Upon arrival at Bhubaneswar railway station, you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel. After you check in the hotel freshen up, and get ready to visit the temples and caves of Bhubaneswar such as Parashurameswar, Mukteswar, Lingaraj, Rajarani, Bhaskareswar and these caves Khandagiri, Udayagiri. Return to the hotel for an overnight stay at Bhubaneswar.

Khandagiri Udayagiri Caves:

Near Bhubaneswar lie the Udaygiri and Khandagiri Caves, carved around 1st century B.C. by Kharavela and successors. These 18 caves, 13 in Udaygiri and 15 in Khandagiri served as retreats for Jain ascetics seeking solitude.Most caves consist of cells opening onto verandas or open spaces, initially used as dormitories. Over time, some transformed into shrines with minor alterations. Adorned doorways showcase intricate motifs of animals, flowers, and arches. Rani Gumpha and Swargapuri-Manchapuri stand out with double-storied structures. Hathigumpha Cave houses Kharavela's inscription, chronicling his triumphs and Jain artifact restoration. Art enthusiasts admire Barahbhuji Cave's sculptures of 24 Tirthankaras and SasanaDevis. Anant Gumpha boasts delicate reliefs of Gajalaxmi, Surya, Swastika, and the Nandipada symbol, showcasing ancient Indian artistry.

After breakfast get ready for a full day excursion to Ratnagiri, Udayagiri & Lalitgiri also known as the Diamond Triangle of Odisha (Buddhist Monasteries and Stupas). Return to Bhubaneswar for overnight stay.

Diamond Triangle of Odisha – The Buddhist Triangle:

On a pleasant wind swept morning, I followed the footsteps of the ancient Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang or Xuanzang as he was called and found myself driving towards the Diamond Triangle of Odisha from Bhubaneshwar, a distance of about 100 kms. An ideal day trip from Bhubaneshwar, While there are several ancient temples of Bhubaneshwar that beckon heritage enthusiasts, there are many monasteries and stupas tucked away in Odisha .  I am referring to the Buddhist triangle of Odisha –Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri, Udayagiri  which are hills filled with ancient archaeological sites excavated rather recently.

Strewn around with monasteries, stupas, relics, seals , stone tablets and statues, these hills were referred to as Ratnagiri or the hill of precious gems, Lalitagiri or the red hill and the Udayagiri, the hill of the rising sun. It is believed that Hiuen Tsang in his chronicles referred to the Diamond Triangle of Odisha as “Pusipokili, a place of learning  perhaps referring to ancient Pushpagiri University that can be compared to the likes of Nalanda. It is now believed that he is referring to the Diamond Triangle of Odisha- Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udayagiri where the university was once located.

Post breakfast leave for Puri enroute visiting Dhauli Shanti Stupa (Peace Pagoda), the Village of Pipli and its unique Applique art, Sakhigopal Radha-Krishna temple and Raghurajpur. In the afternoon visit of Lord Jagannath temple and enjoy the local market on Grand Road. Have an overnight comfortable stay at Puri.

Dhauli:

Dhauli is famous for the edicts related to Buddhism that were composed from the Brahmi script and used Prakrit language. One can spot a series of rock cut monuments at this hill. Numerous artifacts tell us about the urban settlement at this place in the 3rd century B.C. One finds the image of intricately carved elephant and close to this elephant, you have a stupa. An enormous temple in Dhauli is the Dhavaleswar Temple, which is much frequented by the visitors. In addition to this, you have the Bahirangeswar Temple Siva Temple as well as the Ganesha Temple that together add to the religious aspect to this place. Moreover, Dhauli also has another attraction named as the Shanti Stupa whose foundation was laid by the Japan Buddhist Sangha. Therefore, Dhauli is a worth visiting place by the diehard devotees of Lord Buddha.

Morning visit of Jagannath temple (Non Hindus are not allowed inside the temple premises) and the color full grand road. You can witness the day to day life of the local people. Then visit to Konark Sun Temple and ASI Museum. Back to Puri and overnight stay in your hotel.

Jagannath temple:

The Jagannath Puri temple is a sacred temple devoted to Lord Jagannath along with his brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra. Lord Jagannath is considered to be a form of Lord Vishnu by Hindus. The Jagannath Temple is one of the four pilgrimage sites of Char Dham Pilgrimage by the Hindu population.

Konark Sun Temple:

Sun Temple, temple in Konark, Odisha state, India, that is dedicated to the Hindu sun god Surya. It was built of stone in the 13th century. The Sun Temple is the pinnacle of Hindu Orissan architecture and is unique in terms of its sculptural innovations and the quality of its carvings.

After breakfast drive to Chilika Lake at Satpada visiting Alarnath Temple enroute. Then do boating at the lake to view Irrawaddy Dolphins and Sea Mouth. Back to Puri and take a long walk on the golden beach. Have a comfortable overnight stay at Puri.

Chilika Lake, Puri Overview

Chilika Lake is the largest internal salt water lake in Asia, it is a paradise on earth for bird watchers and nature lovers. The pear-shaped lake is dotted with a few small islands and has fisheries and salt pans around its shore. The Chilika Lake also houses the most accommodating ecosystems in the world, which means that a wide assortment of flora and fauna can be spotted here. The lake offers a flamboyant display of a myriad of avian charms in all diverse hues and colours, ranging from the white-bellied sea eagles to flamingos, and from golden plovers to sandpiper

Today morning after breakfast check out of the hotel after which you will be dropped at Bhubaneswar airport / railway station for onward journeys.