If you find yourself in the city of Bhubaneswar and have plan to visit the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia, Chilika Lake, then there are many ways in which you can get off the beaten path while you are making that trip. A road trip from Bhubaneswar to Chilika Lake is one such way to explore everything Odisha has to offer, all along the way, while you drive to the majestic Chilika Lake from Bhubaneswar. Chilika Lake is spread over the districts of Khorda, Puri, and Ganjam in Odisha, located on the eastern coast of India. The lake flows into the Bay of Bengal and covers a broad, wide-ranging area of more than 1,100 sq. km.
Planning A Road Trip From Bhubaneswar To Chilika Lake
Driving from Bhubaneswar to Chilika Lake is a one-day trip that can comfortably be completed within a day. On the way, you can check out all the tourist attractions. You can take two routes by car or motorcycle to reach Chilika Lake by road from Bhubaneswar.
NH 316 Route
Image Credit: juggadery for Wikimedia Commons
The first route is NH 316, a faster route with a distance of about 107 km. This route’s estimated driving time is about 2 hours and 32 minutes. This is the most popular route to visit Chilika Lake from Bhubaneswar. The route passes via Puri, where most people stop to visit the Puri Jagannath Temple before continuing on their road trip. The route passes places such as Balakati, Pipli, Sakhigopal, Chandanpur, Puri, Brahmagiri, Arakhakuda, and Satapada, the final destination from which you can explore Chilika Lake. Another option for this route is to take a short detour at Pipli and drive down to Konark, where you can see the Konark Sun Temple. You will have to detour to Nimapada and Gop, from where you can quickly drive to Konark. You can return to Puri via the Balukhand route.
Total distance (Bhubaneswar – Pipli – Puri – Satapada): 107 km by road
Driving Time (Bhubaneswar – Pipli – Puri – Satapada): 2 and half hours
Also Read: Places To Visit In Bhubaneswar
NH 16 Route
Image Credit: Klsateeshvarma for Wikimedia Commons
This is the second route less often taken, connecting Satapada to Bhubaneswar by road. The total distance is 116 km, and the driving time is slightly on the higher side, at 3 hours. This route passes through the town of Khorda and one can expect an absolutely magical time visiting all the destinations at Khorda while taking this route. The places that you will pass by on this route include Janla, Khorda, Nijgarh Tapang, Sukala, Brahmagiri, Arakhakuda and Satpada. Satpada is the final destination and boating point from where you can enjoy all that Chilika lake has on offer for tourists. Unlike the previous route, this route has tolls along the way.
Total distance (Bhubaneswar – Janla – Khorda – Sukala – Satpada): 116 km
Driving Time (Bhubaneswar – Janla – Khorda – Sukala – Satpada): 3 hours
Itinerary For Bhubaneswar To Chilika Lake Road Trip
Image Credit: Rangan Datta Wiki for Wikipedia
Here’s an itinerary that you can follow for the road trip on NH 316, along with a visit to the Konark temple:
8 AM: Start from Bhubaneswar and take NH 316 to depart towards Konark. At Pipili, you can switch over to NH 316A and drive towards Konark.
Halt at: Konark Sun Temple
9:30 AM: Arrival at Konark. You can start your visit by visiting the Sun Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore all the aspects of the temple such as the main temple, the dance hall or the Natya Mantapa, the assembly hall or the Jagamohana. Lose yourself in the extraordinary architecture and detailed stone carvings that show scenes from Hindu epics, mythology, and aspects of Hindu culture. You can take a guide to explain all the details of the history and cultural aspects of the Sun Temple at Konark.
Time to spend in Konark: 2 hours
11:30 AM: You can take some more time to visit the Konark Museum, a museum dedicated to the Sun Temple at Konark. The museum has a large number of sculptures and ancient artefacts in its collections, all of which are related to the Sun Temple and its surroundings. You can gain immense insight into the architecture, the customs, the culture and the heritage of the region by visiting the museum.
Duration: Half an hour
12:00 PM: Pamper your taste buds with delicacies and a delicious lunch at one of the local restaurants where you can savour the tastes that the local region has to offer.
Duration: 1 hour
1:00 PM: Leave from Konark and drive out to Chilika Lake.
Halt At: Chilika Lake, Puri
2:30 PM: Arrive at Chilika Lake. Take a boat ride at Satpada to enjoy the lake and explore different islands. Places to explore include Kalijai Island and Honeymoon Island. Chilika Lake is known for its population of Irrawaddy dolphins, which you can keep an eye out for as you boat on the lake.
Duration: 2 hours
Halt At: Nalabana Bird Sanctuary, Chilika Lake, Khordha District
3:30 PM: Head to the Nalabana Bird Sanctuary, a designated Ramsar site known for resting and breeding for several species of migratory birds. You can spot several different bird species such as flamingos, herons, pelicans and much, much more. Get a complete idea of the entire avian ecosystem of Chilika Lake from a hired guide.
Duration: 1 hour
5:00 PM: Enjoy the sunset over the Chilika Lake and watch as the entire ecosystem transforms from one to another as the day dims out and the night takes over.
5:30 PM: Leave from Chilika Lake and return to Bhubaneswar.
7:00 PM: Arrive at Bhubaneswar.
Related Post: Konark Sun Temple
How To Reach Chilika Lake
Image Credit: Anirban Biswas for Wikipedia
Chilika Lake can be reached in various ways and is a tourist destination well-connected to the rest of India.
By Road: Chilika Lake can be reached by taking NH 316, which passes through Puri and connects Chilika Lake directly with Bhubaneswar. The journey from Bhubaneswar to Satpada on the banks of Chilika Lake is just 2.5 hours. Many buses also ply between Bhubaneswar and Chilika Lake.
By Air: There are no direct flights to Chilika Lake; the closest airport is at Bhubaneswar. One must take a flight to Bhubaneswar and then transfer by taxi to Chilika Lake.
By Rail: The nearest railway stations to Chilika Lake are Puri and Balugaon. Bhubaneswar is another option for a nearby rail head. The rail network connects all these stations to the rest of India. Once you reach these stations, you can take a bus or hire a private vehicle to Satpada.
You May Also Like To Read: Things To Do In Puri
Visiting Chilika Lake is an adventure in itself, and there’s no better way to do It than by road trip from Bhubaneswar to Chilika Lake. This guide has given you all the information you need to make this road trip. Now, all that’s left is for you to book your trip to Bhubaneswar and make this adventure a reality!
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Cover Image Source: Pexels
Frequently Asked Questions About Bhubaneswar To Chilika Road Trip
Which is the best time to make a Bhubaneswar to Chilika Lake road trip?
The best time for making this road trip would be the winter months of November to February. The lake will be in its peak activity after the monsoons and the entire area will be lush and green. It is best to avoid the summer months due to the heat.
How long does it take to get to Chilika Lake from Bhubaneswar?
On average, if you have your vehicle, it would take you about 2 and a half hours. If you are travelling by bus, it may take you slightly longer. You may reach Chilika Lake in about 3 and a half hours.
How much time is sufficient for a trip to Chilika Lake from Bhubaneswar?
One day is more than enough for a trip from Bhubaneswar to Chilika lake and back. You will have an entire half-day to spend at Chilika Lake, besides having enough time to spend at other destinations along the way such as Puri and Konark.
What are the things to do at Chilika Lake?
You can take a boat for a boat ride on the lake, and visit some of the islands on the lake such as Kalijai Island and Honeymooners island. You can also carry some binoculars and try to spot all the birds that roost in Chilika Lake. Chilika Lake also has a large population of Irrawaddy dolphins, and you can try to spot them as you go on your boat ride.
How far is Konark from Satapada boating point on Chilika Lake?
Konark is located at a distance of 88km from Satapada boating point. People often tend to visit the Konark Sun temple at Konark on their road trip from Bhubaneswar to Chilika Lake.
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