Away from the soaring mountain peaks that most travellers associate with Nepal, the Bardiya National Park strings its way close to the Indian border in the region of the Terai, spreading across muddy river flats, savannahs and Sal forests. It's awash with beautiful subtropical flora and more wildlife than you can shake a pot of dal curry at, making it an excellent spot for safaris in the less-trodden western reaches of the country.

Bardiya National Park tour guides can help you discover the sheer diversity of life that lurks between the muddy, meandering rivers and the woods. Glimpses of the elusive Bengal tiger are always a possibility, while sightings of Rhinos, Gangetic dolphins, peacocks, vultures, and all sorts of tree-swinging monkeys could also be part of a day's trekking or boating.

The reed and bamboo hamlets of the native Tharu people bring up the cultural end, with buffalo-spotted fields and rolling rice paddies fringing the boundaries of the Bardiya National Park itself. They offer encounters with traditional village folk when you're not doing jeep rides, rafting excursions, wild camping, or backcountry birdwatching.