Kurnool is one of the finest destinations in Andhra Pradesh. This ancient city, with its rich history, tradition, and culture, attracts tourists from across the globe. It is also one of the most favored devotional spots in entire South India and many visit this place to perform religious ceremonies. You’ll enjoy your stay here and fall in love with its scenic beauty. In this tourism and travel guide, we will discuss why should you be visiting the city of Kurnool and understand more about this historic Andhra destination. 

Kurnool is one of the most ideal places for spending a splendid holiday, especially, the winter holidays. Kurnool is one of Andhra’s prime cities and attracts thousands of visitors every year. The place is well-known as a pilgrim site so you’ll find many devotees in almost all three seasons of the year. If you’re planning a trip to this beautiful city but unsure of how to get to here, continue to read further to learn more about the different options. Trains are the best option to reach Kurnool whereas flights can be expensive but will help you get here much quicker.

By Rail:

One of the most convenient ways to reach Kurnool is, of course, railways. The city has its own railway station and is well connected with other major cities in Andhra and India. Delhi, Indore, Chennai, Bengaluru, and other metropolitans have direct connectivity with the Kurnool railway station. Only if you are coming here from Mumbai, you’ll have to take a connecting train as surprisingly, there is no direct train from Mumbai to Kurnool. From Mumbai, you can get down at Hyderabad and reach Kurnool by taking another train or a bus.

By Road:

Roadways offer another convenient option to travel from parts of India to Kurnool. The road network of Andhra Pradesh is big enough to help you reach from almost anywhere in India to Kurnool. The roads are well maintained and pretty smooth to offer you a comfortable bus ride. The state transport authority of Andhra Pradesh along with some other private bus operators runs regular buses (AC, non-AC, Delux, Semi-sleeper, and Sleeper). Because of smooth and good quality roads, a lot of travelers prefer self-drive from neighboring regions. So, analyze different options and book your ride.

By Air:

Airways will help you get to Kurnool quickly from any major airport in India. Kurnool, however, doesn’t have its own dedicated airport. Therefore, you will have to reach the nearest airport which is at Hyderabad. And Hyderabad International Airport is one of the biggest in India and is connected excellently with other airports in India and also with cities outside of India. Once you get down at Hyderabad airport, you can hire a private cab and reach Kurnool. Kurnool, from Hyderabad, is 2oo km away and therefore you’ll have to drive for 4-4 hours to reach this city.

Getting Around:

Getting around the city of Kurnool is possible through the local city buses. The buses are inexpensive and can help you reach different tourist attractions. However, it is recommended to avoid using buses in peak hours as they generally get overcrowded due to office working hours. You might face difficulties in that case.

The climate of Kurnool is predominantly tropical. The city experiences three types of climate: summer, monsoon, and winters. The summer season in the city can be extremely hot and humid. The city receives a good amount of rainfall every year and the winter season is pretty awesome. Therefore, to visit Kurnool, the best time is the winter season which starts in December and lasts till February.

Summer (March - June):

The summer season in Kurnool and neighboring regions can be extremely difficult sometimes. The season begins in March and remains active until it starts raining in June. Sightseeing during the summer season gets difficult because of heatwaves and high humidity. So try to avoid a trip to Kurnool in this season as much as you can. The max temperature during the summer season remains in the high 40s whereas the minimum temperature lingers around the 30 mark.

Monsoon (July - November):

The city of Kurnool receives rainfall from two phases of monsoon. The first phase begins by the end of June and lasts until the first week of October where the southwest monsoon showers the city and neighboring regions. The second phase the monsoon begins from the middle of October and lasts until November where the northeast monsoon pours down heavily. Nevertheless, this prolonged season of monsoon makes the weather quite pleasant. The maximum temperature during this time is 30° C whereas the minimum temperature stays around  22° C.

Winter (December - February):

The passing of the northeast monsoon marks the beginning of the winter season in Kurnool. The season begins in the month of December and spans till the first week of March. The weather at this time is at its most pleasant and gives you a perfect opportunity to enjoy the beautiful weather and the city’s top attractions. It doesn’t get that cold here, but just about perfect conditions for sightseeing and making the best out of your vacation. The maximum temperature that’s recorded here during this time is 28° C and the minimum temperature remains nicely at around 20° C.

Kurnool is referred to as the Gateway of Rayalaseema. The city is located on the Tungabhadra river and it's the seventh most populated city in Andhra Pradesh. Kurnool is famous for numerous tourist spots which will blow your mind with their natural beauty. Although the city is more famous for being a devotional site, the other attractions of the city will offer a memorable experience if you look forward to visiting spots other than the religious sites. Below, we list some of the top things that you can do as tourists in Kurnool.

Pay Homage to the Gods:

As we already said, Kurnool is famous for being a holy, religious site and therefore unsurprisingly the city is filled with countless temples. All these temples are famous and have their own religious significance. It is not possible to describe and talk about all the temples in Kurnool, we have attempted to cover some of the most famous ones that you should not miss visiting. The primary temple in Kurnool is the Ahobilam. It's the place where the demon Hiranyakashipu was killed by Lord Narasimha and blessed Prahlada according to Hindu mythology. Apart from Ahobilam, other religious attractions of Kurnool is Yaganti, Srisailam Mallikarjuna Temple, Mahanandi, Manthralayam, Sri Chowdeshwari Devi Temple, Shiridi Saibaba Temple, Sangameswaram Temple, and Saraswati Devi Temple (Kolanu Bharathi). So you can pick and choose the sites that you want to visit.

Feel the Might of Konda Reddy Fort:

The mighty Konda Reddy Fort is located at a distance of 2 km from the Kurnool city center. This mighty fort is also known by the name Konda Reddy Buruju and is situated in the heart of the city. Konda Reddy Fort was constructed in the 12th century and ruled by many powerful dynasties including the Vijayanagar Empire, Mughals, and the Nawabs. The ground floor of the fort is closed for visitors and therefore you have to climb directly to the first or the second floor. You can admire the structure and other different ruins. You can learn more about the history of the fort from the local guide and click selfies and photos with your loved ones.

Admire the beauty of Orvakal Rock Garden:

Orvakal Rock Garden is yet another top attraction of the city that is located at a distance of 23 km from the city center. The place offers a wonderful sight with the plentiful natural beauty of rare silica and quartz rock formations. What enhances the beauty of these rocks is their formation around the natural lake right at the center of the site. The well developed and maintained garden with a restaurant at the entrance and cottages around the area well planned. A walkaway built by AP tourism built through the formations allows visitors to explore the site to its fullest. A metal animal garden that has many large structures of animals built with iron at the center of the hilltop simply adds to the attraction of the garden. 

Experience the Wilderness of Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary: 

Primarily a habitat for the endangered Great Indian Bustard (a rare species of bird), this sanctuary also attracts numerous species of migratory birds, and therefore, it is also referred to as Rollapadu Bird Sanctuary. This enormous sanctuary is home to a large number of deer and blackbucks. Besides, jungle cats, jackals, bonnet macaques, foxes, and sloth bears can also be spotted. Bird species sighted here include mynas, eagles, Indian rollers, bar-headed geese, flamingos demoiselle cranes and so on. There's also a watchtower, bird museum, and a guest house near the sanctuary. Overall, you will require at least 2 hours to explore the place so just enjoy the natural beauty of this sanctuary.

Visit the Heritage Belum Caves:

One of the last things to do in Kurnool is to visit the heritage site of Belum Caves situated at a distance of 110 km from Kurnool city center. These majestic caves are 3230 meters long and have fresh-water galleries, long passages, siphons, and spacious chambers. At the entrance of the cave, you'll spot the deepest point of caves that is at 120 feet from the entrance level. Studies have revealed that long-term erosion of limestone deposits in the area by the Chitravati river led to the formation of the caves millions of years ago. The major attraction of the site is the huge Buddha statue near the cave and many Buddhist monks used this place to meditate and attain salvation. Overall, you will admire the internal beauty of the cave and find this place peaceful.

Andhra Pradesh is famous for delicious spicy food. When I say spicy, some dishes so spicy that they can fire off more pain receptors in the membrane. In India, we have people who have different types of food. Spicy is again one of the most preferred types of food in India and if you are one of those who just can’t resist spicy food, Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh is just the right place for you. Whether it is as simple as idli to fiery biryanis, there is a host of flavor in and around Kurnool. The cuisine of Kurnool is greatly inspired by its neighboring regions, especially, Hyderabad. 

So you will a typical taste of Hyderabad cuisine in some of the dishes here. Be it gravy, kababs (chicken and mutton), fried non-veg items, and numerous vegetarian dishes will give you a typical taste of Andhra Pradesh. The state is also the largest producer of red chilies, so the dishes here have a unique flavor of it. Apart from the normal vegetarian food, Moghlai food & Chinese food are also pretty common here. Also, you get a variety of seafood and more people have started to include seafood in their staple diet.  Some of the famous food joints in the city include Sasya Pride (serves good north and south Indian food), Food Pyramid (nice ambiance with a lot of variety), Broasted Fried Chicken - BFC (try fried non-veg items), Bangs Restaurant (delectable food items), and Laziz Pizza.

All the above restaurants have their specialty, but to get authentic Kurnool taste, street food can also be a good option. They provide the real essence of the city or village you are traveling to. Some of the street food joints will serve excellent quality of food with amazing taste. And they can the first option to try the snacks (not complete food though) if you are traveling from one place to another. You can try bread-omelet, samosa, idli, vada, dosa, chai, Mirchi pakoda with different types of chutney. Feeling hungry already?