Shuklaphanta National Park

Shuklaphanta is named for its phantas, the open grasslands that fill much of the park, and the largest of them, Shukla phanta itself, runs for several kilometres of tall grass and short sward. That habitat supports what is generally counted among the largest concentrations of swamp deer anywhere, herds running into the thousands moving across the open ground, which is a genuinely remarkable sight and the reason to come. Tigers, elephants, rhinos and hispid hare also occur, and the bird list includes Bengal florican and swamp francolin. The park is in the far southwest corner of Nepal, a long way from the usual circuit, and receives very few visitors, so drives and walks are quiet and lodges few.

History

The area was a favourite hunting ground of Nepal's rulers and was declared a royal hunting reserve in 1969; it was gazetted as a wildlife reserve in the 1970s, enlarged to its present 305 square kilometres in the late 1980s, and given a buffer zone in 2004. Shukla Phanta, which gives the park its name, is the largest continuous grassland in Nepal, about 16 square kilometres (Wikipedia, Shuklaphanta National Park).

What you'll find

• Swamp deer herds - thousands moving across the open phantas.
• The grasslands - tall grass and open sward filling much of the park.
• Sal forest - the woodland between the grassland blocks.
• Grassland birds - florican, francolin and raptors over the open ground.

When to go

November to March for the weather and visibility; grass is cut and burned in late winter, which opens sightlines considerably. April and May are hot and hazy. Monsoon closes much of the park.

Practical notes

The park is remote, at the far western end of the country, and reaching it takes a long journey or a flight to Dhangadhi. Lodges are few and basic. Tall grass limits visibility for much of the year. Tiger sightings are very unlikely.

Nearby

Mahendranagar lies north; the Indian border is south and west.

Key facts