The geography of Nepal can be divided into mountains, hills and plains. A wide varietyof the earth' topography and climate zones are found within the small area of 147,181 square kilometers. Wide range of ecosystems, from subtropical jungles of the Tarai to the arctic conditions of Himalayan highlands, is found in Nepal. Nepal's rich bio-diversity makes it one of the best ecotourism destinations in the whole world. Almost 19 percent of the country's total land accounts for its sixteen protected wildlife areas across the country. Among these nine are designated as national parks, three are wildlife reserves, three are conservation areas and one is a hunting reserve.

Kanchanjunga Conservation Area:
Kanchanjunga Conservation area belt lies below Mt. Kanchenjunga. The region with its alpine grasslands, rocky outcrops, low river valleys, temperate and subtropical forests is situated in Taplejung district that borders with the Tibetan Autonomous region of China. The KCA has been selected as one of the 200 Global eco regions recognized by World Wildlife Fund. Ten species among Nepal's 20 indigenous gymnosperms and 15 among Nepal's 28 endemic flowering plants are found in this region. In addition, almost 30 varieties of rododendron species and 69 varieties of orchids are found here. The area is splashed with colors every spring with wild displays of rhododendrons, orchids,lilies, primula and other flowers. Wild life includes endangered snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, musk deer, red panda, blue sheep and rhesus macaw. About 202 species of different birds including Impheyan pheasant, red-billed blue magpie, shy drongo are foundin the area. The region can be reached via Basantapur in Dhankuta district or Birtamod in Jhapa district. Yet another option is to fly to Biratnagar and then to suketar in Taplejung district from where the region can be trekked.

Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve:
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve spreads over Saptari and Sunsari district in east Nepal, defined by the eastern and western embankments of the Koshi River. The vegetation of the reserve is mainly grassland with patches of scrub and deciduous reverine forests. what males the Koshi Tappu special is that many birds seen here are not found in other parts of Nepal. The reserve has recorded around 439 species of bird nariety, some of which fly all the way from Siberia during winter. A wide variety of ducks, herons, storks, egrets, ibis are seen on the riverbanks. Koshi Tappu reserve also has one of the few elephant stable os Asia. Other animals found here are wild buffalo, wild boar, hog deer, spotted deer, blue bull and jackal. Gharial crocofile and Gangetic dolphin are the other attractions in the reserve. The best time to visit Koshi tappu is between October and March. Regular bus services are available from Kathmandu and other major cities. The reserve can be accessed from Laukahi on the east west highway from where the reserve headquarters at Kusaha is only three kilometers away. Another option is to fly to Biranagar and then drive to Laukahi or Prakashpur.

Makalu Barun National Park:
The specialties of the Makalu Barun National park are the Himalayan endowments of culture and nature. One of the prime attractions for visitors to the park is its offer to experience the unique Himalayan bio- diversity. The park spreads over the districts of Snkhuwasabha and Solukhumbu in Northest Nepal and is marked by the Nepal-Tibet border in the north. The vegetation ranges from sub tropical forest to sub alpine and alpine as altitude increased. The park boasts of 47 species of orchids, 67 species of medicinal herbs, 25 of Nepal's 30 varieties of rododendron, 19 bamboo species, 15 oak species, 48 species of primorse and 86 species of fodder trees. The park also offers bird-watching opportunities with its 400 species of birds, including the rarespotted wren babbler and the olive ground warbler. Wildlife includes the endeangered red panda, snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, clouded leopard, ghoral, tahr, wild boar, barking deer, Himalayan marmot, weasel, langur monkey and serow. River Arun that flows through the park has 84 varieties of fish including salmon. The best way to reach the park from Kathmandu is to fly to the airstrip nearest to the area and then trek onward. Nearby airstrips are at Lukla, Phaplu, Bhojpur, Lamidanda and Tumlingtar. the park is about 4-6 days trek from all these places.

Sagarmatha National Park:
The prime object of attraction in the Sagarmatha National park is Mt. everest, the tallest peak of the world. The park lies in Solukhumbu district lying in north- eastern part of the country. The park, a part of the Himalayan ecological Zone, has several otherprominent peaks most of which are above 6000 meters. With most of the park above 3000 meters, the park is full of rugged terrain with deep gorges, glaciers and huge rocks. With it's Himalayan terrain and its unique culture, the park offers a blend of natural and cultural tourism products. The vegetation at lower elevation is dominated by pine and hemlock forests, while above 3500 metersthe forest is dominated with silver fir, birch, rhododendron, and juniper trees. During spring and monson different varieties of rhododwndron flowers are seen. The common wildlife in the park are Himalayan Tahr, ghoral, musk deer, pikka ( mouse hare) weasel, jackal. Other rarely seen animals are Himalayan Black bear, wolf, lynx, and snow leopard. Common birds seen in the park are impeyan pheasant ( Danphe), blood pheasant, red billed cough, yello-billed chough, snow cock, snow pigeon, Himalayan griffon, and Lammergeyer. The best way to reach the Sagarmatha National Park is to fly to Lukla from where the national park is only two days trek away. Another option is to go via Jiri or Tumlingtar. from both these places the national park is a 10 to 12 days trek away.

Langtang National Park:
Langtang National park is situated in the Central Himalayan region in Rasuwa district. The highlights of this park are the langtang range in the north and several lakes in the south. High altitude jungles with diverse vegetation and wildlife, scenic lakes, glaciers, and Himalayan peaks combine to make Langtang an attractive destination for visitors. Twenty five percent of the park's total area is covered by forest, starting at sub-tropical forests below 1,000 meters giving way to alpine scrubs and grasslands toward higher alltitude. Animals seen here are wild dog, red panda, pika, muntjac, musk deer, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan Tahr, ghoral, serow, rhesus monkey, common langur, snow leopard among others. Common birds seen here are tragopan, impeyan, and pheasants (kalij). The Langtang Valley is also renowned its holy Lake Gosaikunda. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims visit the lake area every year, especially during the janai Purnima festival every August. The easiest way to reach Langtang National Park via Dhunche in Rassuwa district, which is a six to seven hours drive away from the capital. From Dhunche, it takes about three days of trekking to reach Langtang Valley. The park is also accessible from Sundarijal toward the east of Kathamandu and melamchi Pul, about three-hour drive from Kathmandu.

Shivapuri-Nagarjuna national Park:
Popular as trekking , hiking and recreation area, the Shivapuri-Nagarjuna National Park offers the nearest retreat away from the city life. The Park was originally established as a watershed and wildlife reserve but developed into a national park in 2002 for the protection of its unique natural richness. Nagarjuna hill was included in the park in 2009. Vegetation in the park includes 129 species of mushrooms while animal include 19 species of mammals including bear, leopard, deer, wild boar, wildcat and langur monkeys. Likewise, the youngest national park of Nepal boasts 177 species of birds and 102 species of butterflies. The national park might be the nearest national park from the capital city in the whole world. A short drive of just 12 km from kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, takes visitors to Budhanilkantha, the gateway to the national park. Another option to visit the national park via Sundarijal which can be reached by a drive of just half an hour.

Chitwan National Park:
The Chitwan National park offers a wilderness of rich ecosystem that includes mammals, birds, reptiles and water species of several kinds. It is little surprising therefore that this is one of the most popular and most frequented national pars of the country. The park is covered with deciduous forests overlooking the floodplains of Narayani, rapti and Renu rivers. There are around 600 plant species, 50 mammals, 562 birds 49 amphibians and reptiles in the park. The highlight of the park is the asian one-horned rhinoceros and Royal Bengal Tigers that live in the dense forests of the park. Sharing home with these endangered species are other animals like rhesus monkey, grey langur, deer, leopards, wild boar, wild dogs and wild cats. Among reptiles are diffrent kinds of snakes including the python, while the river areas breed amphibians like the endangered Gharial And Mugger Crocodiles. The forest is alive during summer with the arrival of migrant birds paradise flycatchwer, Indan pina and parakeets, while winter birds include waterfowl, Brahminy ducks, pintails, bar-headed geese, cormorants and migratory birds from Siberia. Other bird varieties are woodpeckers, horn bills, peafowls, floricans and redheaded trogons. A rare attraction of the park is the world's fresh water dolphin variety accessible from Kathamndu and other major cities via road. You can also take a short flight to bharatpur and Meghauli, the nearest airstrips to the park.

Parsa Wildlife Reserve:
The Parsa Wildlife Reserve provides a rare opportunity to experience the nature and culture in Nepal's lowland. The vegetation in the reserve is tropical and sub tropical mostly covered with sal forests, while the hills are covered with pine. Khair, sisso and Silk cotton are found along water areas. the reserve provides good habitat for animals like wild elephant, tiger, leopard,gaur, blue bull and wild dog. other common animals in the reserve ar sambar, chittal, barking deer, lanur monkey, rhesus macaques, striped hyena, rat, palm civet and jungle cat. Likewase, 527 diffrent species of birds have been recorded in the reserve, one being the endangeredgreat hornbill found in certain parts of the forest. Other bird species include peafowl, red jungle fowl, flycatchers and woodpeckers. apart from birds and animals, the reserve also provides habitat to snakes like king cobra, common cobra, krait, rat snake and python. The reserve headquarter Adhabar is and eight-hour drive from the capital city and falls on the east-west Mahendra Highway. another option is to fly to Simara in bara district, from where the reserve headquarters is only seven kilometers away.

Annapurna Conservation Area:
The Annapurna Conservation Area has been claimed as one of the best trekking areas in the world. It is also the most visited trekking area in the country. The area spreads around Kaski, mustang, Manang and lamjung districts of Central Nepal. Beginning from 790 meters, the highest point of the conservation areas is Annapurna ( 8091m). Villages like Ghandruk & Ghorepani provide fantastic panoraamic view of the Annapurna ranges. Equally eye catching are hills of rhododendron that blossom every spring. The turning point of the Annapurna Circut is Jomsom. the trek southeast from Jomsom leads to the scenic Tilicho Lake at an altitude of 4,919 meters. The vegetation in this region includes various species of orchids and rhododendron. Wildlife found in the conservation area includes around 100 different kinds of mammals including rare snow leopards and blue sheep. The region also boasts of around 478 species of birds including multi-colored impheyan, Koklas and blood pheasants. in addition, the region is also home to 39 species of reptiles and 22 species of amphibians. The best gateway to the region is Pokhara in kaski district and Besishahar of lamjung district both the areas are easily accessible from Kathmadnu.

Manaslu Conservation Area:
The manaslu area in gorkha district is a classic setting to experience pristine mountain nature and culture. With proposed plans for conserving the heritage of the area, it is also an ideal place for village tourism experience that Nepal is famous for. The conservation area starts at 600 meters and is crowned by the eighth highest peak in the world Mt. Manaslu at 8,163 meters. The region is home to 29 species of mammals including snow leopard, musk deer and Himalayan Tahr, There are over 20 species of birds and three species of reptiles. Vegetation includes 200 species of plants, more than 50 of which are useful for various purposes. The entrance to Manaslu Conservation Area is at Arughat between Gorkha and Dhading. Arughat can be reached by bus or car in about five to seven hours from Kathmandu. Another entrance is at Daraudi in Gorkha from where the normal route can be reached by hiking via Sirdiwas.

Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve:
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve is the only area in Nepal where licensed hunting is allowed. The reserve adjoins myagdi and Baglung district , just below the Dhaulagiri range in west Nepal. Spreading over an area of 1325 sq. kilometers, the reserve begins at 3000 meters reaching as high as 7,000 meters. Trees like fir, pine, birch, rhododendron, hemlock, oak, juniper and spruce compose the vegetation of the reserve. One of the prime attractions for hunters is the blue sheep, which is abundant in the area. huntewrs also get pheasants and partridges in viable populations for hunting. Other animals found in the reserve are leopard, ghoral, serow, Himalayan tahr, Himalayan black bear, barking deer, wild boar, rhesus macaque, langur and mouse hare. Endangered animals in the reserve are musk deer, wolf and red panda. The gateway to the region is Tansen in Gulmi district of mid west Nepal. The reserve headquarters is situated at Dhorpatan, which can be reached after three-day-trek from Tansen.

Bardiya National Park:
The Bardia National Park is Nepal's one of the best protected areas in the Terai. The park is home to the endangred Royal bengal tiger and Asian famous one- horned rhinoceros. The national Park is located Bardia district lying in far-western Nepal and is bordered by river karnali in the west, the Churia ranges in the north. The babai river flows right through the park providing wild species with an excellent habitat. The varied geographical factors together with the thick cover of sal, savannah forests and grasslands is home to 30 diffrent mammals , more than 250 species of birds, and several varieties of reptiles and aquatic species. Some of common animals found in the park are wild elephant , swamp deer, blackbuck, gharial crocodile and mugger crocodile. The exotic Gangetic Dolphin can be spoted in the karnali river. Birds include endangered varieties of Bengal florican, lesser florican, silver-eared meisa and sarus crane. The best time to visit the park is autumn, winter and early summer when the weather is warm and dry. The best way to reach the Royal Bardia national park is via Nepalgunj in banke district. Nepalgunj is connected easily accessible by air and road from Kathmandu and other in the west.

Rara National Park:
The small but exotic rara National Park lies in the far western region and offers a representative sample of the region's of the flora and fauna. Sprawled over Mugu and Jumla district, the heart of the park is the country's biggest lake, Lake Rara , from where the park got it's name. The lake is as deep as 167 meters at some places, and drains into the river Mugu karnali via Nijar Khola. The park is mainly covered with coniferous forest while the area around the lake is dominated by blue pine, rhododendrone, juniper, spruce, oak and cypress are found at around 3,000 meters while at higher altitude pine, spruce and fir are more common. The rich vegetation of the park is home to the endangered red panda, musk, deer, Himalayan black bear, leopard, jackal, Himalayan tahr, wild yellow-throated martin, wild dog, wild boar, common langur, rhesus macaque and common otter, during winter the park is enlivened with diffrent species of birds like coots, great-crested grebe, black-necked grebe, red crested pochard, mallard, common teal, merganser and gulls, migrant water fowls and gallinaceous birds can also be seen duringcertain seasons. The best time to visit the park is autumn, spring and summer. the best way to reach rara National park is from jumla. Jumla district connected to Nepalgunj, the comercial hub of the mid and far western region, by air. from Jumla the park is a two and halh days trek away.

Shey Phoksundo National Park:
The Shey Phoksundo National Park is one of the remotest national parks in nepal and one of the few areas prorecting trans- Himalayan ecology. With diverse terrain and altitude variation, the park spreads over Dolpa and Mugu districts of Mid-western region and is home to wide range of wildlife and vegetation. The Phoksundo and the Shey Monastry from where the park git its name is the major landmark of this national park. Vegetation in the park includes pine, walnut, willow, oak, poplar and cypress in the lower altitude and pine, spruce, juniper and birch at higher regions. Animals found in the park are sheep, ghoral, musk deer, leopard, wild dog, marmot, weasel, mouse hare, rhesus and langur monkeys, Himalayan tahr, Himalayan black bear, and jackals. Endangered snow leopard can be traced in the upper area of the park. Over 200 species of birds including yellow-throated marten, tibetan partridge, wood snipe, white-throated tit, wood accentor and crimson-eared rose finch are found in the park. Other species of birds found here are impeyan, cheer pheasant, chough, ravens, Tibetan snow cock, tibetan twit, brown dipper, Himalayan griffon and lammergeyer. Apart from these, the park is home to six species of reptiles and 29 species of butterfly. The shey phoksundo national Park can be reached through Juphal which is connected to Nepalgunj via air. The park is a half- day trek away from juphal. Another option to fly Jumla from where the park is a 10 to 12 days trek.

Khaptad National Park:
Khaptad National Park in west Nepal has been named after Khaptad Swami, the renowned spiritual hermit. The park with rolling hills of grasslands and forests of subtropical, temperate and sub alpine vegetation is also a rich natural habitat. The park boasts of 224 species of medicinal herbs and 270 species of birds. The common bird species in the national park are impheyan Pheasant, partridges, flycatchers, bulbuls, cuckoos and eagles. Animals found in the park are barking deer, wild boar, ghoral, Himalayan black bear, yellow-throated marten, rhesus, monkey and langur monkey. Khaptad National Park also offers pilgrimage at Tribeni on the way to its headquarters. There are several historical temples surrounding this area and an annual celebration of ganga Dashhara is held here on jestha Purnima. Another religious site is Sahara Linga at 3200 meters, the highest point of the park. Toward the northeast of the park is khaptad Lake where a festival is held every August and September. The easiest way to reach Khaptad National Park is via nepalgunj in Mid-Western Nepal. From Nepalgunj one can drive to Silgadhi to Doti district, from where the park entrance is just a hike of six-hours.

Shuklaphant Wildlife Reserve:
The open grasslands and numerous waterholes of the Shuklaphant Wildlife Reserve make it an ideal setting for game viewing and jungle safari for visitors. The wildlife reserve lies in kamchanpur district in Far-western Nepal across the Nepal-India bordwer. The reserve is a vast expanse of plain grasslands and sal forests, while marsh vegetation is found along rivers and lakes. The area that was originally reserved as a hunting area was later converted to wildlife reserve to protect swamp deer. The reserve now shelters almost 2,000 swamp deer, around 50 wild elephants and 30 tigers. Other animals found here are spotted deer, blue bulls, barking deer, hog deer, wild boars, leopards, jackals, langurs and rhesus monkeys. Among birds, the reserve is home tosarus crane, swamp francolin, grass owl, warblers, flycatchers and the endangered bengal Florican. Reptile species include mugger crocodile, cobra and python. The reserve can be reached by driving to Mahendranagar from where the reserve headquarter is only eight kilometers south. Another option is to fly Dhangadi from Kathmandu and then drive to the park via Mahendranagar.

Entry fees for National Parks, Wildlife Reserves and Conservation Areas:

Sites	Foreigners	SAARC	Nepali
National Parks
Chitwan National Park	Rs. 500 P/P	Rs. 200 P/P	Rs. 20 P/P
Everest National Park	Rs. 1000 P/P	Rs. 100 P/P	---
Bardiya National Park	Rs. 500 P/P	Rs. 200 P/P	Rs. 20 P/P
Khaptad National Park	Rs. 1000 P/P	Rs. 100 P/P	--
Langtang National Park	Rs. 1000 P/P	Rs. 100 P/P	--
Makalu Barun National Park	Rs. 1000 P/P	Rs. 100 P/P	--
Rara National Park	Rs. 1000 P/P	Rs. 100 P/P	--
Shey Phoksundo National Park	Rs. 1000 P/P	Rs. 100 P/P	--
Shivapuri National Park	Rs. 250 P/P	Rs. 250 P/P	Rs. 10 P/P
Wildlife reserves
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve	Rs. 500 P/P	Rs. 200 P/P	Rs. 20 P/P
Parsa Wildlife Reserve	Rs. 500 P/P	Rs. 200 P/P	Rs. 20 P/P
Sukla Phanta wildlife Reserve	Rs. 500 P/P	Rs. 200 P/P	Rs. 20 P/P
Conservation Areas
Annapurna Conservation Area	Rs. 2000 P/P	Rs. 200 P/P	--
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area	Rs. 1000 P/P	Rs. 200 P/P	--
Manaslu Conservation Area	Rs. 2000 P/P	Rs. 200 P/P	--
Hunting reserve
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve	Rs. 1000 P/P	Rs. 100 P/P	--