Wildlife Orissa

Key Information:
Destination(s): India   
Specialty Categories: Wildlife Viewing   National Parks   
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
Minimum Per Person Price:   US Dollar (USD)
Maximum Per Person Price:  US Dollar (USD)

There are many wildlife sanctuaries which are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, bird life reptiles and water creatures. Some of the most important experiments of wildlife conservation are taking place in these natural habitat, giving the tourists an excellent opportunity to see nature’s bounty, propagated.

Nandankanan Biological Park: The picturesque Nandankanan, or the Garden of the Gods, is a beautiful biological park, 20 kms from Bhubaneshwar, established in 1960. It sprawls across the Chandaka forest, where the flora and fauna flourish in their natural habitat. The park houses the very first captive gharial breeding center of the country. The zoo at Nandakanan is world-renowned for its white tigers. In 1980, for the very first time, three white tiger cubs were born from normal colored parents. With facilities for boating, white tiger and lion safaris, a nocturnal animal house, reptile park, aerial rope way and cable car, it is the place for a person with a penchant for the great outdoors.

Chandka Elephant Reserve: Located in Bhubaneshwar, this reserve is the ony one of its kind in India. Besides elephants, sambar, bears, wild dogs, pea fowls and pythons can be spotted.

Chilika Lake: Located at a distance of 100 km from Bhubaneshwar, 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, shoveler and white - bellied sea eagle. For bird-lovers, Chilika is best visited in winter when the migratory populations wing in from places as far as Siberia Close to the mouth of the lake, is a large population of Gangetic dolphins. Chilika is easily accessible from both Bhubaneshwar and Puri.

Bhitarkanika Sanctuary: Bhitarnika is an adventurer'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.