How to get there

       It is fairly easy to get to Meghauli Village from anywhere in Nepal. The main transportation hub for the Chitwan area is the city of Narayangarh in Bharatpur. From here you can go to the east to Sauraha or to the west to Meghauli Village.

         There are direct buses to and from Kathmandu to Meghauli Village departing from the Kalanki Bus Park every day in the early morning. You can get there by taxi or walking 20 minutes from Thamel to Balaju Chowk and then taking a local bus to Kalanki. Some agencies in Thamel can help to buy the tickets in advance. On the way back buses depart from the main bus stand of the village.

           If coming from Pokhara or other destinations in Nepal you can take a local bus to Narayangarh or take the tourist bus to Chitwan (that will go to Sauraha) and get off at Narayangarh. From here you can easily take a local bus to Meghauli Village at any time during the day and it takes about 1.5 hours to make the 25 kilometers journey. The bus stops at the entrance of the village where there is a map of the Tharu Homestays.

         The closest airport is in the city of Bharatpur that operates flights from Kathmandu and Pokhara. There is one airport at Meghauli Village that used to serve the luxury resorts but there are no flights operating at the moment.

When to visit

It is possible to visit Meghauli Village and Chitwan National Park the whole year, each season offering a different experience.

January / February: after the Tharu people are allow in the park to cut the grass in December the conditions for wildlife watching are excellent. This is winter time and it gets very cold in the night and mornings, so warm clothes are necessary. During this time the villagers are busy planting wheat, buckwheat and lentils which can be a nice spectacle to watch.

March/April/May: during this time the conditions to see wildlife are at its best as the new grass growing in the park attracts not only its native animals and birds but also many migratory ones. This is also the hottest time of the year and the high humidity can be uncomfortable so is a good idea to plan the sightseeing for the cool mornings and evenings and rest during the hot hours.

June/July/August/September: this is monsoon season so travellers should be prepared for heavy rain, muddy roads, flooded rivers and plenty of leaches in the jungle. This is not the best time for jungle walking so an elephant safari is a better option. The village life can be very interesting to see during this months as this is the rice planting season and everyone is busy in the fields.

 October/ November/ December: during these months the grass in the jungle is very tall and dry, making more difficult to see the wildlife, but not impossible. An Elephant Safari is a good option as is easier to spot animals from high. This is the beginning of winter so nights and mornings are a bit cold and foggy but the temperature during the day is very pleasant. October and November are very colourful months as it is time for festivals and weddings. Is also rice harvesting season and you can see whole families working from dusk to dawn to get the rice they will eat the whole year.

What to bring

· Light, neutral colour clothing. Long trousers and long sleeved shirts to protect you from mosquitoes and scratches while walking in the tall grass.

· A hut, plenty of sunscreen and mosquito repellent

· Warm clothes for cold nights and mornings in the winter.

· Binoculars are great to have a closest view of the animals and birds.

Services

November 2015

Accomodation

Budget: at the time of writing there were 5 Tharu Homestays and two budget guest houses in Meghauli Village.

¨ Tharu Homestay #1: Somlal Mahato & Sanu Mahato

                                          3 rooms. +977 9845672961

¨ Tharu Homestay #2: Jeeban Mahato & Devi Mahato

                                          9 rooms. +977 9845180941

¨ Tharu Homestay #3: Thaghani Mahato & Rusma Mahato

                                          2 rooms. +977 9845160886

¨ Tharu Homestay #4: Buddhinram Mahato & Ratna Mahato

                                          2 rooms. +977 9845837251

¨ Tharu Homestay #5: Asharam Mahato & Sony Mahato

                                          2 rooms. +977 9845145808.

¨ Rhino Horn Lodge and Restaurant: around the corner from Homestay #1, beside the ex Meghauli Airport. 

¨ Jungle View Restaurant and Lodge: on the ex Meghauli airport road, in direction to the Sarang  Wildlife Sanctuary Lodge.

Midrange to High-end:  there are 8 jungle resorts in the Meghauli Village offering from midrange to luxury accommodation. They are easily found on internet.

Restaurants

All Tharu Homestays are ready to provide all meals for their guest (basic breakfast, dhal bat and typical Tharu food on request). For more alternatives, there are a few restaurants in Meghauli, Telauli and Golaghat villages. Most of their signs are in Nepalese but they are easy to recognize as they have photos of dishes or the animals they cook and some of them have English menus. Some of the specialities of the area are duck or buffalo meat with beaten rice, peas and chutney and river fish served in a spicy curry.

Money

There are no ATMs or money changers in Meghauli Village. The closest one in in Narayangarh, 1.5 hours by bus.

 Shops

Meghauli Village have a few small shops where you can find simple items like shampoo, toilet paper and cookies. Telauli Village has also pharmacy, clothes and tailors.

Going ahead from the Friendship Clinic in Telauli Village there is a small sculpture workshop called Bishwokarma where Tara makes wooden sculptures of rhinos, tigers and elephants.

Travel agencies

At the time of writing there were no travel agencies in Meghauli Village but most homestay owners can arrange all type of activities for their guest. Most of them have years of experience as tourist guides and they have all the necessary contacts to organize elephant/jeep safaris, horse riding, canoe trips, cultural dance, buffalo cart tours, etc.

Bicycle rental

Most homestays can arrange bicycles for their guest.

Laundry service

All accommodation can provide laundry service for their guest.

Internet

At the time of writing there weren’t internet cafes or wifi available for tourist.

Medical facilities

There are limited medical facilities in the Meghauli Village area where simple ailments can be treated. For more complex situation, the closest big hospital is in Bharatpur, about 1.5 hours by bus from Meghauli Village. There are pharmacies with limited stock in the neighbouring Telauli Village. It is a good idea to carry a First Aid Kit and extra supplies of specific medications.