Bhubaneswar, Jan. 12: A little bit of adventure and sweating it out on a hilly terrain in the weekend can actually de-stress you and up your spirits.

If you care to hop, skip and jump like a monkey, Mankadadian falls in Gajapati district of south Odisha is the place you should be.

The picturesque site is a trekkers’ delight, as one has to walk around 2km hilly tracks along a stream to reach there.

From Berhampur, one has to go to Chandragiri and then reach a village called Kanakada. A tourist then has to trek and go to the falls.

Mankadadian falls is so named as during the trekking one has to jump over the streams on many occasions to reach the final destination.

“Monkeys in the forest jump all the time as they are boisterous creatures. The trekking track towards the fall is such a tricky journey that a traveller has to adopt the tricks similar to that of the simian species to reach there, hence the name is coined in such a way,’’ said Samir Kumar Nayak, a tourist from Udayagiri, who went to Mankadadian last week.

“I have visited the waterfall a number of times, but still its beauty and serenity attracts me. The only difficult time to negotiate through the trek is the monsoon season as the streams turn into small rivers and the rocks become slippery,’’ Nayak said.

While trekking one can also get a beautiful view of the green hills and the valleys nearby. The tribal settlements along the tracks are also interesting and the tourists from the cities and towns can have a peek at the tribal lifestyle. There are about 30 houses of the native forest dwellers along the way to the falls.

As the entire path is a hilly area, one should travel in his or her own conveyance such as a jeep or a sports utility vehicle as small four wheelers or cars may not be helpful.

After visiting the falls a tourist can also go to Khasada, another small waterfall nearby. Hanumanpada (meaning the footprint of Lord Hanuman) is also an important site at a distance of about 20km near Khajuripada.

Legend has it that since Lord Hanuman had probably travelled near the Mahendragiri hill range in Gajapati district.

Thus, the Hanumanpada could have some historical and mythological importance. Local residents also consider the footprint to be auspicious and therefore a temple is being constructed in the area with contributions of the people.

A small waterfall within 15km from Mankadadian named Ghodasala (meaning stable) is also a scenic spot.

The small waterfall is called so since there are signs of horse shoe-shaped marks on the rocks. Local residents say that when the British rulers attacked the local king he kept his horses in the caves near the waterfall.

Interestingly, the Odisha tourism has listed Gandahati, Harabhangi, Mahendragiri, Paralakhemundi, Jeeranga and Khasada and identified them as tourist spots, but Mankadadian falls is yet to get a place in it.

“The tourism department should take initiative to provide basic infrastructure for the development of Mankadadian falls. As the approach route is tortuous, people come only during winter and early summer. But if proper facilities are provided, more people can visit,’’ said Shyam Sundar Gouda, a visitor from Udayagiri.