Odisha Odyssey
Odisha, located on the eastern coast of India, is a state renowned for its rich cultural heritage, vibrant festivals, and diverse landscapes. Bhubaneswar serves as its capital city. Odisha is known for its ancient temples, with the famous Sun Temple in Konark and the Jagannath Temple in Puri being UNESCO World Heritage sites, attracting pilgrims and tourists from around the world. The state is also blessed with pristine beaches along the Bay of Bengal, including popular destinations like Puri, Konark, and Gopalpur, offering opportunities for relaxation and water sports. Odisha's rich history is reflected in its numerous archaeological sites, such as the caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri, and the Buddhist complex of Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri, and Udayagiri. The state is home to a diverse range of tribal communities, each with its own unique culture, language, and traditions, which are celebrated during festivals like the famous Rath Yatra in Puri and the tribal dance festival in Koraput. Odisha's cuisine is renowned for its seafood delicacies, including dishes like crab curry, prawn pakora, and fish curry, as well as traditional sweets like rasagolla and chhena poda. Additionally, Odisha is known for its handloom and handicraft industry, producing exquisite textiles, pottery, and intricate silver filigree work. Despite facing challenges such as natural disasters and socio-economic issues, Odisha has emerged as a vibrant state with a strong focus on tourism, cultural preservation, and sustainable development. Overall, Odisha offers a captivating blend of history, culture, and natural beauty, making it a fascinating destination for travelers and culture enthusiasts alike.
Travel Plan
7 Days
Day 1: Arrival in Bhubaneswar
- Arrival: Pickup from Bhubaneswar Airport or Railway Station.
- Transfer to Hotel: Check into your hotel in Bhubaneswar.
- Local Exploration: Visit Lingaraj Temple, Mukteshwar Temple, and Rajarani Temple.
- Dinner: Enjoy Odia cuisine at a local restaurant.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Bhubaneswar.
Day 2: Bhubaneswar Sightseeing
- Sun Temple Excursion: Drive to Konark to visit the UNESCO-listed Sun Temple.
- Chandrabhaga Beach: Relax and enjoy the beach near Konark.
- Konark Museum: Explore artifacts related to the Sun Temple.
- Return to Bhubaneswar: Head back to Bhubaneswar in the evening.
- Dinner: Try local delicacies.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Bhubaneswar.
Day 3: Puri and Konark
- Visit Puri: Drive to Puri, visit Jagannath Temple, and experience the vibrant markets.
- Beach Time: Relax at Puri Beach and witness the beautiful sunset.
- Konark Dance Festival (Seasonal): If available, attend the evening cultural performances at Konark.
- Dinner: Taste seafood delicacies.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Puri.
Day 4: Chilika Lake Excursion
- Chilika Lake Tour: Explore Asia's largest brackish water lagoon.
- Boat Ride: Take a boat ride to explore bird sanctuaries and island villages.
- Seafood Lunch: Enjoy fresh seafood by the lake.
- Return to Puri: Head back to Puri in the evening.
- Dinner: Relish local cuisine.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Puri.
Day 5: Cuttack Exploration
- Drive to Cuttack: Visit the Silver City of Odisha.
- Dhabaleswar Island: Explore the island and Dhabaleswar Temple.
- Netaji Birthplace Museum: Learn about the life of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
- Shopping: Explore Cuttack's famous silver filigree work.
- Return to Bhubaneswar: Head back to Bhubaneswar in the evening.
- Dinner: Taste traditional Odia dishes.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Bhubaneswar.
Day 6: Ratnagiri and Udayagiri Excursion
- Ratnagiri and Udayagiri: Visit the Buddhist heritage sites.
- Ratnagiri Museum: Explore the archaeological artifacts.
- Lunch: Enjoy local cuisine.
- Raghurajpur Artisan Village: Visit the heritage crafts village.
- Return to Bhubaneswar: Head back to Bhubaneswar in the evening.
- Dinner: Taste authentic Odia sweets.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Bhubaneswar.
Day 7: Departure
- Relaxation: Spend the morning at leisure.
- Shopping: Buy souvenirs and handicrafts.
- Drop-off: Transfer to Bhubaneswar Airport or Railway Station for departure.
14 Days
Day 1: Arrival in Bhubaneswar
- Arrival: Pickup from Bhubaneswar Airport or Railway Station.
- Transfer to Hotel: Check into your hotel in Bhubaneswar.
- Local Exploration: Visit Lingaraj Temple, Mukteshwar Temple, and Rajarani Temple.
- Dinner: Enjoy Odia cuisine at a local restaurant.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Bhubaneswar.
Day 2: Bhubaneswar City Tour
- Khandagiri and Udayagiri Caves: Explore the ancient rock-cut caves.
- Nandankanan Zoological Park: Visit the zoo and botanical garden.
- Dinner: Taste local delicacies.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Bhubaneswar.
Day 3: Konark and Puri
- Visit Konark: Explore the UNESCO-listed Sun Temple and Konark Beach.
- Jagannath Temple: Visit the famous temple in Puri.
- Relaxation: Spend the evening at Puri Beach.
- Dinner: Try seafood specialties.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Puri.
Day 4: Chilika Lake Excursion
- Chilika Lake Tour: Explore Asia's largest brackish water lagoon.
- Boat Ride: Enjoy a boat ride to see migratory birds and Irrawaddy dolphins.
- Lunch: Taste fresh seafood.
- Return to Puri: Head back to Puri in the evening.
- Dinner: Relish local cuisine.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Puri.
Day 5: Ratnagiri and Lalitgiri
- Ratnagiri and Lalitgiri: Visit the Buddhist heritage sites.
- Ratnagiri Museum: Explore archaeological artifacts.
- Lunch: Enjoy local cuisine.
- Udayagiri Excavations: Explore the ancient ruins.
- Return to Bhubaneswar: Head back to Bhubaneswar in the evening.
- Dinner: Taste authentic Odia dishes.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Bhubaneswar.
Day 6: Cuttack and Dhenkanal
- Cuttack: Explore the Silver City and visit Dhabaleswar Temple.
- Dhenkanal: Visit the royal palace and enjoy nature at Kapilash Hill.
- Lunch: Taste local specialties.
- Return to Bhubaneswar: Head back to Bhubaneswar in the evening.
- Dinner: Try traditional Odia sweets.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Bhubaneswar.
Day 7: Raghurajpur and Pipili
- Raghurajpur Artisan Village: Explore the heritage crafts village.
- Pipili: Visit the appliqué craft village.
- Lunch: Taste local delicacies.
- Shopping: Buy souvenirs and handicrafts.
- Return to Bhubaneswar: Head back to Bhubaneswar in the evening.
- Dinner: Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
- Accommodation: Overnight stay in Bhubaneswar.
Day 8-13: Relaxation and Exploration
Spend the next six days exploring more attractions in Odisha such as Sambalpur, Simlipal National Park, Bhitarakanika Wildlife Sanctuary, and more. Each day can be dedicated to exploring a different destination or region, allowing you to experience the diverse culture, heritage, and natural beauty of Odisha.
Day 14: Departure
- Relaxation: Spend the morning at leisure.
- Shopping: Buy last-minute souvenirs.
- Drop-off: Transfer to Bhubaneswar Airport or Railway Station for departure.
21 Days
Day 1-3: Bhubaneswar
- Day 1: Arrival in Bhubaneswar
- Arrival at Bhubaneswar Airport or Railway Station.
- Transfer to hotel and check-in.
- Evening visit to Lingaraj Temple and Bindu Sagar Lake.
- Dinner at a local restaurant.
- Overnight stay in Bhubaneswar.
- Day 2: Bhubaneswar City Tour
- Morning visit to Khandagiri and Udayagiri Caves.
- Explore Nandankanan Zoological Park.
- Lunch at a local eatery.
- Visit Ekamra Kanan Botanical Gardens.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Bhubaneswar.
- Day 3: Konark Day Trip
- Full-day excursion to Konark Sun Temple.
- En-route visit Dhauli Shanti Stupa and Pipli village.
- Lunch at a local restaurant in Konark.
- Visit Chandrabhaga Beach and Ramachandi Temple.
- Return to Bhubaneswar in the evening.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Bhubaneswar.
Day 4-6: Puri
- Day 4: Bhubaneswar to Puri
- Check-out from hotel in Bhubaneswar.
- Travel to Puri.
- Visit Jagannath Temple and Gundicha Temple.
- Lunch at a beachside restaurant.
- Relax on Puri Beach.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Puri.
- Day 5: Chilika Lake Excursion
- Full-day tour to Chilika Lake.
- Boat ride to explore the lake and visit Kalijai Temple.
- Lunch at a local seafood restaurant.
- Visit Satapada Dolphin Sanctuary.
- Return to Puri in the evening.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Puri.
- Day 6: Raghurajpur and Sakhigopal
- Visit Raghurajpur artisan village.
- Explore Sakhigopal Temple.
- Lunch at a local eatery.
- Return to Puri for leisure time.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Puri.
Day 7-10: Cuttack and Chandipur
- Day 7: Puri to Cuttack
- Check-out from hotel in Puri.
- Travel to Cuttack.
- Visit Cuttack Chandi Temple and Barabati Fort.
- Lunch at a local restaurant.
- Explore Cuttack's markets.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Cuttack.
- Day 8: Cuttack to Chandipur
- Check-out from hotel in Cuttack.
- Travel to Chandipur.
- Visit Chandipur Beach.
- Lunch at a beachside shack.
- Relax on the beach.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Chandipur.
- Day 9: Explore Balasore
- Visit Balasore Rocket Launching Station.
- Explore Balasore Museum.
- Lunch at a local restaurant.
- Visit Panchalingeshwar Temple.
- Return to Chandipur for dinner and overnight stay.
- Day 10: Excursion to Simlipal National Park
- Full-day tour to Simlipal National Park.
- Explore the park's wildlife and waterfalls.
- Picnic lunch inside the park.
- Return to Chandipur in the evening.
- Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 11-14: Sambalpur and Hirakud
- Day 11: Chandipur to Sambalpur
- Check-out from hotel in Chandipur.
- Travel to Sambalpur.
- Visit Samaleswari Temple and Ghanteswari Temple.
- Lunch at a local restaurant.
- Explore Sambalpur's markets.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Sambalpur.
- Day 12: Explore Hirakud Dam
- Visit Hirakud Dam and Nehru Minar.
- Boat ride on Hirakud Reservoir.
- Lunch at a nearby eatery.
- Explore Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Return to Sambalpur for dinner and overnight stay.
- Day 13: Sambalpur to Ushakothi
- Check-out from hotel in Sambalpur.
- Travel to Ushakothi Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Jeep safari to explore the sanctuary.
- Lunch at a forest guesthouse.
- Return to Sambalpur for dinner and overnight stay.
- Day 14: Explore Sambalpur
- Visit Huma Temple and Pradhanpat Waterfall.
- Lunch at a local eatery.
- Explore Sambalpur University and VSSUT Campus.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Sambalpur.
Certainly! Here's the continuation of your 21-day itinerary for Odisha:
Day 15-17: Berhampur and Gopalpur-on-Sea
- Day 15: Sambalpur to Berhampur
- Check-out from hotel in Sambalpur.
- Travel to Berhampur.
- Visit Maa Budhi Thakurani Temple.
- Lunch at a local restaurant.
- Explore Berhampur's markets.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Berhampur.
- Day 16: Berhampur to Gopalpur-on-Sea
- Check-out from hotel in Berhampur.
- Travel to Gopalpur-on-Sea.
- Relax on Gopalpur Beach.
- Lunch at a beachside restaurant.
- Explore the town and visit the lighthouse.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Gopalpur.
- Day 17: Explore Rushikulya Beach and Olive Ridley Turtles
- Visit Rushikulya Beach.
- Explore the beach and observe Olive Ridley turtles (seasonal).
- Lunch at a local eatery.
- Return to Gopalpur for leisure time.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Gopalpur.
Day 18-20: Jeypore and Koraput
- Day 18: Gopalpur to Jeypore
- Check-out from hotel in Gopalpur.
- Travel to Jeypore.
- Visit Jagannath Sagar and Gupteswar Temple.
- Lunch at a local restaurant.
- Explore Jeypore town.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Jeypore.
- Day 19: Jeypore Excursion
- Full-day excursion to Onukudelli and Bonda tribal villages.
- Interact with the tribal communities.
- Lunch at a local village.
- Return to Jeypore in the evening.
- Dinner and overnight stay.
- Day 20: Jeypore to Koraput
- Check-out from hotel in Jeypore.
- Travel to Koraput.
- Visit Deomali Peak and Jagannath Temple.
- Lunch at a local restaurant.
- Explore Koraput's markets.
- Dinner and overnight stay in Koraput.
Day 21: Departure from Odisha
- Day 21: Return to Bhubaneswar
- Check-out from hotel in Koraput.
- Travel back to Bhubaneswar.
- Visit any missed attractions in Bhubaneswar (optional).
- Lunch at a local restaurant.
- Drop-off at Bhubaneswar Airport or Railway Station for departure.