Chattisgarh Tour : 7D/6N

Reach Raipur , check in to the hotel and relax. After resting, drive through the city for its top sights. The Urja Park is perfect for a family outing or a short stop: an energy park that kids and adults will equally enjoy with its pretty natural setting, nerd nooks and leisure entertainment such as boating. The Vivekananda Sarovar (Burha Talab) is well known for its wonderful and unique 37-foot high statue of a meditating Swami Vivekananda. In the evening people of the city head out for walks in this area and hang out at the sarovar. If you have the time, and are a cricket buff, you will probably not want to miss seeing the international level Shahid Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium (though this is outside the city).

Later on , head towards Gangrel Reservoir in Dhamtari on the river Mahanadi. This dam is popular for its sunset so carry your picnic basket and wait for the last rays of the sun to colour the vicinity orange. You can walk along the dam (tickets are available on either side of the dam) and walk the whole length of around 1.5 km, strolling along. Stand on top of the bridge-like structure and, amid the breeze, watch the waters fall through the gates to complete the experience! Return to Raipur.

Post early breakfast, start from Raipur and arrive at Jagdalpur. This untrodden part of India is a slice of peace, quiet and comfort, with meals served in an outdoor restaurants.

After the delicious lunch, start for Chitrakote waterfalls (50 km/1 hr). At Chitrakote, the river Indravati plummets down along a lofty C-shaped ledge to create a stunning cascade of falling waters. These waterfalls, called the ‘Niagara of India’, are a joy to behold, so carry a picnic basket so that you can spend time until sunset. Small boats downstream can ferry you right up to and underneath the waters.In the evening, explore the local markets and get a taste of local cuisine.

Post breakfast , start your drive towards Kanger Valley National Park, visiting a very special creature on the way-the endangered Bastar Hill Myna, at the Forest School. The orange-beaked myna is an astounding mimic in captivity. In the wild it can make three to thirteen calls, including whistles and gurgles, which can be quite melodious. At Kanger you get to see another breath-taking waterfall, the seven-tiered Teerathgarh Falls. The amazing and surreal Kailash and Kutumsar Caves, with their stunning stalactite and stalagmite formations, are close by too. Enjoy your al fresco lunch at the waterfall. After sometime head back to Jagdalpur.

After breakfast, set off for Gangrel. On your way stop at the handicrafts village in Kondagaon. Enjoy the handicrafts made by the tribal artisans and buy some souvenirs and gifts. Kondagaon is famous for its terracotta handicrafts-every piece of which is created on the potter’s wheel. At Gangrel, check in to hotel/cottage and peacefully enjoy the quite larger than life and an enchanting view of the dam on the Mahanadi River.

Post breakfast, head for your Resort which rests on the edges of the nature reserve in Village Keochi. It is a birdwatcher’s paradise, and an important ecological site where tigers and leopards are also said to prowl, among many other animals. Internet facility is not here at the resort- just pristine nature and a great restaurant called the Golden Oriole, which becomes a stunning photo-op at night!

A short detour from here, you could go to Chaiturgarh as well, a well-kept secret picnic spot of Chhattisgarh, where you can see an ASI-protected monument too. Drive along back to the changing colours of the setting sun as it paints the sky, and enjoy a bonfire dinner at the resort and rest for the night to the sounds of nature as you depart to Bilaspur the following day to end your itinerary.

Post breakfast , on the way to Bilaspur enjoy the views of the forest. One safari is never enough at a sanctuary of this diversity, so make the most of it while you are there, and get your precious glimpse of as many wonderful animals and birds as you can. After lunch, start off for Bilaspur to leave from there.