Sapana Village Lodge

A small group of business friends drove together from KTM to visit Chitwan Park and we booked one night at Sapana Village Lodge. The experience was top notch from the welcome we received to the relaxing patios, our rooms and - the best part - the jeep safari into the park. We took a half day tour with Janak and he was the best guide and naturalist we could have had. He knew to shepherd us quickly to our jeep and get a head start in front of the crowds. He was very knowledgeable about the birds - able to identify them visually as well as by their calls - and all of the wildlife that we saw along the way. He made sure that we saw as much wildlife as possible, even toward the end of the safari taking a small side trip to see a rhino. It's clear he loves his job and sharing his knowledge with us - I highly recommend him as your guide. The best part was we were fortunate enough to cross paths with a bengal tiger - once in a lifetime experience. I hope to get back to SVL again next time I'm in Nepal!

I stayed here for 2 nights and 1 day and had the best experience at sapana lodge. I signed up for the giants walk and a cycle village tour with Dinesh Giri and he was such an amazing guide all around with great English and easy to understand. With the village tour, he explains all about the culture, the people, how they use their plants and resources and answered all of my questions. He also is very knowledgeable about all the animals in chitwan (he even goes by the bird man). The giants walk with the elephants was wonderful and I got to see how well they treat the elephants here as he explains the history and information about the Asian elephants. Even got to see a surprise rhino! Once in a life time experience and would highly recommend a tour with Dinesh and staying at Sapana lodge.

Our stay at Sapana Village Lodge was truly exceptional. All of the staff was welcoming and kind, the grounds beautiful, the food and drinks delicious, and the activities created memories we will always treasure. Our guides -- Dinesh, Hemanta, and Sahil - were extremely knowledgeable and competent and really made our experience extra special. Dinesh guided our village tour, jeep safari, and birdwatching walk, and he is passionate about the land and wildlife conservation and could identify every bird in the region. We also loved having him teach us about the local history and customs. Hemanta and Sahil guided our canoe trip and jungle walk and are also experts on the local wildlife and ecosystem and kept us safe with a close encounter with a rhino. I would whole heartedly recommend staying at Sapana and would love to return if I am lucky enough one day!

Overpriced, overhyped, and overwhelmingly disappointing I genuinely don’t understand the rave reviews about Sapana Village Lodge, my stay felt more like a lesson in what not to do in hospitality. Sure, the view is lovely… but you can’t sleep on a view. The room? Dim, musty, and crawling with ants quite the “rustic charm,” if that’s what you’re into. The bathroom felt like it hadn’t seen a proper cleaning in ages, and the linens had a damp, moldy smell that made me question everything. The service was painfully slow and disorganized. I waited over an hour for dinner and when it finally arrived, it was bland, lukewarm, and overpriced. The staff were friendly, but the whole place felt like it was running on guesswork and good intentions rather than actual management. What really pushed me over the edge was the outrageous pricing for activities. They charge a premium for basic excursions like canoe rides and jungle walks and we later found the exact same experiences literally down the road for half the price, with better guides and no pushy upselling. It felt like they were taking advantage of guests who didn’t know any better. If you’re into paying luxury prices for a mediocre lodge and a side of frustration, then maybe this is the place for you.