Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge has two kinds of accommodation which are lodge rooms and safari tent accommodation. All rooms and tents have attached private baths with hot and cold showers. Please note they don’t offer traditional elephant back ride safaris. Tiger Tops is the first in Nepal to offer an elephant adventure that highlights the natural behavior of elephants.
They want to set an example on how to do elephant-friendly tourism and they make another leap towards more responsible and sustainable tourism. World Animal Protection has also approved the highest standard of Elephant Welfare. There are only 12 venues in Asia that got this approval and Tiger Tops is one of them.
ITINERARY (03 Nights / 04 Days Tour to Tiger Tops, Chitwan):
Day 01: Arrive at Tharu Lodge, Activity, and overnight at Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge (Safari Tent)
Day 02: Activity and overnight at Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge. (Safari Tent)
Day 03: Activities and Overnight at Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge (Safari Tent)
Day 04: Morning activities and departure from Tiger Tops.
US$ 1270.00 per person for the Tharu Lodge room and US$ 1240.00 per person for the Safari Tent on two in sharing basis. If you are not sharing a Tharu Lodge room or Safari Tent, then a Single supplementary cost is $340 per night.
List of activities offered at Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge:
01: Elephant jungle walks
Walk alongside the elephants into the jungle and get close to the wildlife on foot while letting the elephants protect you. This is a unique opportunity to be close to elephants, watch how they move through the jungle, what they eat, and how they react to and interact with other wildlife. There is nothing quite like standing eye-to-eye with a rhino while knowing that you are safe, and protected by the mighty jumbos by your side. This activity is available at all times.
02: Elephant grass cutting
Join the elephants and their mahouts as they walk to the grasslands in the morning to collect fodder for the rest of the day. Few people understand the close bond between the elephant and its mahout, and watching them work together to collect grass is a beautiful and direct experience of the symbioses that happens between the two. The guests can even join in and try for themselves the tough job of cutting the meters-high elephant grass. This activity is available in the months of September to December.
03: Elephant river walk and bathing with sundowners
This is now one of our most celebrated activities and a great way to end a stay at Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge. This is a short jungle or village walk with elephants, which ends with the bank of the Narayani River. Here the elephants will be let loose to cool down in the water, while our staff is awaiting the guests with a sundowner picnic.
Guests are often surprised and delighted to discover elephants are extremely playful and entertaining when left to themselves to enjoy their favorite activity: cooling down and feeling weightless in the water. This activity is available in the months of February through November (the water is too cold for the elephants in December and January and sometimes into mid-February).
04: Educational elephant talk and Kuchi making
This activity commences with an informative talk about elephants. This gives the guest a perfect opportunity to learn what the elephants eat, how they are cared for, their physiology, and not least a chance to bond with the mahouts. After the talk, the guests will get to try out their mahout skills by helping to prepare the elephants’ snacks, known as kuchen. Guests are always welcome to be around the elephants. The large-scale enclosures allow the elephants to move around and socialize, and they are often highly entertaining to observe. This activity is available at all times.
05: Jeep Safari
Step aboard one of our restored open-top Land Rovers for a jungle jeep safari unlike any in Nepal. With an experienced driver and expert naturalist to lead the way, explore the mystery and magic of the jungle from the comfort of your seat. Go in search of the elusive Tiger and other rare animals as either a half-day or full-day activity. This activity is available throughout most of the year except during peak monsoon Mid-June to the beginning of September.
06: River Safari
A river safari down the Narayani River can be both a soothing and exhilarating experience. Cruising on the wide expanse of the river, pockets of rapids propel the boats along, as gentle waves lap at the sides. Sitting inside a Tiger Tops hand-carved boat, keep your eyes peeled for a variety of birdlife and wildlife. Top of the list is the endangered fish-eating Gharial crocodile and its more sinister relative, the Marsh-Mugger. This activity is available throughout most of the year except during peak monsoon Mid-June to the beginning of September.
07: Bird Watching
Nepal is considered a bird-watching sanctuary, with an astounding 848 species identified across the country. In the company of an expert naturalist, Tiger Tops will guide you through an unbeatable bird-watching tour, identifying species from grassland, farmland, forest, and aquatic habitats. With a list of birds to tick off as you go, you’ll learn to recognize different species, their whistles, and alarm calls. Beyond watching for birds, you’ll develop an insight into how birdlife is an integral part of Nepal's abundant ecosystems. This activity is available at all times.
08: Jungle walks
Enter the jungle on foot and go exploring with one of our naturalists. This is a great opportunity to spot wildlife, as it is much quieter than traveling by elephant or jeep. This means that there is the potential to encounter animals that may have otherwise been scared off by the noisier modes of travel. It is also the perfect opportunity to take some macro shots or see up close the various foliage and smaller fauna around such as butterflies and insects.
Walks can be done in the Buffer Zone or inside the National Park depending on your interests and how long/far you would like to go for. Please discuss this with senior staff in advance so that we may plan accordingly. This activity is available at all times.
09: Village walks
Towards the East side of the lodge live the fishing communities. You will walk through two different types of communities; the Musahar and the Bote. These two communities have different dialects, physical features, and cultures despite being so close to one another; see if you are able to notice the subtle differences that may otherwise go unnoticed. Along the way, you will pass many locals coming to or from fishing ponds that are protected by WWF for the local community.
You will also pass many homestay accommodations that local people use to come on holiday and visit the area. Big crop fields surround the village and offer scenic views of the Mahabharat hills and the Annapurna mountain range in the backdrop. This activity is available at all times.
