15 Famous Tourist Attractions Of Telangana & Andhra Pradesh That You Must Definitely Visit!

Deepak Rajavarapu Updated on Sep 27, 2017

The World Tourism Day celebration was started by the United Nations World Tourism Organization in 1980 which is celebrated every year on September 27. According to United Nation’s specialised agency, UNWTO, this year’s World Tourism Day will focus on ‘sustainable tourism – a tool for development’. The Telugu states are well promoted by their tourism departments and are well known for their rich natural resources, temples and rivers. The rich cultural heritage, ancient architecture, coastal area and historical importance have made Telugu states one of the top tourist destinations in India. Here we present you the famous 15 places you should definitely visit in the Telugu states. 1. Vizag Visakhapatnam/Vizag is a port city and industrial centre in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, on the coast of Bay of Bengal. It is known for its many beaches, including Yarada beach, Ramakrishna Beach. It's a home to a preserved submarine at the Kursura Submarine Museum. Vizag is one of the best places to visit especially in the month of monsoon. The weather, the beach rides, the love from the people there made it one of the top destination places in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

2. Kurnool- Belum caves Located in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, Belum Caves are the largest and longest cave system in India still open for the tourists. The second largest caves in India after the Krem Liat Prah in Meghalaya and famous for their unique formations such as stalactite and stalagmite formations, the caves were formed over a period of millions of years with the consequent formation of limestone. One of the centrally protected monuments of national importance, the Belum Caves has numerous pathways with intricate patterns of water stream on limestone which are bound to leave you awestruck over the sheer will of nature and the beauty it can create. The city of Kurnool also have a lot of tourist attractions.

3. Konaseema People say there is no place on earth like KONASEEMA. KONASEEMA is surrounded by other beautiful destinations like Papi Kondalu (Papi Hills / Papikondalu), Kolleru Lake, Maredumilli Forest (Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary), Mangrove (Mada) Forest (Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary). Cherish this beautiful land and relish its culture. Dindi resorts provide you house boat accommodation which is must to visit.

4. Gandikota Gandikota is touted as India’s answer to the Grand Canyon. Gandikota means canyon fortress in Telugu. It sits at an elevation of 324 metres and is surrounded on three sides by the Penna river. The view from here takes your breath away; it is also scary — down below is a deep valley carved out of brown rocks, with the near-green Penna hurtling past. Reach the place early, as the rocks begin to radiate heat once the sun is out. Gandikota is speckled with temples, mosques, doorways and step wells that narrate tales of a tumultuous history that goes back hundreds of years. Mylavaram dam and museum, which has some rare artifacts dating back to the 13th Century. Mylavaram is a village of weavers; you can also see the process of weaving and pick up saris off the loom.

5. Nagarjuna Sagar Nagarjunasagar is a site of spectacular man-made marvel flanked by equally enchanting panoramic vistas of lush green surrounding. Lying in the Nalgonda District of Telangana, the most popular landmark of the town is world's tallest masonry dam Nagarjunasagar dam built over Krishna River.With the capacity of irrigating around 10 acres of land, this modern architectural grandeur is a sight to behold. Other than that, the town is also renowned for much the talked about the excavation of Buddhist Civilization. An island named as Nagarjuna Konda lying amidst the man-made lake is a site where the relics of such great significance are preserved.

6. Rajamundry – Papikondalu "Papi kondalu" or the "Papi Hills" are series of mountain range that are located in Rajahmundry in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. Papikondalu Mountain range runs along River Godavari, one of the largest and vivacious rivers in India. The mighty river narrowing and passing with twists and turns along the Papi Hills is every visitor's delight. AP Tourism operates cruise services to Papikondalu which is a delight.

7. Araku Araku valley, an amazing hill station, one of unfathomable valley in India lures the tourists with its breathtaking landscapes and pleasant weather. Lush green forest, musical notes of waterfalls makes the journey more lively, located 115 km from Vizag, Andra Pradesh and close to Orissa border. Altitude is 1300 m above the sea level and valley spreads around 36 km. The drive on the Ghat road to Araku valley is entirely lined with thick forest on either side, climbing 4500 ft and sliding down to 3000 ft of valley which makes the trip very thrilling and trekking. More than 40 tunnels and number of bridges are on the way welcomes the tourists warmly. Dark shade and presence of sodium lamp inside the tunnel do their magic on travellers. The ascent up to the hill is gradual, provides enough Waterfalls, Orchards, gardens and forests are immense and incomparable beauties of this valley.

8. Warangal Warangal, the historical city of Telangana, is a destination worth visiting. Ramappa Temple, 1000 pillar temple, kusha mahal, Kakatiya Rock Garden, Kakatiya Musical Garden, Warangal Planetarium, Vana Vigyan Park, Ramappa Lake, Ghanpur Group of Temples and Padmakshi Temple are a few other places to visit during your Warangal tour. A tourist attraction which has been recently added is the Regional Science Center Warangal is also worth visiting. Laknavaram lake which is situated 70 km from Warangal; so about 220 km from Hyderabad is an amazing place, with a 160 m hanging bridge across it. Also Pakhal lake is also a must visit.

9. Vijayawada Vijayawada, being in the capital region of Andhra Pradesh is an agriculturally rich state and has been recognized as the Global city of the future by McKinsey. The former name of the city was Bezawada. The city’s location is unique as well as to its west lies the deep jungles of the Kondapalli Reserve Forests which is known to house leopards, jackals, wolves, wild boar and wild dogs. The city itself is a cultural and religious centre with its various temples, religious monuments, rivers, ancient caves and many more. Do not forget to buy the famous Kondapalli Toys as souvenirs. Undavalli caves, Bhavani Island, Hamsala deevi, Machilipatnam are also some of the best places to visit near Vijayawada.

10. Adilabad Kuntala falls are one of the best places to visit in Adialabad. It is said to be the highest waterfall in Telangana. Set amid the Sahayadri mountain range in Adilabad, it presents a wonderful scenery with its white waters. Through the dense forests, the river Kadam flows and tumbles, gushing at Kuntala from a height of 45 meters. Basara, which is located on the banks of Godavari is famous for its Saraswathi Temple. Kawal Wildlife Sactuary is also one good spot to visit.

11. Hyderabad Being the capital, it offers a lot of tourists destinations to visit. Charminar, Golkonda, Ramoji Film City, Hussain sagar are some of them. It also has some artificial lakes which offer best scenic view.

12. Ananthagiri Hills One of the best weekend getaway places for from Hyderabad. It’s on the Hyderabad-Vikarabad-Tandur route. There is Telangana Tourism’s Haritha Resort for accommodation and food facilities. Also there are many tourist companies that provide camping sites and also good packages to have best forest experience.

13. Yanam Yanam is situated on the eastern coast of India, in the district of East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. It is built at the place where the rivers Coringa and Godavari meet and is bounded on the east and south by these rivers. The Godavari discharges itself into sea around 14 km south of Yanam town. It lies on the spot where the Coringa river and Godavari river separate. A silent place worth visiting.

14. Chittoor The city of Chittoor has a unique climate which is high in the Eastern areas and low in the western areas because of the change in the altitude. The place is definitely an undiscovered gem for a tourist. The town with its various hills, rivers, temples, forts and a rich collection of flora and fauna is a must visit. You should definitely visit Talakona waterfalls - which is the highest waterfall in the Andhra pradesh state and also Kailasa Kona falls - a natural perennial waterfall in the valley of Nagari Hills. A personal recommendation would be to spend more time at the western areas near the Horsley Hills and simply relax. While most attractions in Chittoor can be covered in a day, it is more of a place to relax and rejuvenate. Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandragiri Fort, Kalavagunta, Gurramkonda Fort, Nagari Hills, Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Temple, Mogili, Ramagiri are some of the important places to visit.

15. Nellore The name ‘Nellore’ literally means ‘Paddy Place’ and is thus one of the primary agricultural cities in Andhra Pradesh. The vast paddy fields of Damaramadugu are one of the prime sources of rice in the state and in the country. Towards the east of the city is the Bay of Bengal. Nellore is famous for its ancient temples which are amazing owing to their stunning architecture and the cultural history associated with them. Nellore also has the Nelapattu bird sanctuary which is a great spot for the photography enthusiasts and professionals alike. The various lakes, temples, forts in the ancient agricultural town of Nellore are sure to keep you enchanted. Udayagiri Fort,Venkatagiri Fort, Sri Ranganathaswamy temple, Penchalakona, Jonnawada, Mypad Beach,Pulicat Lake, Sriharikota.