8 Days / 7 Nights · comfort itinerary
Tribal Odisha Tour
Bhubaneswar — Koraput — Jeypore — Rayagada — Deomali
This itinerary exists because Odisha's tribal belt cannot be seen from a car window — the Bonda, Dongria Kondh and Desia communities keep to a market calendar, not a tourist one, so the route is built backward from which weekly haats fall on which days.
Eight days is the minimum that lets you reach Koraput and Rayagada by overnight train rather than a punishing 10-hour road haul, spend a full day in at least two distinct market clusters, and still leave a buffer day for a market date to shift without collapsing the plan.
This is a slow-travel, small-group format rather than a sightseeing checklist — expect long, quiet drives through the Eastern Ghats between short, intensive stops at markets and villages.
Tour highlights
- Overnight Hirakhand Express from Bhubaneswar to Koraput
- Onukudelli and Chatikona weekly tribal markets (dates confirmed at booking)
- Deomali, the highest peak in Odisha
- Duduma waterfall on the Machkund river
- Desia and Bonda hill village visits with a local liaison
- Jeypore's coffee-growing plateau
- Rayagada's Dongria Kondh market circuit
Who this tour is for
This 8 days / 7 nights itinerary is planned as a comfort trip and suits private, group, solo travellers. It leans towards tribal, culture, photography interests, so it works best if you want tribal odisha, culture, photography on the road.
Unsure about timing? Our season-by-season guide to visiting Odisha and how many days Odisha needs explain how the coast, wildlife parks and tribal districts change month to month. Every day of this route can be re-sequenced or extended before you confirm.
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
- Day01
Departure from Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar
- Morning
- Free morning in Bhubaneswar; optional Lingaraj and Old Town temple walk.
- Afternoon
- Free time for lunch and rest.
- Evening
- Board the overnight Hirakhand Express to Koraput at Bhubaneswar railway station.
- Overnight
- Overnight train
Flights into Jeypore or Visakhapatnam followed by a road transfer are offered as an alternative to the overnight train.
- Day02
Arrival in Koraput
Koraput
- Morning
- Arrival at Koraput station; check-in and rest after the overnight journey.
- Afternoon
- Koraput town orientation — the old palace grounds and Sabar Srikhetra temple.
- Evening
- Sunset at the Koraput coffee plantation viewpoint.
- Overnight
- Koraput
- Day03
Jeypore and Kotpad
Jeypore
- Morning
- Drive to Jeypore (about 25 km); visit the Kotpad natural-dye weaving village.
- Afternoon
- Jeypore town and the old royal palace exterior.
- Evening
- Free evening in Jeypore.
- Overnight
- Jeypore
- Day04
Duduma Falls and Bonda hills
Jeypore – Machkund
- Morning
- Drive to Duduma waterfall on the Machkund river.
- Afternoon
- Visit to a Bonda hill village with our local liaison; permissions are arranged in advance.
- Evening
- Return to Jeypore.
- Overnight
- Jeypore
Photography of tribal individuals requires prior permission and is sometimes not permitted.
- Day05
Onukudelli tribal market
Jeypore – Onukudelli
- Morning
- Drive to Onukudelli for its weekly tribal market, drawing Bonda and Gadaba communities.
- Afternoon
- Market browsing with our liaison; lunch at a local eatery.
- Evening
- Return to Jeypore.
- Overnight
- Jeypore
Market falls on a fixed weekday; departure dates are adjusted at booking to align with it.
- Day06
Onward to Rayagada via Deomali
Rayagada
- Morning
- Drive to Rayagada (about 130 km, 3.5 hours) via Deomali, Odisha's highest peak, for a short halt.
- Afternoon
- Check-in at Rayagada; visit the Rayagada fort ruins.
- Evening
- Free evening.
- Overnight
- Rayagada
- Day07
Chatikona market and Dongria villages
Rayagada – Chatikona
- Morning
- Drive to the Chatikona weekly market, the principal gathering point for Dongria Kondh communities from the Niyamgiri hills.
- Afternoon
- Visit to a nearby Dongria village with prior permission.
- Evening
- Return to Rayagada.
- Overnight
- Rayagada
Photography inside the market requires permission and is sometimes restricted.
- Day08
Departure
Rayagada – Bhubaneswar
- Morning
- Drive or rail transfer back toward Bhubaneswar; free time en route.
Given the distance, most guests fly out of Bhubaneswar the following morning; we can extend by a night on request.
Inclusions
- Chauffeur-driven air-conditioned vehicle for the full itinerary
- Accommodation on twin-sharing basis with breakfast
- All toll, parking, driver allowance and state taxes
- Local coordination support throughout the trip
- Local tribal-liaison guide for market and village visits
- Overnight train berths (sleeper/AC as booked)
Exclusions
- Airfare and train fare to and from Odisha
- Monument entry fees, camera fees and guide charges unless specified
- Lunch, dinner and personal expenses
- Boat rides, safari permits and activities unless specified
- Anything not listed under inclusions
- Any village entry contributions or photography permission fees requested locally
Important notes
- Tribal weekly markets fall on fixed weekdays, so travel dates are set around the market calendar and may need adjusting.
- Photography in tribal markets and villages requires prior permission and is sometimes not allowed.
- Hotel standards in Koraput, Jeypore and Rayagada are simpler than coastal Odisha; this is a genuinely remote itinerary.
Booking information
- Enquiries are confirmed only after written confirmation of dates and vehicle category.
- A written quotation is issued once travel dates, group size and hotel category are finalised — please use the enquiry form to Get a Quote.
- Advance payment secures accommodation and transport; balance is payable before travel commences.
- Peak-season, festival and tribal-market dates require earlier confirmation.
Cancellation information
- Cancellation terms depend on hotel, forest department and transport supplier policies for your dates.
- Written cancellation requests are processed in the order received.
- Festival, Rath Yatra, wildlife-season and peak-season bookings may carry stricter supplier terms.
Continue exploring
Destinations on this route
Southern Odisha
Koraput
Eastern Ghats highlands above 800 metres — coffee slopes, waterfalls and weekly tribal markets around Odisha's highest terrain.
ExploreSouthern Odisha
Jeypore
A former princely-state town near Koraput, useful as a base for the wider tribal and Eastern Ghats circuit rather than a sight in itself.
Explore
Southern Odisha
Rayagada
A southern Odisha town at the heart of Dongria Kondh and other Adivasi territory, best known for its weekly tribal markets and Majhighariani temple.
ExploreSouthern Odisha
Deomali
Odisha's highest peak at approximately 1,672 metres, rising from the Koraput plateau with sweeping Eastern Ghats views.
Explore
Northern Odisha
Similipal
A UNESCO biosphere reserve of roughly 2,750 sq km — sal forest, waterfalls and core tiger habitat in northern Odisha.
ExplorePoints of interest
Attractions covered
wildlife sanctuary
Similipal National Park
Mayurbhanj district
2 – 3 days for a proper safari experience covering multiple zones
Read before you go
Travel guides for this trip
Culture · 8 min read
Odisha Tribal Travel Guide: Koraput and the Eastern Ghats
Southern Odisha's Eastern Ghats are home to several Adivasi communities whose weekly haats near Koraput and Rayagada can be visited respectfully with a local guide and prior consent for photography.
Getting Around · 7 min read
How to Reach Odisha: Air, Rail and Road Options
Bhubaneswar's Biju Patnaik International Airport is Odisha's only major air gateway, backed by well-connected rail lines through Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and national highways from Kolkata and Visakhapatnam.
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