Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary owes its name to the narrow stretch of River Mahanadi i.e. “ Sat – kosh” or seven miles long near Tikarapada, 60 km south of Angul. Here Mahanadi has cut across the Eastern Ghats to form Satkosia Tiger reserve and Satkosia gorge for crocodile conservation.
Excellent place to be for people who love nature. This is the place to be if one is looking for some calm, some isolation and of course some adventure too. It happens to be a Tiger sanctuary as well as a Crocodile sanctuary. The gorge itself is probably one of the deepest point of River Mahanadi surrounded by jungles and hills all around giving it a mystic look.
Govt of Odisha organizes nature camps in the river bed from November to January every year. Also, at a distance of around 5 kms from the gorge area, there’s a small village called Chhotkei where the govt has built up a nature camp having 5 odd cottages which are built on a small hillock and are managed by the villagers themselves. They are always more than eager to have visitors and serve them well.
The Gorge is famous for the scenic beauty and boating experiences in Mahanadi. A Nature Interpretation Centre at Tikarpada supplements an ecotourist’s search for subject and thrill.
There are three entry points to Satkosia, namely Tikarapada, Chhotakei, and Purunakote. While boating in the permitted area of Mahanadi towards the gorge, one can sight fresh water turtles like Chitra indica and Aspidiretes gangeticus perched on the rocks besides, the massive gharials and muggers basking in the sun on the river bank. The river is surrounded by majestic mountains on both the sides. Even as there are forest rest houses in Chhotakei and Purunakote, the most beautiful accommodation units in Satkosia are the 10 eco-tents in Tikarpada, which are maintained by a group of tribal youths of Tikarpada village hired by the forest department for the purpose.
The youths are extremely cordial and forthcoming; they not only maintain the tents and offer guided nature treks in the forest, but also cook for the visitors. On request, they catch fresh water fish from the river, which are cooked in an open kitchen for visitors. Tourists can go round the Gharial Research and Conservation Unit in Tikarpada where young sub-adult gharials are reared in captivity. A similar facility has been set up by the Satkosia Wildlife Division at Tarava village where local communities play host to the nature enthusiasts.
In its secluded premises, it houses a variety of wildlife such as elephants, tigers, leopards, gaur, nilgai, mouse deer, wild goats, sloth bears, sambar, spotted deer, giant squirrels and four-horned antelopes. It is also home to the gharials (Indian Crocodiles), fresh water turtles, mugger crocodiles and snakes of different specoes. Its most distinctive feature is the Gharial Research and Conservation Unit, which is situated at Tikarapada. Presently, it has been renamed as Satkosia Tiger Reserve.
The best way to enjoy the place is to be a bike and roam around freely. However, there is always the chance of coming across an odd wild animal on the roads inside the sanctuary. Cellphones networks doesn’t work in the gorge and surrounding area so no one can actually disturb ur peace. Best time to visit is between November to February coz after that the area is very hot.
Trekking:
There are a host of leisure activities on offer, including boating, fun fishing, white water rafting, elephant riding, trekking and game sighting.
Facilities
| Nature trekking | Cruise Boating |
| Cottage accommodation | Rope walking |
| Jungle safari | Toilets |
| Safe Vehicle stand | Mobile connectivity |
Flora and Fauna:
The sanctuary as a whole is home to significant populations of gharial and mugger crocodiles, plus 38 species of mammals, including elephants, tigers, leopards, sambar deer, wild dogs, jackals, giant squirrels and varieties of resident and migratory birds.
Essential items to carry:
Good shoes are a must, trekking shoes would be best.
Best Time to reach:
Though the sanctuary can be visited during the months of October to February
Advisory:
Foreigner must get the permit to visit this place from superintendent of police, Angul.
Best time to visit:
The best time to visit is during winter and Summer(November-June). Not advisable in rainy season.
Nearest Attraction:
- Apart from the main part of the sanctuary, you can tour places like Tikarpara that offers beautiful view of the gorge and meandering mighty river.
- Hati Girga – renowned for the watch tower
- Purnakot – renowned for offering hiking trails
- Kandhaida – renowned for dense jungle
- Other attraction includes Sitalpaani stream and Bheemdara waterfall
Tourists From where:
Large no of tourist flocks from nearby districts and from Chatisgarh, Bengal, Jharkhand, Madhyapradesh etc. This place is also popular among foreign tourists. This is also one of the best place for school/college excursion.
Restaurant:
There are six eco-tourism cottages in the sanctuary at Barkhandia and each cottage would cost Rs. 1600 per night, which would include breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The most affordable Ecofriendly cottages are the Tented accommodation managed by community nature camps at Chhotkei, Baghmunda, Tarava, Tikarpada, Purunakote and Baliput.
New Luxurious, Waterproof, Spacious, Deluxe Tents with beds, mattresses and modern furnitures with attached bathroom at Tarava,Tikarpada and Baliput.
Transportation:
From Bhubaneswar you can take bus service to Angul(135km).
The entry point to Satkosia is at Pamapsara which is 25km from Angul.
If you are entering from Athagadh side, bus services are operated by Orissa Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC).
Tourists are advised to hire taxi or van at Angul for both traveling and sight seeing purposes.
How to reach:
- By Air: Nearest airport is Bhubaneswar International Airport(BBI).
- By Train: The nearest railway station is Angul railway station which is 170km Away.
- By Road: Travellers can reach the sanctuary by buses operated by the Orissa Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) from Athagarh.
Best way to reach:
- The Satkosia eco-system is around 200 km from Bhubaneswar, which has the nearest airport link.
- If travelling by road from Bhubaneswar, one has to take the NH-6 till Cuttack
- Then divert to NH-42 towards Dhenkanal and Angul.
- Visit Permit to enter Satkosia has to be obtained at the Divisional Forest Office at Angul
- And then proceed towards Pampasar, the main entry point to the gorge and sanctuary.
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