---
title: "Bis Hazari Tal: The Twenty Thousand Lakes Near Chitwan"
canonical: "https://lokoon.com/blog/bis-hazari-tal"
author: "Lokoon"
published: "2026-11-15T04:48:20.828791+00:00"
modified: "2026-11-15T04:48:20.829052+00:00"
kind: "blog"
---

# Bis Hazari Tal: The Twenty Thousand Lakes Near Chitwan

> A cluster of forest lakes in Chitwan's buffer zone offers birds, crocodiles and a peaceful half day away from the main safari routes.

Visitors to Chitwan generally spend their time inside the national park, on the far side of the Rapti River. A short distance to the north-west, in a belt of community-managed forest, lies a wetland that many miss. Bis Hazari Tal, the "Twenty Thousand Lakes", is a system of shallow oxbow lakes, marshes and pools set in sal forest, and it makes an easy, rewarding outing by bicycle or jeep.
What it is
The lakes sit in a strip of woodland that links Chitwan National Park with the hills to the north, a corridor used by animals moving between the lowlands and the foothills. The wetland covers several thousand hectares and is recognised as internationally important under the Ramsar Convention.
The name is not a count. One explanation ties it to the area of land, in a traditional unit of measure; another simply to the impression of water everywhere after the rains. In practice there are a few main lakes and many smaller ponds, connected by channels in the wet season.
Wildlife
Birds are the main draw. The lakes attract resident and migratory species, including storks, herons, egrets, cormorants, darters, kingfishers, jacanas, fish eagles and, in winter, numerous ducks from the north. A casual visitor will see dozens of species in a couple of hours; a keen birder with a guide many more.
Crocodiles. Mugger crocodiles bask on the banks and float with only their eyes showing. They are easy to spot from the paths and watchtowers.
Mammals. Spotted deer, wild boar and monkeys are common in the forest. Rhinoceroses use the corridor and are sometimes seen wallowing at the lake edges. Tigers and leopards pass through, though you are unlikely to meet one.
Getting there
The lakes lie roughly an hour to ninety minutes from Sauraha, the main tourist base for Chitwan.
- By bicycle. The classic way. The ride follows quiet village roads, then a forest track, for about twenty kilometres each way on flat ground. Start early, carry water and take a guide or a good offline map, since turnings are not always marked. Bicycles can be rented in Sauraha.

- By jeep. Lodges arrange half-day trips, often combined with a drive through the community forest, where wildlife sightings are possible on the way.

- By motorbike or scooter, for those with a licence.

An entry fee is collected at a checkpost for the community forest.
At the lakes
A path circles part of the main lake, with a watchtower giving a view over the water. Benches are set at intervals. Walk slowly and quietly, keep to the path and stay well back from the water's edge; crocodiles are fast over short distances.
Small tea stalls near the entrance sell drinks and snacks. There is a picnic area that is popular with local families on Saturdays, when it is noticeably noisier.
Allow two hours at the site, plus travel.
When to go
- October to March: the best season. Migratory waterbirds are present from about November to February, the weather is mild, and the forest tracks are dry.

- Early morning has the most bird activity and the softest light.

- April and May: hot, with water levels falling and animals concentrating at the remaining pools.

- June to September: the lakes are full and green but tracks are muddy and access can be difficult.

What to bring
Binoculars, a bird guide or identification app, water, sun protection, insect repellent and long trousers. Wear muted colours if you are serious about birding.
Combining it with other activities
A good day from Sauraha might run as follows.
- Dawn canoe trip on the river.

- Breakfast.

- Cycle to the lakes through villages and forest.

- Picnic lunch at the lakeside.

- Ride back in the afternoon, stopping at a Tharu village.

Alternatively, visit on the way to or from the highway, since the access track leaves the main road between the towns of Bharatpur and Ratnanagar.
Why it deserves a morning
The national park is the headline, and rightly. The community forests around it are where much of the day-to-day work of conservation happens, managed by local user groups who earn income from entry fees and use it for schools, roads and anti-poaching patrols. Visiting puts money directly into that system.
It is also a gentler experience than a safari. There is no engine noise and no convoy, only a level track through tall trees, the plop of a kingfisher and, round a bend, a sheet of still water with a crocodile on the far bank and a line of cormorants drying their wings. After a few days of early starts and dusty jeeps, a quiet morning at the lakes is a welcome change of pace.

Source: https://lokoon.com/blog/bis-hazari-tal