Rest of Odisha · The 'Kashmir of Odisha'
Daringbadi
A hill station at 915 m in Kandhamal with pine forests, coffee gardens, black-pepper vines, waterfalls and winter frost — the only place in Odisha where temperatures dip near zero.
History & legend
Named after a British officer, Daring Sahib, who administered the area in the early 20th century, Daringbadi was a summer retreat for colonial officials of the Ganjam Agency. The Kutia Kandha tribe, known historically for the Meriah rituals suppressed by the British in the 1840s–50s, still forms much of the population, and their harvest festivals are celebrated here. Coffee was introduced by missionaries and the Soil Conservation department in the 1930s, making it Odisha's only coffee-growing belt.
Timings
Open all day
Best time to visit
November–February for frost; monsoon for waterfalls
Entry fee
Free · nature park ₹20
Approx. cab from Puri (one way)
₹6,750 · 270 km × ₹25/km
Don't miss
- Hill View Park & pine woods
- Coffee & pepper plantations
- Mdubanda & Putudi waterfalls
- Doluri river valley
Local tip: Book homestays early in December. Mornings are misty — start sightseeing after 9 AM.
On the map
