Bhitarkanika National Park

Cruise through snaking rivers with dark mangrove forests on both the sides and witness giant crocodiles basking in the sun on the river banks at Bhitarkanika National Park. Considered the second largest mangrove forest in the country after the Sunderbans, Bhitarkanika promises to be an enthralling experience. It is home to over 1600 salt-water crocodiles besides, sambars, spotted deer, monitor lizards and rhesus monkeys. One of the prime attractions of the park is the 22-feet crocodile named Kaalia. The marshy wetlands at Bhitarkanika are surrounded by three rivers—Baitarani, Brahmani and Dhamra—and have around 60 to 70 varieties of mangroves. While the national park spreads over an area of 650 sq km, it has a mangrove forest cover of 115 sq km. Every year during the winter and monsoon, the park plays host to lakhs of migratory birds like intermediary egret, large egret, grey heron, darter, purple heron and cormorant. Bagagahana and Saribana—considered ornithologist' paradise—are the spots within the park where the residential and migratory birds can be seen. At Bagagahana, one can easily sight the white bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), an endangered species. The Gahirmatha beach within the national park is the largest rookery in Odisha. Around three km away from Gahirmatha is the Dangamal Island, which houses the Captive Breeding & Research Centre for estuarine crocodiles. Here, one can also see India's only female albino captive white crocodile, Gori, and spot deer grazing. Khola and Gupti are the two main entry points to Bhitarkanika and visitors need to collect entry permits before proceeding. By road, Khola and Gupti points are 160 km from Bhubaneswar and 140 km from Cuttack.
From Bhadrak side, Bhitarkanika is just 55 km by road. Boating services along with guides are available at these two spots. Best time to visit is October to February when one can also sight the olive ridleys and migratory birds in the sanctuary. For accommodation, there are Swiss cottages by Sand & Pebbles (www.bhitarkanikanationalpark.com) and a forest rest house at Dangamal. The national park has now been proposed to be included in the list of World Heritage Sites.