After a cancelled Waynad bike ride in the last week of August, my heart was throbbing for a getaway. Everyone around me wanted me to stay back but the traveler within me was not ready to listen to me and hence there was no point in asking him to listen to others! This time the plan was done the previous evening of the drive and 4 of us were ready for the drive. We were lucky to get a Ford Figo in zoom cars at last moment but, from Airport site! Did not have much time to decide if we want to take the car from there or drop the plan itself. In the confusion itself booked the car and the trip was confirmed!
Parked our bikes in zoom car parking area, picked up the car and left to the destination - Gandhikota. (If you are travelling by zoom car / any commercial vehicle, you will have take entry pass from RTO check post on the way and hence you will have to travel till Penukonda just to get pay the entry fee. If not, you can take a deviation around 20Kms prior to Penukonda.)
The most horrible part of the journey is finding any hotel on the way to Gandikota. We did not find any! We directly went to Gandikota and we knew there is a resort there and had our lunch there itself. We checked if we can get any accommodation there but the in charge said weekends are booked for next 2 months! Seriously? We hardly found anyone around and he says its booked for 2 months. We did not care since we were not desperate to stay there.
Gandikota (Kadapa District of Andhra Pradesh)
In Gandikota, you can spend 1-2 hours. Avoid afternoons since it will be very hot and unbearable heat. Evenings can be pleasant and you can get a good sunset view. There is an old mosque, a temple, a granary all within the fort. Inside the fort itself, there is a small village. The main attraction is the view of the gorge. The rocky walls and the river flowing in the middle provide a splendid view. You do not feel the depth and vastness until you compare it with something. We saw a boat coming from one end and only then we realized how vast the area is. The place looks safe even for family trips unless you have very naughty kids who run away and you cannot control them! Good place for friends to go for a ride or drive and have a good evening.
Our next destination was Belum caves and hence we took route towards Belum and took a stay in Jammalamadugu as that is the city that falls in between Gandikota and Belum. There were enough lodges but not many hotels. Luckily we found a lodge near a hotel and booked room in that. Till morning we have repented for not booking an AC room. The weather was horrible and we were sweating all the night! Morning after breakfast, we headed to awaited destination - Belum caves.
Belum Caves (Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh)
In simple words, gives you a feel of Grand canyon (may be for people like me who have seen grand canyon only in photos. :P ) Belum caves is definitely worth travelling a distance and visiting since it is hard to find many destinations like this in India. You are allowed to walk for around 1.5Kms inside the cave and the cave is lit by artificial lights. These lights give a different mood to the walls of the cave. Need to appreciate Andhra tourism for the effort they have put in maintaining the cave and making it a good tourist destination. The walk inside cave is not a difficult one and is almost flat. There are different locations like Dhyaana Mandiram, KotiLingam, Pathala Ganga etc. withing the cave and we felt there is no need of any guide unless you are passionate about learning about the cave.Overall Belum caves should falls in your must visit places since it is very unique and beautiful one.
How to reach?
To Gandikota - From Bangalore, take Hyderabad road and take a right around 20Kms before Penakonda. Head towards Jammalamadagu. 4 Kms before Jammalamadagu, take a left turn to Gandikota. (Food and stay available at Gandikota. But book in advance for stay.)
To Belum - From Gandikota, reach Jammalamadagu, then head towards Tadapathri. On the way, you get Belum caves. To return to Bangalore, head to Tadapathri -> Anantapur. Once you reach anantapur, you take Bangalore Hyderabad highway. The road from Jammalamadagu to Bangalore is excellent and you take atleast 2 hours lesser compared to Bangalore to Gandikota road mentioned above. We took around 4.5 hours to cover ~300Kms.
Photos
Parked our bikes in zoom car parking area, picked up the car and left to the destination - Gandhikota. (If you are travelling by zoom car / any commercial vehicle, you will have take entry pass from RTO check post on the way and hence you will have to travel till Penukonda just to get pay the entry fee. If not, you can take a deviation around 20Kms prior to Penukonda.)
The most horrible part of the journey is finding any hotel on the way to Gandikota. We did not find any! We directly went to Gandikota and we knew there is a resort there and had our lunch there itself. We checked if we can get any accommodation there but the in charge said weekends are booked for next 2 months! Seriously? We hardly found anyone around and he says its booked for 2 months. We did not care since we were not desperate to stay there.
Gandikota (Kadapa District of Andhra Pradesh)
In Gandikota, you can spend 1-2 hours. Avoid afternoons since it will be very hot and unbearable heat. Evenings can be pleasant and you can get a good sunset view. There is an old mosque, a temple, a granary all within the fort. Inside the fort itself, there is a small village. The main attraction is the view of the gorge. The rocky walls and the river flowing in the middle provide a splendid view. You do not feel the depth and vastness until you compare it with something. We saw a boat coming from one end and only then we realized how vast the area is. The place looks safe even for family trips unless you have very naughty kids who run away and you cannot control them! Good place for friends to go for a ride or drive and have a good evening.
Our next destination was Belum caves and hence we took route towards Belum and took a stay in Jammalamadugu as that is the city that falls in between Gandikota and Belum. There were enough lodges but not many hotels. Luckily we found a lodge near a hotel and booked room in that. Till morning we have repented for not booking an AC room. The weather was horrible and we were sweating all the night! Morning after breakfast, we headed to awaited destination - Belum caves.
Belum Caves (Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh)
In simple words, gives you a feel of Grand canyon (may be for people like me who have seen grand canyon only in photos. :P ) Belum caves is definitely worth travelling a distance and visiting since it is hard to find many destinations like this in India. You are allowed to walk for around 1.5Kms inside the cave and the cave is lit by artificial lights. These lights give a different mood to the walls of the cave. Need to appreciate Andhra tourism for the effort they have put in maintaining the cave and making it a good tourist destination. The walk inside cave is not a difficult one and is almost flat. There are different locations like Dhyaana Mandiram, KotiLingam, Pathala Ganga etc. withing the cave and we felt there is no need of any guide unless you are passionate about learning about the cave.Overall Belum caves should falls in your must visit places since it is very unique and beautiful one.
How to reach?
To Gandikota - From Bangalore, take Hyderabad road and take a right around 20Kms before Penakonda. Head towards Jammalamadagu. 4 Kms before Jammalamadagu, take a left turn to Gandikota. (Food and stay available at Gandikota. But book in advance for stay.)
To Belum - From Gandikota, reach Jammalamadagu, then head towards Tadapathri. On the way, you get Belum caves. To return to Bangalore, head to Tadapathri -> Anantapur. Once you reach anantapur, you take Bangalore Hyderabad highway. The road from Jammalamadagu to Bangalore is excellent and you take atleast 2 hours lesser compared to Bangalore to Gandikota road mentioned above. We took around 4.5 hours to cover ~300Kms.
Photos
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| The Arizona feel in Belum Caves |
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| That wonderful feel! |
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| Sunset time and windmills creating a canvas in Gandikota |
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| Inside the old mosque in Gandikota |
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| The gorge in Gandikota |
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| On the way to Belum caves |
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| Belum Caves |
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| Budha statue near Belum caves |
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| Like Hollywood :P |
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