I chose Machan, because they offer neat little two day packages and are one of the seven lodges actually situated in the park. It is also easy to get there by a luxury Green line bus from Kathmandu leaving early in the morning with a stop for breakfast . This got me close to the lodge by midday, from where I was picked up by a lodge driver and driven to Machan just in time for lunch.

On arrival I was offered a drink and given a little orientation on the amenities. The staff are young and friendly and for anyone visiting solo, they go out of their way to be helpful including introducing you to other guests. Although the lodge is designed in a simple manner, guests have charming little timber framed cabins painted by the local Tharu women with their popular Mithili art. Each cabin is named after a local bird. The cabins are rustic but extremely comfortable and there is ample hot water. After the orientation and a buffet lunch, I had my first elephant ride. From a raised platform I clambered onto the elephant and with the other riders set out for a leisurely lope through the tall elephant grass. Shanti Kali was surefooted and in keeping with the elephant god Ganesha she moved every obstacle out of her way, including uprooting small trees in her path.

With the undulating motion I felt like I was riding the ocean. I shared the elephant ride with a Japanese couple and their translator/guide. It was a long ride and we spotted the one horned rhinoceros and some wild boar. We also caught glimpses of barking deer, spotted deer and sambhar deer. The phanit, driver, sitting on the elephants neck, was eager to please us and goaded Shanti Kali to places that may interest us, by drumming his knees or thighs against her head close to her head. He also used a hooked iron goad which I later found out does not hurt the elephant.

Back at the camp it was time for relaxation. There is a nice little swimming pool, books can be borrowed from a small library and drinks can be bought at the bar. There was a lively group visiting from South India with a professional woman singer. After a buffet style dinner we gathered around the camp fire and listen to her sing. It slowly turned into a camp singalong with well known Hindi and English songs. On My first night I returned to the cabin to get a good rest and happily found a hot water bottle warming my bed. (I visited in early December.)

On day number two I was woken up before sunrise and greeted with a lovely cup of tea. We rode the elephants again in the predawn mist to watch the sunrise and look for wildlife. This time we found tiger paw marks but no tiger. I shared my elephant ride with a young couple from Kathmandu.

After breakfast there was a lecture and a bird walk in the forest with a guide. (There are strict rules that one always walks in the forest with a guide.) There are over 400 kinds of birds in Chitwan and as many as 67 species of butterflies have been identified in the vicinity of Machan. After lunch we were driven to the Rapti river where we rode in dugout canoes on a leisurely river trip. At the destination we were picked up by jeeps and driven back.

Machan is open all year long and during the summer months the river is more abundant. In getting to the lodge I had crossed the river in a vehicle at a part where the water was very low. During the monsoon guests can only cross on elephant back.

On the second evening local Tharu villagers come in to sing and dance. They have a wonderful stick dance which is very lively. They also like to interact and If you do not get up to dance you may be approached. I found it pretty difficult to not be moved by their joyousness and join in. Machan is small enough to get to know your fellow guests and develop friendships. However, it seems quite popular for honeymoon couples (there were two while I was there), so there is also the space for couples or people who would like to spend time alone.

One of the highlights for me was getting to know an elephant. On the last morning we were taken to spend some time with an elephant and if we wanted, to take a little ride barebacked. We were told how much they eat and drink, and shown the mixture of grass and cereal that they eat. Each elephant needs at least two handlers. The elephants and trainers become very attached. For me one of the most interesting pieces of information was that elephants sleep standing up for about three hours at a time. If they lie down for any length of time it would damage their internal organs. If they have a full lifespan, they work from age 15 - 50, and then they get about 10 years of retirement. I turned down the offer of a bareback ride but sat on a knee and patted this good-natured creature.

I found the visit to the camp highly educational as well as relaxing. Although I visited solo I felt a strong friendship with both visitors and staff. I never really expected to be pampered in the jungle but pampered I was. My visit to Machan and the jungle is one of the aspects of Nepal that I will always cherish.

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