# Nepal's National Parks Compared: A Table

_Published 6 July 2026_

Nepal's twelve national parks run from the tiger forests of the Terai to the summit of Everest.

**Quick answer:** Chitwan (1973) was the first; Sagarmatha and Chitwan are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. For wildlife safaris choose Chitwan or Bardia; for mountains, Sagarmatha, Langtang or Makalu Barun.

ParkEstablishedRegionKnown for[Chitwan](/places/chitwan-national-park)1973TeraiRhinos, tigers; UNESCO site[Sagarmatha](/places/sagarmatha-national-park)1976Everest regionEverest; UNESCO site[Langtang](/places/langtang-national-park)1976North of KathmanduRed pandas, Gosainkunda[Rara](/places/rara-lake)1976KarnaliNepal's largest lake[Shey Phoksundo](/places/shey-phoksundo-lake)1984DolpoPhoksundo Lake, snow leopards[Khaptad](/places/khaptad-national-park)1984Far westMeadows, Khaptad Baba[Bardia](/places/bardia-national-park)1988 (as national park)Western TeraiTigers[Makalu Barun](/places/makalu-barun-national-park)1992EastMakalu, wilderness[Shivapuri Nagarjun](/places/shivapuri-nagarjun-national-park)2002Kathmandu ValleyHikes, Bagmati sourceBanke2010Mid-western TeraiTiger corridor with Bardia[Shuklaphanta](/places/shuklaphanta-national-park)2017 (as national park)Far-western TeraiSwamp deer[Parsa](/places/parsa-national-park)2017 (as national park)Central TeraiForests next to Chitwan

See [national parks of Nepal](/blog/national-parks-of-nepal) for detailed guides.

## Frequently asked questions
### How many national parks does Nepal have?
Twelve.

### Which was the first?
Chitwan, in 1973.

### Which parks are World Heritage Sites?
Chitwan and Sagarmatha.

### Which is best for tigers?
Bardia and Chitwan.


Web page: https://himalayanhiking.com/blog/national-parks-of-nepal-compared