Andhra Pradesh
With its longest eastern coastline Andhra Pradesh is one of the most versatile tourist spots of the south. Andhra Pradesh has had a rich history which reflects very well in its monuments and cities. Some of the most pristine places of worship and pilgrimage are housed in the state of Andhra Pradesh, some popular ones being Sri Venkateswara, Srisailam, Mantrayalam, Srikalhasti and many more. There are several hill stations in the Andhra Pradesh along with the Araku Valley, Ananthagiri and so on.
We at CrazyB aim to fill your visit to Andhra Pradesh with a culmination of some of these exceptionally beautiful places which are totally worth exploring.
Araku Valley
Statics
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days
Base Station: Araku Valley
Nearest City to Araku Valley: Vizag (112 Kms)
Best Time to Visit Araku Valley: September to May
Peak Season: September & March to May
State: Andhra Pradesh | District: Vizag
Araku Valley Weather: Summer: Maximum – 26°C & Minimum – 22°C
Winter: Maximum – 11°C & Minimum – 8°C
Araku has some interesting places to visit including Borra caves, Tyda, Katiki Falls, Tribal Museum & Padmapuram Botanical Gardens. Besides, these the coffee plantations are a must visit for those who want to indulge themselves in the flavors of nature.
The tourists can see tribal folk dances like Dhimsa and Mayuri. The Araku Tribal Museum houses rich tribal tradition and number of artifacts and displays related to Eastern Ghat Tribal Culture.
The Anantagiri Reserved Forest and Sunkarimetta Reserved Forest are part of the Araku Valley. This valley is surrounded by mountains like Galikonda, Raktakonda, Sunkarimetta and Chitamogondi. Jindhagada Peak, the tallest peak in Eastern Ghats and the tallest in Andhra Pradesh is situated near Araku. The Anantagiri hills on the way to Araku Valley are famous for coffee plantations.
The hill is also popular for its forests, lovely orchards and the serene environment. The valley is also a perfect place for trekking and it offers several interesting trails. Most known and popular trekking trails go through dense forests to the summit but a few adventurous trails go through many streams and are ideal to view breathtaking waterfalls like the Katiki waterfall.
The train journey from Vizag to Araku is a memorable experience with 46 tunnels, several bridges through lush green valleys. Araku is famous for the mustard flowers that change the landscape of the valley from green to yellow in the months of November & December. Several accommodation facilities are available here.
The best time to visit Araku Valley is from September to May while the peak season is September & March to May. Usually it takes 1-2 days to visit all the places in and around Araku Valley.
Srisailam
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days
Base Station: Srisailam
Nearest City to Srisailam: Hyderabad (229 Kms), Kurnool (181 Kms)
Best Time to Visit Srisailam: September to March
Peak Season: September to December & February to May
State: Andhra Pradesh | District: Kurnool
Srisailam Weather: Summer: Maximum – 41°C & Minimum – 22°C
Winter: Maximum – 30°C & Minimum – 15°C
At a distance of 160 km from Nandyal, 181 km from Kurnool, 229 km from Hyderabad, 263 km from Vijayawada and 527 km from Bangalore, Srisailam is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva situated on the banks of River Krishna in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the most important pilgrimage centers of Lord Shiva in India and also one of the top Places to visit in Andhra. Srisailam is also one of the most popular weekend getaways from Hyderabad.
Srisailam is famous for Srisailam Dam & Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The sanctum enshrines Lord Mallikarjuna in the form of a linga protected by a three-hooded cobra. This ancient temple built in the Dravidian style with lofty towers and sprawling courtyards is one of the finest specimens of Vijayanagara architecture.
The unique feature of this kshetram is the combination of Jyothirlingam and Mahasakthi (in the form of Bhramarambika) in one campus, which is very rare and only one of its kind. The great religious leader Aadi Sankara is said to have visited this shrine and composed his immortal Sivananda Lahiri here.
Srisailam is a perfect combination of temples and scenic spots. Srisailam Dam built over River Krishna is one of the largest dams in South India. Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, Bhramaramba Devi Temple, Akka Mahadevi Caves, Pathala Ganga, Shikaresvara Temple, Sakshi Ganapathi Temple and Mallela Theertham are the other attractions here.Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Sanctuary, India’s largest tiger reserve is spread over 3500 Sq. km. The lush and dense Nallamala forest range is a popular destination for trekking, hill climbing, forest exploration and research, to which Srisailam town acts as a base camp.
The Mahasivarathri festival in the month of February/March is celebrated as Brahmothsavam (annual festival).
Hyderabad Airport is the nearest airport, 202 km from Srisailam. The nearest railway station to reach Srisailam is the Markapur Railway Station which is 87 km away. Markapur station is well connected to all major cities like Bhubaneswar, Puri, Bangalore, Kolkata, Machilipatnam, Vasco da Gama, Guntur and Hyderabad. Srisailam is most easily accessible by road. Buses connect Srisailam with Hyderabad, Tirupati, Bangalore, Vijayawada, Kakinada, Vizag, Kurnool, Guntur, Kadapa and Nellore.
The best time to visit Srisailam is from September to March while the peak season is September to December & February to May. Usually it takes 1-2 days to visit major places in Srisailam.
Temple Timings: 5 AM to 3:30 PM & 6 PM to 10 PM
Tirupati
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days
Base Station: Tirupati
Nearest City to Tirupati: Tirupati, Chennai (134 Kms)
Best Time to Visit Tirupati: October to March
Peak Season: April to May & September to December
State: Andhra Pradesh | District: Chittoor
Tirupati Weather: Summer: Maximum – 45°C & Minimum – 22°C
Winter: Maximum – 28°C & Minimum – 15°C
At a distance of 71 km from Chittoor, 413 km from Vijayawada, 556 km from Hyderabad, 763 km from Vizag, 134 km from Chennai and 259 km from Bangalore, Tirupati is a pilgrimage city in the extreme southeast of Andhra Pradesh in Chittoor district. It is often referred as a synonym to Tirumala (called as Tirumala Tirupati), which is a sacred temple town famous for Sri Venkateswara Temple also known as Tirumala Tirupati Balaji Temple..
Tirumala at the bottom of the hill. The initial temple at Tirumala was built by the Tamil king Thondaimaan.
Spread over an area of 450 sq. km, Tirupati offers a magnificent religious and natural delight to devotees as well as tourists. Apart from Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala, Varahaswami temple, Tiruchanur temple of Goddess Padmavati, Govindaraja temple, Srinivasa Mangapuram, Avanakshamma temple, ISKCON Lord Krishna Temple etc. are the important temples in Tirupati. Kapila Theertham, Parasurameswara Temple in Gudimallam, Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple, Chandragiri Fort, Kanipakam, Srikalahasti and Talakona Falls are the famous Tirupati tourist places.
Papikondalu
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days
Base Station: Rajahmundry (60 Kms)
Nearest City to Papikondalu: Vijayawada (180 Kms), Vizag (260 Kms)
Best Time to Visit Papikondalu: October to January
Peak Season: October to December
State: Andhra Pradesh | District: East Godavari
Papikondalu Weather: Summer: Maximum – 42°C & Minimum – 21°C
Winter: Maximum – 30°C & Minimum – 15°C
At a distance of 60 km from Rajahmundry, 180 km from Vijayawada, 20 km from Polavaram, 260 km from Vizag & 410 km from Hyderabad, Papi Kondalu is a breathtakingly beautiful hill range bounded by River Godavari in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Papi hills are a set of three hills which form a beautiful gorge on the Godavari River spread across East Godavari and West Godavari districts. Entire area of Papi Kondalu is covered by tropical rain forests and it was recently declared as a protected National Park and is one of the top places to experience the Tourism in Andhra Pradesh.
The original name for this hill range was ‘Papidi Kondalu’. Papidi is a rough translation for partition in Telugu. It is believed that the place was visited by Lord Rama and goddess Sita during their exile.
Apart from enjoying the view of the hills, valley and waterfalls, tourists can engage in activities like camping and trekking. There are several sights that fall on the way like Perantallapalli, Gandipochamma Temple and Pattiseema. Several tribal communities have made their dwellings on these hills whose main occupation is agriculture, fishing and making handicrafts. There is a waterfall at Munivaatam that is a popular tourist attraction.
The boat rides usually include full-day trips starting from Rajahmundry/ Pattisam / Polavaram / Kunavaram / Sriram Giri with break at Perantallapalli and back.
The best time to visit Papi Kondalu is from October to January while the Peak Season is from November to December. Usually Papikondalu is visited from Rajahmundry as a day trip or two day trip with night stay at Kollur Camp.
Vijayvada
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days
Base Station: Vijayawada
Nearest City to Vijayawada: Vijayawada
Best Time to Visit Vijayawada: November to February
Peak Season: November to February
State: Andhra Pradesh | District: Krishna
Vijayawada Weather: Summer: Maximum – 44°C & Minimum – 22°C
Winter: Maximum – 30°C & Minimum – 15°C
At a distance of 37 km from Guntur, 273 km from Hyderabad, 354 km from Vizag, 453 km from Chennai and 643 km from Bangalore, Vijayawada, also known as Bezawada, is the second largest city in Andhra Pradesh State and also one of the top Places to visit in Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the banks of the Krishna River to the South, Budameru River on the north and the Indrakiladri Hills on the west. This is the largest railway junction of the South Central Railway, situated along the Chennai-Howrah and Chennai-Delhi rail route.
Legend says that Goddess Durga took rest in this sacred place after destroying a Rakshasa and since then the name ‘Land of Victory’ or Vijayawada came into existence. The discovery of Stone Age artifacts along the banks of River Krishna from Machilipatnam to Nagarjuna Sagar indicates that this area was inhabited long before. The Chalukyas once conquered this place and it was later part of Vengi Kindom, Eastern Gangas, Vijayanagaras and Reddy Dynasty. Finally it came under British Madras presidency.
The major attractions of Vijayawada are Kanaka Durga temple and Mangalagiri temple. Apart from these, other tourist attractions include Prakasham Barrage, Gandhi Hill, Mogalarajapuram Caves, Victoria Museum, Hazarat Bal Mosque, Rajiv Gandhi Park and Bhavani Island.
The Krishna Pushkaram is a popular festival here that is held once in every twelve years.
The best time to visit Vijayawada is from November to February while the peak season is from November to February. Usually it takes 1-2 days to visit places in and around Vijayawada. This is very humid place and summer is usually very hot and humid.
Ahobilam
Deal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days
Base Station: Ahobilam, Nandyal (66 Kms)
Nearest City to Ahobilam: Kurnool (137 Kms), Hyderabad (350 Kms)
Best Time to Visit Ahobilam: October to March
Peak Season: February to May
State: Andhra Pradesh | District: Kurnool
Ahobilam Weather: Summer: Maximum – 41°C & Minimum – 22°C
Winter: Maximum – 30°C & Minimum – 15°C
At a distance of 66 km from Nandyal, 137 km from Kurnool, 114 km from Kadapa, 348 km from Vijayawada, 350 km from Hyderabad and 407 km from Bangalore, Ahobilam or Ahobalam is an important pilgrimage center located in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. Ahobilam is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Andhra Pradesh and also one of the best Places to visit in Andhra Pradesh.
Though the initial temples were built by Chalukyas in 8th century, most of the current structures were rebuilt by Vijayanagara kings around 15th century.
Few of these temples have easy access, but most of them have to be reached by difficult treks through thick forest and rocky paths.
The town is divided into two parts, Lower Ahobilam and Upper Ahobilam. Of these nine shrines, Yogananda, Chathravata and Bhargava Narasimha swami shrines are situated in Lower Ahobilam and the remaining six are in upper Ahobilam. There is also another temple of Lord Narasimha Swami in the lower Ahobilam where the idol of the Lord is believed to be installed by Lord Venkateshwara of Tirupati.
The best time to visit Ahobilam is from October to March while the peak season is from February to May. Usually it takes 1 day to visit Ahobilam.
Talakona
Ideal Trip Duration: Half Day to Full Day
Base Station: Talakona Waterfalls, Tirupati (65 Kms)
Nearest City to Talakona Waterfalls: Tirupati (65 Kms)
Best Time to Visit Talakona Waterfalls: September to January
Peak Season: September to December
State: Andhra Pradesh | District: Chittoor
Talakona Waterfalls Weather: Summer: Maximum – 35°C & Minimum – 22°C
Winter: Maximum – 28°C & Minimum – 15°C
Winter: Maximum – 28°C & Minimum – 15°C
At a distance of 49 km from Bakarapet, 64 km from Tirupati, 120 km from Horsley Hills, 192 km from Chennai, 241 km from Bangalore and 89 km from Chittoor, Talakona Falls are situated in Sri Venkateswara National Park near Nerabailu Village of Yerravari Mandal of Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. The gorgeous waterfall falling deep into a valley from a height of around 270 feet makes it the highest waterfall in Andhra Pradesh and also one of the top Tourist places in Andhra Pradesh. It is also one of the popular waterfalls near Bangalore.
The waterfalls are placed amidst dense forest surrounded by natural beauty and greenery. It is believed that the water of Talakona Falls is enriched with herbs with healing powers. Talakona was declared as Bio-Sphere Reserve in 1990 because of wide variety of plant species present in the region. In this forest, one can find variety of endangered species like sambar, porcupine, cheetal, golden gecko, Indian giant squirrel, slender loris, panther and mouse deer etc. Talakona means ‘head hill’ in Telugu. This place is believed to be the starting point of Seshachalam Hills which are extended till Tirumala.
There is a 240 m long canopy rope walk, about 35 to 40 feet in height, giving a thrilling experience to the visitors while walking. There are mighty trees around with birds and monkeys during the canopy walk. There are number of trek routes in different categories of difficulty, giving an option for the visitor to choose their route. There are also several caves dotted over the mountains where it is believed that sages meditate eternally.