Everest Base Camp Trek Dispatch
October 6, 2008 – Mitchell’s Chitwan Adventure
After 24 hours of travel, I arrived safely in Kathmandu at 9:00 pm and was greeted at the airport by a smiling Shital.
A rhino grazing in Chitwan National Park
The next day I had an early wake-up call for the real adventure. My trip to The Royal Chitwan Preserve began with a 5 hour drive through the country side on the only main road though Nepal. Hair raising to say the least. I was then transferred to a canoe for a river crossing. Then transported by jeep to a point where the road became impassable. I continued by elephant and arrived at The Temple Tiger Lodge. This felt like a true safari experience.
While there, I went on three elephant safaris, a wildlife trek and was introduced to a program about the elephants used on the preserve. This was a fabulous beginning to my Nepal experience. I returned to Kathmandu yesterday by means not quite so exotic, car and plane. I have spent today exploring the Thamel section of Kathmandu. There is a big festival going on now, so the Thamel area was really hopping. The BAI Everest Base Camp group meets for the first time tonight for our orientation and welcome dinner. I now can't wait to start heading up to base camp.
Mitchell on his Chitwan Safari
Nepal is home to a quarter of South Asia's rhino population. They are considered an endangered species from a 2008 study, less than 500 are in the Chitwan National Park.