Best Tourist Places to Visit in Sambalpur, Odisha, India

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Sambalpur, Odisha, India

Sambalpur is the second largest city in the Indian state of Odisha located 443 feet above sea level. Sambalpur has a literacy rate of 85% and Oriya and Hindi are the most widely spoken languages of the residents staying in this city. Sambalpur coordinates with 21.28’ degree North Latitude and 83.58’ degree East Longitude and Pin Code being 768001.

Sambalpur History & Meaning:

Sambalpur gets its name from goddess Samalei who is considered to be the main deity of this region. Formally called as Sumelpur, Sambalpur was ruled by French during 1605 A.D. to 1689 A.D. Sambalpur was ruled by Chauhan dynasty in 1540 A.D. and was a part of kingdom of Patna. It came under the Bhonsale rule in 1800 and during the Third Anglo Maratha War in 1817, the Bhonsles were defeated by the British and literally became a part of the British rule till the year 1947 when India gained freedom from the British rule.

Tourist attractions in Sambalpur:

Chiplima:

Chiplima is a popular picnic spot situated about 37 kms from Sambalpur. Other main attraction includes a natural waterfall and Ghanteshwari temple.

Hirakud Dam:

Hirakud Dam is one of the longest dams built across river Mahanadi located at a distance of 15 kms from Sambalpur. The dam provides ideal picnic spot during weekends and attracts many tourists from all over the world.

Samaleswari Temple:

Samaleshwari temple is located on the banks of river Mahanadi and is dedicated to goddess Samaleswari who is the main deity of the temple. The temple draws huge gatherings during Navratri festival.

Huma Temple:

Huma temple is another popular tourist attraction in Sambalpur located 23 kms away from Sambalpur built in 1670 by king Balair Singh. The temple is dedicated to lord Shiva and attracts many devotees and tourists especially during Mahashivratri festival.

Ushakothi Wildlife Sanctuary:

The sanctuary also called as Badram wildlife sanctuary is approx 43 kms from Sambalpur located along National Highway 6. The sanctuary was found in the year 1962 and covers a total area of 130 sq kms. The sanctuary is rich in natural vegetation and tourists can spot many wild animals like elephants, tigers, cheetah, bison, wild boar, jackals, wild dogs and reptiles like king cobra, phyton and russel viper.

Ghanteswari Temple:

The temple is dedicated to goddess Ghanteswari sited on the banks of river Mahanadi which is approx 33 kms from Sambalpur. The locals believe that whoever visits the temple will get their wishes fulfilled by the mother goddess. The temple attracts huge devotees during Navratri festival.

Culture & Festivals in Sambalpur:

Sambalpur is rich in culture, tradition and festivals as many events are celebrated in a grand scale by the locals living in Sambalpur. Some of the common festivals celebrated are Sambalpur Lok Mahotsav, Sitalsasthi Carnival, Makarashankarnti, Id-Ul-Zua, Mahashivaratri, Janmasthami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Deepavali and Navratri. Sambalpur wears a festive look and color during festival times.

Connectivity to Sambalpur in Odisha:

Sambalpur is nicely connected by road, rail and air modes of transport. Sambalpur lies very close to National Highway 10 which is a great advantage as far as road connectivity is concerned. Regular bus services are available from Sambalpur to Raipur and Bhubaneshwar at frequent intervals. Sambalpur is also well connected by Indian Railways as many trains pass through Sambalpur Railway Station. Direct train services are available from Sambalpur to Raipur, Bhubaneshwar, Puri, Cuttack, Kolkata and other important cities. The nearest airport is Bhubaneshwar Airport located 325 kms away from Sambalpur. A new airport is being planned at Jharsuguda approx 50 kms from Sambalpur.

Hotels in Sambalpur:

Sambalpur has some fine hotels, resorts and guest houses to accommodate the locals as well as international tourists who visit the place all round the year. Hotels range from 1 star rating to 5 star rating and the tariffs differ from hotel to hotel. Hotels in Sambalpur show good hospitality services to the tourists who ever takes accommodation in hotels. They provide bed, breakfast, lunch, different cuisines, menus, Ayurvedic therapies, massages, saloons and spa, airport pickup and drop, travel help desk, undertake counter ticket booking etc. List of hotels located in and near Sambalpur are: