Rivers and lakes · Amaltari
Narayani boat trip with Bote boatmen
Drift down the Narayani with a Bote boatman, whose community has fished and ferried on this river for generations. Watch for crocodiles, gharials, river birds and wildlife on the Chitwan bank. Trips run only in the dry season.
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The Bote are one of the Terai's river peoples. Their families have fished the Narayani and ferried travellers across it in dugouts for generations, and some still do. A boat trip from Amaltari puts you in the hands of a boatman who knows every channel and sandbank. If you ask, your boatman will tell you how his family fished and how the river has changed in his lifetime; a guide can translate.
The Narayani is wide and powerful even in the dry season. With the forest of Chitwan National Park on one bank and fields on the other, you pass mugger crocodiles basking on sand, egrets, cormorants, kingfishers and ospreys. The Narayani is the main river for wild gharials in Chitwan, and sightings are possible. In winter, ruddy shelducks and other ducks rest on the calmer stretches, and kingfishers dive from branches that hang over the banks.
Trips end at a landing downstream, where a vehicle meets you, or return upstream if conditions allow. Wear a life jacket, sit still and follow the boatman's instructions. Morning trips give soft light; afternoon trips can end with sunset on the water. Bring a hat, sunscreen and a warm layer in winter, and keep cameras in a dry bag. Ask your homestay or lodge to arrange the boat a day ahead.
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Questions
Who are the Bote people?
The Bote are a small indigenous community of Nepal's central Terai, traditionally fishers and ferry operators on rivers such as the Narayani. Many live in villages near Chitwan, including Amaltari. Today some still fish and run boats, while others farm or work in tourism.
Is the Narayani boat trip safe?
With an experienced boatman and life jackets, yes. Trips run only in the dry season when the river is calm enough. Sit still, keep hands inside the boat and do not stand. Mugger crocodiles live in the river, so do not trail hands in the water or swim.
Can I see gharials on the Narayani at Amaltari?
There is a fair chance. The Narayani is the main home of wild gharials in Chitwan, and they bask on sandbanks in the dry season, especially in the morning. Numbers are small, so sightings are never guaranteed. Bring binoculars and ask your boatman to watch for them.
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