Itinerary

Day 01

Delhi / Bhubaneshwar

09:30 Hours	At 0930 hrs you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred Delhi Domestic airport to connect flight for Bhubaneshwar
11:05 Hours	Depart : Delhi by Air India Flight AI 75
13:10 Hours	Arrive : Bhubaneshwar “Economy Class” Upon arrival in Bhubaneshwar you will be transferred to your hotel.
14:30 Hours	At 1430 hrs you will be taken for afternoon city tour of Bhubaneshwar- the Capital City of the modern State and the ancient kingdom of Kalinga. Bhubaneshwar – known as the Temple City of India. Among the finest of its 600 temples is the Lingaraj Temple of Shiva built in the 11th century, it is also the biggest in Bhubaneshwar – Non Hindus are not allowed in this temple and to see from the Platform. Visit the Mukteswara temple built in the 10th century and known for its stone and arch at the entrance and is richly sculpted. With the tales from the Panchatantra carved on it, the temple is a magnificent example of Orissan architecture. The Rajarani temple set in picturesque surrounding is noted for its intricate carvings of floral, animal and human figures. It is built in the 11th century and has no deity. Parasurameswara temple a small but richly decorated shrine of Shiva built in the 7th century. It is one of the best preserved. It has sculptures featuring amorous couples, animals and floral motifs. Overnight : Hotel in Bhubaneshwar

Day 02

Bhubaneshwar / Balliguda

07:00 Hours	Breakfast at Hotel
08:00 Hours	At 0800 hrs check out and leave for Balliguda in the district of Phulbani – (300kms, 8 hours drive) for your first night stay of the tribal visits. Enroute visiting typical Orissan villages and local markets. Lunch in an Indian restaurant enroute. Arrive and check in to Hotel. Dinner at Hotel. Overnight at Hotel in Balliguda

Day 03

Balliguda / Rayagada

07:00 Hours

Breakfast at Hotel

08:00 Hours

At 0800 hrs check out and leave for Rayagada (190 kms, 4 Hours drive) enroute visiting Tumudibandh, Belghar to see the Kutia Kondh tribe and their villages and also the weekly tribal market at Kotgarh, which is attended by members of the Kutia Kondh & Desia Kondh tribes. The women are readily identifiable by the geometric tattoos worn on their faces and hands. These identifying marks ensure that they will recognize each other in the spirit world. Packed Lunch enroute. Dinner at Hotel. Overnight at Hotel in Rayagada

Day 04

Rayagada

07:00 Hours

Breakfast at Hotel

Day Summary

Full day Rayagada – This should be a Tuesday. Drive down to Dukum village to witness the weekly tribal market of Kutia Kondh tribes. After visit drive to Niagara areas – trek to see the Dhongria Kondh villages. We will visit a hamlet of the Dongariya Kondh, where women dress in white cotton togas and adorn themselves with a flashy array of hairpins and ornaments, ear and nose rings and geometric tattoos. Packed Lunch enroute. Dinner at Hotel. Overnight at Hotel in Rayagada

Day 05

Rayagada / Jaypore

07:00 Hours	Breakfast at Hotel
08:00 Hours	This should be a Wednesday Drive to Chatikona – 45 minks drive to see the colourful weekly tribal market of Dhongria Kondh tribes – The Kondhs are known in the history for their Meriah Sacrifice-Human Sacrifice. The Kondhs are of a Dravidian origin and speak Kuvi language. They practice elaborate birth, marriage and death rituals. Visit the Kondh tribe and their villages- they love music and dance and spend their time merrily. They compose their own songs on love, marriage ceremony, harvesting and nature. The Kondh women wear two pieces of cloths, one around the waist to the knees and the other for upper portion of the body. The Kondh society is replete with festivities. Desia Kondh tribe lives on the plains & they practice elaborate birth, marriage and death rituals. After tour back to Rayagada for Lunch at Hotel.
14:00 Hours	Check out and leave for Jeypore – 135 kms, 4 hrs drive enroute visting Desia Kondh tribes and villages. Arrive and check into Hotel Hellow Jaypore. Dinner at Hotel Overnight at Hotel in Jaypore

Day 06

Jaypore

07:00 Hours

Breakfast at Hotel

Day Summary

Full day Jaypore – This should be a Thursday visit of Onukudelli to see the famed Bonda tribe and their weekly tribal market. A two hour drive from Jaypore. Bonda Tribe-In the district of Koraput, on the high hills to the north-west of the river Machkund, live the wildest, rudest and possibly the most interesting tribe which is known as Bonda or naked people. The scanty dress of Bonda women and homicidal tendency of Bonda males have made them most fascinating and thus they stand in sharp contrast from the neighboring castes and tribes of Orissa. The Bondas call themselves Ramo and speaks a very difficult Austro-Asiatic language. Amidst picturesque scenes, Bondas live on high hills surrounded by fruit groves. They are generally agriculturists and are expert cultivators. The irrigated and terraced paddy fields on high hills prove their skill in rice cultivation. Bonda dormitories for the unmarried boys and girls are very interesting. In spite of their primitiveness and so-called poverty, the Bondas enjoy a high degree of economic sufficiency. Packed Lunch enroute Dinner at Hotel Overnight at Hotel in Jaypore

Day 07

Jaypore

07:00 Hours

Breakfast at Hotel

Day Summary

Full day Jaypore – This should be a Friday visit to Parajas – who are mostly found in Koraput district. Their language is Parji. The Parajas have a number of totemistic steps 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. Packed Lunch enroute Dinner at Hotel Overnight at Hotel in Jaypore

Day 08

Jaypore / Rayagada

07:00 Hours

Breakfast at Hotel

Day Summary

Morning – visit of Gupteswar Caves and Dhurva tribal villages. Gupteswar is a famous cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and located at the top of a limestone hill which is about 500 mts above sea level. Surrounded by a dense forest of sal trees and flanked by Kolab river, a 2m high lingam stands in the cave. The shrine is called “Gupteswar” which means the “Hidden God”. It is so named because it was lying hidden in the cave for a very long period. One can reach it by climbing the 1000 steps flanked with rows of champak trees. The entrance of the cave is about 3 m wide and 2 m in height. There are also several other caves nearby. Inside the second cave there is a large stalactite. People worship it as the udder of God Kamadhenu (the divine cow) and wait under it with outstretched palms to collect drops of water which fall only at long intervals. In Shivaratri (a Hindu festival) Gupteswar Temple draws large number of devotees from Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh. People suffering from incurable diseases come here to worship the God and remain here for months in the hope of getting cured return to After tour back to Jaypore for Lunch at Hotel. Check out and leave for Rayagada – 135 kms, 4 hrs drive. Arrive and check into Hotel Dinner at Hotel Overnight at Hotel in Rayagada

Day 09

Rayagada / Taptapani

07:00 Hours

Breakfast at Hotel

Day Summary

After breakfast leave for Taptapani (160 kms, 4 hours Drive) enroute visiting the Saora tribes – who are mostly concentrated in Ganjam district of the State. The whole area is an intricate labyrinth of precipitous hills and valleys, which are part of the Eastern Ghat-the height of the hills varying from 2000 to 4000 sqft above sea level. 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. Also visit of Desia Kondh tribes and their villages. Packed Lunch enroute Dinner at Hotel Overnight at Tourist bunglow in Taptapani

Day 10

Taptapani / Bhubaneshwar

07:00 Hours

Breakfast at Hotel

Day Summary

After breakfast leave for Bhubaneshwar (220 kms, 5 hours drive) enroute visting famous Chilka Lake- famous for its migratory birds and irwadai dolphins. This lake covering an area of 900 sq. km is Asia’s largest salt and fresh water lake. It attracts a large number of migratory birds, like the flamingo, teal, bar headed goose, shoveller and white – bellied sea eagle. For bird-lovers, Chilka is best visited in winter when the migratory populations wing in from places as far as Siberia. Lunch Enroute After lunch leave for Bhubaneshwar and Check in at Hotel. Afternoon you will be taken for visit of Caves Udayagiri and Khandagiri- Khandagiri and Udayagiri hills were carved and tunneled, to create this multi-storied ancient apartment residence for Jain monks. They were the work of the first known Orissan ruler, King Kharavela, and probably begun in the first century BC. Kharavela was a king of the Mahameghavahana dynasty, who is known for expansion of the Kalinga empire and his installation of public improvements, such as canal systems. His queen was evidently quite a patron of the arts, and probably had much to do with the impressive sculptural decoration of the caves. Overnight : Hotel in Bhubaneshwar

Day 11

Bhubaneshwar / Puri

07:00 Hours

Breakfast at Hotel

Day Summary

After Breakfast leave for Puri (65 kms, 90 Minutes drive) enroute visting of Pipli appliqué crafts village, Raghurajpur pattachitra painting. Appliqué’, which is a French term, is a technique by which the decorative effect is obtained by superposing patches of coloured fabrics on a basic fabric, the edges of the patches being sewn in some form of stitchery. It is distinct from what is known as patch work in which small pieces of cut fabrics are usually joined side by side to make a large piece of fabric or for repairing a damaged fabric. Though the form is not unknown in other parts of India, it is Orissa and specially in Pipli that the craft has a living and active tradition continuing over centuries. The Patachitras are paintings on cloth. In the absence of paper, cloth gives an extended smooth surface and is easily transported. For the pattachitra, small strips of cloth are prepared for the painting by a coating of a mixture of glue and chalk which result in a leathery finish. The outlines are then drawn directly in red or yellow and the other colours subsequently filled in. Finally the pata is given a lacquer coating to protect it from climatic effects. For this process of varnishing and glazing, the back of the painting is exposed to heat while the top is being brushed with a fine layer of lacquer. Arrive and check into Hotel. Overnight : Hotel in Puri

Day 12

Puri

07:00 Hours

Breakfast at Hotel

Day Summary

Full day visit of Konark Sun Temple and Puri Jagannath Temple. 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 seven horses. This legendary temple has sculptures of great beauty covering all aspects of life. It is most famous for its erotic art. Puri city – and famous Jagannath Temple- to be seen from the platform as non Hindus are not allowed. Puri-the city by the sea- is a major pilgrim center in India. Adi Shankara founded one of the peethas here. Uri is also famous for its Golden beach ideal for swimming and surfing. But the fame of Puri emanates most from the Jagannath Temple, which contributed the word Jurrernaut to the English language. The 12th century temple is known for its annual Car Festival. Overnight : Hotel in Puri

Day 13

Puri / Bhubaneshwar / Kolkata

07:00 Hours	Breakfast at Hotel
08:30 Hours	you will be picked up from your hotel and driven to Bhubaneshwar Airport (65 kms, 90 Minutes Drive) to connect your onward flight to Kolkata. Depart Bhubaneshwar by Air Asia Flight I5 736 1425 hrs Arrive Kolkata “Economy Class” 1530 hrs Upon arrival in Kolkata our Services will terminate here.

Notes

• Arrival in Delhi Must be “Saturday” so that all places mentioned above can exactly be covered.
• Validity : September to March every year