Where to Stay in Chitwan: Sauraha vs Patihani vs Meghauli
Sauraha for convenience and budget, Patihani for quiet riverside luxury, Meghauli for wild west Chitwan and tigers. How to choose the right area and room for your trip.
Updated 4 October 2026
Chitwan National Park is big – 952 km² – and where you stay shapes your whole trip. Our rooms are in three areas, each with a different feel.
Sauraha: lively, walkable and great value
Sauraha sits at the park's main entrance on the Rapti River. You can walk to the canoe point, the Tharu villages, the elephant breeding centre and the riverbank for sunset, and there are plenty of cafés.
- Best for: first-timers, budget and mid-range travellers, families, short stays
- Rooms here: Deluxe Garden Room, Tharu Art Cottage, Family Apartment, budget rooms
Patihani: quiet riverside luxury
On the southern bank of the Rapti, about 20 km from Bharatpur Airport, Patihani is calm and green. The lodges here are newer and more upmarket, with river-view rooms and private-pool villas.
- Best for: couples, honeymoons, families who want a pool villa
- Rooms here: Plunge Pool Villa, Courtyard Garden Villa, Family Pool Villa
Meghauli: wild west Chitwan
West Chitwan has big grasslands, fewer visitors and some of the best tiger habitat in Nepal. Lodges are spread out and feel remote.
- Best for: serious wildlife lovers, tiger tracking, photographers, luxury
- Rooms here: Thatched Boutique Jungle Hut, Riverside Presidential Pool Suite
Something different: a night in the forest
Our Jungle Tower Night puts you in a wooden tower inside the community forest with a guide and ranger. Basic, unforgettable.
Quick answer
If it's your first visit and you have two nights, stay in Sauraha. If you want peace and a pool of your own, choose Patihani. If tigers are the goal, go to Meghauli for three nights or more.