Check Rhino Off the List… But Still in Search of That Tiger

So also over Dashain because we were already in the neighborhood, Raj suggested I head over to Chitwan National Park. The park is a major tourist attraction in Nepal (coming after Everest and the other big mountains of course) and apparently THE thing to do in the park is an elephant ride through the jungle. Because I’m technically still a tourist (though don’t tell people… I’d rather they all think I’m Nepali!), of course I would go to the park and ride an elephant.

Without sounding like a guide book, Chitwan has lots of good wildlife-seeing. It’s one of the last refuges for the endangered one-horned Indian rhinoceros. And… it supposedly has tigers, leopards, and other big game animals like sloth bears. I say supposedly because it’s very rare to see any of those animals… which means of course I want to see them. My friend Seth who’s interning in Burkina Faso and I have spent a lot of time discussing the possibility of seeing a tiger (I’ve promised to name the first tiger I see after him). I REALLY want to see a tiger much like my sister Joy REALLY wants to see a bear. So off I went, into the jungle (seriously… it’s a jungle) atop a sad elephant with 3 other people and the mahout (elephant driver) in search of a tiger named Seth.

The elephant ride was jostling 2.5 hour experience through the jungle. I saw deer, peacocks (not sure where they came from), and yay! Rhinos! And… more points because I saw a baby rhino, too! I’m pretty sure the rhinos I saw were the same two throughout the ride, but I’m okay with that. Have you seen a one-horned Indian rhino in the wild? Alright then. :) I’m pretty happy with my elephant ride experience. I would recommend it to all of you who come to Nepal (and visit me… who’s up for it?). Sadly, I did not see a tiger… but I’ve already decided that I’m going back to Chitwan before I leave and I will stay the night in the jungle (it’s like 500 NRS to stay in a wildlife viewing tower overnight) so I can find a tiger. I just want to see one… it’s not like I’ll take it home. This must be what Joy feels like. Grrr.

My rhino sighting(s)


The night before the elephant ride, Raj’s teenage nephew and I took in the Tharu cultural programme. I’m usually not into cultural programmes for tourists as it brings to mind the Growing Pains episodes where they vacationed in Maui and went to that just-for-the-mainlanders-luau. However, the Tharu cultural programme was pretty cool. I’m a sucker for stick dances (tininkling anyone?) and drum beats… and I was taking in by this as well. I think it’s great that the Tharu people are striving to preserve their culture. Sure they are dancing for the tourists, but… the performers are doing traditional dances that might’ve been forgotten otherwise. And come on… a guy was twirling fire! And the crowd was full of mostly Nepali tourists. So again, I’ve rationalized it and I’m okay with it. I'll post videos from the show soon.

Sunset over the Rapti River by the park. Nothing like a cup of tea and a sunset.


Stick Dancing at the Tharu Cultural Programme... they move SO fast!