Water bodies are the harbingers of a healthy eco system. Odisha with its vast expanse of forest, the mountains of Eastern Ghats and network of rivers is blessed with an abundance of lakes and waterfalls.
Imagine large tracts of grasslands on the foothills of undulating hills with herds of graceful Spotted Deer’s, Bison’s or Blackbucks ambling around, Muggers basking on sandbars, Dolphins and Flamingos or Skimmers frolicking around, that’s what Odisha with its unique topography offers.With 480 KMs of coastline on eastern side and the Eastern Ghats on the other side together with the meandering rivers crisscrossing the state, creates a medley of landscape ranging from pine forests to wetland, to waterfalls, lakes and mangroves that shelters a wide range of flora & fauna.
With nineteen Wildlife Sanctuaries, one National Park and two Tiger Reserves, the state offers varied experience to its visitors along with a host of activities ranging from trekking, birding, jungle safari and camping in spacious tents in the midst of forest beneath the star lit skies.
From the Chilika lagoon which hosts a congregation of million birds to the Mahanadi Gorge of Satkosia, the mountain musings of Similipal or hundreds of Crocodiles basking at Bhitarkanika, a trip to various Ecotourism destinations (Nature Camps) in the allows you to reconnect with nature and is a revelation for your senses.
What are you waiting for! Discover the wilderness of India’s best kept secret.
“Mini Amazon” of India and also the 2nd largest mangrove ecosystem in India, only Marine Sanctuary of Odisha and one among the five in India. Hundreds of Saltwater Crocodiles (up to length 23 Ft) can be seen basking on mangrove creeks. A Bird’s Paradise of India with the Largest Heronry.
Chilika is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds(in Millions) of Indian-subcontinent, only home for Irrawaddy Dolphins in India ,Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon with beautiful Islands, and biodiversity Hotspot of country, Wetland of International importance and a RAMSAR Site. It is 90 KMs from the Capital of Odisha-Bhubaneswar.
A National Park, Biosphere Reserve, Elephant Reserve and Sanctuary of Tiger, Elephant, Sambar, Bison, Spotted Deer, Leopard etc. with small animals and Birds. Specialty is large tracts of Sal Forests with wildlife.
On bank of Hirakud reservoir (largest artificial lake of Asia and longest Earthen Dam of World).Easy sighting of wildlife- Bison, Sambar, Spotted deer, Wild boar, different small mammals and variety of resident & migratory birds.
River Mahanadi (Longest River of Odisha) bifurcates the Tiger Reserve and also forms 22 KMs long Satkosia Gorge (one of the largest and deepest Gorges of Asia).The Tiger Reserve sits on confluence zone of Eastern Ghats and Deccan Plateau. Mugger (crocodiles) and Indian Skimmers basking on sandbars is a common sight. It is the southernmost limit for endangered Gharials in India and the only place in Odisha where both Mugger and Gharials can be sighted.
The Odisha Coast is the largest mass nesting ground for Olive Ridleys in the world .Millions of Olive Radleys nest every year here from October to March.
Land of Mountains, Tribes, Hills and Valleys.
Rissia-Bichitrapur Nature Camps- Receding Sea of Bay of Bengal(upto few Kilometers) at Chandipur,commonly seen are Red-Crabs in lakhs , terrestrial and migratory Birds. Rissia Nature Camps(Kuldiha Sanctuary) is popular for Bisons and Bichitrapur is for Mangrove forest on Sea Coast.
