Terai Region

The Terai region is composed of a 26 to 32 km wide broad belt of alluvial and fertile plain in the southern part of the country. This belt extends from the westernmost part of the country to the eastern limit and covers about 17% of the total land area.

In between the Chure hills, rising abruptly to the north of the southern plains and the Mahabharat range, are a number of low valleys called "Duns". The Duns resemble the Terai in relief and climate and are also called the Inner Terai. The Chure range running east west across the country is shaped like a hedge. The hills of this range are rather sparsely forested, averaging 600 to 1220 meters in altitude and 8-16 km in breadth. The soil is immature and dry.

Lumbini
Situated at the Terai plains of the southern Nepal, Lumbini is the place where Siddhartha Gautam, the Shakya Prince and the ultimate Buddha, the Enlighted One, was born in 623 BC. The sacred place, marked by a stone pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka of India in 249 BC, is listed as one of the World Heritage Sites.

Today the holy site is being developed with international support as the supreme Buddhist pilgrimage and a symbol of world peace. The shrines and monastries that many countries have built or are still building reflect the architectural traditions of the respective countries, and thus giving Lumbini an international feel with a message of universal friendship and brotherhood.

About 30km east of Lumbini is the village of Tilaurakot which is believed to have been the location of the Kapilvastu royal palace where the Buddha grew up as the Shakya dynasty prince, until he renounced it at the age of 29 in search of enlightenment.

Attractions:
Sacred Garden
Ashoka pillar
Mayadevi Temple
Puskarni pond
Kushinagar
Bodhgaya
The Lumbini Museum
Lumbini International Research Institute (LIRI)
Kapilvastu Museum

Janakpur
Named after the legendary King Janak, Janakpur was the capital of the ancient Indian Kingdom Mithila, the native country of goddess Sita, the wife of the Hindu god Rama and the heroine of the great Hindu epic Ramayana. Today Janakpur stands as the most cleanest and interesting place among all the towns of Terai.

Janakpur has become a great piligrimage site for Hindus today. The most sacred sites are the Janaki Mandir, dedicated to goddess Sita, the Ram Sita bibaha(marriage) mandir, built over the spot where Ram and Sita were said to be married, Ram Mandir, dedicated to god Ram and the holy pond Dhanush Sagar. Hundreds of Indian devotees come here every year to pay their respect to the goddess at this temple.

Besides the religious importance, Janakpur is also the center for the revival of the ancient Mithila art and craft. As a tradition, Mithila women have always been decorating the walls of their houses with paintings depicting figures from Hindu mythology in abstract forms, sometimes resembling a mandala.


Chitwan National Park.
For a country known for its beautiful mountains, the Gangetic flat lands of the Terai that stretches through out the southern part of Nepal provide a wholly different experience. (See the separate section on the Terai for more details.) A visit to Nepal remains incomplete without seeing the beauty of the Terai.

And Chitwan is the best place to do so. The Royal Chitwan National Park, established in 1973, provides a great wildlife experience with its rich flora and fauna –read further for more details. The wildlife and the landscape are not as breathtaking as those found in Africa but still, the experience will stand out.

Chitwan is only 150m above the sea level. The place gets steamy from March-June, with peak temperatures reaching 43°C in the shade. Short grass makes Feb-May the best game-viewing season, but the autumn months are gorgeous, with Himalayan views, and in winter (December-January), Chitwan is pleasantly warmed compared to Kathmandu. The monsoon season (July-August) is intense, with pounding rain, swollen rivers, and luxuriant vegetation. While the rain isn't constant, the humidity is all pervasive.


Bardia National Park
The Royal Bardia National Park is the largest and most undisturbed wild area of the Terai. Simialar to Chitwan but drier and more remote, it encompasses 1,000 square km of riverine grassland and sal forests. Bardia has the country's second largest tiger population, plus blackbuck antelopes, a few wild elephants, Gharial crocodiles, birds and mammals, and some rare Gangetic dolphins in the Karnali River on its western border.

You can camp near the warden's office, but bring all your supplies. Significantly, nobody's done it yet. The sole accommodations are Tiger Tops Karnali Lodge and its tented camp on the bank of the Churia river.

Getting there
The Terai is far more accessible than the hills of Nepal for the simple reason that it is geographically flat and hence roads are easier to build. The major highway, Mahendra Rajmarga, that cuts across Nepal linking its eastern region with the western region goes through the Terai. And, most Terai towns, such as Bhairawa, Janakpur, Birgunj, Nepalgunj, Biratnagar etc., are linked to this highway through 20-50km long access roads.

Regular buses travel between these towns, Kathmandu, and Pokhara daily, and cost a few dollars (US$2-US$5, depending on distance). The buses are not that comfortable, but they take you places.

There are also regular flights several times a week from Kathmandu to Biratnagar, Bhairawa, Nepalgunj, Jankpur, and Birgunj. A couple of days' advance purchase is recommended.


Accommodation
Being not much of a popular tourist destination, the Terai does not provide very good accomodation facilities except in the case of Chitwan. Most of the towns mentioned above do have some simple options, but they are often quite "interesting". The cost is likely to be from US$2 per night to, perhaps, US$10. Shop around, you may be lucky enough to find a decent place. Janakpur, Birgunj, and Bhairawa have better lodges than others.

Dining
Again, not much of a choice. You can find many Indian food serving stalls around town. There may be a few restaurants, but they are very basic. Be careful with water and other raw uncooked food items.