Island Jungle Resort at Chitwan National Park

If you’re visiting Kathmandu, but need an escape from the bustling capital, the Island Jungle Resort in the Chitwan National Park is the place to go. Simply hop on a plane to Bharatpur (a more rural town), where the Lodge’s bus will pick you up and take you to their hotel for a hot buffet of Nepali food. At this point you might wonder if you’ve been ripped off, with the only “jungle-like” qualities being the hotel’s very green courtyard. But just wait.

Once you finish your meal, you will be instructed to re-board the Lodge’s bus for a one-hour ride that goes through the hustle-bustle of Bharatpur to the surrounding villages, then the rural villages, barren fields, swampy areas, and then finally stops at what seems to be the final destination, a river.

Here you will find a canoe waiting for you, that will take you across the river to meet your final guide, who leads you on a 10 minute walk through butterfly gardens to an oasis of huts, elephant rides, nature walks, and a full bar/restaurant, which make up the Island Jungle Resort. After the use of a plane, bus, canoe and your own two feet, you are finally there.