Peak Season
Chilika Lake in January
Odisha, India
January Chilika is a living David Attenborough documentary — a million birds
Why January scores 5/5
Weather
Peak — bird migration at maximum
Roads & Access
self drive: Easy. road condition: Excellent — on NH-16. public transport: Balugaon railway station on main Howrah-Chennai line.. from nearest city: Bhubaneswar 100km (2.5h), Puri 50km (1.5h). last km difficulty: easy
Safety & Emergency
Safety: 4/5. note: Basic medical at lakeside towns. Bhubaneswar (100km) for serious cases.. ambulance: 108. nearest hospital: Government Hospital Balugaon — 10km
Network
JIO: Yes, BSNL: Yes, NOTE: Yes, AIRTEL: Yes. Good at shore. No signal on Nalabana Island.
Kids
Kid-friendly (5/5) — Irrawaddy dolphin boat ride exciting, Flamingo viewing spectacular, Safe boat trips, Educational birding, Good OTDC facilities at Rambha/Barkul
Elevation
1m — Low altitude, no issues
Who should go
- ✓First-time travelers
- ✓Senior citizens
- ✓birders
- ✓wildlife-photographers
- ✓families
Who should think twice
- ✗Anyone needing constant connectivity
- ✗None
All 12 Months
| Month | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Januaryviewing | 5/5 | Peak — bird migration at maximum |
| February | 5/5 | February continues the spectacle — Nalabana Island teems with life |
| March | 4/5 | Good — birds departing |
| April | 3/5 | Only resident birds and dolphins — the migration spectacle is… |
| May | 2/5 | Hot |
| June | 2/5 | Monsoon |
| July | 2/5 | Monsoon |
| August | 2/5 | Monsoon peak |
| September | 3/5 | September boats resume on a full, green Chilika — first migrants… |
| October | 5/5 | Peak — migration begins |
| November | 5/5 | Peak — full migration |
| December | 5/5 | Peak — holiday birding |
Practical Details
How to reach
Bhubaneswar 100km (2.5h), Puri 50km (1.5h). Roads: Excellent — on NH-16. Self-drive: Easy. Public transport: Balugaon railway station on main Howrah-Chennai line.. Last stretch: easy
Elevation
1m
Difficulty
easy
Budget tier
budget
Nearby in Odisha scoring high in January
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