Banke National Park

Banke National Park Introduction (BaNP) Banke National Park is the newest protected area of Nepal, established on 12 July 2010. It covers an area of 550 sq. km in Banke District along with a buffer zone area of 343 sq. km in Banke, Dang and Salyan Districts. The park comes under the large-sized Tiger Conservation Unit called TCU Bardia-Banke along with the inclusion of Bardia National Park. It is a very important section of the Terai Arc Landscape and an important habitat for endangered species, including the royal Bengal tiger.

Things to Do and Adventures in Banke National Park

The Banke National Park offers a lot of activities for the adventurer, the nature lover, and the cultural enthusiast and therefore very ideal for the purpose of exploration cum relaxation.

1. Best Time to Go: Jungle Safari
   • The density of forests and grasslands, and riverine ecosystem to sight are a perfect haunt for wild animals including the royal Bengal tigers, Asiatic elephants, striped hyenas, and four-horned antelopes.
   • For adventurous visitors who want to breathe and live with nature closely.
2. Wildlife and Bird Watching
   • The park has over 300 species of birds including giant hornbill, Bengal florican, and black stork.
   • There are also leopards, sloth bears, reptiles like pythons, gharial crocodiles that may be seen.
3. Nature Walks and Guided Tours
   • Exploration of nature will be done in mixed hardwood forests and floodplains. Walk through Sal forests, riverine forests, and grasslands.
   • Guided tours provide insights into the flora and fauna of the park.
4. Photography
   • counterbalance stunning sceneries, diverse wildlife, and beautiful river systems like the Rapti and Babai Rivers.
   • icios for nature and wildlife photographers.
5. River Exploration
   • Counterbalance stunning sceneries, diverse wildlife, and Enjoy the beautiful serenity river systems like the Rapti and Babai Rivers flowing through the park.
6. Cultural Experiences in Buffer Zone Villages
   • Visit to villages of Tharu tribes in the buffer zones allow the visitor to experience their unique culture, traditional dances, and ways of living.
   • Get informed about local handicrafts and relish traditional Tharu food.
7. Butterfly Watching
   • A paradise for ornithologists and lepidopterists. Banke is a habitat of various species of butterflies and thus a good spot for the enthusiast and lover of nature.
8. Camping
   • Camping facilities in earmarked sites for wild immersion into nature.
   • Nights are pleasurably spent staring at stars amidst soothing jungle sounds.
9. Eco-Tourism Activities
   • Community-based tourism programs for conservation and improvement of livelihoods..
10. Educational Tours
    • The study of conservation, protection included in the TAL.
    • Ideal for students, researchers, and any interested in wild life.
11. Jungle Discovery
    • Unexplored trails and less-disturbed habitats, including Chure hills and floodplain areas, lead to an appreciation of the ecological variety in the park.
12. Relaxation and Nature Therapy
    • Rejuvenation of body and mind while spending time amidst the tranquillity of nature, fresh air, and serene landscapes.

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How to Reach Banke National Park

1. By Air: Fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, 1 hour. From Nepalgunj, it takes an hour's drive to the park headquarters.
2. By Road:
   • From Kathmandu: 10-12 hour drive.
   • From Dhangadhi: It takes about 7 hours (250 km).
   • From Mahendranagar: It takes about 8 hours (270 km).
   • Public buses, private vehicles, and taxis are available to reach here.

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Best Season to Visit Banke National Park

1. Winter (October to April): It is considered one of the best times to visit the park, due to the excellent weather, with warm days and chilly nights.
2. Summer (April to June): Very hot, humid, but the ideal time for bird watching.
3. Monsoon (June to September): Rich greenery, though the roads may not be very friendly.

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Entry Fees

1. Foreigners: NPR 500 per person/day
2. SAARC Nationals: NPR 200 per person/day
3. Nepalese: NPR 20 per person/day Permits can be obtained from the park's entry points.

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Activities Around Banke National Park

1. Bardia National Park: A neighboring park well known for its abundance of wildlife and adventure.
2. Tharu Villages: Observe the mode of living, culture, and artifacts of the Tharu people.
3. Village Tours and Homestays: Live in homestays and experience village life.
4. Historic Sites: Ruins of the ancient temples and other historic sites are located in Dang and Salyan districts.
5. Adventure Sports: Trek, go canyoning, and go rafting around the surroundings

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Cultural and Traditional Experience

1. Tharu Culture: Observe folk dances, traditional rituals, and festivals of aboriginal Tharu community.
2. Festivals: Large Scale Celebrations ; Maghi, Dashain and Tihar
3. Cuisine: Savor local Tharu delicacies along with traditional Nepali cuisine

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Nature and Beauty

Banke National Park is an ideal destination for nature lovers. There are stunning beautiful landscapes of hill, river and forest.  The park has three different ecosystems — Sal forests, savannahs, grasslands, and wetlands; hence, it certainly has something to offer to enrich the experience for all kinds of visitors.

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Adventure Opportunities

1. Trekking/Hiking: In the Chure foothills and the riverine forests
2. Jungle Safaris/ Wild Life Rescuing: Sight tigers and elephants and also other rare specie
3. Water Raptis: in the Rapti and Babai rivers

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Facilities and Essential Information

1. Accommodation: Basic lodges in the surroundings of Park. Facilities like: – Hotel / Lodges/Guest Houses within the Park to surrounding area Hotels provide all kind of basic amenities
2. Health Precaution: First – Aid Kit/Water purification tablets
3. Transport: Petrol pumps are few, therefore long interior visits are to be planned accordingly

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Other Attractions

1. Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, India: It can be accessed through the Khata corridor.
2. Suhelwa Wildlife Sanctuary, India: It can be accessed through the Kamdi corridor.
3. World Heritage Sites: It is nearly a day's journey away; visit the birthplace of Buddha, Lumbini.
4. Rivers and Waterfalls: Observe the surrounding rivers and waterfalls.

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How to Travel

1. Respect the local culture and animals.
2. A local guide can be very helpful in knowing the park's biodiversity and culture.
3. The best time to travel is during winter for an overall ideal experience.

Banke National Park is one of those places every nature and wild-life lover should travel to. It is the embodiment of one of the most unique combinations of adventure, culture, and nature.