Orissa Beaches Tour

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Duration: 12 Nights / 13 Days
Places Covered: Bhubaneshwar - Ratna Giri - Baliguda - Belghar - Kothagargh - Rayagada - Jeypore - Ankadeli - Lamptaput - Kunduli - Nandapur - Laxmipur - Taptaoani - Chilka - Puru

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Day 01: Bhubaneshwar
Transfer to the airport for flight to Bhubaneswar. Reach and transfer to hotel. Proceed for half-day tour of the city. Overnight at Bhubaneswar.
Bhubaneswar, The modern capital of Orissa, and the "Temple Metropolis of India" can still boast of 500 temples. Of these about a dozen are architecturally very interesting. There was a time when Bhubaneswar had over 7,000 such shrines. These temples epitomize a comprehensive history of the Orissan style of temple architecture from its very inception to perfection spreading almost to two thousand years from 3rd century B. C. to 16th Century A. D. These magnificent monuments dominating the city skyline, are within a reasonable walking distance from one another. The 46 metre high Lingaraj Temple marks the culmination of temple tradition of Bhubaneswar.

Day 02:Bhubaneshwar / Ratna Giri / Bhubaneshwar
Full day excursion to Ratnagiri after breakfast. Overnight at Bhubaneswar. Located in Jeypore district of Orissa, Ratnagiri lies at a distance of 100 km from Bhubaneswar and 70 km from Cuttack. Encompassed by rivers in all the directions, this Buddhist heritage site, built in 5 A.D. holds great archaeological significance. The place is located on a small hill top over-looking the vast plains dotted with green hills in the distance. A large-scale excavation has unearthed two large monasteries, one of them identified as Sri Ratnagiri Mahavihara Aryabhikshu Sangha holds beautiful doorways, cella sanctum, a big stupa, Buddhist shrines, sculptures and colossal Buddha.

Day 03:Bhubaneshwar / Baliguda
Drive to Baliguda after breakfast.Arrive at the hotel in the evening. Overnight at Baliguda.

Day 04: Baliguda
Today after breakfast you will make a visit the different Villages & Desai Kondh. Overnight at Baliguda.

Day 05: Baliguda / Belghar / Kothagargh / Rayagada
After breakfast. Lunch on the way. Drive down to Rayaguda. Arrive in the evening. Overnight at Hotel.
RAYAGADA, the headquarters town of the district of same name, is on the way to Koraput from Berhampur. It has the facilities to serve as a base for visiting the nearby places of interest. Hatipathar, only 3 km from here, is a place of great scenic beauty with two waterfalls on the course of river Nagavali. The boulders here appear like huge elephants. On the confluence of three rivers, Minajhola is a scenic spot as well as a place of pilgrimage - 134 km. Padmpur, housing the shrine of Manikeswar Shiva, is identified to be the seat of Dharmakirti, the Buddhist Logician-Philosopher-94 km.

Day 06: Rayagada / Jeypore
Morning proceed to Chatikona (40 km) to witness the Interesting & colourful weekly market of the Dongaria kondh tribes. Free time in the market. Overnight at Jeypore. Jeypore is the commercial nerve centre of Koraput district and has all such facilities to serve as the convenient base for visiting the places of interest in and around.

Day 07: Jeypore / Ankadeli / Lamptaput / Jeypore
After early breakfast proceed to Ankadelli - 70 km to witness the most primitive, interesting & unique tribal weekly market of the Bonda tribes. The place is the border of the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh, divided by river Machkund, with interest waterfall, mountain & forest. Late afternoon drive back to Jeypour. Overnight at Jeypore.

Day 08: Jeypore / Kunduli / Nandapur / Jeypore
Later drive down to Nuagaon to witness the beautiful tribal weekly market of Sana Paroja and then back to hotel at evening. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 09: Jeypore / Laxmipur / Rayagada
Overnight at Rayagada.

Day 10: Rayagada / Taptaoani / Chilka
Breakfast. Proceed to Chilka. Visit Taptapani on your way. Overnight at Chilka. Not more than one hour's drive, south-west of Puri, is the Chilka lake, noted for the many migratory birds which flock here each December-January. Known as the Honeymoon Island or Breakfast Island, this 1,100 sq. km shallow lake is Asia's largest salt water lagoon and is separated from the sea only by a narrow sand bar. The lake is peppered with many small rocky islands and is a vast reserve for aquatic flora and fauna. It is also a premier training establishment for sailors of the Indian Navy. After recruitment, all sailors undergo their basic naval training here for about 6 months before they branch off into various trades for specialized training.

Day 11: Chilka / Puri
Drive to Puri after breakfast. Reach Puri and relax in the beach. Overnight at Puri.

Day 12: Puri
Proceed for a tour of Puri after breakfast covering Jagnnath Temple and Konnark (The Sun Temple). Overnight at Puri.

Puri: The holy city of Puri is located 60-km from Bhubaneswar on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. It is one of the four holy dhamas of India - Puri, Dwarka, Rameswaram and Badrinath. It is considered that a pilgrimage of the temples of India is not complete without making the journey to Puri.
Popularly Known As Puri is called "Sri Purusottama Dham" or "Martya Vaikuntha", the abode of Lord Vishnu on earth. Other names are "Sriksetra" (best of all sacred centers), "Purusottama Ksetra" (the abode of the supreme being), "Nilachal", "Nalagiri", "Sankha Ksetra", and "Jagannatha Dhama". Puri is about 2-km wide and 4-km long.

Day 13: Puri / Bhubaneshwar
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Bhubaneshwar Airport to board flight to Delhi or onward Destination.