Nepal is a land of extreme contrasts in climate and geography. It has a unique topography ranging from lowlands with sub-tropical jungles to arctic conditions in the Himalayan highlands. Within a mere 150-kms, the land rises from near sea level in the south to over 8,000m in the North. This together with the monsoon rainfall along the south facing slopes, has resulted in compacting virtually all climate zones found on planet earth. As a result, Nepal has been endowed with a great diversity of life-zones providing a home for a large variety of plants, birds and animals. The Terai lowland are defined by a belt of well-watered floodplains streching from the Indian border northward to the first slopes of the Bhabhar and the Shiwalik range. This is the richest habitat in the land with tall grasslands interspersed with riverine and hardwood sal forest. Here one can see wildlife such as the Swamp Deer, Musk Deer, Black Buck, Blue Bull, the Royal Bengal Tiger, Gharial and Mugger Crocodiles and the last of a breed of Asiatic Wild Buffalo. This area is also rich in birdlife with variety of Babblers and Orioles, Koels and Drongos, Peacocks and Floricans, and a multitude of wintering Wildfowl.

The Protected Areas In Terai Region
There are five protected areas in Nepal-Koshi Tappu and Parsa in the east, Sukla Phanta and Dhorpatan for hunting in the west and Shivapuri in the mid-mountain region. The churia, also known as the siwalik, is the southern most range of the himalaya. No where do there rise above 1,220 meters. This range is famous for fossil deposits of pleistocene mammals, among them 10 species of Elephants, 6 Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, Sabre-Toothed Cats, various Antelopes and Primates such as the Orangutan, long extinct in the Subcontinent. Situated north of the Churia are broad, low valleys of the Inner Terai known as the Doons. These valleys are not unlike the outer plains with Tall Elephant Grass, swamps and Ox-bow lakes where the last of the one horned Rhinoceros survive. Royal Chitwan National Park in the Inner Terai of central Nepal is the first and best protected area in the kingdom. Once one if the most famous big game hunting areas in Asia. Chitwan now offers protection to a large array of mammals such as the One-Horned Rhinoceros, Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear and the Gaur (Wild Bison) as well as more than 400 species of birds. Higher in the north between 2,000 and 3,500m lies the Mahabharat Range with its Oak crowned crests. The hills of this mildland are covered by a moist temperate forest of Deodar, Oak, Maple and Birch in which are found Deer, Ghoral, Serow, Leopard and Monkey. The gorgeous multicolored Impeyan Pheasant (Nepal's National Bird) is also found here with other endangered birds like the Koklas and Cheer Pleasants.

Protected Areas In The Mahabharat Range
Protected areas in this zone include Khaptad National Park in the far-west, Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, northwest of Pokhara and Shivapuri Wildlife Sanctuary near Kathmandu valley higher still, nearer the snowline, are the alpine mountain flanks which are the haunt of Snow Leopard, which preys on blue wheep and the Himalayan Tahr. Rarely seen are the Wolf, Black and Brown Bears and Lynx. The Sherpas, Managba, and Dolpa-Bas are some of those who farm and graze their livestock on the high mountain pastures. Langtang, Sagarmatha (Everest), Shey-Phoksundo and Rara National Parks are the protected high altitude areas of Nepal.

Nepal's climate range from tropical in the lowlands to arctic in the higher altitudes. Above 90% of the rain falls during the monsoon June to September. Vegetation is at its lushes during this season. The best time is October and November to visit the high altitude Himalayan parks.

The winter months, between December and February, attract large number of visitors to the lowland parks. Koshi Tappu, Parsa, Chitwan, Bardia and Sukla Phanta are best visit during this time. This is also good time to observe wintering birds, including Wildfowl and Waders. From March to May, it is warm at lower altitudes and cool above 3,000m. This is an ideal time to visit high altitude nature sanctuaries of Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, Rara, Khaptad, Shivapuri, Makalu-Barun and Dhorpatan. This is when the Rhododendron and alpine flowers burst into bloom.