Mesmerizing Journey to Deomali Hill Odisha, the highest mountain in Odisha

Enormous mountains and sloping forests give me a warm welcome as the green foliage beckons me to ride further towards Odisha’s highest peak with an eye-catching mesmerising beauty all around. This is a tale of my mesmerizing journey to Deomali Hill, Odisha. As I am bewitched by the beauty of the land around me and go deeper further into the arms of the hills, my eyes are confronted by the spectacle of Deomali Hill Odisha, standing proudly with a coat of greenery, flora and fauna at an elevation of 1672 mt making it the highest peak in the state of Odisha.

Deomali Hill Odisha

I have seen many mountains in the course of my travels. While some are all-time favourites, Deomali Peak left an everlasting impression on my travel mind of the beauty, tranquility and vibes I witnessed during sunset.

Geographical info about Deomali Hill Odisha

Located at a distance of 65 km from Koraput town, Deomali is easily accessible by road. During the last ten odd km, I stopped multiple times and gazed at nature’s beauty with unbridled enthusiasm and happiness. As I kept climbing further and approached the last mile, the views and the feeling of being in the lap of Deomali Koraput were genuinely captivating and astounding. Deomali truly is OUTSTANDING and BREATHTAKING.

The majestic views with a range of hills spread out in front of me as I gazed far into the horizon cannot be explained and put into words; such is the magnificence of being in the Eastern Ghats of India. Layer after layer of mountain ranges presented themselves, standing together as a band of brothers and DEOMALI peaking in above all as the charismatic leader.

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Facts on Deomali Odisha

If I were to name the highest mountain peak of Odisha, it would be Deomali Hills. Odisha’s highest peak and the most prominent mountain is located in the Pottangi Block of Koraput Distt in Odisha. At 1672 mts, Deomali remains the highest peak in the Eastern Ghats and among the top hill stations in Odisha. The top of Deomali is gentle and flat, contrary to other mountains, and covered in greenery and vegetation, making one explore this place all the more.

How to reach Deomali Hill Odisha

Road: One can take a bus from Visakhapatnam or Bhubaneshwar to reach the town of Semiliguda. From Visakhapatnam, it is a 5-hour bus ride, while from Bhubaneswar, it is an overnight journey. From Semiliguda, one needs to hire a two-wheeler or four-wheeler taxi to Kundli town and then take the diversion to Deomali Hills. Deomali Peak exploration is a great weekend destination in Odisha.

Train: One can take a train from Visakhapatnam or Bhubaneswar and head to Koraput town. From Koraput, one can take a bus to Semiliguda. The journey from Semiliguda to Deomali is described above.

What to see in Deomali Hills

I am clear that one cannot hurry while in Deomali. It is advisable to reach post lunch and spend the next couple of hours watching the beauty of nature display itself in front of you. Carry some food, snacks, and water; settle down comfortably to enjoy the sunset and the play of colours across the sky at Deomali. It is a photographer’s paradise and pure joy for nature lovers.

The natural beauty in Odisha has been firmly imprinted in my traveller’s mind. I would love to revisit Odisha to explore more of its green belt, forests and waterfalls, and Deomali is a perfect example of this.

Where to stay

One needs to stay at Semiliguda as no hotels are available at Deomali or Kundli. If one wishes to camp, it requires proper detailed planning and preparation and the necessary permits from the local administration.

Facts to be kept in mind while visiting Deomali Hill, Odisha

• Deomali mountain peak is in the middle of tribal land, with many tribes inhabiting the mountain villages. So, one needs to be mindful of this fact.
• There is nothing at Deomali in case of any emergency
• There is a single ghat road, and it is risky at night owing to wild animals and utter loneliness
• Solo travel at night to the Deomali hilltop is to be avoided.
• While Odisha enjoys a mild to moderate temperature, everything changes at Deomali. The temperature at Deomali is always considerably lower than the Koraput temperature or Semiliguda temperature. So be prepared accordingly for Deomali Weather.

Summarize

To Summarise, the highest peak in the Eastern Ghats is called Deomali Hills, a gem of natural beauty to visit. So, put your travel shoes ON and watch a sunset at Deomali Hills.

What is my blog about?

My blog focuses quite a bit on nature based places and off beat destinations. India has abundance of these kind of places . Read about the forest magic of Odisha out here or in depth story on the trek to Sandakphu to see the Kanchenjunga up-close. A visit to the Haflong would be definitely recommended , which is the only recognized hill station in Assam.

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The journey within Odisha

I would complete this article by describing a fascinating journey to Deomali, Odisha. I wish to highlight the part of the journey involving the stretch from Berhampur to Rayagada. If one takes this journey during the monsoons, the sights are straight out of some magical fantasy land.

From vast water bodies to green jungles, winding roads, distant mountain ranges, quaint villages, and beautiful railway tracks, I saw and experienced all. It was a journey where every step, I felt more and more joy seeping into my heart just seeing the beauty of nature all around.

The beauty of Odisha in this region is worth experiencing; the winding road of Mukundapur Ghat, the sight of villagers toiling in their fields, and herds of cattle grazing through the landscape made me pause and gaze in wonderment on these simple joys which seem multiplied.

There are also local legends like that of Kutunipadar and the Koti Shiv Linga Parbat. A place which is credited to encompass a crore shivlings buried all over the mountains. The locals think twice before trying to dig anything for they always unearth a Shivling when dug deeper.

I did venture into the cave in the mountain where the sanctum deity is established and in the series of small caves I could see the various Shivlings all bunched together. A totally surreal feeling. Visiting places like these steeped in local history and legends invokes goosebumps and strong beliefs within myself as I see the links of History and mythology merged together in places like Kutunipadar.

I leave you with some visuals to get a glimpse of what I saw.