Karlapat Wild Life Sanctuary — Attraction in Odisha

An unforgettable experience for nature lovers! It's difficult to describe Karlapat in one review as it's is spread over a very large area, and even within it, there are numerous individual tourist spots like Phurlijharan near Bhawanipatna side, Hello Point near T. Rampur side, etc. Below I am describing the core area 35 km stretch from the main Karlapat Checkpost at Sagada (near Bhawanipatna) to Gunpur village. Actually Karlapat stretches beyond Gunpur all the way to T. Rampur area on one side, and on other side it merges into the Eastern Ghats forests.

About Karlapat: It's a wildlife sanctuary in Kalahandi on the eastern edge of the Eastern Ghats. The part we had visited was a densely forested stretch of 35 km from Sagada anti-poaching checkpost near Bhawanipata to Gunpur village. Interested visitors can explore Karlapat all the way to Singari Ghati near T. Rampur. This forest has wildlife that includes elephants, tigers, leopards, and much more.

PROs:

Very dense & pristine forest: This really surprised me, as Kalahandi had the negative reputation of droughts, gross deforestation, and mismanagement of forest/wildlife. The forest stretch we visited at Karlapat was very dense and captivating, with its thick vegetation and tall, untouched trees and countless forest streams full of water (we visited on October 12). There were no villages inside, except for few small hamlets like Jakam, Bhejiguda and Lainguda, and their human effect on the forest seemed minimal. Honestly, I had never seen such long stretch of undisturbed forest elsewhere in Odisha till then (not even in Kandhamal district). Few times I wanted to simply switch off the vehicle and simply stare silently in awe at the forests on both sides of road.

Forest streams: Karlapat has many forest streams inside, with clean water flowing. Actually few weeks prior to our visit, there had been severe rains in Kalahandi, and these streams had flooded. I was amazed to see that even big trees on both sides of these streams had uprooted and fallen down due to force of water. There are many unnamed waterfalls en route that may show on map, but not sure how safe it is to explore those as it's core wildlife sanctuary area.

Kalalandi villages: Time constraints didn't permit us, but you can stop and explore the villages inside Karlapat (around Gunpur) if you want a peek into a different kind of culture and way of living.

CAUTION:

Raw interior zone: Unlike wildlife sanctuaries like Debrigarh, which have safe, fixed routes for their safaris, and wildlife sightings are guaranteed, Karlapat is basically raw forest. Sometimes animals like elephants appear on the road (State Highway) whereas most times you won't see anything at all (as animals avoid the main road and the forest is too thick). Also previously these forests had Maoist presence and they used to stop vehicles, but now it's safe. So you are responsible for your safety (even in Sunday noon, we hardly saw 7-8 vehicles passing in one hour). Getting down near the streams and camping there for food is dangerous and there are signs for that (due to wildlife presence, etc.), though we did see few people doing that.

Strictly for hardcore nature-lovers only: Visit only if you love dense forests and the peace there. It's not a picnic spot for families, schools or a romantic place for couples. Few people in our group remarked why I drove 30 km and back just to "look at trees".

Suggestion: Forest department seems to have done a good job conserving the forest here, at least in this core part. There were hardly any signs of deforestation or timber smuggling. Hope Kalahandi forest department continues the same here and in other parts of Kalahandi as in previous decades, Kalahandi had faced severe droughts and human migration due to the ill-effects of mindless deforestation. The forests of Kalahandi were once legendary in Odisha, having lots of tigers and other wildlife. Hope Kalahandi regains back that old glory and becomes a...

The Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Kalahandi South Division and is 12 km distance from Bhawanipatna in the Kalahandi district. The place is surrounded by dense green forests. The sanctuary is rich in wildlife such as leopards, gaurs, sambars, nilgais, barking deer, mouse deer, soft-clawed otters, and a wide variety of birds and reptiles.

The beauty of the wildlife sanctuary with its hills, valleys, and waterfalls gives tourists a unique attraction. A beautiful waterfall within this sanctuary, Phurlijharan has been developed as a picnic spot for local visitors and attracts a large number of tourists from and around the Kalahandi district. Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most popular tourist places in the Kalahandi District. Karlapat Sanctuary is known for its rich biodiversity, picturesque landscapes, and significance in conservation efforts. Nestled within the Wildlife Sanctuary, this Karlapat Nature Camp offers visitors a chance to experience the tranquillity of nature while exploring the region’s rich biodiversity. Eco-friendly cottages and tents blend seamlessly with the natural surroundings, providing a comfortable stay. The accommodations are provided with the necessary amenities to ensure a relaxing experience without compromising the environment. The wildlife sanctuary is home to vegetation types, including dry deciduous forests and rich herbal plants. The Phurlijharan Waterfall, located within the sanctuary, is a key attraction. Seasonal streams and water bodies also sustain the wildlife. Karlapat is part of the Eastern Ghats Range, an important region for its biodiversity and ecological balance. Activities are wildlife watching, trekking, and exploring the scenic beauty of waterfalls and hills. The best time to visit Karlapat is November to April when the weather is cool and sanctuary sightings are more frequent. Karlapat is easily accessible from Bhawanipatna town and connected by roads to other...

If you are a nature lover then you'll definitely enjoy road trip to karlapat wildlife sanctuary with friends and family. Beautiful forest, small waterfalls inside this deep forest, presence of elephants (sometimes they appear crossing the road) and monkeys, best national highway for long drive which got many curves (causes adrenaline rush but drive with care), Located in steep hill, calm weather conditions even on summer.. Best place for photography. Dangerous Place For Night Time Travel. Looteras and Maoists are major cause of dangers.. You'll see couples going to that place to experience illicit relationship but gets caught up by antisocial punks.. Be careful if you are planning...