Chitwan

note: pictures link to high-res downloads
An oft-stated fact about Nepal is that it contains a plethora of diversity: of cultures, languages, ethnicities and religions to name a few. Why? In short, the reason is geography. Not only is Nepal located at a crossroads of many other nations, but the nation in and of itself contains a broad strata of elevations and geographic features that have caused the people to adapt according to their specific climate. From the high desolate mountains of the north, to the lush low lands of the south, Nepal is home to almost every type of climate that exists on earth.

Nestled within the Mahabarath mountain range in the south of Nepal, which divides the indian-like plains of the Terai and the more mountainous Pahar, exists the Inner-Terai. This hanging valley is not quite as low in elevation as the rest of the Terai, but contains similar geographic features such as plains and jungle, making for an interesting ecological system. Dependent on the traffic situation, getting to the Inner-Terrai can take anywhere from 5 hours to a whole day if you're really lucky ;) Famous to the Inner-Terai is the town of Bharatpur as well as Chitwan National Park, an ecosystem of plains and jungles hugging the banks of the Rapti River.

Our ETD for Chitwan was roughly noon on a Wednesday afternoon, to arrive at the hotel in time for dinner, which included the occasional drink and relaxation in general. But as is often the case in Nepal, our plans soon went up in smoke, due to gridlock on the main southern route out of town. For two hours we waited, standstill, but to no avail. As is customary, after one plan has failed a new one is conjured up and instead of taking the main highway we opted for the backroads, more risky but our best bet. Our adventure had begun…

Mountainous roads are risky for a number of reasons, especially in Nepal during the monsoon. Road conditions can deteriorate quickly, so getting stranded due to mechanical malfunction or impassable objects is nothing to be scoffed at. Extraneous tourist vehicles don't make the trip any easier; hitting a patch of road where two large SUVs can't both pass is not unlikely; in fact, it should be expected. Be prepared to feel like your in the hot seat of a rally car, because the game is pass or get passed on the road of Nepal haha! Despite all of these obstacles, the reward for traversing such unpredictable terrain is generous: the views of the mountains and the valleys is unbeatable. Houses dot the sides of the valleys, each like a bright star in the infinitely dark night sky. The mountain tops seem to reach up to the clouds and drag them down, hiding their peaks as if they were sacred.

Well, you can't win every gamble, and we were certainly trounced in our initial attempt. About two hours into our journey, while gallivanting through an especially rocky section of road, the familiar pop-whiz-bang of a tire on it's last leg entered our sensory banks, accompanied by gaping mouths and subsequent delirium. Luckily, and I mean really luckily, we had taken the Land Rover which contains a full size spare tire, and we merely had to change it before we were on our way once again. 20 minutes, a few pair of greasy hands and a few pictures later we were back on the road, pleased with ourselves and ready to gamble it all away again.

Luckily we didn't lose our gamble again. After driving south through the mountain pass, by dusk we arrived in Hetauda. From this juncture, we headed west to Bharatpur, and once again turned south, venturing to the Safari Narayani Lodge located on the Rapti River at the edge of Royal Chitwan National Park. Elephant rides are quite possibly one of the most popular activities in Chitwan National Park, and are therefore in abundance. Almost any resort located in the vicinity of the park will offer it's guests a chance to enjoy the nature around them through a variety of activities, including elephant rides, canoeing, and hiking. Safari Narayani has somewhere around a dozen elephants, one of which you can see pictured to the left.

Our entourage included two elephants, a mother and son team. Delineated to the younger of the two, the established relationship certainly made for an interesting two hour ride. For one thing, the baby elephant would almost never go on without the mother. While crossing the Rapti, for instance, we were forced to stop and wait in the middle of the river for the mother to catch up and pass us. No amount of persuasion (in the form of whipping in this case) would make the young elephant move forward. Equally eventful were the occasional wildlife sighting. The list includes numerous species of birds including hawks, as well as the single-horned rhino you see pictured. Catching a glimpse of a rhino is no small feat, inducing our guides to chase after it through the bush for about 10 minutes. But I have to thank them for that, for the chance to get such a great picture!

Our final stop that day was to the family plot of land, which also sits on the north side of the Rapti river. Unwilling to walk the overgrown path to the plot, Kanak uncle flung the Land Rover into the thicket. Windows rolled down, one had to be careful to not get a face full of wet branches, or the occasional leech. My uncle exclaimed, "how many people can say they own a jungle?!" Ineed, the plot hasn't been inhabited in so long that it is well on its way to becoming a full-fledged jungle. Chitwan is a great getaway from Kathmandu. It's slower pace, warmer weather, and awesome jungles contrast nicely with the mountains to the north. I was lucky to go and experience it, hopefully I'll be able to go back soon.