Top-4 must visit places in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh is blessed with breathtaking natural beauty. Surrounded by misty hills, dense forests, undulating mountains, silvery cascades, and shimmering rivers, the State is home to many famous hill stations, wild life sanctuaries, national parks and, virgin beaches. There are umpteen places to visit in Andhra Pradesh that are worth adding in your itinerary. Here are top 9 must visit places in Andhra Pradesh.

Araku Valley

Araku Valley is a comparatively unexplored hill station mostly visited by locals as a weekend getaway and is situated some 120 kilometres away from Vishakhapatnam.

Located in the gentle hills of Eastern Ghats, Araku Valley is also home to a number of tribes as well. This valley is also home to a few tribal caves and the Museum of Tribal Arts, which are an experience in their own right. This destination is quite famous for its exquisite coffee, whose subtle aroma will have you craving for a cuppa. In addition to being a beautiful vista point, you can also try your hand at a number of adventure sports here, which include trekking and swimming as well. If a holiday to the hills is your call, but you think you've seen it all, maybe you should to wait till you visit this one.

Gandikota

Endearingly known as the 'Grand Canyon of India', Gandikota is a twee village in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. Flanked by River Pennar on the right side, the village is popular for the spectacular gorges formed by the river cutting through Erramala Hills. The narrow valleys with streams running between them and the steep rocky walls to give them company remind one of the renowned Grand Canyon in Arizona. It requires a walk of almost a kilometre from the main gate to reach the boulder from where you can observe the mesmerising view from the viewpoint near the fort.

Located 1.5 hours away from Belum Caves, the highlight of the village of Gandikota are the ruins of Gandikota Fort which was built in the 13th Century. The sturdy fort is flanked by the Pennar gorges on both sides and is protected by a majestic 5-mile wall. Built in red sandstone, the fort boasts of beautiful, intricate carvings in the interior. It also offers sweeping views of the hills and valleys below. In addition to a granary, jail and ruins of some temples, there are several structures within the fort that you can visit.

Tirupati

Situated in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, Tirupati is known for Lord Sri Venkateshwara temple, one of the most visited pilgrimage centres in the country. Tirumala is one of the seven hills in Tirupati, where the main temple is located. The temple is believed to be placed where Lord Sri Venkateshwara took the form of an idol and is hence home to the diety Govinda. Tirupati is one of the oldest cities of India and finds mention in plenty of ancient Vedas and Puranas.

The non-stop chanting of 'Om Namo Venkatesaya', the heavy pilgrim rush and the 8-feet tall idol of Lord Venkateshwara – everything about the Sri Venkateshwara Temple is majestic. Spread over an area of 26 kilometres and visited by nearly 50,000 pilgrims every day, the temple is also commonly referred to as the Temple of Seven Hills.

There are other temples in Tirupati too that you can visit, including the Sri Kalahasti temple, Sri Govindarajaswami Temple, the Kondandarama Temple, the Parashurameshwara Temple, and the ISKCON temple. Tirupati is home to a unique geological wonder that you shouldn't miss out on! The Silathoranam is a natural arch formed out of rocks and is located at the Tirumala Hills.

Horsley Hills, Chittoor

Located near the south-western border between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Horsley Hills refers to a hill station that is the perfect amalgam of the charms of Andhra Pradesh and the beauty of the hills. It is thus often called, the Ooty of Andhra. This natural marvel is situated at an astonishing height of 4312 metres and is well-known for its breathtaking landscapes.