Rayagada
| Summer: | 25° C – 40° C |
| Winter: | 10° C – 28° C |
Rayagada is a mineral-rich district in the southern part of the state of Odisha. Rayagada is nearly 390 km from Bhubaneswar by road. Rayagada district is known as the most famous region of the state because of its longest human history. In the third century B.C., during the reign of Ashoka the Great, it was covered under Kalinga empire. The hilly track between Bansadhara and Nagabali was famous for spices. On 2 October 1992 Rayagda District was carved out of the erstwhile Koraput district. This is a tribal inhabited district of Odisha. The Telugu population is significant. The scenic beauty and heritage on the land is an unexplored paradise. This region has picturesque natural scenery with rolling mountain, meadows, roaring rivers, rapid waterfalls, Lakes, reservoirs about 3000 feet plateau valleys and primitive and colorful tribal like Dongaria Kondha, Soura, Bonda, Koya, Paraja, Lanjia Soura and Durua etc. The systematic relationship between men and nature is a feast to the eyes of an outsider. It has its own appeal for the lap of nature.
Dongria Kondh Villages
Hatipathar
The Dongria Kondh of India’s Niyamgiri Hills in the state of Odisha have fought a heroic battle against mining giant Vedanta Resources to save their sacred mountain. Here one can witness the Dongria Kondhs men and women finding their way down from the forest hills with different kinds of fruits and forest products to the weekly market. There are over 8000 members of the tribe, living in villages scattered throughout the Niyamgiri Hills. Also visit the weekly tribal market at Chatikona where they mix with other communities like Doms, Desias and Dongoriya Kondhas to barter their goods. The Dongria Kondh have lived in Niyamgiri for thousands of years and their lifestyle and religion have helped nurture the area’s dense forests and unusually rich wildlife. 
Only 3 Kms from the district headquarter, it is one of the most popular tourist places in Rayagada. It is a place of great scenic beauty with two water falls on the course of river Nagavali. Two huge rocks based on the hill top appearing like massive elephants are the major attraction here. The big size boulders look like elephant and hence named as Hatipathar. The beautiful Nagabali River and the two waterfalls further increase the scenic significance of the place.