Things To Do In Araku Valley

If you have read the related articles on Araku on our channel, you must have realized that Araku is indeed one of the best places for spending time with nature: valleys, waterfalls, natural caves, hills, and coffee plantation. Even when you are moving from one spot to another, the roads and the surrounding looks amazingly beautiful, so you don’t even feel tired. The top tourist attractions in Araku aren't far away from each other. So your traveling time is much reduced. Now we are sure you’re wondering about things that can be tried here. So in this article, we’ll take you through some of the best things that you cannot miss in Araku.

Visiting the heritage site at Borra Caves and exploring more about them is probably the top thing that you must try during your trip to Araku. These caves are considered to be as old as 1 million years so just image how ancient this site is and there is so much to look forward to. There’s also a temple just outside the cave which was built by the locals as a dedication to Shiva. It’s believed that these caves were created due to the flow of the Gosthani River over the limestone area. Nothing can be said for sure but you’ll admire the different formations of stalactites and stalagmites inside the caves. That includes Rushi's Beard, Human Brain, Shiv-Parvathi, and so on. So Borra Caves deserves top priority and you cannot miss visiting this place.

We all love waterfalls, don’t we? Enjoying the water falling from a height and then swimming simply adds to our delight. Araku is a place with many beautiful waterfalls and streams and all have their own significance and beauty. Chaparai Waterfalls also known as Dumbriguda Waterfalls is a remarkably popular site in Araku. At a distance of 13 km from Araku bus station, Chaparai Waterfalls attract thousands of tourists each year for being a scenic place that’s surrounded by forests. The waterfall is so beautiful that many South Indian moviemakers have shot at this place.

Therefore, visiting Chaparai Waterfall during your stat at Araku is highly recommended. If you happen to visit this place in monsoon or just after the monsoon, be very careful while swimming here. Due to the heavy flow of water stream in monsoon, swimming becomes a risky affair. So exercise caution.

At some 40 km from Araku Bus Station, you get an opportunity to engage with nature at Tyda Nature Park. The Park is famously known as Jungle Bells, offers several adventurous activities such as trekking, rock climbing, target shooting with bows and arrows, and bird watching. This nature park is also home to several animals and birds. Here, guides will help you learn the jungle language such as how to make calls in the jungle and identifying different marks, and so on. You can stay comfortably in the log huts and tents that are set in the tribal environment. This activity will take a day or two to make the most out of your stay.

At a small distance of 3 km from Araku Bus Station, Padmapuram Gardens offers a wide range of activities for tourists, especially for kids. These gardens were converted to the Horticultural Nursery cum Training Center after the second world war. Initially, they were used to fulfill the vegetable needs of the soldiers who were fighting in the world war. You will not stop admiring the beauty of these gardens that are spread in about 26 acres of land. To make sighting these gardens interesting, you can get on the Araku Express Toy Train and enjoy watching the rare species of trees and flowers. To make your time more fascinating, you can book the tree top huts. These are cottages that are 10 ft high from the ground. When it’s breezing heavily, the huts offer a rare swing, giving you a good enough thrill.

Katiki Waterfalls are one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the entire Araku region. These majestic waterfalls are at a distance of 40 km from Araku and close to the Borra Caves, 7 km. So you can visit this place along with your trip to Borra Caves. To reach this place, you’ll have to trek for 20-30 minutes making your way through the forest and them moving upwards to the top of the mountain. Then you’ll see water falling from a height of 100 ft. Sounds exciting, isn’t it? But for only those who can love and are habitual to trekking. The roads are rough, uneven, slippery, and narrow.

Therefore, getting here through public transport is not possible and getting here in your private cars is not recommended. The best way is to walk from the railway track near Tunnel #44 where the road ends. Then after walking for 20 minutes, you’ll get to these majestic waterfalls. Don’t visit this place in summer as it’s mostly dry throughout the season. The best time to witness the beauty of this fall is between August and December.

Ananthagiri is a sweet little hill station near Araku at a distance of 25 km. It’s one of the best weekend gateways from Vizag and very popular amongst tourists. These hills are close to Borra Caves. The serene and unexplored environment of this sublime hill station attracts not only tourists but also the locals from Vizag. So what’s so famous about this place? The awe-inspiring view of the sunrise, sunset, valleys, mountain ranges, the thick forest are just a few of what can be mentioned. 

Ananthagiri is famous for coffee plantation and therefore, it’s the ideal spot for coffee lovers and nature enthusiasts. Imagine, the magnificent sight of the valley covered in the clouds, a rich aroma of the purest form of the coffee, a sweet sound of water falling from a decent height, lush greenery all around you, and the perfect weather of the winter. Simply cannot be described, but can only be experienced.

It’s said that about 19 tribal communities live in the Araku region. They all have their own history, tradition, culture, and lifestyle. So for anyone who is interested in knowing more about these communities must visit the Araku Tribal Museum. You’ll be able to explore more about their lifestyle by seeing the various things available at the display in the museum including their kitchen, houses, utensils, dresses, wedding pictures and rituals. Another interesting thing is the tribal typical dance styles — Mayur and Dhimsa. The museum management organizes several exhibitions showcasing the articles manufactured by the tribes. So here is your opportunity to fill your bags with some local tribal items.

As already said in the introduction of this article, Araku is a place with numerous waterfalls, and they all remind you of the brilliance of mother nature. Ananthagiri Waterfalls or Tadimada Waterfalls are yet another addition to the long list of superb water streams in Araku. These sublime falls are located at 30 km from Araku Bus Station in the Ananthagiri town in the Vizag district. They are said to be the best in the entire region of Araku so you must not miss visiting these waterfalls. It requires a trek of some 20 minutes from the main road that connects Araku with Ananthagiri. The best time to visit this place is the monsoon season. But you need to be careful, as the rocks near the stream get slippery and a bit difficult to walk. So you need to exercise caution. Nevertheless, a fabulous place to be at for you to admire yet another magnificence of nature.

Araku is a hill station with limited options for shopping. A good place to shop for the local items is the Tribal Museum near the Araku bus station. Generally, tourists look out for handicrafts material, silk and cotton weave, old antiques, wall hangings, etc as sovereign. As already said above, Araku is majorly famous for coffee plantation and there are many coffee sites here. So if you are a coffee lover, going away without genuine coffee is a big mistake. Do not forget to fill your bags with authentic coffee. So every time when you take a sip of a coffee back home, it will take you back to memory lane where you spent a fascinating vacation in the famous hills in the Eastern Ghats of India, the Araku Valley.