Bhubaneswar Travel Guide: Temples, Caves, Nandankanan, Side Trips and Flights
Bhubaneswar is the capital of Odisha, in the state's Khordha district. Odisha Tourism, the state government's tourism department, calls it the Temple City, and its list of the city's sights includes the Lingaraj Temple, the Jain caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri, Dhauli and Nandankanan Zoological Park. The Ministry of Tourism's Incredible India site also describes a modern city of educational institutions and IT parks.
For Puri and for the Konark Sun Temple, Odisha Tourism names Bhubaneswar's airport as the nearest airport, and it suggests two days for the city itself.
Flights land at Bhubaneswar Airport (BBI), and the main direct routes recorded for it are named under "Flights to and from Bhubaneswar" below. The India travel guide covers the rest of the country.
What to see in Bhubaneswar
The Lingaraj Temple
The Lingaraj Temple is an 11th-century sandstone temple dedicated to Lord Shiva as Harihara, with a shikhara (spire) that rises to nearly 180 feet, according to Odisha Tourism. It names Shivaratri and the Rukuna Ratha Jatra as the temple's festivals, and suggests one to two hours for a visit.
As of October 2026, Odisha Tourism's Lingaraj page says only Hindus are permitted inside the temple, and that a viewing platform has been built outside the complex for non-Hindus to see the architecture.
The Ananta Basudeva Temple is 0.2 km from the Lingaraj Temple, the Parasurameswar and Mukteswara temples are 1.5 km away, and the Rajarani Temple is 2.0 km away, according to Odisha Tourism's list.
The Mukteswara and Rajarani temples
The Mukteswara Temple is a 10th-century temple, Odisha Tourism says, and it lists the Mukteswar Dance Festival, held in its precincts. It names the Rajarani Temple as the setting for the Rajarani Music Festival, a festival of classical music. Incredible India names the Brahmeswara Temple alongside these two.
The Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves
Incredible India describes Khandagiri and Udayagiri as twin hills known for their rock-cut caves, made by Jain monks in the 1st and 2nd centuries BC. Odisha Tourism lists the caves among the city's top attractions.
Dhauli and the Shanti Stupa
In Odisha Tourism's words, Dhauli is the historic site associated with the Kalinga War and Emperor Ashoka's transformation, and it lists the Dhauli Shanti Stupa on the Dhauli Hills among the city's top attractions. It also lists a light and sound show at Dhauli and the Dhauli Kalinga Mahotsav, held at Shanti Vihar at the foot of the hills.
Nandankanan Zoological Park
The park's own site says Nandankanan lies in natural forest adjacent to the Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary, in the vicinity of Kanjia lake, and Incredible India puts it on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. The park lists safaris, boating, a reptile park, a walk-through aviary, a toy train and a ropeway among its facilities.
The zoo and the botanical garden are both closed every Monday, according to the park. Its notice gives winter hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, and it lists different hours for April to September, so check the park's website before you go.
Museums and the planetarium
Kalabhoomi, the Odisha Craft Museum, is among the city's top attractions on Odisha Tourism's list, which also suggests a trail around the city's museums. Incredible India adds the Museum of Tribal Arts and Artefacts, the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Museum and the Pathani Samanta Planetarium.
Hirapur, Kantilo and Ekamra Kanan
Incredible India's Bhubaneswar page also lists Hirapur, with an open-to-the-sky Yogini temple, and Kantilo, which it calls a smaller replica of Puri's Sri Jagannath Temple. Its Bhubaneswar heritage trip adds Ekamra Kanan, a botanical garden and park with a mini zoo.
Odia food in Bhubaneswar
Odisha Tourism's Bhubaneswar page names pakhala, a traditional Odia summer meal of fermented rice served with assorted sides, dalama, and rasagola, which it describes as soft cottage cheese balls soaked in sugar syrup. It also names abhada, a traditional meal of rice, dal and vegetable curries at the Ananta Basudeva Temple.
When to visit Bhubaneswar
Odisha Tourism gives October to March as the best time to visit Bhubaneswar. Its best-time page for the whole state calls October to March Odisha's golden season and peak tourist time, and describes the winter months, October to February, as cool and dry.
In summer, from March to June, temperatures in the state can soar, Odisha Tourism says, and it puts Odisha's monsoon in July to September. The India Meteorological Department counts June to September as the south-west monsoon season across India.
Festivals in and around Bhubaneswar
Odisha Tourism's listing for Bhubaneswar puts the Toshali Craft Mela and the Adivasi Mela in January and February, the Rajarani Music Festival and the Mukteswar Dance Festival in January, the Dhauli Kalinga Mahotsav in February and the Odisha Book Fair in December. Check the dates on Odisha Tourism's Bhubaneswar page before you book.
In December, Odisha Tourism also lists the Konark Festival and the International Sand Art Festival, which it places at Chandrabhaga Beach, Konark.
The Rath Yatra is held at Puri in June or July, according to Odisha Tourism and Incredible India. Its dates follow the traditional Odia Hindu calendar, and accommodation in Puri gets booked several months in advance during the festival, Odisha Tourism says.
Flights to and from Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar's airport is Bhubaneswar Airport, run by the Airports Authority of India. Its aerodrome data gives the airport as 3 km from Bhubaneswar Railway Station. The airport page covers the facilities and the ways into the city.
The site's schedule data records direct domestic flights on the main routes between Bhubaneswar and Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai, and also Pune, Ahmedabad, Guwahati and Patna. Each name links to its route page.
The airlines recorded on these routes include IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air and Star Air.
Getting around Bhubaneswar
App-based cabs (Odisha Yatri, Ola and Rapido) and private taxis are listed for Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri on Odisha Tourism's getting-around page. It adds that pre-paid taxis, rental vehicles and chauffeur-driven cars are available for airport transfers, sightseeing and intercity travel. For short trips, it says auto-rickshaws are easily available in the state's cities and major towns, and it lists shared autos on fixed local routes and app-based bike taxis.
Mo Bus, operated by Capital Region Urban Transport, connects Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri with air-conditioned coaches that have digital ticketing and real-time tracking, the same page says. For longer trips, Odisha Tourism says the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation runs intercity coaches between the state's major towns, cities and pilgrimage sites.
Odisha Tourism names Bhubaneswar Railway Station as the city's nearest railway station, and Puri and Cuttack among the state's main railway stations. For organised sightseeing, it points to the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation and authorised tour operators.
Side trips from Bhubaneswar
Puri
Puri is 60 km from Bhubaneswar, according to Odisha Tourism, and is served by Puri Railway Station. Its list of places to see in Puri includes the Jagannath Temple, Raghurajpur Craft Village, Satapada on Chilika Lake, and Puri Beach and Golden Beach, which it labels a Blue Flag beach. Incredible India says the Jagannath Temple is one of the Char Dhams of Hindu pilgrimage, and gives October to February as the best time to visit Puri.
The Konark Sun Temple
The Sun Temple at Konark is a World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). UNESCO describes it as one of the outstanding examples of temple architecture and art, representing a chariot of the Sun God with twelve pairs of wheels drawn by seven horses, and as an exceptional testimony to the 13th-century Hindu Kingdom of Orissa.
UNESCO says the temple is protected under India's Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958, and that conservation programmes are undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India. Odisha Tourism's Rath Yatra page puts Konark about 35 km from Puri. Odisha Tourism's Konark page puts Chandrabhaga Beach 3 km from the temple, suggests two to three hours for a visit and gives October to February as the best time to go.
Chilika Lake
Chilika Lake, reached by a drive from Puri to Satapada, is a brackish water lagoon that is home to Irrawaddy dolphins and migratory birds, and Odisha Tourism recommends a sunrise boat ride. Its best-time page lists birdwatching at Chilika among the winter activities, from October to February. It also suggests combining Puri, Konark and Chilika as one coastal circuit.
Questions about visiting Bhubaneswar
What is the best time to visit Bhubaneswar?
Odisha Tourism gives October to March as the best time to visit Bhubaneswar, and calls those months the peak tourist time for Odisha as a whole.
Is Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar open on Mondays?
No. The park says the zoo and the State Botanical Garden are closed every Monday. Its winter hours, from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
How far is Puri from Bhubaneswar?
Puri is 60 km from Bhubaneswar, according to Odisha Tourism, which also names Bhubaneswar's airport as the nearest airport for Puri. It also says Mo Bus, operated by Capital Region Urban Transport, connects Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri.
When is the Rath Yatra in Puri?
Odisha Tourism and Incredible India place the Rath Yatra at Puri in June or July. Odisha Tourism says its dates follow the traditional Odia Hindu calendar and that accommodation in Puri gets booked several months in advance during the festival, so check the year's dates early.