National park or conservation area
Chitwan National Park
Nepal's first national park, in the inner Terai lowlands: sal forest, tall grassland and rivers home to one-horned rhinoceros, tigers and gharials.
Chitwan & Teraiभरतपुर
Bharatpur
Chitwan's main city and transport hub on the Narayani river, the usual gateway for Chitwan National Park and the central Terai.
This is Bharatpur, the headquarters city of Chitwan district in Nepal, not Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India.
- Altitude
- -*
- Best months
- Oct-Mar
- Type
- Town or village
- District
- Chitwan, Bagmati
- Permit
- None needed
Why go
Bharatpur is the headquarters of Chitwan district and one of the largest cities in Nepal, spread across the Inner Terai plain on the east bank of the Narayani river. Its older commercial heart, Narayangadh, sits at the river crossing where the roads from Kathmandu, Pokhara and the Terai meet, which makes the city the main transport hub for central Nepal.
Most travellers pass through on the way to Sauraha and Chitwan National Park, or on journeys between Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lumbini and the east. Bharatpur Airport has scheduled flights from Kathmandu, and frequent buses connect the city with most of the country. It is a practical place to break a journey, change money, find hospitals and other services, and arrange onward transport.
Within and around the city, visitors walk the riverbank at Narayangadh, visit local temples, and make short trips to the Bis Hazari wetlands, to the confluence pilgrimage site at Devghat upstream, and to the old hill fort of Upardanggadhi in the hills to the east.
History and culture
The Chitwan valley was long forested and malarial, home mainly to Tharu, Bote, Darai and Kumal communities. From the 1950s, malaria eradication and government resettlement programmes brought large numbers of settlers from the hills, and the plain was cleared for farming. Bharatpur and Narayangadh grew rapidly as market towns on the new highways.
Today the city is a mix of communities from across Nepal and a centre for trade, agriculture, education and health care in the central region. It became a metropolitan city in the 2010s local government restructuring. The Narayani, formed upstream by the Kali Gandaki and Trishuli rivers, is important for both trade and religious bathing, and its banks are busy during festivals such as Maghe Sankranti.
Things to do in Bharatpur
Narayani riverside
Walk the riverbank at Narayangadh in the late afternoon to watch river life and the sunset over the Narayani.
Day trip to Bis Hazari Tal
Join a guided trip to the lakes in the buffer zone forest for birds and wildlife.
Visit Devghat
Take a short trip upstream to the pilgrimage site at the confluence of the Kali Gandaki and Trishuli.
Base for Chitwan
Use the city as an alternative base to Sauraha for safaris in the national park.
Weather and the best time to visit Bharatpur
Weather in Bharatpur
Conditions change fast in the mountains.
Weather data: MET Norway, licensed CC BY 4.0. A forecast, not a guarantee.
Best time to visit
Oct-Mar
- Good month: Jan
- Good month: Feb
- Good month: Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Good month: Oct
- Good month: Nov
- Good month: Dec
- Autumn (Sep-Nov)
- October and November are warm and dry, with the Dashain and Tihar festivals.
- Winter (Dec-Feb)
- December to February is mild by day but often foggy in the mornings, which can delay flights and road travel.
- Spring (Mar-May)
- March is pleasant; April and May are very hot.
- Monsoon (Jun-Aug)
- June to September is hot, humid and wet, with flooding in low areas and landslides on the hill roads into the valley.
Where to stay
HotelsGuesthousesResorts
A wide range of city hotels and guesthouses, plus resorts on the outskirts; many safari visitors stay in Sauraha instead.
No partner stays are listed here yet. List a property.
Getting there
Bharatpur is reached by domestic flight from Kathmandu or by bus via Mugling, and lies on the East-West Highway for connections to the rest of the Terai.
Nearest hub: Kathmandu
- flightKathmandu to Bharatpur Airport, a short domestic flight.
- roadKathmandu to Bharatpur via the Prithvi Highway and Mugling by tourist or local bus; travel time depends heavily on traffic and road works.
- roadPokhara to Bharatpur via Mugling, and frequent buses east and west along the East-West Highway.
Permits and fees
None needed
No permit is needed for Bharatpur itself. Visits to Chitwan National Park require a park entry permit.
Verify before travel: permit rules and fees change. Checked 2026-10-08 against Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.
Risks and conditions
Seasonal risks around Bharatpur
What this place is typically exposed to, and when. These are seasonal patterns, not a report on conditions now.
Landslidesmoderate in a typical yearJun-Sep
Monsoon landslides can block the hill roads between Mugling and the Chitwan valley, delaying travel to and from Kathmandu and Pokhara.
Heatmoderate in a typical yearApr-Jun
Pre-monsoon temperatures on the Inner Terai plain are very high; plan outdoor activity for early morning.
Otherlow in a typical yearDec-Jan
Dense winter fog is common on the plain and can delay flights and early road journeys.
Check current conditions before you travel
Roads, trails, passes and flights change with the weather and with roadworks, and nothing on this page describes conditions today. Before you set off, check the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology for weather and flood warnings, the Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Portal for incidents, and the local authority, police or your licensed operator for road, trail and flight status.
Practical tips
- Bharatpur has banks, ATMs and hospitals; stock up on cash here before heading to smaller places.
- Morning fog in winter can delay flights; allow spare time for connections.
- Local buses and city taxis run between Bharatpur, Narayangadh and Tandi, the junction for Sauraha.
- Carry water and sun protection in the hot months.
Questions about Bharatpur
Is Bharatpur the same as Sauraha?
No. Bharatpur is the district headquarters city; Sauraha is a tourist village further east at the edge of Chitwan National Park.
Can I fly to Chitwan?
Yes. Scheduled flights link Kathmandu with Bharatpur Airport, from where you continue by road to Sauraha or other park entry points.
Is Bharatpur a good base for Chitwan National Park?
It can be, especially for the western parts of the park, but most safari visitors stay in Sauraha.
When is the best time to visit Bharatpur?
October to March, before the heat of April and May and the monsoon rains.
Nearby
Lake
Bis Hazari Tal
A chain of forest-fringed oxbow lakes and marshes in the Chitwan National Park buffer zone, known for birdwatching and wildlife.
Town or village
Malekhu
A highway bazaar on the Trishuli river, known for its fried river fish and as a stop on rafting trips and the road to Dhading Besi.
Temple, monastery or heritage site · 1,135 m
Gorkha
The hill town where the Shah kings ruled the Gorkha Kingdom and Prithvi Narayan Shah began the unification of Nepal.
Editorial draft: facts are being checked against the sources below. Last checked 2026-10-08. Sources: Bharatpur, Nepal, Wikipedia, Chitwan District, Wikipedia, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation