What to bring for a safari in Chitwan

What to wear on a Chitwan safari

Stick to neutral, earthy colors: khaki, olive, tan, brown or soft gray. Bright colors and white stand out to animals and show the dust in no time. Dark blue and black attract some biting insects and get hot in the sun, so save them for the evenings.

Long, light trousers and long-sleeved shirts are the most useful things you can pack. They protect you from sun, grass cuts, insects and leeches, and in thin cotton or quick-dry fabric they’re cooler than they sound. Shorts are fine around the lodge and in Sauraha.

Outside the tourist areas, Nepal is a conservative country. On a Tharu village walk, cover your shoulders and knees as a courtesy.

What to bring to Chitwan by season

Morning jeep drives are colder than the thermometer suggests, thanks to the wind and river mist. Even in October or March, a fleece for the first hour is well worth carrying. Check the best time to visit Chitwan for the weather month by month.

Footwear for jeeps, canoes and walks

For a jungle walk, closed shoes with good grip are essential, and light hiking shoes or trail runners are ideal. You don’t need heavy boots. Sandals are fine in town and for a jeep drive, but not on foot in the forest.

Canoe trips start and finish on muddy riverbanks, so wear shoes you don’t mind getting dirty. Long socks pulled up over your trousers help against ticks and leeches, especially after rain.

Insect protection and health kit

• Insect repellent with DEET or picaridin, especially for dawn and dusk.
• Long sleeves for evenings by the river, when mosquitoes are at their most active.
• Leech socks in the monsoon, plus salt or repellent for removing leeches.
• Sunscreen, lip balm with SPF, and after-sun lotion.
• Your personal medicines in their original packaging, plus a small first-aid kit with bandages and antiseptic.
• Rehydration salts and basic stomach medicine.
• Any antimalarials or vaccines your travel clinic recommends; the safety guide has more on malaria and mosquitoes.

Binoculars, camera and power

Binoculars make the biggest difference to what you see, especially with birds and with rhinos at a distance in tall grass. Guides often carry a pair, but sharing one pair around a jeep is frustrating, to put it mildly. A pair of 8x or 10x per person is ideal for bird watching.

For photos, a zoom lens in the 200–400 mm range covers most wildlife, and phones do well for landscapes and close rhino encounters. Bring a dust cover or plastic bag for the jeep, and a dry bag for canoe trips.

Nepal uses 230 V power, with round-pin sockets of several types, so a universal adapter is the safest bet. Power cuts are less common than they once were, but a power bank is still useful on long days out.

What to carry on each outing

A full-day jeep drive or walk can last 7–9 hours, with few places to buy anything. Carry at least a liter of water per person (more from April to June), plus snacks if lunch isn’t included. A small towel or bandana helps with the dust on jeep tracks.

Canoe rides are short, but you sit low on the water with no shade, so a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen matter more than you might expect. Keep phones and cameras in a zip bag in case of splashes as you get in and out.

For a jungle tower night, add a headlamp, a warm layer, earplugs and anything else you need for a basic overnight, as the facilities are simple.

Cash and documents

Carry some Nepali rupees in small notes for tips, drinks and snacks, since card acceptance varies outside the larger hotels. Keep your passport with you, too, because park permits are issued in your name. A copy of your travel insurance details is also worth having on you.

Keep spare cash and cards in your room safe or a separate pocket rather than all in one wallet, and bring a small dry bag for documents on canoe rides and monsoon trips.

What not to bring to Chitwan

• Bright, white or patterned clothing for safari activities.
• Strong perfume or scented lotion on safari days; it attracts insects, and animals notice it.
• Drones: flying them in or near the national park isn’t allowed without official permission.
• Single-use plastic bottles, if you can avoid them; most lodges offer refills.
• Heavy hiking boots and piles of spare outfits. Laundry is easy and cheap in Sauraha.
• Food to feed wildlife. Feeding animals isn’t allowed, and it’s harmful to them.

If you’re combining Chitwan with a trek, the trekking and safari itinerary explains how to split your gear between the two.