Duration : 21 Nights / 22 Days
Places Covered : Delhi - Kolkata- Bhadrak- Bhitarkanika- Ratnagiri- Dhenkanal- Bhubaneswar - Puri- Satapada- Gopalpur- Taptapani- Rayagada- Chatikona - Semiliguda- Gupteswar - Jagdalpur- Raipur-Kanha- Jabalpur - Delhi
DAY 01 : DELHI - KOLKATA
Receive from Delhi & fly to kolkata .Half day sightseeing in kolkata. Overnight inKolkata
DAY 02: KOLKATA
Full day sightseeing in Kolkata . Overnight at Hotel.
DAY 03: KOLKATA
Full day sightseeing in Kolkata & nearby places, Overnight at Hotel
DAY 04 : KOLKATA-BHADRAK- BHITARKANIKA
Morning train to Bhadrak 4 /5 hr then drive one hr to Chandbali to take a boat to the bhitarkanika sanctuary. Arrival 'Dangamala' the core area further 3 hours of exciting boatride through creeks of mangroove forest. On the way you can see big size salt water crocodiles lying on the river beds . Both side of the forest you can watch activities of wild animals. You can also enjoy a beautiful sun set. Over night in the forest guest house in the forest.
DAY 05 : BHITARKANIKA SANCTUARY- RATNAGIRI- DHENKANAL
A boat ride for 3 hrs to chandbali & then drive for 2 hours to " Dhenkanal " enroute visiting the Lalitgiri,udaigiri,Khandagiri. Overnight at Dhenkanal
DAY 06:DHENKANAL-BHUBANESWAR
Drive to Bhubanswar 2 hr drive. transfer to the hotel. Proceed for half-day tour of the city that includes the 2nd century B:C jain monk Caves at the twin hills of khandagiri and Udaygiri,tribal museum etc.Overnight at Bhubaneswar.
DAY 07: BHUBANESWAR - PURI
Morning drive to Puri (2 hr drive) enroute visit Dhauli peace pagoda,64 yogini temple at hirapur,raghurajpur artisan village etc.Overnight at Puri
DAY 08: PURI -KONARK - PURI
70 kms Breakfast at Hotel Leave for Konarak Sun Temple - enroute visiting typical Orissan villages and you will also interact with the local villagers to know their lifestyles, culture.Konarak world heritage site -The temple chariot of the Sun God on the sands of Bay of Bengal is a 13th century architectural marvel. It is designed as a celestial chariot of Sun God,complete with twelve pairs of wheel and sevenhorses. This legendary temple has sculptures of great beauty covering all aspects of life. It is most famous for its art.After visit proceed for Puri.Arrive Puri and lunch at local restaurant After lunch visit of Puri-The city by the sea- is a major pilgrim center in India.Adi Shankara founded one of the peethas here.Puri is also famous for its Golden beach ideal for swimming and surfing. But the fame of Puri emanates most from theJagannath Temple, which contributed the word Jurrernaut to the English language. The12th century temple is known for its annual Car Festival. Puri Jagannath Temple Non Hindus are not allowed inside the temple and to be seen fromthe Raghunathan library platform. Overnight at Hotel
DAY 09: PURI-SATAPADA- GOPALPUR
Morning drive to to SATAPADA about 2 hour drive .Boat ride into the chilka lake to see dolphins different spacies of birds,then further drive to gopalpur for your overnight stay at Gopalpur.
DAY 10:GOPALPUR-TAPTAPANI- RAYAGADA
Breakfast at Panthanibas, Depart for Rayagada 235kms /5 hrs visiting enroute the famous Tibetan settlement at Chandragiri to see their local lifestyle, handicrafts. Visit also the recently inaugurated one of Asia's largest Jirangh Monastery and meet with the monks.
After visit continue drive to Rayagada enroute visiting also the Saora tribe and their villages.They trace their origin to the Ramayana there is a reference of Savari, a Saora women whom Ram and Laxman met while moving about in the Dandaka forests in search of Sita Arrive in the evening and check into Hotel. Overnight at Hotel
DAY 11:RAYAGADA
Breakfast at Hotel Full day excursion to explore the Kutia Kondh tribes and their weekly tribal market and lifestyles. Rayagada is a district of meadows,forests, water falls and terraced valleys,peopled by colourful tribals and many Primitive Tribal Groups. The scenic beauty and heritage on the land is an unexplored paradise.The systematic relationship between men andnature is a feast to the eyes of an outsider. It has its own appeal for the lap of nature.The pattern of peopling of the district show unit in diversity of races, languages and culture. The Schedule Tribes living in the districtposses dissimilar economics ranging from food gathering to settled cultivation.Their languages/dialects, societies and culture show inter-societal/ cultural variations because of the persistence of ethnic mosaic formed by communities belonging to scheduled Tribes,Scheduled castes and other castes groups . Overnight at Hotel
DAY 12: RAYAGADA - CHATIKONA - SEMILIGUDA 200 KMS/ 5 HRS
Breakfast at Hotel. Morning drive to Chatikona to witness the colourful weekly tribal market of Dhongria Kondh tribes. The Kondhs are known in the history for theirMeriah Sacrifice-Human Sacrifice. The Kondhs are of aDravidian origin and speakKuvi language.They practice elaborate birth,marriage and death rituals.The DongriaKondh call themselves Jharnia meaning thosewho live by the Jharana (streams.After the visit drive to Semiliguda 3 hrs enroute also visiting Desia Kondh & paraja tribes and their villages.Semiliguda is in Koraput District -The scenic beauty and heritage on the land is an unexplored paradise. The systematic relationship between men and nature is a feast to the eyes of an outsider.It has its own appeal for the lap of nature.Arrive Semiliguda and check into Hotel.Overnight at Hotel
DAY 13: BONDO TRIBAL TERRITORY- SEMILIGUDA-ONUKUDELLI 185 KMS 3 HRS
Breakfast at Hotel Morning drive to Onukudelli 1hr 30 mins drive (85 kms eachway ) to see the famous Bonda tribe and their weekly tribal market.This is an intense market situated on the hilly main street of this tiny village. The Bonda has been described as the wildest, rudest and possibly the most interesting tribe. Known as the naked people,the Bonda are a fascinating group. They are named after the Bonda hills of Orissa's interior and are known for their stubborn, independent and often ferocious spirit.After visit, picnic lunch Return to Hotel enroute visiting the Gadabba tribe and village.Gadabba tribe of the Austro origin at Lamptaput. They women wear a long strip of cloth tied around the waist and a second piece of cloth is worn across the breasts and tied over one shoulder. Witness also their Demsa Dance at the village.Overnight at Hotel
DAY 14: KUNDULI WEEKLY MARKET & VILLAGES- SEMILIGUDA- 70 KMS/2HRS
Breakfast at Hotel.Depart for visting the Paraja tribe and their weekly tribal market.The Parajas are mostly found in Koraput district.Their language is Parji .The Parajas have a number of totemistic septs like Bagh-tiger,Bokda-goat, Netam-Dog,Pandki-Dove, and the like, and harming or eating the totem animal is forbidden.Instead such animals should be respected. They worship various gods and goddesses residing in hills or forests. During wedding Parajas resort to dance and music..Arrive and check into Hotel Overnight at Hotel.
DAY 15: DHRUBA TRIBAL TERRITORY - SEMILIGUDA-GUPTESWAR - JAGDALPUR-240KMS/5 HRS
Drive to Gupteswar.Trekk / Hike to Dhuba tribal Villages .Dhruba tribal people living deep inside the forest with the nature.You will enjoy your hike/ walk all through the journey.You can also visit the hidden Shiva Lingam of Gupteswar. After visit proceed to Jagalapur - Nestled in the bend of river Dudh,a tributary of the Mahanadi, and framed by an arc of hills, this picturesque town quietly watches over the routes that lead into the interior.The tribal districts of Kanker and Bastar straddle centra lndia's eastern uplands and plateau, and are covered with one of its richest stretches of tropical forest. Since time immemorial, these have been home to a pristine world of tribal communities that have created and sustained delicate rhythms of life in harmony with diverse flora and fauna. Arrive and check into Hotel Overnight at Hotel
DAY 16: JAGDALPUR- JAGDALPUR
Breakfast at Hotel Full day visit of Chitrakote water falls and local tribal market of Gonds and Batra -Chitrakote Falls - are on the Indravati River, are the widest in India and are truly spectacular during and after the monsoon. 96ft high, they are often compared by locals, with Niagara Falls but this should not be used as a comparison. They are truly spectacular and indeed extraordinary but can not really be compared with Niagara. It is also worth bearing in mind that there is good water until November and it slowly diminishes until Jan and from Feb onwards there is virtually not much water.However, it's still a great sight.Overnight at Hotel
DAY 17: JAGDALPUR-KANGARVALLEY NP-JAGDALPUR
Full day excursion to Kanger valley national park.This is a tribal land and you will get an opportunity to spend some time with the tribes , meeting them in their villages .Overnight in Jagdalpur
DAY 18: JADALPUR-RAIPUR 6 HRS
Breakfast at hotel and leave for Raipur enroute visiting , Rajim and Champaram ( if time permits ).you can also visit the Maria tribes + Kondagaon crafts village.Village ponds,banks of rivulets and rills dotting thel andscape are excellent for fishing and bird watching.Though the three hours long journey is itself a treasure trove of vignettes from tribal life, one can visit the centers of tribal craft and their emporia at Bastar and Kondagaon on the way and will be able to mingle with tribal folk and NGO activist who have joined to preserve and develop the timeless art of the region. Overnight at Hotel
DAY 19: RAIPUR-KANHA
After breakfast proceed to Kanha.Afternoon check in to kanha Jungle Lodge .overnight at Kanha
DAY 20: KANHA
Morning Jeep safari with wildlife naturalist. About 12 Noon drive back to resort for Lunch . And after little rest again go for another jeep safari . Overnight at Kanha
DAY 21 : KANHA - JABALPUR - DELHI
After breakfast drive to drive to Raipur to board our flight to Delhi . overnight in Delhi
DAY 22: DEPART DELHI
Transfer to airport to board international flight to fly back home .
