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III·Bardiya · Ilam

The Tiger and the River

Seven nights across Nepal's wild south and green east — tracking tigers on foot in Bardiya, then walking the tea terraces of Ilam.

Begin readingPlate III  ·  February

The Nepal few travelers see. Track Bengal tigers on foot in Bardiya National Park with a naturalist family who have read these floodplains for three generations. Then cross to Ilam's terraced tea estates, where the air smells of cardamom and the days move at the speed of leaves.

Two Nepals, both rarely seen

Most travelers go north. We go south, then east. Bardiya National Park is Nepal's largest, and one of the last places on earth where you can track a Bengal tiger on foot. We work with a single naturalist family who have spent three generations reading the Karnali floodplains — they know where the cats move and when.

Then a crossing few travelers make: a private vehicle and a domestic flight to Ilam, in the far east, where the hills turn to tea. You stay in an estate house above the Mai Khola, walk the rows at first light with the head taster, and learn why the same leaf, processed differently, can taste like jasmine or like rain on stone.

The arc of the journey

  • Days 1–4 Bardiya National Park — tiger tracking, riverboat, Tharu village dinner
  • Day 5 Transition via Nepalgunj and a private flight to Bhadrapur
  • Days 6–7 Ilam tea estate — tasting, walks, slow afternoons

What is included

A senior naturalist with us throughout Bardiya. Private boat transfers on the Karnali. The estate house in Ilam, exclusively yours. A complete tasting flight curated for you on arrival.

Intentions

  • 01Wildlife
  • 02Wilderness
  • 03Stillness

Day by day

The
itinerary.

  1. Day 1

    Fly south to Bardiya

    A private flight to Nepalgunj and a transfer into Bardiya National Park, where you settle into your lodge at the edge of the Karnali floodplains. An evening briefing with the naturalist family who will read the forest for you.

    LodgingA lodge at the edge of Bardiya National Park

  2. Day 2

    Tracking on foot at first light

    Out before dawn with the trackers, walking the gentle, flat terai where the cats move. Mornings are on foot; the afternoon is a slow jeep traverse deeper into the park.

    LodgingA lodge at the edge of Bardiya National Park

  3. Day 3

    The Karnali by boat

    A morning riverboat on the Karnali — gharial, marsh mugger, and birds along the banks — then more time in the grasslands. In the evening, a Tharu village dinner with the community that lives beside the park.

    LodgingA lodge at the edge of Bardiya National Park

  4. Day 4

    A last morning in the grasslands

    One more dawn walk with the trackers, when sightings are most likely, then a long, easy afternoon. A final evening in the terai before you cross the country tomorrow.

    LodgingA lodge at the edge of Bardiya National Park

  5. Day 5

    Cross the country, west to east

    A private vehicle to Nepalgunj and a domestic flight to Bhadrapur in the far east, then up into the tea hills of Ilam. You arrive at the estate house above the Mai Khola as the light softens.

    LodgingA tea estate house above the Mai Khola

  6. Day 6

    The gardens at first light

    Walk the rows at first light with the head taster and learn why the same leaf, processed differently, can taste like jasmine or like rain on stone. A complete tasting flight, curated for you, follows in the afternoon.

    Walking2–3 hrs

    LodgingA tea estate house above the Mai Khola

  7. Day 7

    Slow afternoons, then home

    A final slow morning on the estate — another walk in the gardens, or simply the veranda and the view — before your flight back toward Kathmandu and onward travel.

    LodgingA tea estate house above the Mai Khola

What is included

  • A senior naturalist with you throughout Bardiya
  • Private boat transfers on the Karnali
  • The tea estate house in Ilam, exclusively yours
  • A complete tasting flight, curated for you on arrival
  • All internal flights and transfers within the journey

Not included

  • International flights to and from Kathmandu
  • Nepal visa fees
  • Travel insurance
  • Drinks beyond those served with your meals
  • Tips for your naturalist, trackers, and estate hosts
  • Expenses of a personal nature

Honest answers

Practicalities

  • How likely are tiger sightings?

    Bardiya holds the highest tiger density in South Asia. Our trackers report sightings on roughly seven in ten dawn walks across the season.

  • Is the tracking on foot or jeep?

    Both. Mornings are walking with the trackers; afternoons are slow jeep traverses. Walking is gentle and flat — Bardiya is lowland terai.

  • Are the tea estates working farms?

    Yes. You stay on a fourth-generation estate above the Mai Khola and walk the gardens at first light with the manager.

  • When is the best time to travel?

    February and March, and October and November, are the windows we run this journey — dry, clear, and best for both tiger tracking and the tea gardens. We will help you choose within the season when we plan your dates.

  • How fit do I need to be?

    This is a balanced journey with gentle, flat walking in Bardiya and easy strolls through the tea gardens. Anyone in everyday good health can travel with us.

  • Do I need travel insurance?

    Yes. We ask every guest to carry travel insurance, and are glad to talk through what it should cover during planning. It is not included in the journey price.

  • How does payment work?

    There is no online checkout. This journey is arranged by application; the payment schedule and any terms are set out in the written proposal we prepare for you.

Continue the journey

From $5,400 per guest, twin share

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Autumn 2026 · October–November · From $5,400 per guest, twin share

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