Title:

Orissa Standard Tour

Duration:

32 Nights / 33 Days

Best Season:

July - September

Itinery:

ARRIVE BHUBNESHWAR
You arrive in Bhubneshwar by domestic flight. After a traditional 'Swagat' (Welcome) our representatives would assist you at the airport and to our hotel for check in and overnight stay.

BHUBNESHWAR SIGHTSEEING
Bhubneshwar is the capital city of the modern state and ancient Kingdom of Kalinga. Morning post breakfast depart for full day sightseeing covering Lingraja Temple of Shiva and Mukteshwara Temple. Overnight stay at hotel.

EXCURSION TO DHAULI & HEERAPUR
Morning post breakfast leave for excursion to Dhauli to see Ashokan rock edict - considered as the earliest rock-cut sculpture in India. Later post lunch leave for Heerapur situated at 15 km from the Bhubneshwar.

EXCURSION TO NUAPATNA & SADEIBARINI
Morning post breakfast proceed to Nuapatna. The weavers of this village are a class by themselves. Their TIE & DYE patterns popularly known as . IKAT. you can watch all the steps of Ikat Bandha. We will continue our tour till Sadeibarini famous for it. s Dokra metal work village. Overnight stay at hotel.

EXCURSION TO LALITGIRI, RATANGIRI, UDAIGIRI. OVERNIGHT AT CUTTACK.
At Ratangiri two large Monasteries, a huge stupa, Buddhist shrines and several sculptures were surfaced. At Lalitgiri a series of brick pagodar, stone porches, prayer halls and Buddhist images were unearthed. At Udaigiri ruins, The magnificently carved door jamb of the Vihar and the superbly finished Buddha images form perhaps the greatest concentration of the post-Gupta period Buddhist sculptures.

MORNING DRIVE TO BHITARKANIKA OVERNIGHT FOREST LODGE.
The area is intersected by a network of tidal creeks and rivulets, with varieties of wildlife, particularly crocodiles in water, herds of deer on the bank and migratory birds in the sky, making the place a nature's wonderland. During the 1999 winter census a total of 672 crocodiles were counted which included 150 hatchlings, 146 yearlings, 160 juveniles, 144 sub-adults and 72 adults.

MORNIG VISIT OF BHITARKANIKA AND DRIVE TO CHANDIPUR.
Morning visit to Bhitarkanika sanctuary and later drive to Chandipur, a peaceful seaside resort where the seas recedes and proceed 5 km everyday. Overnight stay at hotel.

DRIVE TO SIMLIPAL OVERNIGHT AT SIMLIPAL.
Simlipal national park originated primarily as a hunting ground for the royalty. Located in the Mayurbhanj district of India and coastal state of Orissa, Simlipal is an ecosystem complete with forest vegetation (mainly sal trees), fauna and the adjoining Santhal tribal settlements. This sprawling ecosystem, thanks to the mega conservation efforts, has close to 100 tigers. Other mammalian species like leopards, sambhars, langurs, deer, gaur (Indian bison), elephants, antelopes, chitals, chevrotains, wild dog, wild boar, sloth bears, monkeys, hyenas and porcupines are also found here. There are around 230 species of birds in these forests. There is a sizable population of reptiles as well, which include snakes and turtles. The population of crocodiles has increased considerably since the inception of the Mugger Management Program.

GAME DRIVE INSIDE THE JUNGLE OVERNIGHT AT FOREST LODGE.
Game watching, overnight stay at hotel.

MORNING DRIVE TO KEONJHAR. OVERNIGHT AT KEONJHAR.
The district headquarters town, Keonjhar is the gateway to one of the most scenic destinations in India. Worth seeing here are the Vishnu and Jagannath Temple, as are the Siddha Kali and Panchabati shrines.

EXCURSION TO KHICHING. OVERNIGHT AT KEONJHAR

KEONJHAR TO SAMBALPUR OVERNIGHT AT SAMBALPUR
Sambalpur is famous for its tie and dye textiles; folk dance and music; and also for the Hirakund Dam, one of the longest mainstream dams in the world. Sambal is the heart of an Ikat Weaving District and one can buy fabric in the main bazaar and in government co-operative shops. This area is located on an off-beaten path and becomes something of a local attraction for the tourists.

SAMBALPUR USHAKOTHI OVERNIGHT SAMBALPUR.
To the west of Ushakothi Sanctuary lies Hirakud dam. The fauna includes, amongst others, tigers, elephants, sambar leopards and bison. Presently there are about 15 tigers and 35 elephants in the sanctuary. It is rich in avifaunal wealth and the main attraction of this sanctuary are racket tail drangos and flying squirrel.

SAMBALPUR-BARPALI-BARAGADA-BOLANGIR OVERNIGHT AT BOLANGIR.
Morning post breakfast leave for Barpali, one of the best silk and cotton weavers village, there the master craftsman best known Tassar Silk weaver, will speak you, about the above related activities and also they will speak you about Ikat technique. The village is one of the biggest weaver village of Orissa and you will discover and feel reality of old weaves here. Later leave for Bolangir and on the way visit some more textiles villages. Overnight stay at hotel in Bolangir.

BOLANGIR - SAGARPALI-SONEPUR - BOLANGIR
Morning drive to Sagarpali to visit Koselewar weaving factory (Silk & Cotton). Here you will get the idea of design development, weaving, processing and mode of training you will also visit some houses, where they make JALLA work. Proceed to Sonepur you will visit to master craftsman, especially to watch the best natural lying process ingredients, traditional designs with scripts in fabrics further visit the pocket loom as well.

BOLANGIR-PHULBANI
Morning post breakfast leave for Phulbani, the headquarters town of Kandhamal district, has varieties of attractions with a rich tribal culture and colorful flora & fauna for the tourists as indicated below. Overnight stay at hotel.

PHULBANI TO BALIGUDA TO VISIT THE KUTIYA KONDHTRIBES-BALIGUDA
The antiquity of Orissa is endorsed by her ancient people who continue to inhabit their traditional dwelling places in remote areas in the deep forests and hilly interiors. Steeped in the mystery that surrounds their ancient ways, the Orissan tribal continue to be a source of deep interest not only for anthropologists and sociologists but also for numerous tourists who flock to Orissa in search of the exotic mystique of their relatively unexplored state.

BALIGUDA TO RAYAGADA ENROUTE VISIT THE KUTIYA KONDH MARKET
Drive to Rayagada via Kutia Tribal Market (Market on Tuesday's only). Kutia also known as Katia, Khatia or Kotia are numerically small tribe found mostly in Phulbani Dist. They put the Tatu on the face. Overnight hotel in Rayagada.

RAYAGADA-CHATIKONA MARKET-JAYPORE (MARKET ON WEDNES DAY ONLY). OVERNIGHT JEYPORE
Morning drive to Jaypore en-route visiting Chatikona Tribal Market (Market on Wednsday's only) - 250 Kms / 07 hours. Overnight hotel.in Jaypore.

EXCURSION TO BONDA & GADHABA AND DIDAYE MARKET (ON THURSDAY ONLY )OVERNIGHT JEYPORE
Morning drive to Onkudeoll to visit Bonda & Gadaba Tribal Market - 200 Kms / 05 hours. Overnight hotel in Jaypore.

MORNING DRIVE TO VIZAG ENROUTE VISIT PARAJA MARKET OVERNIGHT AT VIZAG
Visit of Paraja Tribes at biggest market at Kundli. Overnight at Hotel in Vizag.

VISIT OF VIZAG OVERNIGHT.

VTZ-RAYAGADA

RAYAGADA--TAPTAPANI O/N AT TAPTAPANI GUEST HOUSE.
Morning proceed to Taptapani. Enjoy the nature close to your heart and carry the memory years to come. A hot spring which till dates the local habitat use on a mark of Blessing.

TAPTAPANI - CHANDRAGII-GOPALPUR. OVERNIGHT GOPALPUR.
Another popular beach resort is Gopalpur-on-Sea, 170 km from Bhubaneshwar, and 15 km from Berhampur. This is a perfect beach, fairly isolated and undisturbed by day-trippers. This place is good for both sailing and surfing.

GOPALPUR-PURI ENROUTE CHILKA. OVERNIGHT PURI.
Morning post breakfast leave for Puri via Chilka lake, Spread over an area of 1,100-sq-km, the glorious stretch of the Chilika is Asia's largest brackish water lake. Home to thousands of colorful birds throughout the year, it is particularly noisy with the din of the raucous influx of migratory birds who descend on it from as far off as Siberia in winter. Later leave for Puri, Puri is not only one of India's holiest pilgrimage centers, it is also gifted with a fabulous coastline and lovely beaches. The beaches here are ideal for beach sports but swimming is not recommended unless in the company of a lifeguard, who wears yellow conical caps. The rough seas don't even allow many water sports.

EXCURSION PURI-KONARK. OVERNIGHT PURI.
Sightseeing of Jagannath Temple known as the "White Pagoda". A few kilometers from Puri is Konark, a former center of Orissan Buddhism, an active port, now silted and in ancient times a center for sun worship. Overnight stay at hotel in Puri.

DRIVE TO BHUBNESHWAR
Morning post breakfast depart for Bhubneshwar. Overnight stay at hotel.

EXCURSION TO TIKARPARA. OVERNIGHT BBI.
The site of one of the most fabulous vistas of river and forest, the 'Satkosia Gorge' where the great Mahanadi River crashes in with monumental force is a dizzyingly enervating experience for the visitors.

BHUBANESWAR - CALCUTTA. OVERNIGHT CCU.
Morning on time transfer to the airport to board on flight for Kolkata. Upon arrival transfer and check-in hotel. Later leave for half da sightseeing. Overnight stay at hotel.

SUNDERBAN
The Sunderbans, extending over an area of 1,000,000 hectares, is the world's largest delta, formed by the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghana rivers. The region has extensive mangrove forests and the contours are in a constant state of flux, caused by the monsoon flooding each year. The main attractions of the Sunderbans are the Tiger, of which the delta harbour large reptiles like the Monitor Lizard, Estuarine Crocodile and the Olive Ridley Turtle, for which there is a conservation program in the Indian park. The Leopard, Indian Rhinoceros, Javan Rhinoceros, Swamp Deer, Hog Deer and Water Buffalo have all become locally extinct from the delta in recent decades.

SUNDERBAN-CALCUTTA
Back to Kolkata, overnight stay at hotel.

All further information on request.

LEAVE CALCUTTA
On time transfer to the airport to board on flight for onward destination.

Feel free to contact us  for further details, costing, and customized adventure trips.