If you are looking for a break from the hustle bustle of city life, you won’t be disappointed as the city of Hyderabad has many interesting weekend getaways. Papikondalu is one such place offering something more than usual weekend destinations.
"Papi kondalu" is also known as the "Papi Hills". Located in Rajahmundry in West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, these are a series of mountain range. The place offers with mesmerising scenic beauty as well as umpteen number of adventurous activities as well as an unforgetable experience with the locals. The mountain range is covered with three districts, East Godavari, West Godavari and Khammam Districts.
As soon as you enter the hills, you are greeted with best of natural settings which are worth capturing. Even on the way to Papikondalu, you will come across various beautiful sites. Places like Perantalapalli and Pattiseema are something you visit.
Another place that you can visit on your trip to Papikondalu is Pattisam. It is a small island famous for not just its natural charm but also for its religious importance. The temple of Lord Veerabhadra, a warrior of Lord Shiva's army is located here and makes for a sight worth visiting.
Spread across an area of 591 Sq Kms, Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary is located close to Kakinada. A visit to the sanctuary will offer you with an opportunity to experience exotic flora and rich fauna of the place.
Apart from these, you can go for various activities. One of the most popular activity here is to camp by the river side and enjoy a relaxed night under a star studded sky and with greenery around. The place is suitable for trekking as well with tracks having varied difficulty levels. Boating is also quite enjoyable here.
Papikondalu can be visited at anytime of the year except summers when the climate becomes quite hot and dry. Papikondalu is one of the best weekend getaway destination from Hyderabad.
To reach Papikondalu, tourists are required to take a boat ride from Rajahmundry or Bhadrachalam. There are various river streamers available for visitors. It can take almost 8 hours to reach the destination. There is also a railway station at Rajahmundry. If you prefer you can also hire a taxi from here to the hills.
There are decent accommodation facilities nearby catering to all kinds of vacation and tourists. At Rajahmundry, Maredumilli and Kannapuram, you have forest rest houses offering decent stay with all the required facilities. There are also government cottages and APTDC Guest House at Koruturu Village and Perantalapalli.
