Chilika Lake

Chilika Lake Bird Sanctuary

Since the lake is located on the east coast of India and has large water bodies, the place is a heaven for migratory and resident birds, and an equal delight for visitors, especially bird watchers, who stop by to have a look at these majestic creatures. The Chilika Lake Sanctuary is spread over an area of 1100 square kilometres and is home to a myriad of birds. This pear-shaped sanctuary is also one of the most visited sanctuaries in the state of Odisha. The Chilika Lake attracts an array of birds that choose this spot as their winter stopover, and come to visit this lake from as far as Iran, Siberia and Central Asia. The graylag geese, purple moorhen, flamingo, Brahminy Kite, spot-billed pelican, bar-headed goose, open-billed stork, pintail, king fisher, Egret, Avocet, gulls, tern, herons and white-bellied sea eagles are found here in large populations. In fact, the Chilika Bird Sanctuary is home to one of the largest breeding colonies of flamingos in the world.

Flora and Fauna at Chilika Lake

Other than these avifaunal species, the Chilika Lake also harbours a rich variety of wild animals, such as golden jackals, spotted deer, black buck and hyenas. The aquatic basin area houses over 225 species of fishes, including the well-known Chilka dolphin. Marine wildlife such as prawns and limbless lizards can also be spotted here. Apart from having a vibrant and dynamic variety of wildlife, the lake is also home to a healthy floral system that comprises of aquatic and non-aquatic plants. Visitors can spot rare and endangered species of all forms of flora here. In fact, it may interest you to know that the Chilika Lake is the most popular eco-tourism destination in the entire Odisha and is considered as a Ramsar site, because of the vast variety of endangered species that it provides shelter to.

Attractions at Chilika Lake

The lake offers a variety of different attractions that the tourists can explore to appreciate the beauty of nature in all its ground

1. Ornithologists flock here in large numbers to witness birds in their natural habitat.
2. Nalabana: Nalabana is a huge island in the centre of the lake that gets completely submerged during the monsoon months. A designated bird sanctuary, the island is always full of the chirps of many resident birds and migratory visitors, who never fail to delight the onlooker.
3. Kalijai Island: Considered to be the abode of Goddess Kalijai, the temple that is located here has an interesting history to it. It is widely believed that a young girl named Kali, and her sister who later came here looking for her, were both drowned in this island and the residents vouch to have heard their cries. Upon the construction of a temple, the cries ceased, and since then, the place has had a significant religious value. The location is easily accessible via a boat from the Chilika Lake and is a must visit at the time of Makar Sankranti, when the Makar Mela takes place.
4. Satapada: The Satapada Island, bounded by the lagoon on three sides, attracts the visitors because it is home to the flagship species of the Chilika Lake, the Irrawaddy dolphins. This island is one of the only two lagoons in the world where this endangered species can now be found. Tourists can easily reach this spot via boats arranged by OTDC.

5. Other islands, including the Breakfast Island, Beacon Island and Honeymoon Island are also popular attractions that tourist love to visit.

While looking for boats, ensure that you only travel on the ones that have been provided by OTDC, since other local boats do not have life jackets.

Best Time To Visit Chilika Lake

Undoubtedly, the best time to visit the Chilika Lake is the winter months of November to February, when the variety of migratory birds can be witnessed. In case you wish to visit the place at some other time, avoid the rainy season from June to September.

Traveling Around Chilika Lake

Auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are available to get around the place.  Water Scooters and Pedal Boats are available at this place. Drivers of speedboats might allow tourists to drive on request. The perfect time for boating is just before sunrise since the sunrise is very scenic from the horizon and birds are flying in all directions. At the Panthanivas, you can hire the Motorboats (10-Seater) for INR 750 per hour or the Speedboats (5-Seater) for INR 1850 per hour. Local boatmen will take you on a four-hour ride through the lake. Life jackets are not provided.

Stay Near Chilika Lake

To stay at the Chilika Lake itself is indeed a fantastic option since this enables you to enjoy the ambience of the place all day long. You can choose from the hotels on the banks of the lake, or the two tourist bungalows- Barkul and Panthnivas- to stay. Many state operated and private rest houses and tourist lodges are also available and are a good option to choose.

Suggested Itinerary For Chilika Lake

Note: This itinerary is customizable . You can talk to the travel agent and further customize it as per your requirements.

Day 1: Arrive at Puri.

Start your day with visiting the famous Jagannath temple and its surrounding local markets. Later visit the sun temple of Konark which is consider as the splendor of Kalingan architecture. Over night at Puri.

Day 2: Revel in at Chilika lake.

Especially if you happen to visit the place in winters you can find different species of migratory birds as Chilika is the largest ground which supports more than 200 species of migratory birds. drive to Mangalajodi have a boat ride in the wetland of chilika lake farther dive to barkul then visit kalijai  temple, Nalabana bird sanctuary.over night at barkul .

Day 3: Morning after breakfast drive to Bhubaneswar a bid goodbye to your journey by visiting Bhubaneshwar and relish the local site seeing. Catch your train/flight.

After a tour of the lake, have some delicious seafood at any nearby restaurant. With more time on your hands, you can go see  Salia Dam which is built on River Salia and located amidst stunning locales. Banapur which is popular for Bhagawati Temple and markets is another beautiful place you can take a trip to. You can also visit Narayani which has a temple in picturesque surroundings of the Eastern Ghats and Nirmala jhara.

Tips For Visiting Chilika Lake

1. Do not buy pearls or corals from Chilika lake. Fresh water Oysters are brought from Hyderabad & broken here to take out the cultured pearls. They try to sell them as natural pearls to tourists. The local sellers also sell fake “Black pearls” to unsuspecting tourists.
2. Be careful while boating and put your life jacket on.

How to reach Chilika Lake

Air: The nearest airport isë_Bhubaneswar, about 120 km away. From the airport you will have to take taxis, trains or buses to get to the lake.

Rail: The nearest rail station is at Balugaon, on the Howrah-Chennai track. From Balugaon, buses are available to get to the lake.

Road: Many buses ply from Bhubaneswar (Baramunda Bus Station) and Cuttack (Badambadi Bus Station) to Balugaon throughout the day, OSRTC buses which are the state buses will be the best choice. From there, one has to hire a taxi or an auto-rickshaw to reach Barkul or Rambha.