Odisha
Puri
Jagannath, the sea and the Rath Yatra in one coastal town
- Suggested trip
- 3 days
- Suited to
- families; solo travellers
In 30 seconds
- Ideal length
- 3 days
- Best time
- October to February for pleasant weather. The Rath Yatra falls in June or July, so check the current date.
- Good for
- Family, Solo / Community, Couple, Custom
- Popular from
- Kolkata, Delhi, Bhubaneswar
Puri: Puri Ratha Yatra
Photo 1 of 2
Getting there
- From Bhubaneswar
- Approx 60 km, 1.5 hours by road
- Puri to Konark
- Approx 35 km, about 1 hour
- Nearest airport
- Bhubaneswar (Biju Patnaik International)
- By train
- Puri station has direct trains from Delhi, Kolkata and other cities
Make the route work for you
Before you choose Puri
- Who this idea suits
- Family, Solo / Community, Couple, Custom. Travelling with children, elders or anyone with mobility needs? Tell us and we set the daily pace around them.
- Allow for your departure city
- Fly into Bhubaneswar and drive about 90 minutes, or take a train direct to Puri. In Rath Yatra week, road and rail get very busy, so book early. Travel estimates vary with your actual starting point, traffic and operating conditions.
What should my written quote confirm?
- Property name, room category and meal plan
- Vehicle type, pickup point and arrival/return times
- Total cost, taxes, inclusions and optional extras
- Availability, payment schedule and cancellation terms
About this trip
Puri is one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites and the home of the Jagannath temple, a 12th century temple built in the Kalinga style. It is also a beach town on the Bay of Bengal, which is why families come here for both darshan and the sea.
Read more about Puri
The annual Rath Yatra, when the deities are pulled on giant wooden chariots along the Grand Road to the Gundicha temple, is the biggest date in the year. The rest of the year the town is calm enough to combine darshan, the beach, Konark and Chilika at an easy pace.
How to reach: Fly into Bhubaneswar and drive about 90 minutes, or take a train direct to Puri. In Rath Yatra week, road and rail get very busy, so book early.
The Reality Check
When not to go:Rath Yatra week if you want a quiet trip, April to June for the heat and humidity, and the cyclone season around October and November
- Hotels near the temple and sea reprice sharply in Rath Yatra week and long weekends
- Entry to Konark Sun Temple and boat rides at Chilika are ticketed separately
Trip highlights
- Jagannath temple (entry for Hindus only, check current rules)
- Puri beach at sunrise
- Konark Sun Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, about 35 km away
- Raghurajpur, a village of pattachitra painters, close to town
- Chilika Lake, one of the largest brackish water lagoons in Asia, for a boat day
Did you know?
The English word juggernaut comes from Jagannath, from the huge chariots of the Rath Yatra that were described by early European travellers.
Puri is famous for
Things to actually do here
Jagannath temple and the Grand Road
The temple's sanctum is for Hindus only, but the Grand Road and the temple's outer walls are open to all.
Puri beach at sunrise
A wide public beach where fishing boats come in early.
Konark Sun Temple
A 13th century temple built as a stone chariot, about 35 km from Puri.
Raghurajpur
A heritage craft village of pattachitra painters and palm-leaf artists.
Sample itinerary
A starting point, not a confirmed booking. Changes depend on dates, access and availability.
2 day short plan
Works from Bhubaneswar, Kolkata or Visakhapatnam if you arrive the night before.
5 day Odisha plan with Chilika
Adds Bhubaneswar's temples and a boat day on Chilika Lake.
What's typically included
- Stay in hand-picked hotels or homestays for your group size
- Private or shared transport as per your plan
- Daily breakfast (more meals available on request)
- Sightseeing and activities as per itinerary
- A single Gozy Trips point of contact from booking to return
What's not included
- Flights or train tickets to the base city, unless added to your plan
- Personal expenses, tips and anything outside the listed itinerary
- Adventure activities not included in the base package (available as add-ons)
- Travel insurance
- Anything not explicitly listed as included on your final quote
Price depends on your dates, hotel category, group size and how much transport you need. Send us your plan for a real quote.
- Itemised quoteEvery quote is itemised: the hotel and room type for each night, the vehicle, and which meals are included, so you can compare it line by line.
- Second opinion on any quoteAlready have a quote from another agency? Send it and we will tell you whether we can do the same trip for less. If we cannot, we will say so.
