Central India Tribal Tour

Madhya Pradesh has the largest tribal population in India. It is said that the tribal people live in hills and forests. But the full implication of this statement are not generally understood. The coverage of forest varies from one area to the other, but it can be said that about half of the tribal area is covered with forests. In such a situation, any programmed of economic development must rest on the use and exploitation of the forests. Again, half of the tribal area of the State has an altitude between 1,000 to 2,000 feet, one-fifth lies between 2,000 to 3,000 feet and only one-forth area is below 1000 feet. The terrain which the tribal cultivate is hilly and undulating. With the increasing pressure on land, undulating area and steep slopes have been brought under cultivation with consequent loss of fertility and soil erosion. In addition to this, no irrigation facilities are available. Under these conditions and circumstances, agriculture is carried out in tribal areas.

Main Tribes of Madhya Pradesh
Gond, Bhil (Bhil, Bhilala, Barela, Patelia), Kanwar (Kanwar, Kaur, Cherwa, Rathia, Tanwar), Baiga, Bharia (Bharia, Bhumia, Bhuinhar, Bhumia, Bhumiya, Bharia, Paliha, Pando) Habla or habli, Kol, Korku, Oraon, Dhanka, Dhangad, Panika, Sahariya(Sahariya, Sahria, Seharia, Sehria, Sosia ),Saur, Sawar or Sawara, Sonr.

Duration - 13 Nights / 14 Days
Places to See - Bhubaneshwar - Baliguda - Kothagargh - Rayagada - Chatikiona - Jeypore - Ankadeli - Lamptaput - Jeypore - Kunduli - Nandapur - Jeypore - Lamtaput - Jeypore - Laxmipur - Rayagada - Taptapani- Chilka - Narasinghpur - Puri - Konark - Puri - Pipili - Bhubaneshwar

Day 01: Bhubaneshwar
Arrive Bhubanswar. transfer to the hotel. Proceed for half-day tour of the city that includes the 2nd century B:C jain monk Caves at the twin hills of khandagiri and Udaygiri,tribal museum etc.Overnight at Bhubaneswar

Day 02: Bhubaneshwar - Baliguda
Drive to Baliguda after breakfast. Baliguda is in the district of Phulbani, through the beautiful countryside road full with small mountains of Sal forest, one of the entry point to the tribal highland of Orrisa. En-route visit weavers village at Itamati and some of the typical Orissan villages. Arrive at the hotel in the evening. Overnight at Baliguda.
(Distance -300kms ,Driving time 7 hours + visit)

Day 03: Baliguda
Today after breakfast you will make a visit to the Barakhamba area to trekk to some of the remote villages of tatooed face desia kondh tribes. you can trekk short or long trek as you wish .Overnight at Baliguda.

Day 04: Baliguda - Kothagargh - Rayagada
After breakfast you will depart to Belghar area visit of a few Kuttiya Kondha Tribal Villages & Weekly Market at Kothagarh. Proceed to explore the villages of the primitive Kutia kondh Tribes, once famous for the human sacrifice. Living in the mountain / forest cores are friendly tribal community. Lunch on the way. Drive down to Rayaguda. Arrive in the evening.Overnight at Hotel.
( Distance -200kms , Driving Time -4/5 hours+visit)

Day 05: Rayagada - Chatikiona - Jeypore
Trekk to most primitive Dongria kondh villages in the Niyamgiri hills.You can also see and enjoy the Dongria kondhs men and women comming down from their mountains with different kinds of fruits and animals etc. to the weekly market. After visiting their villages , you can come down to see their interesting weekly tribal market where they mix with other community.The weekly market at Chatikona where Doms, Desias and Dongoriya Kondhas barter is an interesting event to watch. Later drive on to Jeypore. Enroute Kani tribal village.Overnight in Jeypore
(Distance -205 kms, Drive Time 5hrs+visit)

Day 06: Jeypore - Ankadeli - Lamptaput - Jeypore
Morning the area we visit is the home of the approximately 6000 members of the fierce Bondas (naked people). They live in the remote hills and keep themselves isolated. They grow rice by shifting cultivation and keep domesticated cows and goats. They can only be seen when they come to trade at the local market, and we must time our visit to coincide with the weekly market day on Thursday. The Bonda women are noticeable by their bead necklaces, striking brass and silver necklets and their shaved heads decorated with plaits of Palmyra leaves. You will also see the colourful Godabas,parajas and mali tribes. Afternoon drive back to Jeypore enroute visiting the pottery village Bapaniguda,Siriguda and Paraja tribal village at Lamptaput. Overnight at Hotel at Jeypore. (Distance 160kms Drive Time 3/4 hours +visit)

Day 07: Jeypore - Kunduli - Nandapur - Jeypore
Breakfast. Morning proceed to witness the biggest tribal weekly market of Sanaparoja & Mali tribes in Kunduli 65 km away via Sunabeda. It is a very colorful market. Later drive down to Nandapur to visit village of Sanaparoja tribes. Visit village khilua. Saana Padar, Bada Padar with small trekking and later drive down to Jeypore.

Day 08: Jeypore - Lamtaput - Jeypore
Drive to Machkund, soft trek to primitive Boro gadaba villages. Watch the traditional dance called dhemsa. Back to Jeypore enroute Lamtaput market .Overnight in Jeypore
(Distance 160kms Drive Time 4 hours +visit)
 
Day 09: Jeypore - Laxmipur - Rayagada
Breakfast. Drive to Rayagada enroute visiting some Desia kondh/paraja villages and also the Jagannath Temple & Tribal Museum at Koraput (The Jagannath Temple is a new temple built on 1972. Here Non Hindus are allowed inside the Temples and all activities are similar to Jagnnath Temple of Puri). Lunch on the way. Overnight at Rayagada.
(Distance 140kms Drive Time 4 hours +visit)

Day 10: Rayagada - Taptapani- Chilka

Breakfast. Proceed to Chilka enroute visiting the soura tribal villages/market. also visit Taptapani on your way.if anywhere nature reveals its enigmatic charisma, it is here in Taptapani, an exotic world of wonder. Enjoy the nature close to your heart and carry the memory years to come. A hot spring which till dates the local habitat use on a mark of Blessing.Overnight at Chilka.(Distance 330kms Drive Time 6 /7hours +visit)

Day 11: Chilka - Narasinghpur - Puri
Morning boat drive into chilka lake , the largest brackish Water Lake in Asia. In winter Chilika aflutter with thousands of migratory birds as far as from Siberia. Visit nalabana bird sanctuary , honeymoon island , Later also visit a few fishing village at Chilka -Lake, so that you are able to see the fishermen at work ? , who came here in search of prawns, mackerel, and crabs. Reach Puri via Birnasingpur, Tenta ( Nice Road ! ).walk to a typical orissan village.savour their hospitality.Evening relaxe on the beach Overnight in Puri.
(Distance120kms Drive Time 3 hours)

Day 12: Puri - Konark
Morning after breakfast visit of Lord jagannath temple, Sankaracharya's Maths located on the downtown area of Puri & later drive to Konark (about 35kms) to visit the temple Chariot of the Sun God, built by King Langula Narasimha Deva in the 13th century AD in the golden era of Orissa art. Late afternoon visit Ragurajpur artisan villages & also some other villages with houses, decorated with Chita's for Goddess Lakshmi.Overnight at Puri.(Distance-110kms Drive Time-2hours+visit)

Day 13: Puri - Pipili - Bhubaneshwar
Proceed to bhubanswar enroute visiting the colourful applique village of pipili where you can see the colouful orissan handicrafts and dhauli peace pagoda famous for the Ashokan rock edicts dating back to 2nd century B:C .afternoon visit of some of the ancient temples of bhubanswar belonging to (7th---11th) century A:D like Lingaraja temple, Parasurameswara temple, Mukteswara temple, Bramheswara temple, Raja-Rani temple etc. Overnight in Bhubaneshwar.

Day 14: Bhubaneshwar
After breakfast Transfer to Bhubaneshwar Airport to board flight to Delhi or onward Destination.