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Odisha

Mangalajodi (Chilika Wetlands)

Ex-poacher guides row you into Chilika's winter clouds of waterbirds

WildlifeOffbeatLakes

Best time to visit Mangalajodi (Chilika Wetlands)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to February
  • Shoulder: March and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: April to June

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryNovemberDecember

Mangalajodi (Chilika Wetlands) season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Nov-Feb well over a lakh ducks, godwits and crakes pack the reedy channels; punts glide within metres and dawns are 12-15 C.

Summer March to May Shoulder

March empties out fast as the migrants leave; April-May is a 40 C glare on open marsh with resident jacanas and little else.

Monsoon June to September Mixed, read the detail

June is the worst heat of the year here; Jul-Sep the channels flood deep and boating turns iffy, resident breeders only.

Autumn October to November Prime time

October brings the first pintail and godwit flocks down from Siberia; by mid-November the full winter spectacle is on.

What Mangalajodi (Chilika Wetlands) is actually like

Bird photographers and a couple of community-run eco lodges; boatmen who once poached eggs now call crakes for you.

Getting to Mangalajodi (Chilika Wetlands)

Bhubaneswar airport 70 km via NH16, buses drop at Tangi 5 km out; slow trains stop at Kalupada Ghat 8 km away.

Practical ways in: flighttrainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
1 day
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Quiet at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
10 m
State
Odisha
Coordinates
19.9143, 85.4298

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Mangalajodi (Chilika Wetlands)?

November to February is peak season in Mangalajodi (Chilika Wetlands). March and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to June. October brings the first pintail and godwit flocks down from Siberia; by mid-November the full winter spectacle is on.

How many days do you need in Mangalajodi (Chilika Wetlands)?

1 day is the usual stay. Bird photographers and a couple of community-run eco lodges; boatmen who once poached eggs now call crakes for you.

How do you get to Mangalajodi (Chilika Wetlands)?

Bhubaneswar airport 70 km via NH16, buses drop at Tangi 5 km out; slow trains stop at Kalupada Ghat 8 km away. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.

Is Mangalajodi (Chilika Wetlands) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Odisha

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