal, red and yellow-billed blue magpie, and Himalayan griffin. A wide variety of colourful butterflies, moths and insects are also an important feature of the Khaptad ecosystem.

The core area of Khaptad is of much religious importance. It includes the Ashram of Khaptad Swami, a renowned spiritual saint. Therefore, all the vices of modern society such as alcohol, cigarettes and tobacco, violence and killing are prohibited.

Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
Area: 175 sq. km.

Location
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve lies on the flood plains of the Sapta-Koshi in Saptari and Sunsari Districts of Eastern Nepal. The reserve is defined by the eastern and western embankments of the river.

Features
Rapid and complete flood inundation of the reserve to depths ranging from 10 to 300 cm. occurs during the monsoon. The Sapta-Koshi river also changes its course from one season to another.

The vegetation is mainly tall khar-pater grassland with a few patched of khair-sissoo scrub forest and deciduous mixed riverine forest.

The reserve offers an important habitat for a variety of wildlife. The last surviving population (about 100 individuals) of wild buffalo or arna are found here. Other mammals are the hog deer, wild boar, spotted deer, and blue bull.

The reserve also assists the local economy by providing fishing permits and allowing the collection of edible fruits and ferns in season.

A total of 280 different species of birds have been recorded in the reserve. These include 2 species of ducks, 2 species of ibises, many storks, egrets, herons and the endangered swamp partridges and Bengal floricans.

The Koshi barrage is extremely important as a resting place for migratory birds. Many species recorded here are not seen elsewhere in Nepal.

The endangered gharial crocodile and Gangetic dolphin have been recorded in the Koshi River.

Langtang National Park
Area: 1710 sq. km.

Location
Situated in the Central Himalayas, Langtang is the nearest park to Kathmandu. The area extends from 32 km. north of Kathmandu to the Nepal-China (Tibet) border.

Features
Langtang National Park encloses the catchments of two major river systems: one draining west into the Trisuli River and the other east to the Sun Koshi River.

Some of the best examples of graded climatic conditions in the Central Himalayas are found here. The complex topography and geography together with the varied climatic patterns have enabled a wide spectrum of vegetation types to be established. These include small areas of subtropical forest (below 1000m), temperate oak and pine forests at mid-elevations, with alpine scrub and grasses giving way to bare rocks and snow.

The variations in altitude and topography along with the existing forest cover (approx. 25% of the total area) provide habitat for a wide range of animals including wild dog, red panda, pika, muntjack, musk deer, Himalayan black bear, Himalaya tahr, ghoral, serow, rhesus monkey and common langur. The Trisuli - Bhote Rivers forms an important route for birds on spring and autumn migration between India and Tibet.

How to get there
Public buses or taxis reach Dhunche (Park H.Q.) via Trisuli Bazar from Kathmandu (approx. 7-8 hours). A seasonal road reaches Syabrubensi.

Alternative routes from Kathmandu are by public bus to Sundarijal or Melamchighat. From either point, trek through Helambu to Gosainkunda via Laurebina pass or cross Ganja La pass (5122 m) to reach Langtang Valley.

Seasons
From mid-October to mid December and from mid-February until mid-April the weather is usually clear but cold at higher elevation. From mid-April to mid-June, it is warm but often cloudy with thunder showers; spring flowers are at their best. Summer monsoon lasts until the beginning of October. During the winter months daytime temperatures are low and snow may occur even at low altitudes.

Makalu-Barun National Park & Conservation Area
Area : 2330 sq. km. (1500 sq. km. National Park and 830 sq. km. Conservation Area)

Location
The park and conservation area are situated in the Sankhuwasabha and Solukhumbu Districts, bordered by the Arun River on the west, the Nepal-Tibet border on the north and the Saune Danda (ridge) to the south.

Features
This is the only protected area in Nepal with a strict nature reserve. The park has some of the richest and most unique pockets of plants and animals in Nepal.

Stepping up the slopes are a series of vegetation zones starting with tropical Schima-Castanopsis forest (1000-2000m), fir/birch/rhododendron forests in the sub-alpine (3000-4000 m); and herbs, grasses and rhododendron/juniper shrubs in the alpine pastures (4000-5000 m). There are 47 varieties of orchids, 67 species of economically valuable medicinal and aromatic plants, 25 varieties of rhododendron, 19 species of bamboo, 15 oaks including Arkhoulo, 86 species of fodder trees and 48 species of primrose.

Over 400 species of birds have been sighted in the Makalu-Barun area, including two species of warbler never before seen. Wildlife includes the endangered red panda, musk deer, Himalayan black bear, clouded leopard and possibly ghoral, Himalayan tahr, wild boar, barking deer, Himalayan marmot and weasel, common langur monkey and the serow. The Arun River system contains 84 varieties of fish. Over 32,000 people inhabit the conservation area.

The National Park
Most of the Makalu-Barun National Park is a remote wilderness, with just two small settlements and seasonal herding in the high pastures.

The incredibly steep topography and abundant monsoon rains (1000 to 4000 mm per year) of the eastern Himalayas support unusually diverse bioclimatic zones and a rich storehouse of medicinal and useful plants. Alpine pastures above 4000 m contain the religiously important dwarf rhododendron and juniper, aromatic herbs and delicate wildflowers. Sub-alpine forests of fir, birch, and rhododendron, and temperate stands of oak, maple and magnolia thrive between 2-4000 m. Luxuriant orchids drape the chestnut and pine forests of the sub-tropical zone (1-2000 m), and forests reach their northernmost limit within Nepal along the banks of the Arun (below 1000 m).

Strict nature reserve
The inaccessible lower Barun Valley, glacier-fed tributary to the Arun river, and its tributary the Saldima, flow through the most pristine area in the Park and thus have been designated as a Strict Nature Reserve, the first in Nepal. Here, natural ecosystems and processes will be protected in an undisturbed state for scientific study, environmental monitoring, education, and the maintenance of genetic resources.

The conservation area
Some 32,000 people of ethnically diverse backgrounds live in the Conservation Area. The majority belong to various tribes of Rais and practice an ancient religion, which reinforces harmony with nature. Sherpa people, originally from Tibet, live at higher elevations and carry on Buddhist traditions. A handful of other hill tribes including Gurung, Tamang, Magar, Newar, Brahmins, Chhetris and occupational castes live in the lower elevations.

These peoples live in isolated villages much as they have for centuries. As farmers, herders and seasonal traders, their livelihoods depend heavily upon forest resources for animal fodder, fuel, food, housing materials, fertilizers, medicine and other creative uses: clothing spun from allo (nettles), paper made from lokta (daphne bark), and countless items made from bamboo including furniture, containers, baskets, musical instruments, raincoats, and aqueducts.

While culturally rich, most people of the Makalu-Barun area are economically very poor. Subsistence farming does not produce enough food for the entire year. Many people migrate seasonally to other areas to supplement their income through trade or wage-earning jobs.

A wilderness experience
The Makalu-Barun area is little known to most tourists due to its relative inaccessibility. But those few hundred trekkers and mountaineers who visit each year come away with an unforgettable experience.

For the naturalist, there are spectacular displays of wildflowers and exotic plants. More than 3,000 species of flowering plants, with hundreds of orchid varieties, 48 primroses, and 25 of Nepal's 30 rhododendron species splash the hillsides with colour. The forests shelter abundant wildlife, including the endangered red panda and musk deer as well as the ghoral, Himalayan tahr and leopard, ornithologists have identified 400 bird species, at least 16 of which are extremely rare.

Most trekkers and mountaineers visit the Makalu-Barun area during October-November and March-April when high passes are less likely to be snowed over. Lower elevations are temperate throughout winter, and hot during April and May. Heavy monsoon rains occur throughout the region from June through September, with occasional showers during April-May. For the hardy botanist, the monsoon season is bursting with life, including the pesky leech.

How to get there
There are daily flights from Kathmandu to: Tumlingtar, Biratnagar (a 6-7 hour drive by bus to Hile and 3 day trek to Tumlingtar), and Lukla; and less frequent service to Phaplu (Solu), an alternative entry to the Inkhu valley.

Parsa Wildlife Reserve
Area: 499 sq. km.

Location
Parsa Wildlife Reserve occupies parts of Chitwan, Makawanpur, Parsa and Bara Districts in central Nepal. The reserve headquarters is situated at Adabar on the Hetauda-Birgunj highway.

Features
The dominant landscape of the reserve are the Churiya hills ranging from 750 m. to 950 m. and running east-west through the reserve. The reserve has sub-tropical forest types with sal constituting 90% of the vegetation. In the Churiya hills and along the streams, chir pine grows. Khair, sissoo and the silk cotton tree also occur. Sabai grass, a commercially important species, grows well along southern face of the Churiya hills.

The reserve supports a good population of resident wild elephant, tiger, leopard, sloth bear, gaur, blue bull, and wild dog. Other common animals are sambar, chital, hog deer, barking deer, langur, striped hyena, ratel, palm civet and jungle cat.

There are nearly 300 species of birds in the reserve. Giant hornbill, peafowl, red jungle fowl, flycatchers and woodpeckers are a few of the other common birds found in the reserve.

Many kinds of snakes including king cobra, common cobra, krait, rat snake and python are found in the reserve due to hot tropical climate.

Rara National Park
Area: 106 sq. km

Location
Rara National Park is located in Northwest Nepal about 371 km. air distance from Kathmandu. Most of the park, including Lake Para, lies in the Mugu District; a small area in the Jumla District of the Karnali Zone. This is the smallest park in Nepal, containing the country's biggest lake (10.8 sq. km.) at an elevation of 2990 m.

Features
Park elevations range from 1800 m. to 4048 m. The park contains mainly coniferous forest. The area around the lake is dominated by blue pine, black juniper; West Himalayan spruce, oak, Himalayan cypress and other associated species. At about 3350 m. pine and spruce give way to fir, oak and birch. Deciduous tree species like Indian hours-chestnut, walnut are also found. A small portion of the park serves as an ideal habitat for musk deer. Other animals found in the park include Himalayan black bear, leopard, goral, Himalayan tahr, and wild boar. Snow trout is the only fish species recorded in the lake. Resident Gallinaceous birds and migrant waterfowl are of interest to park visitors. The great-crested grebe, black-necked grebe, and red-crested pochard are seen during winter. Other common birds are the snow cock, chukor partridge, Impeyuan pheasant, kalij pheasant, and blood pheasant.

Royal Bardiya National Park
Area : 968 sq. km.

Location
Royal Bardiya National Park is situated in the mid-Far Western Terai, east of the Karnali River.

Features
The park is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area in the Terai. About 70% of the park is covered with dominantly sal forest with the balance a mixture of grassland, savanna and riverine forest. The approximately 1500 people who lived in this valley have been resettled elsewhere. Since farming has ceased in the Babai Valley, natural vegetation is regenerating, making it an area of prime habitat for wildlife.

The park provides excellent habitat for endangered animals like the rhinoceros, wild elephant, tiger, swamp deer, black buck, gharial crocodile, marsh mugger crocodile and Gangetic dolphin. Endangered birds include the Bengal florican, lesser florican, silver-eared mesia and Sarus crane. More than 30 different mammals, over 200 species of birds, and many snakes, lizards and fish have been recorded in the park's forest, grassland and river habitats. A good number of resident and migratory birds are found in the park.

Royal Chitwan National Park

Area: 932 sq. km.

Location :
Royal Chitwan National Park, the oldest national park in Nepal, is situated in the subtropical inner Terai lowlands of South-Central Nepal.

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, Reu, and Narayani Rivers. Approximately 70% of the park vegetation is sal forest. The remaining vegetation types include grassland (20%), riverine forest (7%), and sal with chirpine (3%), the latter occurring at the top of the Churiya range. The riverine forests consist mainly of khair, sissoo and simal. The grasslands form a diverse and complex community with over 50 species. The Saccharum species, often called elephant grass, can reach 8 m. in height. The shorter grasses such as Imperata are useful for thatch roofs.

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.

Physical Features
Within the park lie the Churia hills, ox-bow lakes, and the flood plains of Rapti, Reu and Narayani Rivers. The Churia hills rise gradually towards the east from 150m. to over 800m. elevation. The lower but more rugged Someshwor hills occupy most of the western portion of the park. The flood plains of Chitwan contain rich alluvial soils. The Narayani and Rapti Rivers have delineated the park boundaries in the north and west, and the Reu river and Someshwor hills in the south and south-west. It shares its eastern border with the Parsa Wildlife Reserve.

Seasons
The park is influenced by a tropical monsoon climate with relatively high humidity. Winter, spring and monsoon are the three main seasons. The cool winter season occurs from October to February. Spring begins in March and is soon followed summer that ends in early June. Summer days are typically hot with up to an average 30C daytime temperature. The monsoon usually begins at the end of June and continues until September. The mean annual rainfall is about 21-50 mm. and during this time of the year rivers are flooded and most of the roads are virtually impassable.

Animals
There are more than 43 species of mammals in the park. The park is especially renowned for its protection of the endangered one- horned rhinoceros, tiger, and gharial crocodile along with many other common species of wild animal. The estimated population of rhinos is 400. The park also secures populations of endangered species such as gaur, wild elephant, four horned antelope, striped hyena, pangolin, Gangetic dolphin, monitor lizard, and python.

Some of the other animals found in the park are sambar, chital, hog deer, barking deer, sloth deer, common leopard, ratel, palm civet, wild dog, langur and rhesus monkeys.

There are over 450 species of birds in the park. Among the endangered birds are the Bengal florican, giant hornbill, lesser florican, black stork and white stork. A few of the common birds seen are peafowl, red jungle fowl, and different species of egrets, herons, kingfishers, flycatchers and woodpeckers. The best times for bird watching are in March and December.

More than 45 species of amphibians and reptiles are found in the park, some of which are the marsh mugger crocodile, cobra, green pit viper and various species of frogs and tortoises.

How to get there
The park is accessible by car or bus on the Kathmandu -Mugling-Narayanghat Highway or via the Mahendra Rajmarg Highway from Hetauda. It is about a six hour drive from Kathmandu to Narayanghat. Local buses are available to Tandi Bazar, which is about an hour's drive from Narayanghat. A 6km. walk or bullock-cart ride brings visitors to Sauraha, the park entrance. Air-services from Kathmandu to Meghauli and Bharatpur air field is also available. Local buses are available from Narayanghat to Park HQ. at Kasara.

Activities:
Elephant rides
Canoeing
Guided jungle walks

Royal Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve
Area: 155 sq. km; 305 sq. km after completion of the extension.

Location
The Royal Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve is situated in the southern part of Far-Western Nepal in the Kanchanpur District.

Features
Predominant sal associated with arna, semal, karma, khair and sissoo are found along the riverside. The main grass species are the Imperate Cylindrica and the Saccharum Heteropogon, used extensively by the local people for thatching.

The reserve provides a prime habitat for swamp deer. An estimated population of 2000 to 2500 of this species is found in the reserve. Other wild animals in the reserve are wild elephant, tiger, hispid hare, blue bull, leopard, chital, hog deer, and wild boar.

A total of 200 species of birds have been recorded in the reserve. Many grassland birds along with the rare Bengal florican can be seen. Marsh mugger, Indian python, monitor lizard and snakes like cobra, krait, and rat snake are recorded in the reserve.

Sagarmatha National Park
Area: 1148 sq. km.

Location
Sagarmatha National Park is located to the north-east of Kathmandu in the Kumbu region of Nepal. The park includes the highest peak in the world, Mt. Sagarmatha (Everest), and several other well-known peaks such as Lhotse, Nuptse, Cho Oyu, Pumori, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kwangde, Kangtaiga and Gyachung Kang.

Features
Vegetation includes pine and hemlock forests at lower altitudes, fir, juniper, birch and rhododendron woods, scrub and alpine plant communities, and bare rock and snow. The famed bloom of rhododendrons occurs during spring (April and May) although other flora is most colourful during the monsoon season (June to August).

Wild animals most likely to seen in the park are the Himalayan tahr, goral, serow and musk deer. The snow leopard and Himalayan black bear are present but rarely sighted. Other mammals rarely seen are the weasel, maren, Himalayan mouse hare (pika), jackal and langur monkey.

The park is populated by approximately 3,000 of the famed Sherpa people whose lives are interwoven with the teachings of Buddhism.

Shey-Phoksundo National Park
Area: 3555 sq. km

Location
Shey-Phoksundo National Park is situated in the mountain region of Western Nepal, covering parts of Dolpa and Mugu District. It is the largest national park in the country.

Features
The park contains luxuriant forests mainly comprised of blue pine, spruce, cypress, poplar, deodar, fir and birch. The Jugdula River valley consists mostly of Qurercus species. The trans-Himalayan area has near- desert type vegetation of mainly dwarf juniper and caragana shrubs.

The park provides prime habitat for snow leopard and blue sheep. Other common animals found in the park are: goral, Himalayan tahr, serow, leopard, wolf, jackal, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan weasel, Himalayan mouse hare, yellow-throated marten, langur and rhesus monkeys. The park is equally rich in many varieties of birds, such as Impeyan pheasant (danphe), blood pheasant, cheer pheasant, red and yellow billed cough, raven, jungle crow, snow partridge and many others.