Debrigarh covers around 350 square kilometres of dry deciduous forest on the western flank of the Barapahar hills, with the long reservoir formed by the Hirakud Dam running along its eastern boundary. The sanctuary is home to leopards, sloth bears, sambar, chital, wild boar, and a notable population of Indian gaur; resident and migratory birdlife around the Hirakud waters is abundant in winter. The combination of forest and large reservoir gives Debrigarh a different feel from most Indian sanctuaries — there are waterside trails, boat-based birdwatching, and watchtowers that look out over both forest and lake.
The main entrance is at Dhodrokusum, about 60 km north of Bargarh via Sambalpur, and the sanctuary is generally open from November to June. A few small nature camps and forest department guesthouses provide simple accommodation; it is also easy to visit on a long day trip from Sambalpur. The sanctuary is much less crowded than Similipal in eastern Odisha, which is a large part of its appeal — most days you will share the forest tracks with very few other vehicles.