Bardia National Park: rhinos and tigers and more

The flight from Paro in Bhutan back to Kathmandu (everything goes through Kathmandu) had been moved up, so we had an eight hour layover before flying on to Nepalgunj. With Judy short on sleep and I feeling unwell, we found a hotel near the airport and got a few hours of rest.

The two-hour drive from Nepalgunj airport to “Mr B’s” lodge just outside Bardia National Park seemed interminable and we arrived just after dark. But morning brought lovely subtropical surroundings.

Mrs B made me some healing tea (Mr B's father is an expert on medicinal herbs) and in a few hours I felt able enough for a short walk to the river and a visit to a small museum dedicated to the local Tharu people. Mr B showed us how the leaf of acacia catechu produces a bright red pigment when crushed that women use to mark their foreheads to signify betrothal.

Tuesday morning we met a park guard who led us in search of a rhino and her baby that were known to be in the area. We found them after about an hour, placidly munching vegetation. Mr B’s caution “If the rhino attacks, hide behind a big tree,” was not that comforting. Mr B had a close call with a rhino several years ago, and directed a quick retreat a couple of times. Scraping an ankle on a tree branch, I got my first and only running-from-a-rhino injury. Other than occasional ear-twitching, the rhinos didn't take much notice.

In the afternoon, Mrs B took us for a stroll through the neighboring Tharu village, where the wheat harvest was underway. Workers use hand scythes to cut the wheat and pile it to wait for threshing. Technology provided some help in the form of a new-looking tractor that ran a power threshing machine. Much of the agricultural work is still done by water buffalo and oxen though. The staple lentils, as well as garden vegetables and a variety of tropical fruits, grow here as well.

Mrs. B buys fresh vegetables from a vendor who stops by each morning.

Judy’s birthday occasioned an all-day jeep tour through the sweet-smelling jungle (technically the sal forest and riverine forest). Her birthday wish was to see a tiger, and conditions had been good for it.

Our first major wildlife encounter was with a herd of about 25 elephants, some of which stopped for a bath in a small lake. The herd included several babies and three large bulls. It normally lives in a valley near the mountains, so we were very fortunate. Elephants can be dangerous though, and our two guides were cautious in approaching them; the jeep was poised to make a quick exit if needed.

We stopped at three different bends in the river to look for animals. Spotted deer and two other species are numerous, and we came close to a dazzlingly blue white-throated kingfisher.

Since a tiger had been spotted there the previous afternoon, a crowd had gathered at the last viewpoint of the day, We got a nice view of a mother and (big) baby rhino crossing the river. No tiger yet, but our guides were determined and we stayed around until most of the other tourists were gone.

As the sun descended, one of the guides announced that monkeys across the river had alarmed for tiger. Ten minutes later, a hoarse whisper: “Tiger, tiger!” About 500 yards upstream, a magnificent tiger was bathing at the side of the river, only its head visible above the water. We watched it for nearly an hour before a too-excited tourist scared it away.

The following morning we departed on an all-day raft trip.

Near the put-in point, a woman was fetching water, and a small temple offered some puzzling iconography.

Not far down the river a gharial, a critically endangered species of crocodile, appeared on the surface. They grow up to 20 feet, and only 235 are said to exist in the world. Don't worry, they eat fish and aren't aggressive. We saw three or four of them while in Bardia.

Our guide pointed out many kinds of birds, such as the wooly-necked stork.

Later in the afternoon, the scorching sun (most thankfully) settled and we found ourselves in narrower channels with idyllic and spectacular scenery. This is called the "monkey bridge," maybe because that's all the weight it can hold.

Common langur monkey

Early Friday morning we took an hour’s elephant ride through the forest and glades. The animal unfortunately had a look of abject misery, and I couldn’t bring myself to photograph her. She seemed to perk up a bit by the time we finished though.

Since I’d been sick, Mr B was kind enough to schedule another jeep tour on our last day instead of an all-day walk. Early in the day, we came close enough to a tiger for Mr B and Judy to see it far ahead on the road, and for me to hear it rustling the bush. Got a photo of the print at least.

We relaxed along the river at several viewpoints, looking for wildlife and listening to the cries of wild peacock.

The excitement of the day was a very close encounter with an enormous rhino. It crossed the road right in front of the jeep and we passed behind nearly close enough to touch it, not that that would have been a good idea. After a bit it sauntered down to the river, where for about an hour it munched grass and took a cool-off.

We did a bit more exploring before heading back to the lodge, spotting a far-off hornbill and a couple of wild boar.

Farewell to the unsettled wildness of Bardia and our wonderful hosts and guides. We’ll always be thankful for these once-in-a-lifetime experiences.