Terai and lowlands
Jungle national parks, wetlands and the birthplace of the Buddha in Nepal's southern plains.
26 placesChitwan National Park: Rhinos, Jungle Safaris and Tharu Villages
Chitwan National Park, Nepal's first national park and a UNESCO site: one-horned rhinos, tigers, crocodiles and 500+ bird species, jeep safaris, canoe trips, Tharu cultur...
Explore 02Lumbini: The Birthplace of the Buddha
Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha: the Maya Devi Temple, the Ashoka Pillar, the sacred garden and international monasteries, how to get there and...
Explore 03Janakpur: Janaki Mandir, Mithila Art and the Legend of Sita
Janakpur in Nepal's eastern Terai: the white marble Janaki Mandir, the legend of Sita and Ram, colourful Mithila painting, Vivah Panchami festival and how to get there.
Explore 04Bardia National Park: Nepal's Best Chance to See a Wild Tiger
Bardia National Park in far-west Nepal: tiger tracking on foot, jeep safaris, rhinos, wild elephants, Gangetic dolphins and Tharu culture. How to get there and the best t...
Explore 05Devghat: A Sacred Confluence near Chitwan
Devghat, near Bharatpur and Chitwan, where the Kali Gandaki and Trishuli rivers meet: a sacred Hindu pilgrimage site with temples, ashrams, a suspension bridge and the Ma...
Explore 06Sauraha: The Gateway Village to Chitwan National Park
Sauraha, the village on the edge of Chitwan National Park: where to stay, jeep safaris, canoe trips, jungle walks, Tharu culture, sunsets on the Rapti and how to get ther...
Explore 07Tilaurakot: Ancient Kapilavastu, Where the Buddha Grew Up
Tilaurakot, near Lumbini, believed to be the site of ancient Kapilavastu, capital of the Shakya kingdom where Prince Siddhartha grew up: palace ruins, the eastern gate, m...
Explore 08Ramagrama: The Relic Stupa Said Never to Have Been Opened
Ramagrama, a large brick mound in Nawalparasi east of Lumbini, is revered as one of the eight original stupas built over the Buddha's relics, and said to be the only one...
Explore 09Devdaha: The Maternal Home of the Buddha's Mother
Devdaha in Rupandehi, east of Lumbini, is revered as the maternal home of Queen Maya Devi, the Buddha's mother, and of his foster mother Prajapati Gautami, with temples a...
Explore 10Parsa National Park: Wild Forests next to Chitwan
Parsa National Park, adjoining Chitwan to the east, protects sal forests and Churia hills with tigers, wild elephants, gaur and many birds; a quieter alternative to Chitw...
Explore 11Bishazari Tal: Chitwan's Lake of 20,000 Lakes
Bishazari Tal ("20,000 lakes"), a Ramsar-listed wetland in the buffer zone of Chitwan National Park near Sauraha, known for birds, mugger crocodiles and jungle walks.
Explore 12Ghodaghodi Tal: Lakes and Wildlife in the Far-Western Terai
Ghodaghodi Tal, a Ramsar-listed complex of forest lakes in Kailali, far-western Nepal, with birds, turtles, mugger crocodiles and a Tharu cultural setting.
Explore 13Jagdishpur Reservoir: Birds near Lumbini
Jagdishpur Reservoir in Kapilvastu, a Ramsar-listed wetland near Lumbini and Tilaurakot, known for winter water birds and sarus cranes.
Explore 14Nepalgunj: Gateway to Nepal's Far West
Nepalgunj, a Terai city near the Indian border in Banke, is the hub for flights to Simikot, Jumla and Rara, with the Bageshwori temple and easy access to Bardia.
Explore 15Amaltari: Tharu Homestays on the Edge of Chitwan
Amaltari, a Tharu village in Nawalparasi on the western edge of Chitwan National Park, known for its community homestays, cultural dances and quieter jungle safaris.
Explore 16Niglihawa and Gotihawa: Ashoka Pillars near Lumbini
Niglihawa and Gotihawa in Kapilvastu are linked to earlier Buddhas, Kanakamuni and Krakuchhanda, and have pillars associated with Emperor Ashoka; a short trip from Lumbin...
Explore 17Karnali Bridge: Gateway to the Far West
The Karnali Bridge at Chisapani carries the East–West Highway over the Karnali River where it leaves the hills, near Bardia; a striking single-tower bridge with views of...
Explore 18Koshi Barrage: Birds on Nepal's Biggest River
The Koshi Barrage at Bhimnagar on the Nepal–India border, completed in the early 1960s, is a top spot for winter water birds next to Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve.
Explore 19Maya Devi Temple: The Birthplace of the Buddha
The Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini marks the exact spot where the Buddha was born, with the marker stone, the sacred Puskarini pond and the Ashoka pillar of 249 BCE nearby.
Explore 20World Peace Pagoda, Lumbini
The World Peace Pagoda in Lumbini, a gleaming white stupa built by the Japanese Buddhist order Nipponzan Myohoji, with a golden Buddha and views over the cranes' wetlands...
Explore 21Bhairahawa: Gateway to Lumbini
Bhairahawa (Siddharthanagar), with Gautam Buddha International Airport and the Sunauli border crossing with India, is the gateway to Lumbini, 20–30 minutes away.
Explore 22Birgunj: Nepal's Main Gateway from India
Birgunj, in Parsa district, is Nepal's busiest trade gateway with India via Raxaul, a useful overland entry point for Kathmandu and Chitwan.
Explore 23Kudan: Where the Buddha Met His Father
Kudan, near Tilaurakot in Kapilvastu, is traditionally identified as the place where the Buddha met his father, King Suddhodana, after his enlightenment, with the remains...
Explore 24Meghauli: Wild West Chitwan
Meghauli, on the western side of Chitwan National Park near the Rapti–Narayani confluence, with an airstrip and some of Chitwan's finest safari lodges.
Explore 25Elephant Breeding Centre, Chitwan
The government Elephant Breeding Centre at Khorsor near Sauraha breeds elephants for park patrols; a short visit to see mothers and calves, with notes on elephant welfare...
Explore 26Thakurdwara: Gateway to Bardia National Park
Thakurdwara, the village at the edge of Bardia National Park with its headquarters and most of its lodges, is the base for tiger safaris, river trips and Tharu culture.
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