Wildlife Wonders: Self-Launched 3-Day Chitwan Jungle Safari
3 days · Chitwan National Park
Linkage Tours And Travels Pvt. Ltd. charges £200
No-markup version: ~£117 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Linkage Tours' private 3-day Chitwan jungle safari — same rhinos, crocodiles, canoe ride and Tharu cultural show, but booked yourself. Take a tourist bus from Kathmandu or Pokhara to Sauraha, stay in a budget guesthouse, and arrange the jeep safari and canoe trip locally in Sauraha (or pre-book via GetYourGuide/Klook). Costs are approximate backpacker rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Kathmandu or Pokhara to Sauraha (Chitwan)
Sauraha, Chitwan
Catch a tourist bus from Kathmandu (Sorakhutte/Kantipath area, ~06:30–07:00, 5–7 hrs, ~£7–10) or from Pokhara (Lakeside, ~07:00, 4–5 hrs, ~£6–8). Buses drop at Tandi or Sauraha; a short shared tuk-tuk/e-rickshaw (~£1) gets you to your guesthouse. Settle in, then walk the riverside at sunset. In the evening, book your jeep safari and canoe trip at the guesthouse or a local agency in Sauraha, and catch a Tharu stick dance cultural show (~£2–3, nightly at the community hall or your guesthouse). Dinner at a riverside restaurant in Sauraha.
🚌Tourist bus Kathmandu→Sauraha ~£7–10 or Pokhara→Sauraha ~£6–8; local e-rickshaw ~£1
🛏Budget guesthouse or safari lodge in Sauraha, e.g. a fan/AC double with hot water (~£12–18/night)
- →Tourist bus to Sauraha
- →Sunset walk along the Rapti River
- →Book jeep safari and canoe locally
- →Tharu stick dance cultural show (~£2–3)
Full-day jeep safari, canoe ride and park entry
Chitwan National Park
Start early (06:30–07:00) for the best wildlife sightings. Pay the Chitwan National Park entry fee at the park HQ in Sauraha (~£15–18 for foreigners, 2-day ticket) plus the buffer-zone/community fee. Join a shared jeep safari into the park (~£18–25 per person for a half or full day in a shared jeep; a full-day private jeep splits to ~£20 each in a group of 6). Standard sightings: one-horned rhino, gharial and marsh mugger crocodiles, deer, monkeys, peacocks — tigers are luck. After lunch, take a dugout canoe ride down the Rapti River (~£5–8, ~1 hr) and visit the Gharial Breeding Centre / elephant breeding centre on foot or by bike (~£2 bike hire). Dinner in Sauraha.
🚌Shared jeep safari inside park (~£18–25 pp); bicycle hire ~£2; walking
🛏Same budget guesthouse in Sauraha (~£12–18/night)
- →Chitwan National Park entry (~£15–18)
- →Shared jeep safari with local naturalist guide
- →Dugout canoe ride on the Rapti River (~£5–8)
- →Gharial breeding centre visit
- →Bicycle hire around Sauraha (~£2)
Guided jungle walk and return to Kathmandu or Pokhara
Chitwan to Kathmandu / Pokhara
Do an early-morning guided nature walk in the community forest with a licensed local guide (~£10–15 for a half-day walk, cheaper in a group) — a good chance of birdlife, deer and fresh tracks. Return for breakfast, check out, and take the afternoon tourist bus back to Kathmandu (~£7–10, arriving ~17:00–19:00) or Pokhara (~£6–8, arriving ~15:00–17:00). Alternatively, fly Bharatpur→Kathmandu (~£70–95 with Yeti/Buddha Air) if you're short on time. Pickup by e-rickshaw to the bus park ~£1.
🚌Tourist bus Sauraha→Kathmandu ~£7–10 or →Pokhara ~£6–8; optional Bharatpur→Kathmandu flight ~£70–95; e-rickshaw ~£1
🛏None included — onward travel or your own Kathmandu/Pokhara hostel (~£10–15)
- →Morning guided jungle walk in the community forest (~£10–15)
- →Birdwatching and wildlife tracking
- →Afternoon bus back to Kathmandu or Pokhara
Self-launched vs. Linkage Tours And Travels Pvt. Ltd.
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Linkage Tours And Travels Pvt. Ltd. | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£117 | £200 |
| Duration | 3 days | 3 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £83 per person (42%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Linkage Tours And Travels Pvt. Ltd.-style trips? Check them out here.~£117
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Wildlife Wonders: Self-Launched 3-Day Chitwan Jungle Safari cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £117 per person for 3 days in Chitwan National Park. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Linkage Tours And Travels Pvt. Ltd.?+
Yes — Linkage Tours And Travels Pvt. Ltd. charges around £200 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £117 — a saving of roughly £83 (42%) per person.
How long is the Chitwan National Park trip?+
This itinerary runs 3 days, covering 3 day-by-day stops through Chitwan National Park.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a wildlife, adventure, budget trip through Chitwan National Park, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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