Even on chilly mornings, tourists heading out for jeep safaris at Chitwan National Park were seen gathering in hotel dining halls for breakfast. The scene unfolded at the Tigerland Safari–Lemon Tree Resort in Jagatpur, ward 33 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, close to the park headquarters at Kasara.

Most of the safari-goers were foreign visitors, with only a few Nepali tourists. Hotel Manager Lok Bahadur Kunwar said 45 guests were staying at the resort that morning. Only four of them were Nepali.

At Patihani, another major entry point for boat safaris on the Rapti river, most tourists were from Hong Kong, and Nepalis were rarely seen there. According to the park’s office, in the western sector—including Kasara, Meghauli, and the Amaltari area of Nawalparasi East—foreign visitors lead park visits, although domestic tourists dominate overall.

A total of 67,735 tourists visited the park from mid-July to mid-October.

Sauraha in the eastern sector saw the highest number of visitors, with 60,073 in four months, including 37,392 domestic, 2,969 from South Asian countries and 19,712 from other countries.

Kasara recorded 4,605 visitors, mostly 2,859 foreign; Meghauli had 2,261 visitors, including 1,468 foreign; and Amaltari 660, with 557 foreign. Visits to community forests were not included in these figures.

Hotels and resorts on the western edge have increased over time. Patihani’s Ghatgai has hosted Narayani Safari Hotel since 1987. Meghauli saw Nepal’s first jungle lodge, Tiger Tops, open in 1964, eight years before the park, and Amaltari saw the opening of the Temple Tiger Green Jungle Resort. As hotels inside the park are restricted, some opened outside, with more added later.

Ganesh Paudel, operator of Jungle Villa Resort on the Kasara-Jagatpur border, said there are now eight large-scale hotels in Kasara, compared to three when his resort opened 13 years ago.

Tourists prefer quiet surroundings and natural landscapes, with hotels spaced 500 meters to 1 km apart. According to Narayani Safari, over 90 percent of its guests are foreign, mostly Europeans.

Local tourism businesses provide jeeps, boats, and nature guides for safaris, ensuring high-quality service. Choplal Pandey, vice-chair of the Kasara Tourism Business Committee, said that the combination of services and environment attracts high-end foreign visitors.

Tourism faced setbacks from the 2015 earthquakes and the Covid-19 pandemic, with the Gen Z protests causing further booking cancellations. Despite this, foreign visitors’ interest remains strong, and investment by domestic and international hotel brands continues to promote the region abroad.

Bishnuraj Mahato, ward chair of Bharatpur Metropolitan City-22, said that hotels in the western sector allow easy wildlife viewing while providing a peaceful environment, attracting foreign tourists, but the growing number of weddings and events may disrupt settlements and the environment. Ganesh Paudel emphasised the need for collaborative efforts to address these challenges.

Chitwan National Park is home to rare wildlife such as rhinos, tigers, and gharials, and tourists also enjoy the cultural traditions of the indigenous Tharu community. Annually, about 300,000 domestic and foreign tourists visit the park.