Puri - Nearby Attractions & Things To Do

Published: 04/11/2012

A trip to Puri-Bhubaneswar will not be complete without a visit to a few wildlife sanctuaries in and around the twin cities. There are several wild life sanctuaries and National Parks in Odisha. As a matter of fact, the Similipal Tiger Reserve, Chilka Bird Sanctuary, Olive Ridley turtles in Gahirmatha, Crocodile Hatchery at Bhitarkanika attract environmentalists and tourists from india and abroad . For a visitor to Puri, however , apart from Chilika Lake Bird Sanctuary, there is the Nandankanan National Park and the Chandaka elephant Reserve that should not be missed out.

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Chilika Lake Bird Sanctuary

Chilika Lake, the largest inland saltwater lagoon in Asia, is located and spread over an area of 1100sq km. The pear shaped lagoon, having a sound eco system ,is home to both to native and migratory birds .A perfect tourist attraction for bird watchers with white bellied sea eagles, grey jacana ,herons and flamingos. Chilika is also a breeding colony for flamingos. While at Chilika places to visit are Nalabana, Birds island, Kalijai, Satpada, Parikud , Malud and Brahmaputra. Dolphins at Satpada are a joy to watch.

Nandankanan National Park

Established in 1960, situated 20kms from Bhubaneswar, the Nandankanan National Park has a zoo, a botanical park, a sanctuary, an aquarium, a lake and an amusement park for the children within its premises. The zoo is famous for the white tigers. it is house to many endangered species like the Asiatic lion, lion tailed macaque, Nilgiri Langur, and many other species of birds and even fishes. The Lion Safari, and amusement park, the ropeway to the Botanical Garden will leave pleasant memories for children.Nandankanan is a must see tourist destination for family tours.

Chandaka Elephant Reserve

A tourist destination to watch an episode from Discovery (National Geographic) or Animal Planets live! An evening in the watch tower near a water hole built by the Forest Dept. will provide nail-biting excitement of watching the elephants in the wild. The Chandaka Elephant Reserve situated in the outskirts of Bhubaneswar covers a huge area of dense forest. It was designated as an elephant reserve in 1982.