Amaltari, Nawalpur
Amaltari Village Day
Cross the river to Amaltari, a village of Tharu farmers and Bote boat people, for a walk through the fields, a boat trip on the Narayani and a home-cooked lunch.
from US$60per person
Trips on the Narayani
Every trip starts at your hotel in Bharatpur with a local guide, and any of them can be made private, just for you. Not sure which one to choose? Tell us how much time you have, and we'll help.
Half-day and day trips
You'll be back at your hotel the same day.
Bis Hajari Tal, Barandabhar forest
Bis Hajari Tal Wetland Walk
A guided morning walk around the forest lakes of Bis Hajari Tal, a Ramsar-listed wetland near Bharatpur, looking for herons, storks, kingfishers and winter ducks.
from US$40per person
Devghat
Devghat at Sunrise
Reach the confluence before the crowds, just as pilgrims come down to bathe and the mist lifts off two rivers. You'll be back in Bharatpur for breakfast.
from US$35per person
Devghat, Narayangadh and the riverbank
Narayani River Day Tour
The whole river story in a single day: the Devghat confluence in the morning, a riverbank bird walk and lunch in the afternoon, and dusk on the Narayangadh waterfront.
from US$65per person
Narayangadh waterfront
Riverside Evening Ride
An easy bike ride along the Narayani waterfront and through riverside villages, with stops for street snacks, ending at dusk on the riverbank.
from US$30per person
Overnight
A night with a family in a community homestay by the river, meals included.
Amaltari community homestay
A Night by the Narayani
An afternoon and a night with a family at the Amaltari homestay: the river at dusk, a village dance, an early morning on the water, and the drive back the next day.
from US$120per person
Which trip suits you?
Six trips can look like a lot to choose from when all you've got is a weekend in Bharatpur. Here's how we'd pick, depending on how much time you have and what you'd most like to see.
If you've got a few hours
- The Riverside Evening Ride starts at 15:30 and takes about three hours, on around 12 km of flat paths and quiet lanes. It's the gentle one: an easy pedal, tea at a riverside stall and dusk at a bend in the river.
- Devghat at Sunrise is for early risers. We collect you at 5:45, and you're back at your hotel by about 9:15, having watched the pilgrims come down to bathe where the two rivers meet.
- The Bis Hajari Tal Wetland Walk is the one for bird lovers: a morning of about 4½ hours, with roughly 5 km on forest trails, binoculars to borrow and a packed breakfast by the water.
If you've got a whole day
- One day and a wish to see as much of the river as you can? Take the Narayani River Day Tour: Devghat in the morning, a bird walk on the gravel banks after lunch, and the Narayangadh waterfront as the lights come on. Devghat is already part of it, so you won't need the sunrise trip as well.
- If people interest you more than places, choose the Amaltari Village Day. It's about an hour and a quarter each way by car, and the day belongs to Tharu and Bote families: the fields, the little museum, a boat on the river and lunch in someone's home.
If you can stay the night
A Night by the Narayani gives you an afternoon in Amaltari, an evening of dances and an early morning on the water while the mist is still lying on it. It starts at 13:00 and has you back in Bharatpur at about 14:30 the next day, in good time for an afternoon bus or flight. Both Amaltari trips go to the same village, so you'll usually want one or the other.
Putting two together
The short trips are timed so they fit around each other. Devghat at sunrise or the wetland walk in the morning, a rest (or a nap, we won't tell) at your hotel, then the evening ride at 15:30 makes a full and happy day. Send us your dates and we'll check both are running.
A word on the seasons
Most trips are at their best from October to April, and the wetland walk from November to March, when the winter birds are in. From late June to September the monsoon fills the river: some trips change, and boat trips may be swapped for a longer village walk. Our guide to visiting the Narayani has more on choosing your month.