Kalyamali, spelled Kaliamali as often as not, is a grass-topped hill in the same highlands as Talamali. Same reward, same warning: the view is long and the last climb is honest work.
- Country
- Semiliguda–Pottangi highlands
- From our base
- About 1 h, road depending
- Go at
- Sunrise, or late afternoon
- Confirm first
- Road checked the same week
What to expect
An open top with grass, wind and uninterrupted views over the ridges towards Pottangi. Nothing is built up there. Groups go for the walk, the quiet and the photographs, not for facilities, and most people are happy with an hour and a half on top.
Getting there in a 17-seater
- Tar road for most of the way from Semiliguda, then a rough final approach that changes with the rain.
- We confirm the week you travel whether the Traveller can reach the last stretch, or whether the group walks the final section.
- Sturdy shoes. The grass is slippery in the early morning and there is no marked path.
- Carry water and food. There is nothing to buy on the hill.
When to go
October to February for clear air and cold, still mornings. The monsoon is green and dramatic but the last climb turns to mud and the view spends most of the day inside a cloud. March onwards the haze builds and the top gets hot by nine.
We will not drive a full Traveller up a wet approach road to keep an itinerary. If the road says no that week, we move the day to Deomali or Kolab and tell you in advance.
Combine it with
- Talamali and Putsil, in the same morning if the group is up early.
- Deomali, for the bigger, better-known summit.
- A 4-day Koraput plan, where an offbeat morning fits without cutting anything.
