S A T P A D A - C H I L I K A

Queen of natural beauty, CHILIKA, the LARGEST BRACKISH WATER LAKE IN ASIA; covering an area of over 1,100 sq. km; is a great attraction for the tourists for fishing, bird watching and boating. In winter Chilika aflutters with thousands of indigenous and MIGRATORY BIRDS of many varieties from far and near - even from the distant Siberia. Dotted with a host of islands with romantic names, a cruise in Chilika will be a life-long memory. The lake is an important habitat and BREEDING GROUND FOR BOTH RESIDENT AND MIGRATORY AND AQUATIC BIRDS, most notably flamingoes. Migratory birds arrive in October from as far away as SIBERIA, IRAN, IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN AND THE HIMALAYA, and generally stay until March. Part of the lake is protected by the Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary, which harbors over 150 migratory and resident species of birds. In 1989-90 an estimated 2 million birds visited the lagoon. As per the report of the Asian Waterfowl Census, Chilika supports more than a million water birds every winter. It hosts a wide range of species of birds during the peak migratory season of which at least 97 are intercontinental migrants. THE NALABAN ISLAND within the lagoon is classified as a BIRD SANCTUARY under the wildlife protection act. SATPADA home aquatic life, including 225 species of fish and the IRRAWADDY DOLPHIN.

CHILIKA provides an excellent opportunity for eco-tourism and the participatory ECO-TOURISM can generate adequate alternate employment opportunities for the local community and create desired awareness amongst the stake-holder as well as the visitors for the conservation and wise use of it’s natural resources. EASILY ACCESSIBLE BY AIR FROM BHUBANESWAR, the best way to explore the FLORA AND FAUNA inhabiting the numerous islands on the Chilika Lake is on a boat ride from BALUGAON, BARKUL, RAMBHA OR SATPADA. FISHING, BIRD WATCHING, BOATING AND CRUISES are some of the activities you can indulge in upon your arrival in Chilika, on your tour to Chilika with Tourism of Orissa packages. The Chilika Lake rich in MACKEREL, PRAWN AND CRABS that also form the delectable cuisines of the region, is also a paradise for bird watchers as it is the winter sanctuary for many migratory birds (osprey, herons, cranes and flamingoes) besides the local and indigenous species. You too can go ON A BIRDING TOUR of the CHILIKA LAKE BIRD SANCTUARY on your tour to Chilika with Tourism of Orissa packages.