Planning to trip to Gandikota? Prepare to be captivated by the allure of this hidden gem nestled in the heart of Andhra Pradesh. There's lots to see and experience, right from forts with epic views akin to the Grand Canyon to water sports and beautiful sunsets. Well, allow us to give you a summary of everything to see in Gandikota and places where you should stay and what all you must eat for a memorable trip.
Heading To Gandikota? Here's What You Absolutely Cannot Miss!
Belum Caves
Let's start with the most exciting spot. Belum caves are India's longest caves and second largest caves, isn't that fascinating? The structure is 3229 meters long with long passages, spacious chambers, fresh water galleries and siphons. The deepest point of the cave is at a whooping 120 feet from the entrance. This is one of India's must visit place and holds a lot of meaning in the Buddhist culture. There is a big Buddha statue near the caves as this was a mediation hall for the monks back in the day.
Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM
Entry Fee: INR 50
Owk Reservoir
10 kms from Belum Caves is Owk Reservoir and it's a scenic spot to catch a beautiful sunset. It's built across the Paleru river in Kurnool district and thanks to AP Tourism, there's a boat club set up on the backwaters. That means you can take a ride on the cruise boat, speed boat and check out a variety of water sports.
Timings: 1 AM to 1.30 PM and 2 PM to 5.30 PM
Entry Fee: INR 150 and upwards (based on the water sport)
Mylavaram Dam
With a splendid view and a museum near by, you can easily spend 2-3 hours at this spot alone. Mylavaram Dam is built acorss the Penna River and this water runs all the way from Srisailam Dam. AP Tourism has set up another boat club here near the backwaters to get adventure souls like you closer to activities like Kayaking.
Timings: 9 AM to 6 PM
Entry Fee: INR 200
Penna River Gorge Viewpoint
uhm, ever heard of the Grand Canyon of India? That's the Penna River Gorge Viewpoint for you! It cuts through the Erramala hills, AKA the Gandikota Hills and makes for a stunning natural architecture marvel! To arrive at this spot, you have to walk 1 km from the entrance of the Gandikota Fort and the rough terrain is worth the view of a sort-of vertical valley full of rock formations. Many vouch for its striking resemblance to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, so why don't you check it out yourself and be the judge of that?
Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM
Entry Fee: Free
Raghunathaswamy Temple
An ancient Hindu Temple located inside the Gandikota Fort, this temple awes visitors with its unique pillars, hallways and corridors that make up great subjects for photographs. Though it's a small temple, it's a testament to the Vijayanagara kingdom, built in their typical style with red granites. You'll notice that most of the temple is in ruins but the carvings on the walls will impress everyone, not just history buffs. It's a great place to take a stroll in the peace and quite of nothing but positivity.
Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM
Entry Fee: Free
Gandikota Fort
Also known as George Fort, the fort will welcome you with a huge 10 feet high entrance gate. It's located on the banks of Pennar river and my-oh-my does it serve a great view of the village, the river and the forests around it. You'll feel a cool breeze messing up your hair and the lush view is perfect to relax and take in deep breathes of fresh air.
Timings: 7 AM to 6 PM
Entry Fee: Free
Jumma Masjid
Another place inside the fort and adjacent to the Ranganatha temple, Jumma Masjid is an ancient praying spot. Walk a few steps further and you'll find what used to be a large granary to stockpile food during the siege and a pigeon tower surrounded by other interesting structures.
Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM
Entry Fee: Free
Gandikota Haritha Resort
Now that was all about your itinerary. When it comes to lodging options, this is the best bet. Managed by AP Tourism, Haritha Resort is a chain of hotels in the state's top tourist spots. The one in Gandikota is close to all the attractions, which makes your commute easy. It's decently spacious and you get to choose from two types of rooms, AC rooms that can easily accommodate 2 adults and 2 children and dorms with 8 beds. The look of it is quite rustic with grey exposed bricks and you can expect decent amenities too like Wi-Fi, laundry and pool.
Price: Both the AC rooms and dorms start at INR 1500 + taxes
Gandikota Camping - Freakouts Adventure
If you're not looking for a typical hotel, why not camp with your gang? Freakouts, an adventure tourism company, will set up camping sites and plan thrilling activities for you like rappelling, rock climbing and trekking. You can choose from their packages which will include the activities and the tents with basic bedding on a sharing basis. Not just that, they'll manage three meals a day for you too.
Price: Request quote based on the number of people attending
Abhiruchi Family Restaurant
If you're staying at Haritha or Freakout camps, your food scene is mostly sorted. But if you want to step out and try local flavours, we recommend Abhiruchi Family Restaurant. It's a basic restaurant with all the necessities, neat and clean. The tables are big, there's a lot of seating area (that means less waiting) and their menu is a typical Telugu menu with staple dishes like pappu, kura, sambar, pulusu and basic north Indian gravies and breads.
Price: INR 2,000 for 2 people
