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Chitwan National Park:

Chitwan national park established in 1973 was declared UNESCO National Heritage site in 1984. The park that includes in its area a part of the shivalik hills is covered with deciduous forest overlooking the floodplains of Narayani, Rapti and Reu rivers and offering a wilderness of rich ecosystem that includes mammals, birds, reptiles and water animals of several kinds. There are around 600 plants species, 50 mammals, 526 birds reptiles found in this park. The highlights, of course are the 500 Asian one - horned rhinoceros and some 100 nocturnal Royal Bengal tigers that live in the dense forest of the park. Sharing home in these is other animal like rhesus monkey, grey langur deer, leopards, white stockinged gaur, and wild boar, wild dogs and wild cats. Among reptiles are different kinds of snakes including the python while the river areas breed amphibians like the endangered snouted gharial popularly known as Genetic Crocodile and marsh crocodiles. The forest is alive during summer with the arrival of migrant birds paradise flycatcher, Indian pitta and parakeets, while winter birds include waterfowl, brahminy ducks, pintails, barheaded geese, redheaded trogons. The activities like jungle safari on elephant back, jungle walk, canoe ride, jeep drive, and observation of tharu culture are performed. For accommodation there are resort hotels and lodges available. The park headquarters' at Kasara is a 21- km drive from bharatpur, which is 20 minutes by air or 146 km by road from Kathmandu.