Rest of Odisha · Tiger reserve of waterfalls and sal forests
Simlipal National Park
A 2,750 sq km UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Mayurbhanj — home to the rare melanistic (black) tiger, elephants, orchids and the spectacular Barehipani and Joranda waterfalls.
History & legend
Simlipal was the hunting ground of the Bhanja Maharajas of Mayurbhanj, who kept elephant catching (khedda) camps here into the 1930s. It was declared a tiger reserve in 1956 — one of the first in India — became part of Project Tiger in 1973, a Biosphere Reserve in 1994 and a UNESCO World Network Biosphere Reserve in 2009. Its 'pseudo-melanistic' tigers, first photographed in 2007, are found nowhere else in the wild.
Timings
6:00 AM – 12:00 PM entry · closed mid-June to October
Best time to visit
November–February
Entry fee
₹40 Indians · ₹1,000 foreigners · vehicle ₹300 · guide ₹500
Approx. cab from Puri (one way)
₹8,000 · 320 km × ₹25/km
Don't miss
- Barehipani Falls (399 m)
- Joranda Falls
- Chahala meadow wildlife
- Black tiger territory
Local tip: Only 60 vehicles are allowed daily — book online permits at Pithabata or Jashipur gates. No private night stays inside without forest booking.
On the map
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