Araku Valley is located around 110 kms from Visakhapatnam and can be accessed by both railways and roadways. We boarded the kirandol passenger from Visakhapatnam and reached Araku by 11.45 AM. The train passed through tunnels and hill slides and the green view from the window made my journey to Araku a memorable one. We stayed at AP Tourism hotel which was very much affordable and offered a good scenic view from the room balcony.
We visited tribal museum and padmapuram garden which has got tree top houses. We tasted the Araku’s famous bamboo chicken(marinated chicken cooked in bamboo sticks) and ended our tiresome day with a sound sleep.
Next early morning we took a stroll in the fog filled streets of Araku and met few local tribals who looked so innocent and pleasant. We tasted the best coffee near a coffee plantation and hired a vehicle for sight seeing. We were first taken to Chaparai a beautiful place where water was flowing through smooth rock slopes and then to viewpoint(the highest point in the valley) from where the view was spectacular. On our way we came across local markets held by tribals selling herbs and spices.
Our next halt was at Borra caves. I felt that these need to be maintained clean. As the place was smelling horrible I was not able to enjoy it’s beauty and returned without exploring it completely. Next was a small waterfall amidst tall trees. The calmness and water sound just get you carried away. We returned to Visakhapatnam the next day by road which was another great experience. Climate was cool and pleasant. November to february is the best time to visit this place.