The Niyamgiri Hills rise sharply to the west of Rayagada and are densely forested in their upper reaches. They are the sacred mountains of the Dongria Kondh, who consider the summit ridge — Niyam Raja, the "law-giver" — the dwelling place of their deity. Outsiders cannot climb to the very top without permission from the village councils, but the lower slopes around Bissamcuttack and Muniguda can be walked with a local guide.
The hills became internationally known after the Dongria Kondh defeated a proposed bauxite mine at the Indian Supreme Court in 2013. Today they remain a place to be visited with humility — these are working communities, not a national park.