Satkosia Gorge

The Mahanadi cuts through the Eastern Ghats at Satkosia in a gorge running about twenty-two kilometres, the name meaning seven kos, an old measure of the length. The sanctuary around it protects both banks, and its significance is reptilian: gharial were reintroduced here from the 1970s in one of the earliest crocodilian recovery programmes in India, and mugger crocodiles, the red-crowned roofed turtle and the Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle also live along the river. Boat trips run the gorge from Tikarpada. Elephants, leopard and a long bird list use the sal and mixed forest on the slopes, and riverside eco-camps operate in season.

The landscape

• The gorge - twenty-two kilometres of river between forested hills.
• The gharial - a reintroduced population basking on the sandbars.
• The mugger crocodiles - the heavier species sharing the same river.
• The boat trips - runs through the gorge from Tikarpada.

When to go

November to March; the sanctuary closes in the monsoon and boats stop in high water. Reptiles bask through the cooler months, which is when sightings are best.

Things to know

Access is remote with rough roads. Accommodation is basic eco-camps that book out at weekends. Boat operation depends on water levels. Human-elephant conflict in the area is significant.

Nearby

Angul lies north; Bhubaneswar is southeast.

Key facts