As advertised in my previous posting, it took most of the day to get from Kathmandu to our lodging across the river from Chitwan National Park. Eighty percent of the time was waiting first at our hotel (two hours) then at the airport (two hours) then on the airport tarmac (an hour) for our flight to take off. Takeoff we did and our twenty minute flight to Bharatpur proceeded without further delay. The waiting bus took us to Meghauli Serai Lodge, a resort hotel across the Rapti River from Chitwan National Park. The far side of the park is along the border with India. We were warned that we should wear layers as the mornings and evenings could be cool. Hardly. Mornings and evenings were quite comfortable. Mid-day was warmer, but not really that bad, especially while driving through the well-forested park. I don’t believe, however, I would want to visit the lowlands of Nepal (or India) during the summer.
Our meals at the resort were good, but I’ve been surprised as to the lack of spiciness with Nepali cuisine. We were told that this was generally true and not because the food was toned down for tourists’ tastebuds.
Our second and full day at the resort featured a morning and an afternoon safari. Some pictures follow (blurry and otherwise) but many animals we saw were a tad too far to get a useful photo with my iPhone. One group saw a sloth bear but it was gone before we arrived at the same area. We did see a wild boar, but it fled too quickly to get a photo.
The park is controlled and guarded by the Nepalese army. We checked in at several checkpoints. As with many Asian and African national parks, poachers are a problem.
Our last supper at the resort was a banquet at a nearby outdoor facility where we were entertained by a local tribe, including dancing and music. (Alas, I didn’t document the clan’s name. I joined in for a bit of the dancing while Frances skeptically looked on. Their costumes were colorful, although a majority of the women could have passed as pregnant. Maybe some were. Nepal is populated with scores of clans and cultural groups, with distinct looks and dialects. I hadn’t expected this. Their physical appearance varies from Indian to Mongolian.
We were lodged in a wonderful resort but, as is typical for this trip, but there was little time to enjoy its luxuries and comforts. We didn’t try, for instance, the private pool that was available in our (and every) suite. It is quite natural that tour operators pack as much into almost every day to maximize the experiences. For most travelers, especially those still working or who infrequently travel abroad, this makes sense. For we of over-the-hill gang, maybe an itinerary with, say, one in-depth excursion or safari each day would be attractive. Meanwhile, it’s luggage outside the villa door by 7:00 a.m.
Oh, never mind. We are now at the Dwarika’s Himalayan Shangri-La Village Resort high in the mountains, with a full day ahead of us unscheduled. The massage appointments for the two of us are at 11:15 tomorrow. I’ll tell you about our in-route excursion to Bakhtapur (the third historic kingdom of Kathmandu Valley) and its marvelous temples in the next post.