[KALINGA]

Originally Posted by mitchontheroad

beautiful writeup and photos!
its fortunate that you updated your log as i am ready to head to orissa on monday.
would you say that it would be a nice ride to go through the same areas on a bullet? would those roads in the park be accessible and allowable by park rules to ride on?
i really have no clue about orissa and want to see its beauty from the bike.
what about any 'bad guys' along the route?
any advice is helpfulthanx
mitch

WELCOME TO ORISSA.

Dont worry. Orissa is a very peaceful state. Chance of meet 'Bad Guys' on rout is very very very less. Try to travel in daytime. 6 Am to 6PM. Its good to always stay in safe side.

Yes you can do trvel on BULLET. But in some forest bikes are not allowed. In that case you can hire a jeep from local.

[adc]

Originally Posted by mitchontheroad

i really have no clue about orissa and want to see its beauty from the bike.
mitch

Mitch, Orissa is varied and big state, and specifics like how many days and areas of interest are required.

If it is tribal and lonely country side rides then you have this

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ls-forest.html

Also from this side you can try the Daringbadi-Baliguda route. Done that also - again maximum tribal land and markets and remoteness

Plus then there is Sambalpur-Sunabeda forest route and one of the best waterfall and sand beach is what we found out inside the forest, deep blue water with the whitest of sand - any other place this would have been a million dollar funky private resort. And then we went up to the source of River Jonk - a wild wild place after a great defying ride.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-sunabeda.html



You have then also Bhitarkanika - place of Olive Ridley Turtles, giant salt-water crocodiles and amazing birds and remoteness.


And then if you want more, you have the deepest gorge out there in the middle of a rugged forest - Satkosia Gorge. And ever seen a crocodile in swim motion - Godzilla style! And for staying - camping on the river Mahanadi bank!

Any way enough of promotional talk, sent you a PM with my number, call me up anytime, will give you some definite routes as per your days.

Most probably I should be going to Satkosia Gorge Forest next Sat-Sun [6-7 feb]

Originally Posted by KALINGA

Hey ADC .. you just refresh my memory.
"PANCHALINGESWAR"
Its near my native.
There are many spot to travel in BALASORE.

i think you must covered most of them. Great.........

Thats great to hear, Panchalingeshwar and Kuldiha is one our favourite every year must-do travel. Tell me when you come back next time.

Bhitarkanika and Simlipal [closed due to Naxalite problem] are left.

[DriveTrain]

adc - need your advise

How are the roads to Pachalingeswar from Balasore - do you need a SUV ? Planning to go there in my Getz - is that doable ?

[adc]

Originally Posted by DriveTrain

adc - need your advise

How are the roads to Pachalingeswar from Balasore - do you need a SUV ? Planning to go there in my Getz - is that doable ?

The country road was quite okay and you dont need a SUV for that. We visited Kuldiha-Panchalingeshwar-Khumkote tank around last May [2009] - when cyclone Aila struck - Amazing to see and feel what a forest becomes during a rainy season - normally we miss this view as forests are closed during the monsoons.

Do visit Khumkote tank - you can go yourself asking or take the hotel boy with you - great desolate place.

Also as we did try visiting Kuldiha around May when the jackfruit and mangoes ripen - these are the favourites of the elephants and you could literally see them plucking it from the trees and having a feast.


Let me take this post to update the photos of our last visit to Khuldiha in May 2009 with Cyclone Aila causing a huge deluge in the forest - As said we got to see and feel and slide [VTT 2-tonne slide is great till you get stuck] what a forest looks like during the monsoons.

Torrential rain due to side effect of cyclonic storm Aila had left the gate entrance at Kuldiha, Orissa, a mud trap for a 2wd. After a lot of sliding, precariously close to the forest iron gate and the trench by the side, Safari VTT somehow was maneuvered to the grassy patch at the other side.

Kuldiha road is totally uphill from this gate, and quite a few anxious moments were encountered. All in all, though a very fantastic experience, a forest journey and stay during torrential rain is absolutely different -- normally the forests are closed in the monsoons. All the gutters and overflowing water on the forest track and the sliding and experiencing the wilderness was an experience by itself.

YouTube - KULDIHA MUD STUCK SLIDE

The road to Panchalingeshwar


OTDC Panchalingeshwar


Towards Khumkote Tank







Cyclone Aila Brewing






Kuldiha Forest, under deluge





Wildlife photographed, this particular elephant that I could take photo of, is a solitary rogue - came down on the trench surrounding the FRH at night to have jackfruit

[KALINGA]

Great Pics ADC.
Some years ago that approching road to PANCHLINGESWAR was not that good. But now a days those roads are improve a lot.

When comming from Sergarh to Panchlingeswar you pass a small town "NILAGIRI". There you can check the King Fort. It is a very old fort. The Kings family are still staying in that fort.

After that you can check the "SAJANA GARHA", "CHANDI MANDIR" , that also a very big old temple.

Near PACHLINGESWAR if you enquir a place is "BAULAGADIA". That place is famous for Stone utensils and stone statue and many other excellent works on stone.

[SmartCat]

How could a 4WD vehicle have handled that mud situation? There is simply no grip - I think all four wheels of a 4WD SUV would keep spinning.

Also, in situations like this, would a FWD car fared better than a RWD Safari?

[adc]

Originally Posted by KALINGA

When comming from Sergarh to Panchlingeswar you pass a small town "NILAGIRI". There you can check the King Fort. It is a very old fort. The Kings family are still staying in that fort.

After that you can check the "SAJANA GARHA", "CHANDI MANDIR" , that also a very big old temple.

Near PACHLINGESWAR if you enquir a place is "BAULAGADIA". That place is famous for Stone utensils and stone statue and many other excellent works on stone.

This is very good info about the places near and around Nilagiri. Will keep the undone places on schedule next time we go.

Originally Posted by smartcat

How could a 4WD vehicle have handled that mud situation? There is simply no grip - I think all four wheels of a 4WD SUV would keep spinning.

Also, in situations like this, would a FWD car fared better than a RWD Safari?

This is a classic situation what happens when a RWD vehicle gets bogged down in slippery mud. Got out by going sliding up and down and the other boys pushing it sideways so that the VTT does not go down to the trench or hit the signboards at the other edge.

This time in Arunachal, Eagle Nest Forest, similar situation in ice. But the sliding fun on those mud or ice tracks can be had only in a RWD till you get stuck!



A 4wd would have done it.

A FWD vehicle with steering feedback and front wheel power plus the weight of the engine on the front wheels, would have done it in fewer tries.

Tyres play an important role but this specific kind of mud would have even filled up the A/T tyre gaps. M/T would have been needed.

[adc]

Queries from a couple of members about this forest, 300 km from Kolkata - definitely visit this forest once. It should close by the middle of this month to open in end October again. Booking is done by DFO Balasore [ 0678-2256142].

If you are driving by your own car, one has to take additional car permission from Nilagiri range office. So it goes like this: Drive down to Balasore forest office, take the papers, drive down to Nilagiri [it is on the way to Kuldiha], take the car and additional papers, enter the forest through the main forest gate.

Absolutely remember to buy ration [food] before entering the forest, cooking is done by the forest guards.

Kuldiha Forest near Balasore, though small is one of the most pristine forests in eastern India and that too just some 300 km from Kolkata and much, much nearer if one goes from Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack. This dense forest is an absolute visit for any traveller. With our mid December 2010 travel, we have been to Kuldiha thrice.

Some images from December 2010 trip with 3 of my good friends.

Elephant pelvic bone!!



In the forest














Few fall colours as seen in an extremely dense green forest.




Fleeting clouds at night as the Kuldiha FRH is lighted up by solar.


Star trail at Kuldiha, one can just about see the pole star through the forest cover



Brilliant colours of Rissi Dam around the periphery of Kuldiha forest, near Jodachua FRH - early Dec 2010

[Arka]

Hello ADC, I grew up in the vicinity of Angul and had been as far as Tikarpara (to see the Mahanadi crocs) when I was a child. Your write-up brings back a lot of memories and familiar names.

Your pictures, however, have taken me places where I had never been and shown me sights that I might have seen, if you had been my dad. I envy your boy. He will have such wonderful memories as he grows up. Keep rolling...

[adc]

Thanks much. Orissa has some great known and unknown places, Satkosia gorge is a great place to be - it now better managed and of course being converted to a tiger reserve now, rules are much more stricter. Definitely spend at least a night on the Mahanadi river camp beach, run by the local people.

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by adc

Orissa has some great known and unknown places, Satkosia gorge is a great place to be - it now better managed and of course being converted to a tiger reserve now, rules are much more stricter.

Thanks adc. I went to Satkosia just last week. Although I had heard of Satkosia earlier, it is from your postings at this forum that I got an inspiration to visit. I must admit that it was a very beautiful place.

In case somebody else in this forum is interested to pay a visit, let me inform you gentlemen that the roads all around are good. Not only the highways, even the narrow roads inside the jungle seem to be freshly laid and are presently in excellent condition. Even small hatchbacks and sedans may reach there very comfortably. Please allow me to put up few pictures from my visit to this place.
My car standing at the entry gate of Satkosia. I was charged Rupees forty five in total (Me and my wife were charged @ Rs 20/- per head, charge for the car being Rs 5/-, daughter went free).

This is the reception center near the main gate where entry fees were collected.

The distance of Tikarpara nature camp was possibly around thirty KM from the main gate. The narrow and serpentine road through sometimes dense jungle was beautiful and I really enjoyed the driving.

Cows from the small adjacent village settlements blocked my car twice.

Boards showing distances for the travelers.


A view of the river and the gorge.


Regards,
Rahul
Calcutta

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by rahul4640

I went to Satkosia just last week.

Hi, Went to KGP today. Both toll booths were unmanned. What was the situation last week?

Regards
Sutripta

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Hi, Went to KGP today. Both toll booths were unmanned. What was the situation last week?

Dear Sutripta Sir,
The one which is closer to Calcutta (at Dhulaguri), the one we face before reaching Uluberia is remaining unmanned for at least more than a month now. I had once read in a Bengali newspaper that the contractor who was entrusted for collecting the toll had ended it's tenure and fresh contract has not been awarded yet. And last week the other toll booth at KGP side was unmanned too, but I am sorry I do not have any further information.
Warm regards,
Rahul

[arijit72]

Has anyone been to Satkoshia lately? I am planning for 23rd Jan 2014 - was just wondering whether my Swift will be able to make it...

Any ideas?

Arijit

[A.G.The Rambler]

Originally Posted by arijit72

Has anyone been to Satkoshia lately? I am planning for 23rd Jan 2014 - was just wondering whether my Swift will be able to make it...

Any ideas?

Arijit

In the last 4 months i have been there twice in my Manza. Your swift will rock and roll. No issues at all. Where will you be staying there? Stay in Chhotkei Eco resort. It is a wonderful place. Do not forget to drive to Labangi through the dense jungles. Do let me know if you need any information.I will be putting up a TL pretty soon.