Gallery: on the Narayani River
In the early morning mist we drifted slowly with the current, our boat man using his single oar simply to steer us. Here on the Narayani River, which skirts the northern boundary of Chitwan National Park in Nepal, the setting was beautiful, the atmosphere tranquil.
On our river ‘safari’ here we saw relatively little wildlife. Instead I was entranced by the early morning misty landscape. And when it came to photos, I was most taken by the shapes of the dead trees that had once been swept up by the currents but now lay abandoned on the river bed or on tiny pebble islands.
Here are some examples, shared for Cee’s ‘Weathered Wood’ challenge.
Crocodiles
I can’t finish without mentioning the wildlife we did see, which included a handful of gharial crocodiles on the banks. In places they seemed to echo the shapes of the driftwood – until they moved!
This critically endangered species once thrived in all the major river systems of the northern Indian subcontinent. But by 1976, according to Wikipedia, fewer than 200 gharials were estimated to survive. And by 2003 the Chitwan population had declined to only 38 wild gharials. Today the population has been partially restored thanks to breeding programmes. Nevertheless fewer than 200 breeding adults survive in the wild in Nepal. We were fortunate to see them here.
I visited Chitwan in October 2022
39 Comments
wetanddustyroads
Beautiful! Misty conditions on a river always make great photos – yours are exactly that! And good to see a crocodile … from a distance and in a stable boat 😉.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂 Yes, this light was lovely for photography, I took loads! Apparently we don’t need worry about a crocodile on the bank, as it’s full and resting. It’s the ones in the water hunting for food we need to be wary of. But I’d still want to keep my distance, just in case!
equinoxio21
INteresting. This reminded me a ride up the Victoria Nile in Uganda, towards the Murchison falls. Full of crocs. (And hippos)
Sarah Wilkie
No hippos here, but we saw plenty in Botswana a few years ago!
equinoxio21
I was raised in Africa, west and east, but not in Botswana. I hear it is quite beautiful. 👍🏻
Sarah Wilkie
Very, especially the Okavango Delta 🙂
equinoxio21
You beat me there.
At least twice. Nepal and Okavango.
😉👏🏻
Sarah Wilkie
I’m sure there are plenty you’d beat me on!
Forestwood
Crocodiles are not on my favourite list, but not good to hear they are endangered. Hope the conservation efforts can help.
Sarah Wilkie
They do seem to be making a difference. The breeding centres collect the eggs, nurture them, and release the babies when old and strong enough to cope. But still many don’t survive.
bluebrightly
I can sense the steamy atmosphere in your photos, Sarah. Nice!
Sarah Wilkie
Not so much steamy as it was quite cool – it only got hot here in the middle of the day 🙂
Alison
Quite spooky and so atmospheric, not sure I could be quite so nonchalant about those crocs!
Sarah Wilkie
They always say crocs aren’t a threat when they’re on the bank as they’re full from a recent meal and sleeping it off. It’s when they’re in the water and hunting you need to be very cautious. But I’m fine with them as long as I’m in a boat 🙂
Alison
I wouldn’t want to put that to the test!
Amy
Love how you captured these dead trees. Such a beautiful, peaceful place. The third is my favorite.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Amy 😊 I had to go back to check which was number three – an interesting choice! My own favourite is, I think, the second one down 🙂
Amy
Beautiful set of images. It was hard to choose my favorite. 😊
grandmisadventures
there is something so atmospheric about the fog rolling over those pieces of driftwood
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, the whole landscape was really atmospheric that early in the morning. We did the same trip the previous day in the afternoon and it looked very different – still lovely, just different!
photobyjohnbo
It’s good to see that there is progress in restoring the population. I’m afraid over then next quarter century that there will be many more species in danger from climate change.
Sarah Wilkie
Unfortunately I’m sure you are right – although I reckon there are others that may thrive because of the changes?
salsaworldtraveler
Great shots for the challenge! You were lucky to see such an endangered species. Thanks for sharing these photos.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂 We didn’t realise at the time how lucky we were to see them, as there were several on the banks that morning. Only later did I hear they were endangered.
Mike and Kellye Hefner
How interesting, Sarah. I love the photos and hearing about the crocodiles. It’s always sad to hear of a species going extinct. I’m glad you shared them with us.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😊 They’re doing a good conservation job here with both rhinos and these gharials recovering their numbers.
Mike and Kellye Hefner
That is good to hear. I can’t stand the thought of species going extinct when we humans can do something about it.
thehungrytravellers.blog
There’s a real eeriness to your morning photos, the tree skeletons must have taken on a ghostly appearance in the mist. And as others have said, the “stalking” shot is a shot and a half! The morning photos speak of silence…..was it as quiet as it looks?
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, it was a bit eerie, and quiet too, apart from some bird calls from time to time. Oh, and the slightly annoying sound of a fellow passenger’s phone camera which for some inexplicable reason he had on a five second delay setting with a countdown bleep! A nice guy apart from that but I really wanted to grab the phone and change the settings for him (crazy one to use anyway in a wildlife location!)
thehungrytravellers.blog
Change the settings? What….as in….lob it in the water?!?
Sarah Wilkie
Haha 🤣🤣 Yes that did occur to me very briefly but he was a nice guy, as I said. I just felt he didn’t understand the different options. And it wasn’t really annoying, just an occasional bleep in an otherwise silent world.
100 Country Trek
This brings memories back of our time there in Nepal. Thanks for sharing this. Anita
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you – always glad to revive someone’s great memories of a place!
Cee Neuner
I so adore your post. Thanks Sarah for joining in in the fun this week. I adore your last photo 😀 😀
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Cee 😊 That last photo was a serendipitous, fun capture – I like how the croc appears to be looking directing at the guy!
Wind Kisses
Wow. Your detailed descriptions of the sites from your “safari”, place us right next to you (almost). It seems like the quiet with the sound of the oar would be so relaxing. The riverbank was more of an art gallery, wasn’t it?
And you were right, the crocs “echo the shapes of the driftwood”.
Welcome home. What a grand trip.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Donna 🙂 It was very relaxing, yes, and I see what you mean about the art gallery!
margaret21
What a chance! To see that gharial! Though I would have given it a wide and respectful berth … Wonderful waterside wood too.
Sarah Wilkie
We saw several and I didn’t appreciate at the time how rare they are. It was only when we got to another national park later in the trip, Bardia, that I learned more about how they are breeding them and reintroducing them to the rivers.