Vetnai | Courtesy: Sandip Halder
Save a weekend from your busy schedule and head towards a small, lesser known village in Odishas Ganjam district – Vetnai or Bhetnai. The specialty of this place is that you will cease to believe yourself to be touring a part of India. With around innumerable male and female Black Bucks roaming freely at the slopes of the mountain range of Eastern Ghats, you feel you are on an African safari. BOOKING DETAILS OF VETNAI
Places to see in Vetnai: Vetnai is known for its 2500 Black Bucks, which roam freely on an area of 40 sq. km. Near the sanctuary is the undulated landscape of the low hills, grasslands and scrub forest which is a beautiful sight you must enjoy. There is also a watchtower for the visitors overlooking the grasslands. You need to take a permission to enter the wildlife zone.
For more photos of Vetnai click here |
Nearby attractions in Vetnai: Chilka Lake is a popular tourist destination that every traveler visiting Vetnai generally goes to see. Another spot is Monglajori Bird Sanctuary, where you can view Whistling-duck, Asian Openbill, Purple Swamphen, Grey-headed Lapwing and Cotton Pygmy-goose and numerous other local and migratory birds. You can also visit the beautiful lake and park at Bhanjanagar or even visit the famous Sorada Forest Range to check the domain of the Giant Red Squirrels.
Blackbucks at Vetnai
Migratory populations of Blackbuck are often sighted near Tanarda bridge of Bhanjanagar, near to Chermeria and Salapalli. So, guests can also spend some valuable time here to spot these beauties. Guests can also visit the Bhanjanagar Lake and Dam, Biju Patnaik Children’s Park, where they can enjoy toy train, Science Park, Model Zoo, swings for kids, boating facility, Family Train, 3D-Hall, Video Games, Aquarium and a Musical Fountain too.
Things to do in Bhetnai: The major thing to be done in Bhetnai is sightseeing and watching the Black bucks playing around in open valleys and grasslands. You can also visit the nearby Monglajori Bird Sanctuary to enjoy bird watching from country boats. A trip to the Chilka Lake, to enjoy its serene beauty and playful dolphins can also be on your cards. Watch it all yourself as well as capture every moment in your camera. You can also try the popular Oriya sweet ‘Chana Poda’, which is baked yogurt.
Bhanjanagar dam
How to reach Bhetnai: Bhetnai can be reached from both Berhampore, which is 50 km and from Balugaon, which is 75 km from the destination. However, if you travel by rail,then the major rail head is at Berhampore. From Berhampore there are regular bus services that can take you to Aska as well as Bhetnai.
Best time to visit Bhetnai: You can visit Vetnai anytime of the year. However, if you are visiting in summers try to keep your visit in the early mornings as the Blackbucks often take refuge in the interiors of the forest instead of the grassland due to the mid day heat and it makes spotting difficult.
Lodging and dining facilities at Vetnai: Although Vetnai doesn’t have accommodation facilities for its tourists, good eco resorts are available at Chermeria, Saluapalli and Bhanjanagar. The details are:
Bhanjanagar
BHANJANAGAR: The eco resort at Bhanjanagar is located on the banks of the Bhanjanager Lake and Dam adjacent to a bamboo grove around 38 kms. from Bhetnai. The resort also has a gazebo located within the lake and a watch tower offering a panoramic view of the lake and forest. Here you will find 02 Non AC Standard tents and 01 AC cottage with attached bathrooms on the lakeside. The Tariff includes Night stay and Food for two persons. Food is essentially Indian Cuisine and is served in the Dining Hall.
Chermeria
CHERMERIA: The eco resort at Chermeria is located on the within a small bamboo grove and a medicinal-plant garden adjacent to the forest and hills around 16 kms from Bhetnai. Here you will find 01 Non AC room and 01 AC room in the cottage with attached bathrooms. The Tariff includes Night stay and Food for two persons. Food is essentially Indian Cuisine and is served in the Dining Hall.
Saluapalli
SALUAPALLI: The eco resort at Saluapalli is located on the within a small bamboo grove adjacent to the Sorada forest range around 35 kms. from Bhetnai. Here you will find 01 Non AC room and 01 AC room in the cottage with attached bathrooms. The Tariff includes Night stay and Food for two persons. Food is essentially Indian Cuisine and is served in the Dining Hall.
We went to this place on 25/12/11, from Balugaon. The route was not so easy to get, even with constant contact with Mr. N.K.Bhujabal. No local person on the road seem to have heard of it. The best location should be called Aska sugar factory. If needed, I can provide a map. but you can also see it in Google Maps.
Watching the wild black bucks were highly exciting though and was worth the trouble to us.
The total distance is more than 600kM, at least from our house in North Kolkata.