Chitwan & the Terai · – · –
Chitwan & the Terai in January
Cool, dry and quiet in the park. Fog can sit on the Rapti until ten, so morning canoe trips feel ghostly and afternoon drives see more. Maghi falls in mid-January, when Tharu families hold their new year feasts and pilgrims bathe at Devghat. Around this time locals are allowed into the park for a short season of grass cutting, which starts to open the views. Janakpur is cold at night; pack a fleece.
Local tip for January
Book afternoon jeep drives rather than dawn ones in January, when fog hides the grasslands.
Where to go in January
Chitwan & the Terai175 mSauraha
The Rapti riverbank where most Chitwan safaris begin
Chitwan & the Terai200 mDevghat
Where the Kali Gandaki and Trishuli become the Narayani
Chitwan & the Terai286 mBishazari Tal
Twenty thousand lakes: Chitwan's Ramsar wetland
Festivals around January
Trips at their best in January
Chitwan & the Teraimax 1,400 mChitwan Jungle Safari from Sauraha
Three nights in Sauraha on the Rapti River, the easiest door into Chitwan National Park. A dugout canoe at dawn, a half-day …
Chitwan & the Teraimax 1,400 mChitwan Luxury Safari at Meghauli
Four nights in Meghauli, on the quiet western side of Chitwan, at Meghauli Serai or Barahi Jungle Lodge. Private jeep safaris with …
Chitwan & the Teraimax 1,400 mKathmandu and Chitwan Family Wildlife Trip
Six nights for families with children of about six and up. Two nights in Kathmandu for Swayambhunath's monkeys, Bhaktapur's potters and the …
Chitwan & the Teraimax 1,400 mBirding the Terai: Chitwan and Koshi Tappu
Seven nights for birders in Nepal's two richest lowland sites. Three nights in Chitwan for grassland and forest birds, with a day …
Chitwan & the Teraimax 1,400 mThe Terai East to West Overland
Twelve nights across the whole Nepal Terai by private car: from the wetlands of Koshi Tappu in the far east, through Maithil …
Chitwan & the Teraimax 160 mTharu Homestays in Barauli and Amaltari
Three nights with Tharu families on the western edge of Chitwan National Park: one night in Barauli and two in Amaltari, both …
Elsewhere in Nepal in January
Questions
Is January a good time to visit Chitwan & the Terai?
Cool, dry and quiet in the park. Fog can sit on the Rapti until ten, so morning canoe trips feel ghostly and afternoon drives see more. Maghi falls in mid-January, when Tharu families hold their new year feasts and pilgrims bathe at Devghat. Around this time locals are allowed into the park for a short season of grass cutting, which starts to open the views. Janakpur is cold at night; pack a fleece.
What is the weather like in Chitwan & the Terai in January?
Chitwan 7–23 °C, dry, thick fog until mid-morning. Conditions change fast with altitude, so check the forecast for each stop a week before you travel.
Where should we go in Chitwan & the Terai in January?
We suggest Sauraha, Devghat, Bishazari Tal. Book afternoon jeep drives rather than dawn ones in January, when fog hides the grasslands.