About Meghauli Village

Meghauli Village is a small settlement in the Chitwan District of the low Terai region of Nepal, 172 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu. It is also the western gateway for the famous Chitwan National Park, home of a fascinating wildlife that includes royal bengal tigers, one horn rhinos, asian elephants, leopards, gharial crocodiles, more than 600 species of birds and a long etc. The eastern entrance for the Chitwan National Park is located in the touristy town of Sauraha, where the big majority of the visitors base their exploration of the park.

The original inhabitants of the Meghauli area are the Tharus, an ethnic community of the lowlands that lived in isolation for centuries, developing a unique way of living in these wild lands. Today they live alongside the Pahadiya, migrants that came from the mountains to these fertile lands when the malaria was eradicated in the 1950s. Meghauli Village is a well preserve example of an old Tharu settlement, with most of its houses built with natural materials, with stables to keep the buffalos and goats and high wooden pigeon houses.

For decades there were only expensive jungle resorts in the Meghauli area so backpackers and midrange travellers had no more option than going to the touristy town of Sauraha and share their Chitwan adventure with dozens of package tourist. But with the creation of the Tharu Homestay Program in Meghauli Village in 2011 it is possible to have a much more intimate jungle experience, learn about the Tharu culture and live the real rural life of Nepal. Even those with a more limited budget can opt for a walk in the Community Jungle of the village instead of going inside the National Park, where there are still good chances of spotting wildlife (although is less pristine nature). But remember that rhinos, tigers, wild board and other animals of the jungle are very dangerous and people have being attacked here with deadly consequences. Always walk in jungle areas with certified guides and don’t wander around the fields in the night and mornings.

About Chitwan National Park

          Chitwan National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was designated as a National Park in 1973 (the first in Nepal) to protect its very rich and fragile biodiversity. The word Chitwan is a mix of two Tharu names: Chit (heart) and Van (jungle) that together means “heart of the jungle”. The park is world renown for being one of the last refugees of the one horn rhino and home to other fascinating species like royal Bengal tigers, leopards, Asiatic elephants, wild boars, sloth bears, the endanger gharial crocodiles and more than 600 species of birds. The park compromise 932 square kilometres of tropical and subtropical vegetation, with grassland, riverine and Sal forest. Three rivers shape most of its boundaries: the Narayani and Rapti in the north, and the Rew flowing through the National Park.

During the years of conflict with the maoist guerrilla the military were too busy fighting, and the poachers were left to operate without much control in the Chitwan National Park.  The numbers of rhinos and tigers were severely decimated,  but conservation efforts in the past years had proven efficient and the last count showed 645 one horn rhinos and 198 royal Bengal tigers. This is very good news for the nature and the visitors but it creates more conflict between the animals and the people of the area. Rhinos, tigers, wild elephants and wild boars are very dangerous animals and many villagers have lost their lives and their crops against them. Travellers should take their safety very seriously and always walk in the jungle with certified guides and ask the locals which areas of the village and fields are dangerous to visit.

These are the recommendation of the jungle experts in case you encounter one of these dangerous animals:

Rhino: climb the nearest tree and if you can’t find one run away in zig zag and drop a piece of cloth to distract the animal.

Tiger: look at the animal straight to the eyes and walk backward until you reach safety.