An evening in a Tharu village near the park

The Tharu have lived in the far-west Terai for centuries, farming rice and lentils, fishing the rivers and gathering from the forest. Many villages around Bardia keep their traditional building style: long houses of timber and reed plastered with mud and cow dung, with tall clay granaries inside and painted decorations on the walls. Most of the naturalists who guide in Bardia come from these communities, and many grew up with tigers, rhinos and elephants close to their homes.

We walk with a guide from the village in the late afternoon, along tracks between fields and fish ponds, as families return from work and cattle are brought home. Our guide explains how the community has dealt with life beside the park: crop raiding by elephants, losses of livestock to tigers, and the community forests and conservation programmes that now share some of the income from tourism. Villages around Bardia have been central to the recovery of its wildlife.

The walk ends with tea or a simple meal in a family home, often fish curry, rice, greens and pickles, cooked on a mud stove. Some households also make baskets, fishing nets and leaf plates, which you can see being made. Visits are arranged with families who are paid directly for their time. Please ask before taking photographs and leave shoes outside if invited in. The visit is easy and suits all ages, and it fits well into a rest afternoon between safaris.