Until 50 years ago, the name of Sauraha was limited to the vicinity. It now extends to Devauli in the north, Padampur in the south, Khairhani in the east and Bharatpur in the west. There is also a legend that this place became Sauraha by corrupting the name of Souri fish.

In 2030, the then Shahi Chitwan National Park was established. At that time, the first ticket counter of the park was established at Sauraha. Then the tourist rush started, Sauraha started gaining fame. 

In the early days, even 200 tourists came to Sauraha every year, it was too much. Currently, the annual 'occupancy' of the hotel is limited to 60 to 70 percent when about 200,000 tourists come annually. Supply and demand have not matched or Sauraha has not been able to market and 'brand' itself. However, anyone who comes to visit Chitwan will not be without Sauraha. Some people think that Chitwan means Sauraha. 

is located at the edge of Sauraha Park, 6 km from the East-West Highway. The confluence of Rapti and Dhungre rivers is here. The Sauraha that we have seen today has not easily reached this state. The saying 'Rome was not built in a day' is consistent with Sauraha. After a long period of ups and downs, Sauraha has become a well-established tourist destination. 50 years ago when the ticket counter for park entry came into operation, 'Rhinoceros Wildlife Camp Resort' was set up commercially near Sauraha. A counter was set up for tourists coming there to buy tickets for park entry. Later the auditorium housing this counter was converted into a visitor center. No attempt was made to restore it after the flood damage. 

After the 2033 year 'Rhino Wildlife', 'Elephant Camp' was established in Sauraha. Currently both these hotels have been closed. At that time, tourists coming to Sauraha used to stay in local houses due to lack of hotels. They used to spend two/three days in the house. Gharbas, as we now call it, actually came into use at that time. Local hotels were attracted to expand their business as they began to earn income from sleeping in their homes and serving cooked food. After 'Elephant Camp', 'Park Cottage' was opened. Around the year 2036, Giridhari Chaudhary established 'Wendy's Lodge'. By the 1940s, 10/12 hotels had been established. Now the number of hotels has increased to around 160. There are more than 60 restaurants. 

The credit goes to the owner of 'Tiger Tops' for institutionalizing safari tourism in Chitwan. Tiger Tops was established in 2022, before the establishment of the park. Following the path shown by Tiger Tops, today Sauraha village has become famous all over the world. 80 percent of the total tourists who visit Chitwan Park enter through Sauraha. In the early days only elephants were used for safari.

Elephants in Hattisar in Sauraha used to carry tourists to the park. Sadly, the park has stopped running the park's elephant safaris commercially and now all the elephant safaris are done by private elephants in the Baghmara, Chitrasen and Kumroz Community Forests. Akkalzhukkal Nature Conservation Fund's elephants carry tourists to the park. 

With the increase in the number of hotels in Sauraha, the number of tourists also started to increase. After that, programs like jungle-walk, boat ride, bird watching were also introduced. Even after Nepal's first elephant breeding center established in Sauraha came into operation, it became a matter of interest for the tourists coming here. By the 1950s, Tharu dance and Tharu village viewing programs received considerable attention. At that time, Tharu cultural dances were performed in their respective hotels. It began to be shown commercially in dance halls.

At present, three Tharu dance houses have been built in Sauraha. All the hotels here have included Tharu dance in their packages. This work has played an important role in preserving the Tharu culture. To promote local employment, the work of visiting villages from bullock carts continues even now. At first only foreign tourists were seen in Sauraha. Now Sauraha has become a major attraction for domestic tourists. Sauraha also attracts anyone who wants to be close to nature. 

Rhino and tiger sightings are many. The most popular means is the elephant safari. Animals can be seen better and safer from elephants. Another safari is in a jeep. This journey starts from the Rapti bank of Sauraha and reaches Kasara, the headquarters of the park. This journey is about 36 km and can be covered in about 4 and a half hours. The crocodile breeding center at Kasara can also be seen on this trip. Apart from these two, another way for adventurous tourists to see the park is by trekking. The park is also famous for bird watching. Another must-do in Sauraha is a boat trip. 

The latest and most popular tourist attraction in Sauraha is bathing with elephants. Taking a bath in the water thrown by the trunk and bathing the elephant remain as unforgettable moments of life. In the evening, sitting on the Rapti beach and watching the sunset is a different experience. After the scorching sun in the afternoon, the cool evening weather can be enjoyed separately. Chitwan National Park can also be seen closely from the

bugger. Sometimes animals come to drink water. The Chitwan Elephant Festival, which is organized during Christmas and English New Year, is taken by Sauraha businessmen as an opportunity for 'branding' Sauraha. This festival is started every year on January 11.