Baripada: The Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district officially reopened its gates to tourists today, marking the beginning of the 2025–26 tourist season. The reserve had been closed since June 30 for its annual monsoon break.
Wildlife enthusiasts can now visit the unique habitat, renowned globally for its rare melanistic (black-striped) tigers, along with Royal Bengal Tigers, Asian elephants, and a wide array of other wildlife and plant species.
Field Director STR Shri Prakash Chand Gogineni announced that the reserve will operate under strict new guidelines to ensure visitor safety and conservation. A maximum of 60 four-wheel-drive vehicles will be permitted inside the national park daily. Of this total, 35 vehicles are allowed entry through the Jashipur checkgate, and 25 through the Pithabata checkgate near Baripada.
Entry times have been set from 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM at Jashipur and 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM at Pithabata. All tourists must vacate the reserve through the exit gates by 6:00 PM on the same day. Additionally, only vehicles with a minimum ground clearance of 180 mm will be permitted.
To enhance the tourist experience and safety, the hiring of a registered eco-guide has been made mandatory for all safari trips. Authorities confirmed that repair work on nearly 1,000 km of internal roads, damaged by the heavy monsoon rains, was completed prior to the reopening.
Visitors can book their entry permits, accommodation, and open jeep safaris online through the designated eco-tourism websites. The authorities expect the new season to attract significant numbers of tourists, building on the 38,483 visitors recorded in the previous year.