Kiriburu and Meghahatuburu, the twin hills separated by the borders of the Indian states of Odisha and Jharkhand are the most underrated and undiscovered places.
Where are Kiriburu and Meghataburu located?
Kiriburu hill is located at Kiriburu, a census town in Kendujhar district of Odisha and Meghataburu hill is located at Meghataburu, a census town in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.
Why Kiriburu and Meghataburu are famous?
The town of Kiriburu and Meghataburu are adjoining to each other and are rich in iron-ore. KIOM ( Kiriburu Iron-Ore Mine) & MIOM (Meghahatuburu Iron-Ore Mine), both governed by Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) are one of the big iron ore mines in the country.
Due to the presence of iron ore in excess, the twin hills are also referred to as the 'Iron Hills'. Kiriburu and Meghataburu both lie within the belt of the Saranda Forest and both the township are developed by the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
Kiriburu and Meghataburu trip is a perfect weekend getaway for those staying in Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal. Trust us when we say this is the best offbeat destination you are looking for.
Also do check out another amazing unexplored tourist place in Odisha, Kuldiha Forest Travel Guide.
How is the weather at Kiriburu and Meghahatuburu?
Kiriburu and Meghataburu have mainly three seasons, winter, summer and Rainy.
Winter stretches over the months of November to February and the temperature varies from 10 to 15-degree centigrades, making the months of December and January extremely cold.
Summer ranges between March to June with a temperature rising from 30 to 40-degree centigrade. The month of April and May are the hottest.
The rainy season starts from the month of July and prevails till the month of August with an average rainfall of 200-350 millimeters.
What is the best time to visit Kiriburu and Meghataburu?
The best time to visit Kiriburu and Meghahatuburu is during the month of September to November or during the month of March as the weather is neither too hot nor too cold; it remains very pleasant.
Tourist Places in Kiriburu and Meghataburu
Kiriburu and Meghataburu are the hidden jewels of nature. The place is packed with greenery and has many waterfalls, adding to its scenic beauty. It is a perfect place for adventurers and explorers.
Saranda Forest
Saranda, the largest Sal (Shorea robusta) forest in Asia, stands proudly in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand and also stretches a little into the state of Odisha. The forest covers an area of 820 sq km and is home to a huge variety of wild animals. A large part of the forest is under the iron ore mining project. Saranda forest remained out of the tourist limelight for long, irrespective of nurturing many amazing places of tourist interest within its belt. Saranda is said to be the land of seven hundred hills.
Some of the wild animals found here are Wild Elephants, Sambar, Chital, Beers, Bison, Tigers, and Leopards. Although the forest is stuffed with a huge number of Sal (Shorea robusta) trees, some of the other trees which are also found in large numbers are Mangoes, Jamun, Jackfruit, Guava, Mahua, Kusum, Tilai, Harin Hara (Armossa Rohitulea), Gular (Ficus Glomerata), and Asan. River Karo and Koina flow through the forest, contributing to a variety of flora and fauna. Due to the presence of a high amount of iron ore, the soil in the entire forest is red in color.
It is advisable to hire a guide while exploring the forest because there may be chances of getting lost as the forest is too dense and also there are a lot of wild animals. To explore some of the core parts of the forest, permission from the DFO (Divisional Forest Officer) is needed.
Pundul Waterfall
Pundul Falls is located in Kiriburu and is surrounded by the dense Saranda forest. The river Karo originates from the Pundul Falls. The path that leads to the fall is small and is fenced with Sal trees on both sides, hence, one has to walk their way to the falls. Walking down the beautiful path covered with sal trees will surely take away all your anxieties.
Swapneswar Temple
Swapneswar Temple is located on the way to Pundul Falls. The temple has an idol of goddess Durga and also a shiva lingam. The mesmerizing sound of the Pundul falls can be heard from the temple. It is from this place, one has to start their on-foot journey for Pundul Falls.
Khandadhar Waterfall
Khandadhar Waterfalls located at Sundergarh district of Odisha is the 12th highest waterfall in India. The waterfall falls from a height of 244 meters, giving it a shape of a sword, hence, the name Khandadhar. It derives its name from the word 'Khanda' which means a 'sword' and 'Dhar' means 'Sharp'. The most breathtaking sight of the place is that the water, falls from a great height thus creating a cloudy appearance that sometimes gives birth to rainbows at the base of the falls.
Khandadhar is 95.7 Kms from Kiriburu via Koida Rd and takes almost 3 to 3 and a half hours to reach. It is a perfect picnic spot as well so what can be better than packing some food on the way to have a mini picnic at Khandadhar.
Sanaghagara Waterfall
Sanaghagara Waterfall is a small waterfall located in the Kendujhar district of Odisha. The fall got its name from the word 'Sana' which means 'small' and ghagra which means 'waterfall'. True to its name, the small waterfall lies in the Keonjhar to Sambalpur National Highway, 5 km from the Kendujhar town. A small river named San Machakandana swiftly flows down the hill creating the natural waterfall.
The waterfall creates a lake at the bottom where the authorities allow the tourists to enjoy boating. The fall is also attached to a garden with soft music playing all the time and of course the relaxing green lawns. It also has a children's park with many different swings installed for the children to have a fun time. The Tribal Museum located near the waterfall is another tourist attraction, displaying the art and culture of the tribes residing in the area. The authorities of Sanaghagara Waterfall provide trekking facilities and also have created a bathing area for those who want to enjoy bathing in the waterfall. The place has sheds with chairs at different places for the tourists to take rest.
Sanaghagara is the best place to go for a picnic. The authorities provide the cooking area with cooking sheds and also provides water supply for drinking as well as for cooking. The place also has public toilet facilities for both men and women. There are a lot of snacks and refreshment counters around the place and also has restaurants which makes it a comfy visit. The place has a separate parking area for the vehicles.
Badaghagara Waterfall
Badaghahara Waterfall is also located at Kendujhar district of Odisha, 9 km from the town of Kendujhar and 3 km from Sanaghagara Waterfall. River Machha Kandana makes a single drop from the height of 200 feet, hence creating the waterfall. A dam has been constructed on the waterfall as it a perennial waterfall. The place is untouched for any commercial purpose hence one can enjoy nature here at its raw form.
Handibhanga Waterfall
Handibhanga another waterfall located in Bahalda village of the Mayurbhanja district of Odisha is located at a distance of 45 km from the town of Kendujhar. The best time to visit Handibhanga is between the months of October to March. The height of the fall is almost 100 feet and is one of the best picnic spots in the region.
Jhikra waterfall
Jhikra waterfall is also known as the rainbow waterfall as the water creates a rainbow effect while dropping from a great height. The fall is in the middle of the sal forest which makes it look divine. The path leading to the waterfall is rocky with streams of water flowing which one has to cross to reach the spot.
Pachri waterfall
Pachri falls is another beautiful fall that should be on the list while on a Kiriburu Meghataburu trip. The falls lie between the dense forest and it is a 30 minutes walk through the rocky forest to reach the amazingly beautiful Pachri fall.
700 Mount Meghataburu View Point and Sunset Point
As stated earlier that Saranda is said to be the land of seven hundred hills, so, this is the place or viewpoint from where it is said that all the seven hundred hills are visible. And also this place gives a splendid view of the sunset.
KIOM / BIOM
Visiting either of the two largest iron- ore mines, i.e KIOM ( Kiriburu Iron-Ore Mine) or MIOM (Meghahatuburu Iron-Ore Mine), is must. To visit any of the mines, one has to take prior permission from the SAIL (Steel Authority of India Limited) authorities.
How to reach Kiriburu and Meghahatuburu?
By Rail
The best way to reach Kiriburu and Meghataburu is by train. The nearest railway stations are Bara Jamda ( Station Code: BJMD) and Barbil (BBN).
Bara Jamda is a census town in the West Sighbhum district of Jharkhand whereas, Barbil is a city in the Kendujhar district of Odisha. After getting down in any of the two stations, book private cabs for Kiriburu and Meghataburu.
The distance from nearby railway stations by road
- Bara Jamda Railway Station to Kiriburu: 22.7 km via Kolebira - Hat Gamharia Rd, Hat Gamhariya - Kolebira Rd/Kolebira - Hat Gamhariya Rd and Gua - Kiriburu Rd/Kiriburu - Gua Rd.
- Bara Jamda Railway Station to Meghahatuburu : 27.3 km via Gua - Kiriburu Rd/Kiriburu - Gua Rd.
- Barbil Railway Station to Kiriburu: 17.5 km via Bolani Rd.
- Barbil Railway Station to Meghahatuburu: 20.9 km via Bolani Rd.
By Air
The nearest airports from Kiriburu and Meghataburu are Biju Patnaik Airport, Bhubaneswar (Code: BBI) and Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi (Code: IXR). Bhubaneswar is the capital city of the state of Odisha and Ranchi is the capital city of the state of Jharkhand. After landing in any of the two airports, one can book a private cab or can board a train to Bara Jamda or Barbil. The railway station of Bhubaneswar is known as Bhubaneswar Railway Station (Station Code: BBS) and the Ranchi railway station is known as Hatia railway station ( Station Code: HTE).
The distance between from nearby airports by road
- Biju Patnaik Airport, Bhubaneswar to Kiriburu: 311.9 km via Badshahi Rd and NH20.
- Biju Patnaik Airport, Bhubaneswar to Meghahatuburu : 315.3 km via Badshahi Rd and NH20.
- Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi to Kiriburu : 200.2 km via Kolebira - Hat Gamharia Rd.
- Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi to Meghahatuburu : 204.8 km via Kolebira - Hat Gamharia Rd.
Where to stay in Kiriburu and Meghataburu trip?
Staying in Kiriburu and Meghahatuburu completely depends on one's preference.
Kiriburu, Meghataburu Forest Stay
If you want to enjoy the exotic forest environment by staying in Kiriburu or Meghataburu itself then you have three options of guest houses to check-in
- Kiriburu Hill Top Guest House
- Karo Guest House
- Meghahatuburu Visitors Guest House
- SAIL Meghahatuburu Guest House
Budget Stays
Another possibility is to stay in Manoharpur, an assembly constituency of Jharkhand, situated at the base of the Saranda forest. Manoharpur is surrounded by the dense Saranda forest and has many budget guesthouses and lodges.
Luxury Stays
And if you are in a mood to have a luxury trip then Barbil city is the best place to plan your stay in. Barbil has some of the good hotels and resorts. One of the best resorts to stay in Barbil while having a forest experience is Saranda Safari Resort.
Trip cost for Kiriburu, Meghataburu - Saranda Forest
The minimum trip cost for Kiriburu, Meghataburu - Saranda Forest is INR 3000 to INR 4000.
Kiriburu and Meghataburu is a hidden treasure in the dense forest of Saranda. Not known to many, this twin hill has so much beauty to reveal. Visit the iron hills for your next offbeat destination and explore the untouched lands of Jharkhand and Odisha.
ReferencesKiriburu Wiki Page
Meghahatuburu Forest village
Saranda Forest, Jharkhand
Asia's largest sal forest, Saranda Forests