Bhitarkanika
Odisha · east · 2m
India's 2nd largest mangrove — 1,826 saltwater crocs, 18 albino, king cobras
Why Special
145 sq km mangrove national park. 1,826 saltwater crocodiles (2025 census) including 18 albinos. King cobras, water monitors. Ramsar Wetland. River safari through mangrove channels. Adjacent to Gahirmatha turtle beach.
Who Should Think Twice
Infrastructure concerns
Only basic medical (PHC) — serious cases need referral
Signal drops to zero in many areas
Festivals & Events
Olive Ridley Turtle Festival
FebFebruary (during peak nesting)
Conservation festival during peak turtle nesting at Gahirmatha. Awareness programs, guided nesting viewing, conservation education.
Celebrating the world's largest mass nesting — conservation meets spectacle
Infrastructure Reality
Network Coverage
Patchy at park office. NO signal inside mangrove channels.
Medical & Emergency
Hospital: PHC Rajnagar — 15km (basic) (15 km)
Ambulance: 108 (slow — 60min+)
Police: 100
Getting There
Bhadrak 70km (2h), Bhubaneswar 150km (4h)
Roads: Good to Rajnagar, narrow roads + boat after
Public transport: Buses to Rajnagar/Chandbali. Boat safari from jetty.
Fuel & Stay
Fuel: Rajnagar 15km
⚠ Carry extra fuel
Stay: ₹500–3,000/night
5+ options (forest-lodge, OTDC-eco-cottage)
The stay decisions worth flagging in Bhitarkanika.
Bhitarkanika is India's 2nd largest mangrove ecosystem — Bhitarkanika National Park, Wildlife Sanctuary, Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary. Stay scene is Bhitarkanika Eco Resort (private) + Forest Dept Nature Camps (Dangamal, Habalikhati, Gupti). Most visitors come for estuarine crocodiles, mangrove boat cruises, and Olive Ridley turtle nesting at Gahirmatha (mass-nesting Feb-Mar). 160 km from Bhubaneswar.
Bhitarkanika Eco Resort is the private-sector pick — 5 AC Deluxe rooms, 2 non-AC, 8 Swiss Tents at Nalitapatia village. Dangamal, Habalikhati, Gupti Nature Camps are the state Forest Department alternatives inside the park boundary itself — basic but in-park access for serious wildlife visitors.
Bhitarkanika Eco Resort Nalitapatia
Nalitapatia village at the Brahmani-Baitarani confluence — 5 AC Deluxe rooms, 2 Non-AC Deluxe, 8 Non-AC Swiss Tents with attached bathrooms. Closest proper resort to Bhitarkanika's Khola Jetty (entry point). Wildlife-focused operation, local guide arrangement.
Dangamal / Habalikhati / Gupti Nature Camps (Forest Dept)
Forest Dept-run basic lodging inside the park. Dangamal is the most accessible; Habalikhati is the Gahirmatha turtle-nesting base camp. Basic — single beds, shared facilities, limited power. For serious wildlife visitors who want in-park access.
No location pick here that's worth the flag. See alternatives below.
No x-factor pick here that's worth the flag. See alternatives below.
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