Puri or Jagannath Dham is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the country located in Odisha. Furthermore this is one of the Char Dham and therefore holds a lot of importance for the devotees as well. The major attraction of visiting here is the Puri Jagannath Temple and devotees from all over the world visit here to pay a visit to Lord Jagannath here. Here at the temple Lord Jagannath is present along with idols of his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. One of the major festivals of the temple is the Rath Yatra festival that millions of devotees attend annually. So if you are planning a trip to this location any time soon then this Puri tour plan article will be a helpful one for you.
In this Puri tour plan article I will mention everything that you probably need to know about this location. No matter if you are planning a trip to Puri solo or in a group you can have this Puri tour guide article handy. By the end of this Puri tour plan article you will get a fair idea about the budget along with the major Puri tourist places that you can visit there other than the main temple. Also I will mention everything about the rituals, timings as well as things that you should know about visiting the temple. So keep on reading this 3 days 2 nights Puri tour plan article to get all the necessary information about this tourist spot.
Puri Tour Plan
How to reach
By air
If you are planning to travel by air then the nearest airport to reach Puri would be the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar. From Bhubaneshwar the distance to reach Puri is 58.8 km and it will take around 2 hours to reach Puri from Bhubsaneshwar. There are however two options that you can opt for to reach Puri from Bhubaneswar. You will get both trains as well as buses from Bhubaneswar to reach Puri. If you wish to travel by train then you will first have to reach the Bhubaneswar Railway Station. From the Bhubaneswar Airport the distance of Bhubaneswar railway station is only 4.6 km away. You will get auto rickshaws from the airport to reach the Bhubaneswar Railway station. And then you can take a train to finally reach Puri.
The other option is to travel by bus and for that at first you will have to reach the Baramunda Bus Stop by taking an auto. The bus stop is located around 5.6 km away from the Bhubaneswar airport. And from there you will get buses to reach Puri. The bus fare from Bhubaneshwar to Puri would be around Rs. 80. So you can opt for any of these options to reach Puri if you are opting to travel by air.
By train
It is also possible to reach Puri by train as well and for that the nearest railway station is Puri Junction. It is a well accessible railway station and you will get trains from major cities and towns to reach Puri Junction directly. But in case you don’t get a train directly to Puri Junction then the nearest railway station would be the Bhubaneswar railway station. And then from Bhubaneswar you can either opt for another train or else take a bus to reach Puri.
Where to Stay
Next in this Puri tour plan article we will discuss everything about the accommodation. You should try your level best to reach Puri railway station by 9 am in the morning. And finally after reaching the station you will get auto rickshaws from there to reach your hotel. So from the railway station you should reach the Swargadwar Beach and auto rickshaws would cost Rs. 100 if you are in a group. But in case you are travelling solo then you can opt for the e rickshaws that will cost Rs. 50. And after reaching Swargadwar you should book a hotel according to your budget near the sea beach. Here you will get hotels from all sorts of budget categories so that would not be an issue at all.
In Puri you should opt for hotels at 2 important locations. You should either get your hotel near the famous Swargadwar Beach. Or you can also book your hotel near the Puri Temple as well. However I would suggest you book the hotel near the beach itself as that way the beach would be more accessible for you. And to reach there you won’t have to pay Rs. 80 each time that you plan a visit to the beach.
What’s more?
I stayed at the Puri Hotel. Here you will get rooms starting from Rs. 800 for double bed rooms. We were travelling in a group of 4, so we paid Rs. 2200 including GST and taxes per night for a sea facing room. If you are opting for this particular hotel then you won’t have to think about the charges of transportation from the Puri railway station though. This hotel has bus services for pick up and drops from Puri railway station so you can definitely opt for it.
You can also get hotels here which are under Rs. 500 as well. For that you will get hotels around 1 minute walking distance away from the sea beach. There are multiple hotels available here so booking them at Puri would not be much of a hassle though. You can either book them in advance through online hotel booking apps or sites. Or else you can also reach here directly and book your hotel according to your preference.
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Puri Tour Plan Day 1
So after reaching Puri on Day 1 and after checking in to your hotel there is something that you need to do. First have your breakfast and freshen up a little and then you should book your tour package for the next 2 days here. For breakfast you can either have it at your hotel. But other than that you will get many food stalls and counters here that you can opt for to have your breakfast. The cost of the food is also quite affordable around Rs. 20 to Rs. 30. You will get items like Puri, Idli, Dahi Vada etc here that you should try.
After having breakfast now comes the important task for the day. You should go to any local tour agent here to book a tour package through Orissa Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) Bus Service for the next 2 days. For day 1 you should book the Puri Sightseeing Package and the ticket price would be Rs. 250 per person. It will include a visit to Chandrabhaga Beach, Konark Temple, Lingaraj Temple, Udaygiri Caves, Khandagiri Caves and Nandankanan. For Day 2 you should book the Chilka lake Tour Package and the ticket price is Rs. 200 per person.
What’s more?
However keep a few things in mind while you are booking your sightseeing packages here. If you wish to get your bus seats towards the front then you must ask your tour agent to write the seat numbers for you on the tickets. Otherwise you will find an issue with getting seats towards the front section of the bus. Also if your tour agent is not willing to write down the seat numbers then you can skip booking tickets from that agent. You will find a lot of tour agents on the way towards the beach. So you can go to any tour operator to book your tickets conveniently.
There is however an option to book tour packages for private cabs as well. And for that the cab charge on Day 1 would be Rs. 2400 and for day 2 it is Rs. 1000.
And finally after doing all these you can go to the beach and enjoy taking a bath there. And then after spending a good amount of time there you should get back to your hotel, freshen up and finally go out again to visit the Jagannath Temple.
Jagannath Temple
From the Swargadwar Beach you will have to take an auto to reach the Jagannath Temple. If you are reserving an auto then it would cost you around Rs. 80. It will approximately take around 10 minutes to reach the temple from the Swargadwar Beach. The temple remains open from 5:30 am to 10 pm on all days. This is an ancient temple and one of the most important temples to visit in India as well. The huge area, the splendid Oriya structure along with the history and myths associated with this temple makes it a worth visiting location.
You will also get the Mahaprasad here from 12 pm to 9:30 pm every day. So if you are visiting here definitely do try Prasad. It would be better if you can take the Prasad along and reach your hotel to have it. The temple premise would be very crowded so it wouldn’t be very comfortable to have Prasad there.
Also keep in mind that all sorts of bags, luggages, mobiles, cameras, shoes are not allowed. There are counters available here where you will have to deposit everything before entering the temple.
After a visit to the temple do not miss out on buying the special Khaja. It is a sweet dish that is also the main Prasad at the Puri temple. You will find multiple shops here that sell this special sweet dish in Puri. So make sure you buy them for yourself and your friends and family back home as well. The price ranges from Rs. 120 per kg to Rs. 160 per kg depending on the variety and quality.
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Day 1 Evening
After the visit to the temple you will have some free time in hand during the evening. So you can best utilize that time at the Swargadwar Beach. You can try the local street food from the beach as the options available there are huge. You can try the sea food there like fried fishes or other fried items. It can be a good opportunity to try the local food at the beach as well. Also visit the Puri Sea Beach Market that almost looks like a fair. Here you will get to see rides for children which they can enjoy. Additionally there are a lot of shops here as well where you can shop from. And with that the day 1 in Puri will come to an end.
Puri Tour Plan Day 2
On Day 2 of this Puri tour plan it will be the day for visiting the Puri tourist places. For that you will have to be ready by 6:30 am in the morning. And then take an auto from your hotel and reach the OTDC bus stop. The auto fare to reach the bus stop from Swargadwar would be around Rs. 80.
Chandrabhaga Beach
The Chandrabhaga Beach is the first sightseeing location for day 2. You will get around 15 minutes to explore this beautiful beach here. It is located 3 km away from the Konark Sun Temple. This beach is also the first ever beach to receive the Blue Fag Certification. It is therefore a calm and clean beach and is well equipped with all sorts of amenities of international standard.
Konark Sun Temple
After visiting the beach the next destination for the day would be the Konark Sun Temple. It is undoubtedly one of the major sightseeing spots in Puri. You can get a local guide for yourself to visit the temple as there are a lot of things that you can explore here. This temple dates back to the 13th century BC. King Narasimha Deva I built this temple in 1244 to worship the Sun God, Surya Dev. It is one of the must visit locations in Orissa as it is one of the prestigious UNESCO World heritage Sites as well. The architecture of the temple is worth mentioning.
The temple remains open from 6 am to 10 pm at night. During the evening a light and sound show is also hosted here which you can attend. But if you are travelling with the tour operators in a bus you won’t be able to stay back. They will give you only an hour to explore the Sun Temple which is very less to explore such a huge area. But if you are opting for sightseeing in a private cab then you can plan a visit here during the evening to attend the Light Show here.
After a visit to the Konark Sun Temple you should have your lunch here nearby. And then you should move on to the next sightseeing location.
Lingaraja Temple
So the next sightseeing location of this Puri tour plan would be the Lingaraja Temple. And if you are travelling by the OTDC bus then you will have 30 minutes in hand to visit this temple. It is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar and the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. According to beliefs here the manifestation of Lord Shiva has appeared naturally on its own. The architecture of the temple is even more interesting and is one of the major examples of Odissi style of architecture. In the northeast corner of the temple you will find a small temple of Goddess Bhagwati as well. However, only Hindus are allowed to enter the Lingaraja Temple. It is one of the popular pilgrimage sites of Odisha that attracts more than 6000 visitors on a regular basis. And during the celebration of Mahashivratri the temple attracts more than 200,000 visitors.
Udaygiri Caves
The next destination for the day would be the Udaygiri Caves. And this is one of the most popular locations that you should definitely visit during your trip. It is a major historical location in Odisha and the entry fee is Rs. 20 per person. The Udaygiri Caves is one of the major locations that reflect the ancient lifestyle of the Jain era. In total there are 18 caves in Udayagiri both big and small. The architecture of these caves is something that would leave you in total wonder.
Khandagiri Caves
The next destination is the Khandagiri Caves and this location is located on top of a hill. You will have to climb around 110 steps to reach the top of the location. In total you will find 15 caves in Khandagiri and the location furthermore offers a beautiful view of the whole city of Bhubaneswar as well.
Nandankanan Zoological Park
The next sightseeing location and the last sightseeing location for the day is the Nandankanan Zoo. You will get around 1 and a half hours to explore this zoo. It is one of the richest zoological parks that you can visit in Odisha. The entry fee of the zoo is Rs. 40 for adults and Rs. 10 for children. And for car parking there is an additional fee of Rs. 30 at Nandankanan. It is a popular location for wildlife safari and is one of the main attractions of this location as well. Lion and Tiger Safari are very popular here and it costs Rs. 30 and for battery vehicles the price is Rs. 50 per person. You can opt for the bear safari and herbivore safari here as well. It is a huge sanctuary that spreads across an area of 173 acres and was established in 1963.
After a visit to the Nandankanan the bus will bring you back to Puri at around 8 pm in the night. And with that the day 2 of this Puri tour will come to an end.
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Puri Tour Plan Day 3
For day 3 of this Puri Tour Plan, the first thing that you need to do is check out from the hotel in the morning. This will be your last day in Puri so try to book your tickets for train or flights only after 8 pm in the night. And that way you would get the whole day to yourself to explore Puri. After checking out from the hotel you will have to keep the luggage at the store room of the hotel. And then you will again have to take an auto like the previous day to reach the OTDC bus stop. On this day you will get to explore the Chilka Lake which is a popular sightseeing point here. Other than the bus tickets you will have to pay Rs. 300 extra to the tour guide too.
On this day you will get to enjoy a 4 hour boat ride on Chilka Lake. No matter if you are travelling solo or travelling in a group I would recommend you all to book the Chilka Tour Package through the OTDC Bus Services. The original boat ride at Chilka Lake costs Rs. 3500 for 2 and a half hours. But if you are booking the package and travelling by the bus then this cost will become sharable. And one of the major attractions of the Chilka Lake ride would be to spot the dolphins here. It would truly be an exciting experience to enjoy the sight of Dolphins here. So make sure you are not missing out on this boat ride at Chilka Lake.
What’s more?
After the boat ride you will reach a beautiful island and also you will be able to enjoy a stunning view here. The island here is a tranquil location where you will enjoy a serene time and that would be truly enjoyable. You would also get some small beach shacks and stalls here that sell some light snacks and food. You can try tea, Maggie, coconut water etc from here if you feel hungry. After a visit to the island you will have to head back and then you can have your lunch. And by 5 pm in the evening you will reach Puri again. After reaching Puri you need to collect your luggage from the hotel first. And then it would be time for the end of this trip. So reach the station or airport to get on to your preferred mode of transport to finally head back home.
What to Eat
And now after discussing the Puri itinerary in this Puri tour plan article we will discuss the food that you would get here. The location is perfect when it comes to a variety of food and the best part is that they are affordable as well. You will get breakfast here that will cost not more than Rs. 20 to Rs. 30. And for lunch you will get veg thali here that will cost around Rs. 80, and fish thali will cost Rs 100 to Rs. 120. And for dinner you will get a variety of options near the Swargadwar Beach. You will get Roti Sabzi here at around Rs. 40 to Rs. 50.
Things to remember
1. Bargaining is one of the most important aspects of the Puri Tour. Here none of the things and services are available at a fixed rate. And so you would need a great bargaining skill to catch the best deal here. From hotel prices to auto ride costs to food and even the shops at the beach market, you would need bargaining skills everywhere. Otherwise if you refrain from bargaining your budget will eventually get higher and your cost for travelling here would increase.
2. There are some tour package booking tips that you need to keep in mind as well. If you have a train from Bhubaneswar, for returning then you should swap the tour packages for day 2 and day 3. That means on Day 2 you should visit Chilka Lake and on Day 3 you should go for the sightseeing in Puri. Basically the last stop for Puri sightseeing is Nandankanan. And after a visit there the bus travels to Puri via Bhubaneswar Bus Stop and Bhubaneswar Station. So it would be convenient for you in case you have your return bus or train tickets from Bhubaneswar. Moreover you would easily get to reach Bhubaneswar by 6 pm in the evening. However do keep in mind to travel with your luggage on the last day as you would not return Puri and directly travel from Bhubaneswar.
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Puri Tour Plan Budget
For hotels the cost would be around Rs. 700 per day that is Rs. 1400 for 2 days. Next there is the tour package and for that the cost will be a total of Rs. 910. If we break this down then it will be Rs. 250 for day 2 Puri sightseeing along with extra Rs. 160 for entry fee that you will have to pay to the tour guide. And on day 3 visit to Chilka Lake the cost would be Rs. 200 per person and with that you will have to pay Rs. 300 to the tour guide as well for the boat ride.
For food it will be around Rs. 300 per day which will be Rs. 900 for 3 days. And for transport the cost would be Rs. 500 that will include travelling to and from station, and travelling to the temple along with travelling to the OTDC bus stop as well. Alongside I have also included Rs. 300 extra for things like seafood and the special Puri Khaja.
Total = Rs. 1400 + Rs. 910 + Rs. 900 + Rs. 500 + Rs. 300 = Total Rs. 4010 for a solo traveler
And if you are travelling as a couple or in a group then the cost would be around Rs. 2500 to Rs. 3000
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the Puri Tour Plan and you surely need to keep this article handy if you are planning a trip there. Puri is one of the major sites of pilgrimage as well as a popular tourist location that you need to visit once. So when are you going for a Puri Jagannath tour plan? And do let me know if this article on Puri tour plan is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
