Similipal National Park, a prominent wildlife sanctuary located in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, will be closed to tourists from June 12 to September 30 this year. This closure is part of an annual precautionary measure taken during the monsoon season to ensure the safety of visitors, as road connectivity within the park becomes highly unpredictable and often dangerous due to heavy rains. The notice of closure was issued by Prakash Chandra Gogineni, the Field Director of the Similipal Tiger Reserve, who emphasized that the exact date of reopening will be announced later and published in daily newspapers to keep the public informed.

While the core area of the Similipal National Park will be off-limits, certain eco-tourism sites within the reserve will remain accessible to visitors. These sites include Jamuani, Gurudia, Kumari, Barehipani, and Ramtirtha. These locations are generally considered safer and maintain better connectivity during the rainy season, allowing tourists to experience some aspects of the reserve’s natural beauty even when the main park is closed.

Similipal National Park, renowned for its rich biodiversity and tiger population, is one of Odisha’s major tourist attractions. The park’s typical reopening schedule is in the first week of November, following the end of the monsoon season and the restoration of roadways and other essential infrastructure. Every year, the closure of the park during the monsoon is a necessary step to prevent accidents and ensure that maintenance work can be carried out effectively without interruption. This year is no different, as authorities aim to preserve both the safety of tourists and the integrity of the park’s ecosystem.