Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve Tour
Koshi Tappu is a 175 square kilometre wetland on the floodplain of the Sapta Koshi in the far east, and it is a complete
Trip Overview
Koshi Tappu is a 175 square kilometre wetland on the floodplain of the Sapta Koshi in the far east, and it is a completely different proposition from Chitwan and Bardia. There is no sal forest and no tiger; there is water, reed bed and grassland, the last wild population of arna — the Asiatic wild water buffalo — anywhere in Nepal, and the finest birdwatching in the country.
Over five hundred bird species have been recorded here, more than half the national list, in an area you can cross in a morning. In winter the marshes hold tens of thousands of migratory ducks and waders, and the river holds Gangetic dolphin and gharial. It is a Ramsar site, it takes very few visitors, and three days of boats, buffalo carts and walking here is the best wildlife value in Nepal for anyone who does not need a big cat.
Tour Highlights
The Last Wild Arna in Nepal: Around five hundred Asiatic wild water buffalo, found nowhere else in the country.
Over Five Hundred Bird Species: More than half of Nepal's entire list, recorded in 175 square kilometres of wetland.
Gangetic Dolphin in the Koshi: One of the few accessible places in Nepal to see the river dolphin.
Boats, Buffalo Carts and Walking: No jeeps needed — the reserve is explored on the water and on foot.
A Ramsar Site with Almost No Visitors: Internationally recognised wetland that sees a tiny fraction of Chitwan's traffic.
Itinerary
Three days at the Koshi Tappu wetland in the far east, with flights to Biratnagar, boat trips for dolphin and wild buffalo, and the best birding in Nepal.
1Day 1Fly to Biratnagar (72 m) and Drive to Koshi Tappu (100 m)
Fly to Biratnagar (72 m) and Drive to Koshi Tappu (100 m)
A morning transfer to the domestic terminal for the fifty-minute flight east to Biratnagar (72 m), Nepal's second city and the industrial centre of the eastern Terai.
From the airport it is around two hours north-west by road to Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, through dense Terai farmland that gives way abruptly to reed bed and open water.
You check in at the camp and, in the late afternoon, take a first walk along the embankment — which is often enough to produce a long bird list before dinner, and sometimes a first sight of arna across the water.
Your naturalist runs a briefing over dinner on what the reserve holds and how the next two days work. Overnight at Koshi Tappu.
2Day 2Boat Trip on the Sapta Koshi and a Full Day in the Reserve
Boat Trip on the Sapta Koshi and a Full Day in the Reserve
The main day, starting at first light on the water. The boat trip works the braided channels of the Sapta Koshi, which is the best way to see arna — the wild water buffalo come down to drink — and the only realistic way to look for Gangetic dolphin and gharial.
Waterfowl are everywhere in winter: bar-headed and greylag geese, ruddy shelduck, a dozen duck species and waders in numbers.
The rest of the day is spent on foot and by buffalo cart in the grassland and reed bed, looking for swamp francolin, Bengal florican, black-necked stork and lesser adjutant, with a spotting scope set up at the hides.
Dusk on the embankment gives a chance at jungle cat and fishing cat. Overnight at Koshi Tappu.
3Day 3The Koshi Barrage and Return to Kathmandu (1,400 m)
The Koshi Barrage and Return to Kathmandu (1,400 m)
A final early morning, generally spent at the Koshi barrage at the southern end of the reserve, which concentrates birds against the structure and is one of the most productive spots in the whole wetland — Indian skimmer, terns, gulls and large numbers of waders.
Back to camp for breakfast and to pack.
The drive to Biratnagar takes around two hours, for the afternoon flight to Kathmandu.
Transfer to your hotel on arrival. If you would rather extend by a day — Koshi Tappu rewards a third full morning more than most reserves do — tell us at booking and we will price it.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Return flights to Biratnagar, transfers, two nights at a tented camp, all meals at the reserve, permits and activity fees, a specialist bird guide, boat and cart excursions and a spotting scope are included, while meals in Kathmandu, binoculars, drinks and tips are excluded.
What's Included
Airport pickup and drop-off services in Kathmandu.
Return domestic flights from Kathmandu to Biratnagar.
Private transportation throughout: a vehicle and driver reserved for your party alone, never a shared or public service.
Private vehicle between Biratnagar airport and the reserve.
Two nights at a tented camp or lodge on the Koshi Tappu boundary, with en-suite facilities.
All meals from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the third.
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve entry permits and all activity fees.
A specialist naturalist and bird guide throughout.
Boat trips on the Sapta Koshi for dolphin, gharial and waterfowl.
Buffalo cart and walking excursions on the reserve, and a visit to the Koshi barrage.
Use of a spotting scope at the hides.
All government taxes and service charges.
What's Excluded
Travel insurance covering medical treatment and emergency evacuation.
Meals in Kathmandu before and after the trip.
Binoculars, which you should bring.
Alcoholic drinks at the camp.
Tips for the naturalist and driver.
Drinks, snacks, and personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls and souvenirs.
Tips for the guide and driver.
Any additional cost caused by flight delays, roadblocks, weather or other circumstances beyond our control.
Tour Map
Explore the terrain map showing the trek route.
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Altitude Profile
Pricing
Transparent per-person pricing based on group size, covering the services listed in the itinerary with no hidden charges.
What Makes Koshi Tappu Different
Chitwan and Bardia are forest and grassland parks with a big-mammal draw. Koshi Tappu is a floodplain wetland — braided river channels, reed beds, marsh and short grassland, with the embankments of the Koshi barrage along its edges. There is no tiger and there are no rhino. What it has instead is water, and everything water brings.
The flagship mammal is the arna, the Asiatic wild water buffalo, of which perhaps five hundred survive here and nowhere else in Nepal — animals considerably larger than domestic buffalo, with a horn span that can exceed two metres. The river holds Gangetic dolphin and gharial, and the reserve also has nilgai, spotted deer, wild boar, otter and, in the surrounding country, a good chance of jungle cat and fishing cat at dusk.
The Birds
Over five hundred species have been recorded at Koshi Tappu — more than half of everything on Nepal's list, in a reserve you can cross in a morning. It is the single best birding site in the country and one of the better ones in South Asia, and it is why the trip is worth taking even in a year when the buffalo are hard to find.
In winter the marshes fill with migratory waterfowl in tens of thousands: bar-headed and greylag geese, ruddy shelduck, a dozen duck species, and waders in numbers that are hard to describe. Resident and passage specialities include swamp francolin, Bengal florican, black-necked stork, lesser adjutant, Indian skimmer, striated grassbird and a long list of warblers and raptors. Bring the best binoculars you own.
Best Time and What You Might See
October to March is the season. The grass is cut and burned in January and February, which is when visibility is at its best and tiger sightings peak; October and November are green, comfortable and excellent for birds. April and May are hot but very good for wildlife, because animals concentrate at the water. We avoid June to September, when the monsoon floods the grasslands and much of the park closes.
Realistic expectations matter. Greater one-horned rhino are seen on most trips in Chitwan and Bardia; wild elephant, gharial, mugger crocodile, sloth bear, spotted and sambar deer and a great deal of birdlife are routine. Tiger is not routine anywhere — Bardia gives the best odds in Nepal and even there it is perhaps one trip in three. Anyone guaranteeing you a tiger is guaranteeing something they do not control.
Getting There, Staying and What to Bring
You fly Kathmandu to Biratnagar — around fifty minutes — and drive about two hours north-west to the reserve. Return flights are included. The road alternative from Kathmandu is twelve to fourteen hours and is not recommended.
Accommodation is a simple tented camp or lodge on the reserve boundary; standards here are below Chitwan's, which is a fair trade for a place this quiet. Bring binoculars — genuinely essential here, more than at any other Nepali reserve — a bird guide to the subcontinent, neutral clothing, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent and a torch. Leeches are not an issue but mosquitoes are, particularly at dusk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers to common questions about the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve Tour.
1Is there any tiger or rhino at Koshi Tappu?
No. This is a wetland reserve rather than a forest park, and neither species is present. If a big cat is what you want, book Bardia. Koshi Tappu is for wild water buffalo, dolphin and above all birds, and on those it beats anywhere else in Nepal comfortably.
2What is an arna?
The Asiatic wild water buffalo, a genuinely wild species rather than a feral domestic animal. They are considerably larger than domestic buffalo, with horn spans that can exceed two metres, and around five hundred survive at Koshi Tappu — the only wild population left in Nepal. They are usually seen from the boat or from the embankment.
3Is this trip only for birdwatchers?
It rewards them most, but no. The boat trips, the buffalo cart rides, the dolphin watching and the sheer emptiness of the place make it a good general wildlife trip. That said, if you have no interest in birds at all, your money goes further at Chitwan or Bardia.
4When is the best time to come?
November to February for the migratory waterfowl, which is when the reserve is at its most spectacular and the weather is most comfortable. October and March are also good. April and May are hot; the monsoon from June to September floods the reserve and it effectively closes.
5Will we see Gangetic dolphin?
Often, but not reliably — they are a river species in a river that changes course, and sightings are brief surfacings rather than the leaping you might picture. The boat trips give a reasonable chance in the right season, and the Koshi is one of the few accessible places in Nepal where it is possible at all.
6How do we get there?
A fifty-minute flight from Kathmandu to Biratnagar in the far east, then around two hours by road to the reserve. Return flights are included. The road journey from Kathmandu is twelve to fourteen hours and we would not suggest it unless you are already in the east.
7What is the accommodation like?
A simple tented camp or lodge on the reserve boundary, with basic en-suite facilities and a dining area. It is a step below Chitwan's lodges and considerably below the luxury end. That is the trade for a Ramsar wetland with almost nobody in it, and most people who come here consider it a fair one.
8Do I need my own binoculars?
Yes, and better ones than you would take to Chitwan. Much of the watching is across water and reed bed at distance, and this is a birding site above all. A pair of 8x42 or 10x42 makes the difference between a good trip and a frustrating one. A field guide to the birds of the Indian subcontinent is worth carrying too.
Gallery
Explore authentic moments, landscapes and street scenes from the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve Tour.
Trekking Guides & Articles
Bird Watching in Nepal: 880 Species in One Small Country — Nepal holds around 880 bird species in an area the size of England, because it runs from 60 m to 8,848 m.
Jungle Safari in Nepal: Every Park Compared — Nepal's Terai parks hold one-horned rhino, Bengal tiger, wild elephant and over 500 bird species.
Bardia National Park Guide: Nepal's Best Chance of a Tiger — The largest protected area in Nepal's lowlands, far out in the west, with a growing tiger population, wild elephant herds, Gangetic dolphins in the Karnali.
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Guest Reviews
The highlight of our Nepal trip
“Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve Tour was a fantastic mix of adventure, nature and comfort. It was the perfect escape from the city and a real highlight of our Nepal trip. The early morning safaris were m...
Camila Myers
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Tell us the dates you have in mind and roughly what you want out of the trek — one of our guides will reply, usually within 24 hours.
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