Kolkata to Bhubaneshwar via Tiger Reserve, Mangroves Forest

Day 1 Arrive Kolkata

1. 1

   Badami

   2 hours

   On arrival at Kolkata airport assistance and transfer to hotel. Rest time free and easy to relax and personal activities.

Day 2 Kolkata

1. 1

   Kolkata (Calcutta)

   6 hours

   Breakfast at hotel, city tour of Kolkata. Visit Fort William, Raj-era edifice built during the early years of the Bengal Presidency. Victoria Memorial the immaculate white memorial bounded by verdant greenery and broad roads dedicated to Queen Victoria. Inside the memorial there is a museum where you can see the dresses of the queen as well as different kinds of weapons used during that era. Netaji Bhawan a building maintained as a memorial and research center to the life of the Indian nationalist "Netaji" Subhas Chandra Bose. Howrah Bridge one of the most popular bridges of India built on the river Hooghly. Dakshineswar Kali Temple one of the major pilgrimage center in the city that is dedicated to Goddess Kali. Rest time free and easy to relax and personal activities.

Day 3 Kolkata - Similipal Tiger Reserve (300kms/ 6hrs approx)

1. 1

   2 hours

   Breakfast at hotel, drive to Similipal Tiger Reserve, check in at hotel. Rest time free and easy to relax.

Day 4 Similipal Tiger Reserve

1. 1

   5 hours Admission ticket included

   After breakfast Jeep safari in Similipal Tiger Reserve. Simiipal is endowed with high peaks like Khairiburu, Maghasini and rocky cliffs like Ganapati facing the frost-valleys in Devasthali. Simlipal National Park derives its name from the abundance of red silk cotton trees growing in the area. The biodiversity of the land scape with high degree of endemism is the striking feature of the sanctuary. It harbours Tiger, Leopard, Sloth bear, Elephant, Gaur and other important major faunal species. Similipal is the only home for the unique melanistic tiger in the world. There are 55 species of mammals, 361 species of birds, 62 species of reptiles, 21 species of amphibians, with many species of invertebrate are present in the landscape.
   Rest time free and easy to relax and personal activities. Dinner

Day 5 Similipal Tiger Reserve - Bhitarakanika National Park (200kms/ 4hrs approx)

1. 1

   4 hours

   Breakfast at hotel, drive to Bhitarakanika check in at Jungle Cottage/ Tent. Bhitarkanika is an adventurist's paradise and a breeding ground for Olive Ridley turtles. The second largest mangrove forest of the country, it was declared a sanctuary in 1975, in order to protect the estuarine crocodile and the turtles in their rare mangrove habitat. Other residents of the sanctuary include water monitor lizards and king cobras. Dinner

Day 6 Bhitarakanika National Park - Puri (225kms/ 5hrs approx)

1. 1

   2 hours

   After breakfast ready to explore the land of crocodiles in their own Mangrove habitat. Boat safari in Mangrove forest, enjoy the serpentine creeks, watch out for birds, particularly different varieties of Kingfisher. Keep looking for estuarine crocodiles basking in the sun. Also visit Bagagahan Bird Sanctuary, climb to watch tower, look for Pelican & different varieties of Storks. Visit Crocodile museum at Dangamal.

2. 2

   Puri

   2 hours

   Later drive to Puri via visiting Ratnagiri, Udaigiri & Lalitgiri excavated Buddhist Sites filled with many Stupas cut out from rock and ancient monastery. On arrival check in

Day 7 Puri - Chilika Lake – Puri (50kms/ 1hrs approx one way)

1. 1

   Chilika Lake

   3 hours Admission ticket included

   Breakfast at hotel, excursion to visit Chilika Lake a brackish water lagoon, at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal, covering an area of over 1,100 km. It is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the second largest brackish water lagoon in the world after The New Caledonian barrier reef. It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent & home to a number of threatened species of plants and animals. It sustains more than 150,000 fisher–folk living in 132 villages on the shore and islands. The lagoon hosts over 160 species of birds in the peak migratory season. Birds from as far as the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Aral Sea and other remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Kazakhstan, Central and southeast Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas come here. A pleasant boat ride amidst the colourful migratory birds and the quaint water.

2. 2

   Konark Sun Temple

   3 hours Admission ticket included

   Resturn to Puri and visit The Konark Sun Temple, a 13th-century Temple in the form of the chariot of Surya, the sun god with 24 wheels, and is heavily decorated with symbolic stone carvings and led by a team of six horses. It was constructed from oxidizing weathered ferruginous-coloured sandstone by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The temple is one of the most renowned temples in India and is a World Heritage Site as a cultural property under categories (i). Rest time free and easy to relax on the beach.

Day 8 Puri - Konark - Pipli - Bhubaneshwar (65kms/ 1.3hrs approx)

1. 1

   4 hours

   Breakfast at hotel, drive to Bhubaneshwar with optional stopover visit to Pipili the applique work village. Continue drive to Bhubaneshwar and visit few famous temples Parasurameshwar, Mukteshwar, Rajarani & Lingaraj temple (non-Hindus are not allowed to enter inside the main temple sanctum). You can also visit Khandgiri, Udayagiri Jain caves and Dhauli Rock Edicts.
   After sightseeing drop off to Bhubaneshwar airport to board evening flight for onward destination.