Tribal Tour to Odisha

Arrive Bhubaneswar and transfer to Hotel. Bhubaneshwar is the capital of the ancient kingdom of Odisha and is famous as the temple city of India. Travel through Odisha is a melange of art, architecture and long-established customs. City tour of Bhubaneswar, which has some stunning temples clustered around the Bindusagar Tank. Of the original 7000 only 500 remain dating from the 7^th century to the 11^th century AD. Of these the most outstanding is the 11^th century Lingaraja Temple, which celebrates the zenith of Odisha art; and the late 10^th century beautifully decorated Muktesvara Temple, which marks the end of the phase of temple building in Odisha. Outside the city limits are the Udayagiri and Khandgiri caves, harking back to the time of Jain and Buddhist occupation of this region in the 2^nd century BC. The Jain caves are among the earliest in India and all the caves were built or excavated during the 150 years before Christ. In contrast to the stark decor of the Jain caves, the Buddhist caves are decorated with excellent friezes and sculptures. O/n hotel.

Morning after breakfast drive to Gopalpur enroute visit Olasingh textile village(One of the most famous Tasser weaving village). On arrival at Gopalpur check in to the hotel. Overnight at Gopalpur.

Morning drive to Rayagada enroute visit Taptapani the hot sulpheric spring(The hot water spring bubbling with sulphur content is the prime attraction) & Saura tribal villages. On arrival at Rayagada check in to the hotel. Overnight at Rayagada.

Drive to Dukum(Near Bisamkatak) to visit weekly market of Desia kondh(weekly market commence on Tuesday only). Later visit to Dokra crafts village at Jhigidi. Return back to Rayagada. Overnight at Rayagada.

After breakfast drive down to Chatikona to watch the interesting colourful weekly market of Dongriya Kondh Tribes(weekly market commence on Wednesday only). This tribe is one of the most primitive tribe of the Kondhs and they live in the high slopes of the Niyamagiri Hills. Then visit to Minapai(the bamboo craft village). Later drive to Jeypore. Overnight at hotel in Jeypore.

After breakfast, drive to Ankadelli to visit the famous Bonda tribes(weekly market commence on Thursday only), who comes once every week for their weekly market. It is a unique opportunity to see such a colorful concentration of typical tribals at one place. Most interesting is to watch the Bonda woman in their colorful Jewellaries and marketing commodities.Then drive back to Jeypore. Overnight at hotel in Jeypore.

After breakfast, drive to Kunduli to visit the weekly market of Paraja tribes(weekly market commence on Friday only). It is the biggest market of the tribal area. Then drive back to Jeypore. Overnight at Jeypore.

Morning after breakfast visit to Jagannath temple & tribal museum at Koraput. Then drive to Rayagada enroute visit Bada Paraja & Mali tribal villages. On arrival check in to the hotel. Overnight at Rayagada.

Morning drive to Rayagada enroute visit Saura tribal villages. On arrival at Gopalpur check in to the hotel. Then relax on the beach. Overnight at Gopalpur.

Morning drive to Puri enroute visit Chilika lake at Barkul(The largest brackish water lake). At Chilika take the boat cruise to visit the Birds island(it is heaven for the resident & migratory birds) & Nalabana island(it is a forest of reeds & famous for long range migratory birds in winter). Then proceed to Puri and check in to the hotel. Rest time relax on the golden beach of Puri. Overnight at Puri.

Puri is one of the four principal holy abodes in India, as well as a popular beach resort. It offers the rare experience of watching both the sunset and sunrise from the same beach. Pre-Dravidian and pre-Aryan history relates that a tooth of Buddha was temporarily enshrined in Puri before being moved to Sri Lanka. Supporting the theory that Buddhism prevailed in this area, the Jagannath Temple, dedicated to the Lord of the Universe, and the main attraction in Puri, was believed to have originally been a stupa(pagoda). The extraordinary form, Jagannath takes in this temple, is said to be the unfinished work of the craftsman god, Vishwakarma. Angry at Vishnu, he left his interpretation of the Lord of the Universe incomplete. Visit to the Chariot of the Sun God temple, built by King Langula Narasimha Deva in the 13^th century AD during the golden era of Orissan art. This temple, among the crowning works of Orissan architecture and sculpture, is sheer poetry in stone. Everyday the Sun God rises from the horizon, across the shimmering blue waters of the Bay of Bengal, and casts the warmth and luminosity of his revitalising rays on the sanctum sanctorum, circling the temple during the course of the day, illuminating the three brilliant images of the sun - in the morning, at mid-day and in the evening, as day makes way for the night. As you approach the water, you will see rising from the golden sandy beach, one of the country's most vivid archaeological treasures - the Surya Mandir(Sun Temple). For a millennium, this temple served as a beacon to the ancient and medieval mariners. Despite the fact that the Black Pagoda, as it was referred to by European soldiers who wanted to distinguish Konark from the whitewashed Jagannath Temple in Puri, lies in ruins, the structure is magnificent. Afternoon drive to Puri takes about 2 hrs. O/n hotel.

Breakfast at hotel, drive to Bhubaneswar, on the way, we will stop at the colourful village of Pipili where we can see Orissan handicrafts, the speciality being the famous applique work. Our next stop is Dhauli where the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka renounced violence and embraced the teachings of Buddha. We visit the Peace Pagoda known as Shanti Stupa built in early 1970s by the Japanese. We also stop at two ancient rock edicts, today eclipsed by the presence of the Pagoda. Dating from 260 BC they outline Ashoka's detailed instructions to his administrators to rule with gentleness and fairness. Continue drive to Bhubaneswar Airport to board flight for your home country.