Chitwan National Park is the first and one of the most culturally significant national parks in southern Nepal. After trekking through the rocky routes of the Himalayas and trying your hand at adventure-filled activities in Pokhara, strolling through the jungles of Chitwan will prove to be the perfect complement to your Nepal excursions. Apart from being one of the last sanctuaries for the rhino and the Bengal tiger, it also gives refuge to exotic species like sloth bears, endangered ghariyal crocodiles, leopards, and hundreds of other bird and animal species.

With a typically tropical monsoon climate, Chitwan witnesses three main seasons with very humidity throughout the year. Ideally, the buffer months of October, November, March and April are the best times to travel to Chitwan because of the relatively cool weather and rain-free atmosphere.

These are great months to visit Chitwan as the clear skies and the dry season make it optimum to watch wildlife in their natural habitat. The levels of humidity remain high even during the winter months, which means the mornings are often foggy with dewdrops hanging around in the misty atmosphere. Even though the nights and mornings are particularly cold, the afternoon temperatures stay pleasantly warm, ranging between 20-25ᴼC. January and February are the coldest months with temperatures reaching single digits, sometimes even reaching freezing point in the night.

During the months from January to March, the phanta grass in the jungle is cut or burned by the locals, which greatly improves visibility of the animals; sometimes being as close as a few feet away.

Humidity is at its lowest in March, but the temperatures gradually get hotter with each progressing day, with the period from May to mid-June being the hottest days. The animals can be frequently seen trying to cool themselves in water holes, rivers and lakes. The days can get extremely sunny and hot with temperatures that may reach up to 40ᴼC. 

While the pre-monsoon sets in during May, by the time June begins, the south-easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal bring heavy precipitation with extremely high humidity. Jeep safaris become increasingly tricky during the monsoons due to flooding of tracks in the forest; additionally, the town of Sauraha also tends to drown in deluge in these times, which leads to shutting down of a lot of lodging options for the duration of the season.

The animals are rarely observable in this weather; but leeches abound in this wet season. So beware of these little critters if you are visiting during monsoon as they are usually not noticeable when they latch on. If you do find one on your body, it is advisable to leave them alone till they finish their business and fall off on their own. If they make you too squeamish, you can also ask your guide to help you get them off.