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We had planned simplipal trip a long time before. I work in Bangalore, plan was i'll drive down in my car to Orissa my native state and then visit simlipal with friends for 1-2 days. Mainly to stay inside jungle rest house and experience jungle during night.

However all that you plan does not go well. I drove to Orissa and reached on 20th Morning and planned there how to go there. Couple of my friends could not join due to wok commitments and now the group restricted to 4 only. Some of my friends in Bhubaneswar asked us to come to Deras(Chandaka Jungle) and they will arrange everything inside the jungle. So we were thinking of going to Deras on 27th Dec morning.

On 27th Dec I started my car and picked up my 4 friends and started towards Bhubaneswar, but somehow i was not happy to vist Chandaka forest. Stopped car and 4 of us discussed and we thought we'll be driving down to Simlipal and see what happens. Called Bhubaneswar friends and told them that this is the case, if you want to join us come to Baripada.

We rested near Chandikhole Reliance A1 Plaza. Took a cartton of Mineral Water, some snacks, then starred our journey to Baripada. Stopped at Panikoili, filled the tank and left now. NH5 was bad after Bhadrak till Balasore. Then took statehighway towards Baripada and reached there at around 2 PM. Stopped there had lunch in one dhaba. We got awesome Desi Chicken Curry over there. Called one of my friend, who is NDTV reporter and asked him to help us arranging our stay inside forest. Since it was peak time and we reached in afternoon probablity of getting rest house inside jungle was almost zero.

However he called up all his contacts and get us 2 rooms at RAMA TRTHA in JASHIPUR. Now plan was we'll drive to Jashipur (100 KM from Baripada) and stay the night there and on early morning we'll get the entry pass for jungle and go inside.

There are 2 entry to simlipal jungle.
1. Pithabata( 20 KM from Baripada) 20 vehicles get pass in a day
2. Jashipur (100KM from Baripada) 40 vehicles get pass in a day

We drove to RAMTIRTHA(Crocodile project). Roads were in bad condition and some ghat roads and reached there at around 9PM. In one place we took wrong diversion and suddenly we saw there is no road. When i stooped and get out of my car saw we were only 5-10 meter away from a collapsed bridge. Had the road been good and our car speed more then may be it's a differnet story.

We stayed at ramatirtha had dinner ad Jashipur DHABA. I would say the Desi Chickens are awesome in these areas. We returned to our place and boozed there and slept. One of my friend got call from his boss for some urgent work and he had left us and went to join his office work.

Next morning we called our hired cab(Bolero). Since my car has low ground clearance(Baleno), i was not keen in taking my car to jungle. We went to forest office to get our pass. There also we paid for lunch, which we'll get inside a jungle resthouse(MUKTAPUR).

There are 3 waterfalls inside forest.
1. JORANDA
2. BAREHIPNI
3. WHISKY

3rd water fall name is not mentioned in any of booklet provided by jungle officials, but this is the only watyerfall where you can bath, other 2 atre inaccessible. We sat sometimes at WHISKY waterfall, boozed there. Did not datre to bath as water temperature were freedging.

We travelled around 150 KMs inside jungle.saw waterfalls, however we could not spot any animals. Driver was saying since it's pick time it's difficlut to spot any animal during day time. However he assured we can see Deer, Elephant, Bison at CHAHALA. Inside jungle there are tribal small kids selling various forest products and we purchased some. I was wondered to see one 2 year toddler selling AMLA in front of his hut.

We came to CHALA in the evening and saw DEERS, BISON but not any other animal. We did not have patience to wait there as i had to drove down around 200 KMs to reach our native place. But as i talked to locals they suggested to either come in November or in February and stay inside jungle rest house if you want to see more animals during night (if you lucky may be TIGER too).

We left simlipal with smile of accomplishment on our face. I would say this place is pretty good and our stay could have been better had we planned the stuffs before.

Here are some snaps taken at similipal jungle.

Some more files from simlilipal tiger sanctury.

Akas, good trip that!

Did you enter Simlipal through Jashipur? How is NH6 between Baharogara/Jamsola and Jashipur? Is it in good condition? Have they widened the road. Been some years since I went that way, will appreciate your feedback.

Pithabata - where does one turn off NH5 to get there, in case you went there?

NH6 is not in that good condition, especially on that small ghat road. It's kind of pathetic. They did not widen the road as of now.

Regarding PithaBata if you coming from Cuttack after Balasore one road is towards left. That goes to Baripada. Baripada is 60KM from that NH5 exit. Pithabata is approx 20KM from Baripada.

entering similipal through jashipur is best way. If not for anything, because jashipur is sleepy town and sets the mood perfectly for simlipal. It looks you went to the bottom of barehipani waterfall. Was it not a deadly trek?

I would love to go to bottom of Barehipani , but we did not have much time in our hand. The bottom of waterfall which you are seeing is WHISKY waterfall. That's the only one where you can bath. Unfortunately it's not mentioned in any official brochure, only local people knows it.

Some more pictures from similipal forest. Hope you like it.

Nice pics. Keep them coming. Did you get to explore the tree house facing the Barehipani?

Thanks. No i did not see any tree house near Barehipani. COuld you tell me where is it exactly and is it good to spend night there?

Some more pictures from simlipal.

Good One

I still wonder why not many have responded to this beautiful post.

Please post more photos and info if you can.

I too went to Simplipal in 2005 in my Baleno. We stayed at Lulung. Will try to post some pics if I can find them. Did you visit the Sitakund falls?

And that is the last of the travelogue from Simlipal for a long, long, long time.....

Simlipal is closed indefinitely from March 28, 2009

Tehelka - India's Independent Weekly News Magazine

Thanks BT. I do not have much snaps though.
I'm sure you are going to do it soon as you are now in Kolkata.

Good to know you took your Baleno inside jungle. I was little skeptical regarding GC, so parked my Baleno at RamTirtha Guest House and went inside in a Bolero.

Yes there were naxal attacks inside forest, that's what i heard from local news paper.