Baripada: With the monsoon retreating from Odisha after an extended stay, Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district will reopen for visitors on October 18, kicking off the 2025–26 tourist season.
According to Similipal Field Director Prakash Chand Gogineni, the reserve will be reopened for day tourism and visitors will be able to enter the park from two points – Kalikaprasad gate in Jashipur area and Pithabata gate in Baripada.
A maximum of 60 four-wheelers will be allowed on a day, with 35 vehicles entering the park via Kalikaprasad gate and 25 through Pithabata gate. Vehicles must have a ground clearance of 180mm or more. Tourists have to exit the reserve by 6 pm.
The ticket counter at Kalikaprasad gate will remain open from 6 am to 12 noon and the one near Pithabata gate will operate from 11 am to 1 pm. Visitors can book accommodation facilities and also the wildlife safari vehicles by visiting www.ecotourodisha.com and www.similipal.org. ID proof is required at the entry gate.
Visitors must leave Joranda and Barehipani waterfalls before 4 pm keeping their safety in mind. A guide is mandatory for every vehicle in the reserve, he further noted.
The STR, which was declared a National Park in April this year, was closed on July 1 with the onset of monsoon in the state. However, eco-tourism sites like Jamuani, Gudagudia, Kumari, Barehipani, and Ramatritha were kept open for tourists.