DEOMALI HILL Camping: Story of An ETHEREAL Night, Part- 1
Preface:
“Let’s spend a night on the hill,” said a friend of mine. While I was in Koraput with my friends, got the idea to visit Deomali Hills for the second time. This time we decided to spend a night there. We did not think that our decision would be a lifetime memory. Some feelings cannot be fully expressed through words alone. The night spent at Deomali Hills with wonderful stargazing is such a type of memoir. Let me try to take you through that night by retelling and showing glimpses of our night there. Please keep in mind that, Deomali is the highest peak of Odisha state, with an elevation of 16762 meter
Where to stay & camp organiser:
Well, generally, this part comes after the ‘How to reach’ segment. But I have put this part before; all our planning for spending the night at Deomali Hill depended on whether tents for staying were available or not. Mr Google suggested various camping hosters, but most of them had no contact number on Google. After searching for a while, we found the following host who has an active Instagram account:
Rajendra Bhaiya, Kotiya Camping – +91 8763240758.
We chose two tents for 3 people and called them to arrange. They told us to be there by 7 am.
On the way to Deomali Hill:
Our little white vehicle had started its journey. Deomali Hill is around 60 Km away from Koraput. On our way, we passed small streams and picturesque valleys nestled among lush green hills. We missed the entrance to Deomali Hills and detoured for half an hour. You won’t get a mobile network reception after the Kotiya Panchayat welcome gate, so no help from Google Maps. After climbing for a while, the road splits into two paths. One of them has a faint sign that says ‘Welcome to Deomali’—but it’s easy to miss, so you might need to backtrack a little if you miss it. Anyway, after remaining in the wrong direction for a while, we were back on the right track.
Entry to Demali Hill:
There is a toll gate at the entrance, different toll fees for night stay and hour stay as per vehicle. After the entrance, we had to drive 1-2 more kilometres to reach our camping site. There was a watch tower on the way, and the scenes of a setting sun into the horde of hills were stunning. In this way, there were options for various adventure sports like ziplining, paragliding, etc., conducted from morning to early afternoon.
We reached to the camping centre, which was under the peak and beside the resort. There are around 30-40 tents surrounded by a ground facing towards the down valley and hill chain. We set up our tents and arranged for a bonfire. Till then, we knew it was going to be an adventurous night, but we didn’t know what wonders were waiting for us. By then, the hills were smearing themselves with the last rays of the sun, and an enchanting yet comforting light was spreading everywhere, just before the night arrived.
This blog is upto this point. Please go to our next blog to know the rest of our experiences, which were majestic with beautiful photos. Till then, Arigatō, and Sayōnara. Before leaving, please go through the next point.
Do, Don’t & Important Information -Sariya Water Falls
- Try to reach there before sunset, so you can enjoy both daylight and night.
- Don’t forget to carry drinking water and food, as there are no shops nearby.
- Do wear shoes for safety and convenience.
- If you are planning to go in winter, please take the necessary winter garments.
- There is no provision of well maintained toilet; a closed toilet is available only for women.
- Carry a torch for obvious reasons.
- Do not litter the place with plastics, carry them with you and dispose of them at the right place.
- Please maintain the sanctity of the ambience; a group was playing loud Bollywood music for some time; don’t do that.
- The organisers are very helpful and humble; cooperate with them.
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