Kapilash asks more of you than any other shrine on this list. The temple sits on a hill above Dhenkanal, and the traditional approach is 1,350-odd steps through forest — there is a road to the top, but the steps are the point for most who come. Combined with a three-and-a-half hour drive each way from Puri, this is a genuine full-day commitment and one to start before dawn.
About the shrine
A hilltop Shiva temple reached by a flight of some 1,350 stone steps, founded in the 13th century. Sometimes called the Kailash of Odisha — the height and the forest around it are a large part of why.
- Deity
- Lord Chandrasekhar (Shiva)
- Location
- Kapilash hill, Dhenkanal district
- Temple timings
- Roughly 6am to 7pm; the climb is best started early
- Time from Puri
- a long full day, 10 to 11 hours
Planning the trip
- There is a motorable road to the summit as well as the step climb — say which you want when you book so the driver plans for it.
- Start very early; the climb is punishing after mid-morning in any month outside winter.
- Mahashivaratri brings enormous crowds and a queue that can run for hours.
Worth combining with Dhenkanal town and the Saptasajya hills if you have the time — tell us when you book and we will build it into the same fixed fare rather than adding it as an extra.
How the fare works
This is priced as a return darshan trip, not a one-way drop. The same cab and driver stay with you for the whole outing and wait at the temple while you queue — there is no per-hour waiting charge and no second fare for the journey back to Puri.
- Pickup from your Puri hotel gate and drop back at the same
- Tolls, parking, fuel and driver allowance
- Waiting time at the temple for the length of a normal darshan
- A fixed price agreed on WhatsApp before you travel
Temple entry, prasad, ropeway or boat charges where they apply are paid directly by you and are not part of the fare.
Travelling with elders
Most of the people we drive on these runs are on a pilgrimage with parents or grandparents, so the pace is set accordingly — no rushing the return, stops when they are needed, and an Innova recommended over a sedan on anything past two hours each way. See pilgrimage taxi for how we handle temple trips generally.