Gupteswar Temple is a cave temple of Lord Shiva in Koraput district, Odisha. You reach the lingam, a stone symbol of Lord Shiva, by climbing about 200 carved steps. The temple is 76 km (about 2 hours by road) from Koraput town, and 54 km from Jeypore, Odisha. We run a one-day Gupteswar trip from Koraput in our own 17-seater AC Force Traveller.
- From Koraput
- 76 km, 2 h
- Climb
- About 200 carved steps
- Hours
- 6 am–7 pm
- Best months
- October to February
What is Gupteswar Temple?
Gupteswar is a shrine to Lord Shiva inside a limestone cave, also called Gupteswar Cave. The Koraput district tourism page, from the Government of Odisha, says the cave shrine sits on a lush green hill.
- The cave and the lingam: Incredible India, the Government of India's tourism website, says a huge lingam is kept inside the cave. You climb 200 carved steps from the base of the hill.
- The Lord Rama belief: the Koraput district page says people believe Lord Rama passed through this region on his way to Panchabati in Dandaka-ranya. The same page says Gupteswar is also popularly known as Gupta Kedra Shabari.
- A local legend: Sanskriti Magazine retells a legend in which Lord Rama stayed here during his exile and found a self-formed (swayambhu) lingam of Lord Shiva in the cave.
Maha Shivaratri brings very large crowds to Gupteswar. Incredible India says more than 2 lakh (2,00,000) devotees come from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. ETV Bharat reports that the festival's signature tradition here is Harihar Bhet, a midnight ceremony in which devotees bring an idol of Lord Jagannath from Sabara Srikhetra, Koraput, to Gupteswar.
Timings and the best time to visit
- Opening hours: 6:00 am to 7:00 pm. On our day trip we reach the cave at about 10 am.
- Best season: LocalDrive and Bharat Temples suggest October to February, when the weather is pleasant. East Indian Traveller suggests September to March.
- Maha Shivaratri: expect very big crowds. Go then if you want to see the festival, and allow extra time; for a quieter visit, pick another day. The date for this year is in our Odia calendar.
- Shravan month: YatraDham says it also brings big crowds, and Sanskriti Magazine says the yearly Bol Bom yatra (pilgrimage) is held at Gupteswar then.
How to reach Gupteswar Temple
The last stretch to Gupteswar is by road. The nearest railway stations are Jeypore and Koraput Junction, and the nearest airport is Jeypore. Trains, flights, buses and every pickup point we serve are on How to reach Koraput.
| Starting point | Distance or drive time |
|---|---|
| Koraput town | 76 km, about 2 hours |
| Jeypore, Odisha | 54 km, about 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh | 5 to 6 hours by road to Koraput, via Araku |
Distances and drive times are from Google Maps, checked on 10 October 2026.
A one-day Gupteswar trip from Koraput
This is our published Gupteswar day. All times are approximate.
| About | Stop | Time until the next stop |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 AM | Leave Koraput | 2 h 30 min: the drive to Gupteswar, 76 km |
| 10:00 AM | Gupteswar cave (about 200 steps) | 1 h 30 min: the climb, the visit and the drive on |
| 11:30 AM | Sabari river bank | 1 h 30 min: the stop and the drive to Jeypore |
| 1:00 PM | Lunch in Jeypore (meals are not included in the quote) | 2 h 30 min: lunch and the drive on |
| 3:30 PM | Maliguda bridges and tunnel on the Kirandul railway line | 1 h 30 min: the stop and the drive back |
| 5:00 PM | Back at Koraput station or your hotel | — |
The whole day takes about 9.5 hours. If you have an evening train to catch, send us its time with your enquiry.
What to expect at Gupteswar: steps, facilities and etiquette
- The steps: about 200 carved steps lead from the base of the hill to the cave. If grandparents or small children come with you, go slowly and rest on the way.
- Parking: East Indian Traveller describes a small parking area at the entrance.
- Food, water and toilets: East Indian Traveller mentions small shops and dhabas. LocalDrive mentions basic toilets, drinking water and prasad stalls. Carry drinking water and snacks, especially for children; our day plan includes lunch in Jeypore.
- What to wear: LocalDrive suggests modest clothes and comfortable shoes.
- Where to stay: YatraDham says you cannot stay at the temple itself; it lists hotels, guest houses and lodges in Jeypore. Our day trip starts and ends in Koraput.
Places to combine with Gupteswar
On our Gupteswar day we also stop at the Sabari river bank, for lunch in Jeypore, and at the Maliguda bridges and tunnel.
- Swargadwara Caves: East Indian Traveller says these caves are near Gupteswar. They are not part of our published day — ask about them when you request a quote.
- On a longer Koraput trip: Gupteswar is day four of the 4-day itinerary, and it can take Duduma's place on the 3-day itinerary.
Book a Gupteswar day
Send your dates, group size and pickup point on WhatsApp, and we send one written price for the trip the same day. What the price includes is on What a Koraput Traveller trip costs; booking, the advance and date changes are on How WhatsApp booking works, and cancellations on Refunds. The vehicle, its 17 seats and luggage space are on the Traveller page.
