ARAKU & VIZAG WITH ANNAVARAM IN 5 DAYS

At a distance of 200 m from Araku Bus Station, Araku Tribal Museum is a wonderful place which explores the tribal culture of Eastern Ghats. It is one of the top tourist places to visit in Araku Valley.

The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation established this museum in 1996. Araku Valley boasts of 19 tribes that live in the vicinity of the town. The purpose of the museum is to create awareness about tribal culture and lifestyle. Araku Tribal Museum is not a historical place but offers information about the tribes that currently live here.

Araku Tribal Museum is spread over two levels, built with mud and real metals to portray tribal life. The museum has been designed to showcase tribal lifestyle in motion, starting with a kitchen that displays utensils made of iron and mud. A series of 10 photographs capturing the wedding ceremony of the tribal is very interesting at the entrance. The passages within the museum that connect various sections are constructed of mud .....

At a distance of 13 km from Araku Bus Stand, Chaaparai is a beautiful water cascade situated on Paderu - Araku Road in Vishakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Also known as Dumbriguda Waterfalls, it is a scenic place surrounded by forests and is one of the popular Araku Tourist Places.

Chaparai Waterfalls is a popular tourist attraction, with its endless streams that cut across big rock formations of Araku Valley. The area around the waterfalls has become a popular site for picnicking, owing to the presence of the beautiful stream flowing through wide rock formations. Smooth slanting rocks interrupt the stream, making a huge natural water slide. This waterfall is highly attractive and allures lots of tourists. This waterfall is one of the preferred locations for Telugu filmmakers.

One can experience the beauty of water gushing through natural rocks. Bathing is well possible when the water flow is not really heavy. It is recommended not to enter into the water in monsoon .....

At a distance of 2.5 km from Araku Bus Station, Padmapuram Gardens is a popular botanical garden situated in Araku. It is one of the well-known places of sightseeing in Araku Valley.

The garden was built in 1942 on a 26-acre plot to supply vegetables to the soldiers who fought in World War II. After the War, it was converted into a Horticultural Nursery cum Training Center where orchards, rare species of flowers and trees, tree houses and stone sculptures greet the eye.

A pleasurable way of seeing the gardens is to get on to the Araku Express toy train, popular with visitors to the gardens. Along with the toy train, the garden also contains tree top huts, which can be booked by the tourists. These tree huts, also known as hanging cottages, are ten feet above the ground level. It is a thrilling experience to stay in a hanging cottage and one can experience a rare swing as the tree sways to a heavy breeze. A beautiful rose garden and exotic varieties of plants form the chief .....

At a distance of 30 km from Araku, 3 km from Anantagiri village, Tadimada waterfalls, also known as Anantagiri Waterfalls is a charming waterfall situated near Anantagiri town in Vizag district of Andhra Pradesh. It one of the best waterfalls in Araku and also one of the top tourist attractions in Araku.

With a height of about 100 feet, Anantagiri falls offer best views in monsoon season. The best way to reach these waterfalls is by walking / trekking from Anantagiri. The falls is about 1-2 km away from the main road between Anantagiri and Araku Valley (after about 1.5 km from Anantagiri). The approach road from main road is very narrow and bumpy. Only SUVs can manage well on this road. It's advisable to walk to these falls from Anantagiri - Araku main road which takes about 20 minutes. The road is almost flat and anyone can manage to walk easily.

The rocks near the falls are very slippery and should be careful while getting on to the rocks. Though swimming is possible, water .....

At a distance of 26 km from Araku, 85 km from Vizag & 660 km from Hyderabad, Anantagiri is a lovely tiny hill station between Vizag and Araku Valley. It is one of the top tourist places to visit in Araku Valley and is also among the top hill station in Andhra Pradesh apart from being a popular weekend getaway from Vizag city.

At an altitude of 1168 meters, Anantagiri is famous for extensive coffee plantations and numerous waterfalls. There is a view point on the way to Anantagiri on main road that offers excellent views of the deep valleys on one side and coffee plantations on the other side.

Anantagiri Hills are well known for its scenic beauty and charming weather. It is a perfect gateway to spend some time amidst the lap of nature. Anantagiri is paradise for coffee lovers and nature enthusiasts. The village is surrounded by coffee estates that emit the rich aroma of coffee and .....

At a distance of 36 km from Araku, 88 km from Vizag & 662 km from Hyderabad, Borra Caves are one million year-old limestone caves and the deepest caves in the country. Situated in Anantagiri hills of Andhra Pradesh, the caves are situated at an altitude of 1400 m and occupy an area of 2 sq.km. Borra Caves is one of the best places to visit in Araku Valley as part of Vizag packages.

These natural caves were discovered in 1807 by William King George of the Geological Survey of India. According to locals, once a cowherd lost his cow while grazing. He soon realized that his cow had fallen down. While searching for the cow, the cowherd found these caves and came across a Linga inside it. The Linga is considered synonymous to Lord Shiva, who saved the cow. After this, a small Shiva temple was built right outside this cave.

The caves are filled with fascinating stalagmite and stalactite .....

At a distance of 65 Kms from Vizag, 55 Kms from Araku & 632 Kms from Hyderabad, the Tatipudi Reservoir is located near Srungavarapukoda (also called S Kota) town situated between Vizag and Araku Valley in Vizianagaram district.

The Reservoir was built in 1963 across River Gosthani to provide drinking water facility to the Vizag City. This location is very beautiful with lush green mountains on all the sides. Boating facility is available. Several migrant birds make this reservoir their home in the months of April/May.

The Reservoir is about 10 Kms from S Kota and can be reached via Kothavooru and Krishnapuram (while coming from Vizag), or via Tennuboddavara and Tadupudi village (while coming from Araku). Private vehicles can be hired by S Kota town to reach this place.

This place can be visited while going to Araku or during return to Vizag with 1-2 Hours additional effort .....

At a distance of 32 km from Vizag Railway Station, 377 km from Vijayawada, 227 km from Rajahmundry & 628 km from Hyderabad, Bheemunipatnam popularly known as Bheemili is famous for a picturesque beach. It is located at the mouth of the river Gosthani which merges with Bay of Bengal at Bheemunipatnam.

The beach is known for its soft golden sand, blue water and unspoiled beach front. A concrete pathway too has been laid along the beach to hold statues of Buddha, Five Pandavas and a dinosaur. The beach is considered to be safe for swimming. It is an ideal place for nature lovers and adventurers. The beach is famous for several water sports like snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming and water-skiing. Boating facility is also available here.

Bheemili beach provides a beautiful seafront to the fishing town of Bheemunipatnam, one of the oldest municipalities in India and is dotted with thatched cottages and ancient Dutch bungalows that are .....

At a distance of 22 Kms from Vizag Railway Station & 620 Kms from Hyderabad, the Thotlakonda Buddhist Complex is situated on a hilltop in Chepala Uppadu village on Bheemili beach road (after Rishikonda).

Also known as 'the Hill of Eagles', the complex has a number of stupas, Chaityas, Viharas, a congregation hall and a refectory belonging to the Hinayana school, mostly excavated during1982-92. These remains are classifieds as religious, secular and civil. Excavations at Thotlakonda comprise pottery, beads, bangle pieces, tiles, stuccos, iron objects, sculptural remains, moulded bricks, inscriptions, coins, etc.

At a distance of 20 Kms from Vizag Railway Station & 618 Kms from Hyderabad, Bavikonda is historical Buddhist site near Kapula Uppadu village in Bheemili beach road (after Rishikonda).

The hill acquired the name Bavikonda due to the existence of wells on the hill to collect rain water for drinking purpose. The artifacts recovered here include Roman coins and satavahana coins apart from pottery dating back to 3rd century BC and 2nd Century AD. Excavations on the hill-top brought to light an extensive Buddhist establishment consisting of a Mahachaitya, stupas, chaityagrihas, a congregation hall, platforms, viharas, kitchen-cum-store complex, pottery, relic caskets, tiles, stuccos, iron objects, moulded bricks, coins etc

At a distance of 15.5 km from Vizag Railway Station, Rishikonda Beach is a fascinating place at a close distance to the city of Vizag situated on the way to Bheemili. Rishikonda Beach is one of the prime attractions of Vizag city and also one of the top places to experince Andhra Pradesh tourism. Rishikonda Beach is among prime place to visit on a Vizag tour.

The lovely Rishikonda Beach here with golden sands and vast stretch of water is considered the best beach in Vizag. The unspoiled beauty of the beach is its main attraction and offers a unique opportunity to relax and enjoy the golden sands, palm trees and cool breeze. The beach is a haven for watersports lovers and one can enjoy water skiing, speed boating, sunbathing, wind surfing and swimming.

The Rishikonda Beach is the best site for the swimmers. The waves at the beach are peaceful compared to RK Beach. But a sudden increase .....

At a distance of 18 km from Vizag Railway Station & 128 km from Annavaram, 208 km from Rajahmundry, 359 from Vijayawada, 607 km from Hyderabad, Simhadri or Simhachalam is a Hindu temple located in the Visakhapatnam City suburb of Simhachalam in Andhra Pradesh. This 11th century temple is dedicated to Sri Varaha Narasimha Swamy, an incarnation of Vishnu and situated on top of the Simhachalam Hills.

The temple is believed to have been constructed in 1098 by the famous Chola king, Kulothunga Chola. The queen of Kalinga gifted golden armor to the statue. The Eastern Ganga King Narasimha Deva has constructed the central shrine in 1267. Krishna Deva Raya, the Vijayanagara Emperor visited this temple in the year 1516, as seen from inscriptions here. The temple activities are managed by the Pusapati Gajapatis, for last three centuries.

The architectural .....

At a distance of 2 km from Annavaram Railway Station, Sri Satyanarayana Swamy Temple is situated on Ratnagiri hill. The Ratnagiri hill is about 300 feet above sea level with lot of greenery around and the Pampa River encircling the hill. About 460 stone steps lead to the temple from the bottom of the hill. It is believed that all the wishes of devotees will be fulfilled when Satyanarayana Vratam is performed here.

This temple was constructed in the Dravidian style in the year of 1891 by Raja Ramanarayana, the then zamindar of Gorsa and Kirlampudi estates. It is said that the Lord came into his dream and ordered the temple construction. He traced the idol on the hill, worshipped it and installed it at the present spot. Subsequently the temple was reconstructed during 1933-34 and during 2011-2012. According to history, Sri Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara used the secret underground passages in the hills to attack the enemy during his invasion .....

At a distance of 9 Kms from Vizag Railway Station, Indira Gandhi Zoological Park is stretched over 635 acres of land.

The zoo houses around 80 species of birds and animals and is one of the largest Zoo Parks in Andhra Pradesh. The park has different enclosures for primates, carnivores, lesser carnivores, small mammals and birds close to their natural habitats. The wildlife variety ranges from common langur, mandrills, olive baboons, wolves, jackals to Himalayan black bear, terrapins, water monitor Lizards, crocodile and hippopotamus. The zoo encloses varied collection of birds.

Timings: 9 AM to 5 PM. Closed on Monday.
Entry Fees Rs.5 for children, Rs.10 for adults.

At a distance of 9 km from Vizag Railway Station, Kailasagiri is a charming hill on the seafront at an altitude of 130 meters. Kailasagiri is one of the prime attractions in Vizag city.

Spread over an area of 350 acres, it is one of the most attractive tourist spots in Vizag with an enchanting view of the sea, beaches, lush green forests and the beautiful city. The major attraction of the park is Lord Shiva Parvathi statue. At the base of Lord Shiva's statue, there is a stream that flows all the way to the foot of the hill. The hilltop also has many wonderful attractions like the Titanic viewpoint, floral clock, Shanku-Chakra Namas of Lord Venkateswara, Gliding point, Jungle Trails, Manicured lawns, Art gallery & Children Park. The floral clock on Kailasagiri is one of the biggest in India with a diameter of 10 ft.

A number of amazing viewpoints are developed all around the hilltop. One more major attraction is the toy train operated on top of the hill which takes a circular .....

At a distance of 6 km from Vizag Railway Station, the Submarine Museum situated on RK Beach is a Russian built submarine of the Indian Navy (INS Kurusura) turned to a museum in 2001. Submarine Museum is one of the prime attractions of Vizag city.

The Submarine Museum is the first submarine tuned to a museum in the whole of Asia and second in the World. INS Kurusura Submarine is a Soviet built I-641 class Submarine inducted into the Indian Navy on 18, December 1969 and the same was decommissioned on 28, February 2001 after 31 years of glorious service to the nation. The Submarine was brought from the sea to the sands of the Ramakrishna Beach and positioned on concrete foundation to set up as a museum. It has been established with the aim to create awareness among the public to know how the submarines work during wartime and for showcasing the life inside the submarine, etc.

The tourism department of Visakhapatnam looks after the maintenance of the INS Kurusura Submarine. The .....

At a distance of 4 km from Vizag Railway Station, Ramakrishna Beach (also called RK Beach) is a spectacular long beach on Bay of Bengal. This is one of the most popular beaches in Visakhapatnam and gets its name from the Ramakrishna Mission ashram across the Beach Road from the park. Ramakrishna Beach is one of the prime attractions of Vizag city.

This beach occupying large parts of the seafront is a great spot to spend time leisurely. The RK Beach was jointly developed by the Municipal Corporation of Visakhapatnam (MCV) and the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA). The Submarine Museum, Visakha museum, Sri Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, an aquarium, Kali Temple, statues of prominent personalities, road side restaurants and parks are added attractions of RK beach. The beach is best known for the INS Kursura Submarine Museum, which preserves the Kalvari class submarine. The war memorial called 'Victory at Sea' at the shore of the beach was constructed as homage to soldiers .....