Visitors may stop here while travelling to Simlipal National Park.

Hotel Bishram, near the bus stand, has basic, inexpensive rooms.

Hotel Ambika,  has rooms with bath for Rs 150/200 and better rooms for Rs 350/450. The staffs here are helpful and can arrange transportation to Simlipal National Park. It has a restaurant.

Durga, 3km out of town, is a colonial building with basic rooms.

Simlipal National Park

Located in the northeast section of Orissa between Bhubaneswar and Calcutta, this park covers 2750km and is part of Project Tiger. The park is home to tigers (about seventy-five), elephants, leopards, sloth bears, porcupines, moniter lizards, flying squirrels, pythons, mugger crocodiles, mongooses, different kinds of deer, and over 200 species of birds. It is a beautiful park with hills, waterfalls, and nice forest. It is closed from July to October.

Most of the tigers stay within the core zone, an 850 sq km area, to which visitors are not permitted. The mosquitoes are vicious.

Park Information

The easiest way to visit the park is on an organized tour. Heritage Tours in Puri (06752 23656) and Swosti Travel in Bhubaneswar (0674 408-526) can arrange transportation, accommodations, and permits quickly and efficiently.

Visitors are required to reserve accommodations in the park one month in advance by writing the Field Director of Simlipal Tiger Reserve, Baripada, Mayurbhunj District, Orissa 757002 (06792 52593). You should reconfirm your booking at the Simlipal Park Office (06792 52593) in Baripada.

There are two entrances to the park, one at Pithabata near Baripada on the east side of the park, and the other at Joshipur on the west side.

In Joshipur there are several hotels. Entry is Rs 100 for foreigners, Rs 5 for Indians; camera extra.

To enter the park you have to rent a car. Taxis go for Rs 1000 to 1500 per day and can be hired by the bus stand in Baripada or through the trustworthy manager of the Ambika Hotel in Baripada.

You can also stay in Joshipur, where the hotels are less expensive and which is closer to places in the park (makes the taxi cheaper).

Practicalities

There are few facilities here and no restaurants.

There are several Forest Rest Houses in the park, all of them basic. A room costs Rs 100.

The best place to stay for seeing wildlife is in Chahala (85km from Baripada), which used to be a maharaja’s hunting lodge. It is near a salt-lick visited by the animals just within the core zone.

There are forest rest houses at Newana;

Barehapani, near a waterfall; Joranda (65km from Baripada); and Gudgudia (25km from Joshipur).

Aranya Niwas Tourist Lodge at Lulung, about 10km into the park (30km from Baripada), has rooms for Rs 500 and dorm beds for Rs 75. There is not much chance to see wildlife from this place.

You could also stay at the Tourist Lodge in Joshipur, which has rooms for Rs 125. You can hire a jeep from there.

The nearest major railway station is in Balasore. There are regular buses from Baripada via Lulung, 30km west.