Visit to the Chitwan National Park, in 2009
Friday, 27-11-2009.
From Kathmandu to the Green Mansions resort in Chitwan
Horse riksja.
For a short time the car is tidy.
Green Mansions is in the Tharu village Badrahani (also referred to as Bodreni), close to Sauraha. My arrival is marred by a disappointment. The gardens have been substantially renovated and virtually all flowers have disappeared. The beds along the paths have been cleared which means they are virtually free of plants. During our stay they are gradually replanted.
In addition, there is confusion as to whether I’ve booked for a 2 night or 3-night program. After I show them my receipt from Multi Adventure and some calls to the Kathmandu office it is acknowledged that I’m entitled to the 3-night program, however, without the jeep safari. After some further persistence from my side, the jeep safari is replaced by a full-day jungle walk which is fine by me because that’s what I’m really here for. However, Tulsi Magar is not available to be my guide and I’m assigned Sunam Lama instead.
Furthermore, we’ll have to pick a different place to camp for one of the nights. I express a preference for the Pewa Wildlife Resort, which I was interested in anyway. Because the resorts within the park are closed at present, the area around Sauraha is much busier than normal. It appears that solitary travellers sometimes have to make way for the occasional groups that stay only one or 2 nights.
The Parkside Hotel, for which I had been given a business card, is in fact not next door to Green Mansions. The neighbouring hotel is called Jungle Safari Lodge, and is of a lower standard than Green Mansions (Kame stayed there for one night). I take a stroll to the nearby river before sunset.
In addition, there is confusion as to whether I’ve booked for a 2 night or 3-night program. After I show them my receipt from Multi Adventure and some calls to the Kathmandu office it is acknowledged that I’m entitled to the 3-night program, however, without the jeep safari. After some further persistence from my side, the jeep safari is replaced by a full-day jungle walk which is fine by me because that’s what I’m really here for. However, Tulsi Magar is not available to be my guide and I’m assigned Sunam Lama instead.
Furthermore, we’ll have to pick a different place to camp for one of the nights. I express a preference for the Pewa Wildlife Resort, which I was interested in anyway. Because the resorts within the park are closed at present, the area around Sauraha is much busier than normal. It appears that solitary travellers sometimes have to make way for the occasional groups that stay only one or 2 nights.
The Parkside Hotel, for which I had been given a business card, is in fact not next door to Green Mansions. The neighbouring hotel is called Jungle Safari Lodge, and is of a lower standard than Green Mansions (Kame stayed there for one night). I take a stroll to the nearby river before sunset.
Saturday, 28-11-2009; Green Mansions.
Threshing of rice.
Kame and I walk via the nearby Pewa Wildlife Resort to the Parkside Hotel that lies right at the other side of Sauraha. That means to the river and then to the left. The hotel is quite modern and has a small garden. On arrival we meet up with Arjun Prasad Dhakal, the Multi Adventure driver who last year drove Anita and me to Lumbini and Bardia. It turns out that the Parkside is the hotel of choice in Sauraha for Multi Adventure and Diamir. We make an appointment with Arjun to do the 20,000 lakes drive on one of the 2 days he has off soon. Arjun drives us back to Green Mansions.
During the safari we see very few animals indeed.
During previous visits, our elephant safaris always took place in the nearby Community Forest in the buffer zone. However, this time we’re, together with a number of other guests, taken to the other side of Sauraha by bus. We pass the Parkside Hotel on our way.
During the safari we see very few animals indeed.
During the safari we see very few animals indeed.
Sunday, 29-11-2009; Green Mansions.
After dropping their passengers of at an elephant breeding centre, the log canoes are punted back to the starting point to collect the next group of tourists keen to see the sights in and along the river.
The canoe trip on the river takes place in the early afternoon.
I always find it quite exciting to get into one of those narrow log canoes while carrying my photographic equipment. The canoe travels downstream because this puts you in the best position to photograph crocodiles.
I always find it quite exciting to get into one of those narrow log canoes while carrying my photographic equipment. The canoe travels downstream because this puts you in the best position to photograph crocodiles.
The gharial, the crocodile with the slender elongated snout, is a shy animal, which feeds on river fish.
I spend the rest of the afternoon trying to photograph Sand-martins.
Sand-martin.
Sand-martin.
.... more crocodiles (6).
Monday, 30-11-2009; Green Mansions.
Along the river there is always something interesting to see
Accompanied by Kame, I walk to the starting point of yesterday’s canoe trip. From there we stroll by the side of the river. I spot a green bee-eater. Walking away from the river we catch up with a girl with whom we strike up a conversation. She is Brahman and has moved with her family from Dading to Bagmara in Chitwan. We stop for a short rest at where she lives. We are offered a papaya which we eat with relish.
As a proper tourist, I have my cola brought to me from the other side of the river.
During the remainder of the walk back to Green Mansions it strikes us again how many tourist accommodation places are under construction in this area.
In the cotton tree some hundred meters before the Pewa resort we see a lot of honey combs.
I have another go at photographing the sand-martins in the afternoon.
In the cotton tree some hundred meters before the Pewa resort we see a lot of honey combs.
I have another go at photographing the sand-martins in the afternoon.
Tuesday, 1-12-2009; Green Mansions.
We do the 20,000 lakes drive at Tikauli Tal with Arjun.
To see the sunset I again visit the river.
To see the sunset I again visit the river.
Wednesday, 2-12-2009; Green Mansions.
Twins are rare for elephants.
A quiet day during which our attention goes in turn to the elephant breeding centre, Green Mansions and the Pewa Wildlife Resort.
Thursday, 3-12-2009; Green Mansions.
Pewa Wildlife Resort.
My stay at the Pewa Wildlife Resort was disappointing. I haven’t slept well. It’s certainly not the place I would choose for an extended stay. Next time I’ll probably try the Parkside Hotel.
The whole day is taken up with the jungle walk with Sunam Lama, a greying gentleman who knows his business. I’m quite satisfied with him and engage him for an extra day. That costs me USD 44 which includes 10% service tax. Sunam Lama lives in Badrahani in the second house after the 'electric fence'.
When we get back to the elephant breeding centre towards the end of the day there is a training session in progress for a game of elephant football. A droll sight indeed. Some of the elephants play with great enthusiasm but have not quite mastered the rules of the game. It’s a miracle that the ball survives the proceedings.
The whole day is taken up with the jungle walk with Sunam Lama, a greying gentleman who knows his business. I’m quite satisfied with him and engage him for an extra day. That costs me USD 44 which includes 10% service tax. Sunam Lama lives in Badrahani in the second house after the 'electric fence'.
When we get back to the elephant breeding centre towards the end of the day there is a training session in progress for a game of elephant football. A droll sight indeed. Some of the elephants play with great enthusiasm but have not quite mastered the rules of the game. It’s a miracle that the ball survives the proceedings.
Elephant football.
Elephant football.
Friday, 4-12-2009; Green Mansions.
Ruddy Shellduck in fligth.
Again a flower for which I do not know the name.
Another full-day jungle walk with Sunam Lama.
It’s a good thing that I recorded the track because at one point Sunam failed to find the shortcut towards the army camp, of which I had marked the position yesterday.
During the dinners at Green Mansions I regularly conversed with a friendly elderly Indian couple, who at home it turned out, had frequent contacts with the Sakya Lama, Sakya Trizin, who I saw at the Monlam in Lumbini last year when I was there with Anita.
I also talked regularly with two women who travelled together. Tracy is perhaps a little too extrovert in my opinion. She is on her way to India where she wants to do something for children.
Jocelyn, is married to an American who (temporarily) works at the American Embassy in Kathmandu. She is a pleasant down-to-earth woman. We agree to get in contact after my return to Kathmandu to continue our conversation in the Garden of Dreams. How these two women ever got together is a complete mystery to me.
We exchange our e-mail adress for sending pictures.
It’s a good thing that I recorded the track because at one point Sunam failed to find the shortcut towards the army camp, of which I had marked the position yesterday.
During the dinners at Green Mansions I regularly conversed with a friendly elderly Indian couple, who at home it turned out, had frequent contacts with the Sakya Lama, Sakya Trizin, who I saw at the Monlam in Lumbini last year when I was there with Anita.
I also talked regularly with two women who travelled together. Tracy is perhaps a little too extrovert in my opinion. She is on her way to India where she wants to do something for children.
Jocelyn, is married to an American who (temporarily) works at the American Embassy in Kathmandu. She is a pleasant down-to-earth woman. We agree to get in contact after my return to Kathmandu to continue our conversation in the Garden of Dreams. How these two women ever got together is a complete mystery to me.
We exchange our e-mail adress for sending pictures.
Saturday, 5-12-2009.
Chitwan - Kathmandu.
A 'skipper' (butterfly).
The road between Chitwan and Kathmandu is always dangerous. We are almost forced off the road by the driver of a microbus. Arjun luckily is alert to the danger and steers to the side, partly onto the shoulder of the road, while braking hard. He keeps the car well under control and reports the incident to the police by phone in the hope that the culprit will be pulled over further on. He suspects it was a young guy without a license.
A bit later we see how a truck or fragments thereof are pulled out of the river and again a little bit later how a truck or perhaps a bus is hoisted from the water.
As usual during the drive between Kathmandu and Chitwan we stop at the Hill Top Restaurant. I manage to take some pictures of a large, beautifully coloured spider.
Shortly before reaching Kathmandu we purchase large bunches of big bananas.
A bit later we see how a truck or fragments thereof are pulled out of the river and again a little bit later how a truck or perhaps a bus is hoisted from the water.
As usual during the drive between Kathmandu and Chitwan we stop at the Hill Top Restaurant. I manage to take some pictures of a large, beautifully coloured spider.
Shortly before reaching Kathmandu we purchase large bunches of big bananas.
This spider is the Nephila maculata and it is one of the Golden silk orb-weavers. A less precise name is banana spider.
The English name of this butterfly is Common Jester. At the site of the Siam Insect-Zoo & Museum its scientific name is mentioned as Symbrenthia Lilaae, but at the site http://pl.treknature.com/gallery/photo194690.htm Sumon Sinha calls it Symbrenthia hippoclus.