593 Top Tourist Places to Visit in South India (2021)

Fondly called the Scotland of India, Coorg is one of the top hill stations in South India and among the most popular attraction not to miss in your Karnataka holiday packages. Coorg (or Kodagu) is about 265 km from Bangalore city and takes about 6 hrs drive.

Coorg is the largest producer of Coffee in India. Also, it is one of the places with the highest rainfall in India. Places like Raja's Seat, Abbey Falls, Iruppu Falls, Omkareshwara Temple, Bylakuppe, Talacauvery and Dubare are the major attractions to be included in Coorg Tour Packages. The famous Cauvery River is originated in the hills of Coorg at Talacauvery.

Explore our Coorg Travel Guide for complete details on the hill station of Coorg. Being a part of the Western Ghats, Coorg is home to three wildlife sanctuaries - the Talacauvery, Pushpagiri, and Brahmagiri Sanctuaries, and one national park, the Nagarhole National Park. Coorg is also famous for trekking activities with peaks like Thandiyandamole, Brahmagiri, and Pushpagiri. Besides, Coorg can also be visited along with Ooty tour packages.

Kanchipuram or Kanchi is one of the most famous places of pilgrimage in Tamilnadu. It is situated at a distance of 75 km from Chennai. It is one of the most popular weekend getaways from Chennai.

Located on the bank of Palar River, Kanchipuram is one of the oldest cities in India and was served as the capital of Pallava Dynasty. Kanchi is known for its temples and silk sarees which are woven manually. Kamakshi Amman Temple is the landmark of Kanchipuram, and is believed to be existing even before Aadi Sankaracharya's period (788-820 AD). Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kailasanathar Temple, Karchapeshwarar Temple, Sri Ekambarnathar Temple are the other prominent temples to visit as part of Kanchipuram tour packages. The temples of Kanchipuram are known for their grandeur and great architecture.

Kanchipuram is a traditional centre of silk weaving and handloom industries for producing Kanchipuram Sarees. In 2005, 'Kanchipuram Silk Sarees' received the Geographical Indication tag, the first product in India to carry this label.

Hyderabad (also known as Bhagya Nagaram) is the fifth largest metropolis of India and the capital of the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It is known for its rich history and culture with monuments, mosques, temples, a rich and varied heritage in arts, crafts and dance. Also known as The City of Nizams and The City of Pearls, Hyderabad is today one of the fast developing cities in the country and a modern hub of IT, ITES, and Biotechnology. Hyderabad is often referred to the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad together which are commonly referred as a single city.

Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, a ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty (the ruling family of the Golconda - previously a feudatory of Bahmani sultanate that declared independence in 1512) founded the city of Hyderabad on the banks of the Musi River in 1591. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb captured Hyderabad in 1687, but the Mughal-appointed governors of the city soon gained autonomy. In 1724, Asaf Jah I, who was granted the title Nizam-ul-Mulk ('Governor of the country') by the Mughal emperor, defeated a rival official to establish control over Hyderabad. Asaf Jah's successors ruled as the Nizams of Hyderabad. The rule of the seven Nizams saw the growth of Hyderabad both culturally and economically.

Hyderabad is the financial and economic capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad is known as the city of pearls, lakes and, lately, for its IT companies.

Kovalam is a coastal town on the shores of the Arabian Sea in Kerala. About13 km from Trivandrum, and 212 km from Kochi, it is one of the most famous places to visit in Kerala as part of Kerala Tour Packages.

Often called the 'Paradise of the South', Kovalam is one of the wonderful Kerala beach destinations. Kovalam means 'A grove of coconut trees and the whole area beyond the shores around Kovalam is filled with the endless sight of coconut trees offering magnificent views while approaching the beach.

Light House Beach, Vizhinjam Mosque, Samudra Beach, Eve's Beach are the must include places inKovalam tour packages. There are several activities for tourists like sunbathing, swimming, catamaran cruising, herbal body massage, and cultural programs. Kovalam is also famous for its Ayurvedic massages and many yoga resorts.

Often referred to as the Princess of Hill stations, Kodaikanal or Kodai is one of the top tourist destinations in Tamilnadu tour packages and among the best hill stations in South India. It is located at a distance of about 469 km from Bangalore & 528 km from Chennai.

At an altitude of about 7000 feet (2133 m) amidst the rolling slopes of the Palani Hills, Kodai has several scenic places that are enjoyed by its visitors as part of Kodaikanal tour packages. Kodaikanal is not extensively commercialized like Ooty and it offers a pleasant experience to tourists with relatively less crowd. Kodai Lake, Bryant Park, Coaker's Walk, Bear Shola Falls, Silver Cascade, and Pillar Rocks are the top tourist places in Kodaikanal.

Kodaikanal is a place you can go to take a break from the rigours of daily city life, and this hill station lets you sit back and connect with nature as you head out on biking or trekking trails or take a stroll through the vast forests surrounding the town. Dolphin's Nose, and Vattakanal are some of the top trekking places in Kodaikanal.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the top wildlife sanctuaries in India, especially for wildlife enthusiasts. Situated about 82 km from Munnar, 143 km from Kochi, and 211 km from Trivandrum, it is one of the must include places in Kerala tour packages,

Established in the year 1950, the sanctuary is spread across 777 sq. km, of which 360 sq. km is a thick evergreen forest. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park. Among the top kerala tourist places, Thekkady is famous for Asian Elephants, Tigers, Gaurs, Sambars, Lion-tailed Macaques, Nilgiri Langurs, Wild Boars, Spotted Deer, Nilgiri Tahr, etc. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can watch wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat from the lake. The main attraction of the sanctuary is a group of wild elephants that come to play in the lake.

Thekkady offers elephant rides, jeep safari, boating in the lake, tiger trails and forest treks. Murikkady, Chellar Kovil, Anakkara, Mangala Devi Temple, Suruli Falls, and Pullumedu are the popular places to visit as part of Thekkady tour packages.

Chikmagalur or Chikkamagaluru is a scenic hill town situated at the foothills of Mulliyangiri range with an altitude of 3,400 feet. It is one of the best hill stations in Karnataka and among the most famous tourist places near Bangalore.

Chikmagalur is famous for its serene environment, lush green forests and tall mountains. Baba Budangiri, Hirekolale Lake, Mulliyangiri, Ayyanakere Lake, Manikyadhara Falls, Horanadu and Kemmanagundi are among the must include places in Chikmagalur Tour Packages.

Chikkamagaluru is also famous for coffee and is known as the Coffee Land of Karnataka. It is the place where coffee was cultivated for the first time in India. The climate of Chikmagalur is pleasant all year round but the best time to visit the place is from the months of September till March. Explore our Chikmagalur Travel Guide for complete details on the mighty hill station. Chikmagalur can also be visited along with Coorg tour packages.

Sabarimala is the most famous places of pilgrimage in Kerala, and one of the most visited pilgrim centers in India. Situated about 70 km from Pathanamthitta, this temple is one of the oldest temples in India, with history of more than 5000 years old, and among the popular places to visit in Kerala.

Sabarimala temple is dedicated to Lord Ayyappan and is believed that Lord Parasurama installed the idol of Ayyappa here. The pilgrimage season begins in the month of November and ends in January (the temple remains closed during the rest of the year except for the first five days of each Malayalam month). The devotees following Ayyappa Vratam (Ayyappa Maala - a 41 days Vratam with strict restrictions) carry Irumudi Kettu containing traditional offerings to the Lord. Mandalapooja (Nov17th) and Makaravilakku (Jan 14th) are the important events of the temple. Makara Jyothi (a celestial star) appeared on Jan 14th is the most crowded occasion of this temple.

Sabarimala temple has no restrictions of caste and religion. The temple is open to males of all age groups, but women between 10-50 years age group are NOT allowed into the temple. Sabarimala can be reached by an 8 km trek from Pamba, which is the nearest road point to the temple.

Mahabalipuram, also called Mamallapuram is one of the must-visit weekend getaways from Chennai for one day trip. About 57 km from Chennai, it is one of the UNESCO heritage site in Tamil Nadu and one of the best places to experience Tamilnadu Tourism.

Famous for its Shore Temple built in 7th century, Mahabalipuram was the second capital of the Pallava kings of Kanchipuram. It is known for its historical monuments, sculptures, scenic beauty, culture and tradition. The famous Arjuna's Penance, the Krishna Mandapa, Thirukadalmallai temple, Cholamadal Artist's Village, Mahabalipuram Beach, Tiger Cave and Crocodile Bank are the must include places in Mahabalipuram tour packages.

One of the prominent festivals celebrated here is the Mamallapuram Dance Festival, which is organized by the Department of Tourism every year from December - January. Mahabalipuram is one of the best places to include in your Pondicherry tour packages.

Athirapally Waterfall is one of the best waterfalls in India and one of the must include places in Kerala tour packages. It is situated about 73 km from Kochi, 100 km from Munnar, and 269 km from Trivandrum. This is the biggest waterfall in Kerala and one of the popular weekend getaways from Kochi, Coimbatore & Munnar.

Formed over Chalakudy River, Athirapally is one of the scenic waterfalls in Kerala that drops down from a height of 80 feet through several parallel streams offering a great scenic beauty. In the monsoon season, the water gets strength and all the streams join together and appear like Niagara Falls. The Vazhachal Waterfalls, Charpa Falls, Anakkayam, Sholayar Dam, Valparai, and Malayattur Wildlife Sanctuary are the nearby places to visit during your Athirapally trip. It also offers adventure activities like river rafting, trekking, etc.

The forest that surrounds Athirapally falls is also the natural habitat of different species like the great hornbill, Malabar pied hornbill, Malabar grey hornbill, Indian grey hornbill, Asiatic elephant, tiger, leopard, and bison. The falls can be visited as part of Munnar packages.

Wayanad is one of the popular hill stations near Bangalore and one of the top Kerala tourist places to visit. It is about 118 km from Ooty, 246 km from Kochi, and 442 km from Trivandrum.

Wayanad is a picturesque plateau nestled among the mountains of the Western Ghats on the borders of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Banasura Sagar Dam, Edakkal Caves, Meenmutty Falls, Soochipara Waterfalls, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary are among the must include places in your Wayanad Tour Packages. Wayanad is one of the biggest foreign exchange earners of the State with its production of cash crops like pepper, cardamom, coffee, tea, spices, and other condiments.

Wayanad is also famous for Tea and Coffee plantations. It has a pleasant weather throughout the year and is one of the best 2 day trip from Bangalore. The famous tribal events and folk dance performances are hosted between February and May.

Nagarhole National Park is one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in India. Also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park, the park is situated about 218 km from Bangalore, and is among the must include places in Karnataka Tour Packages.

Spread across Mysore and Kodagu districts of Karnataka, Nagarhole got National Park status in 1988 and declared as 37th Project Tiger Reserve in 1999. The Western Ghats Nilgiri sub-cluster of 6,000 Sq. km, including all of Nagarhole National Park, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Site status. It is one of the top attractions you must include in Coorg tour packages. It is situated to the north-west of Bandipur National Park which are separated by Kabini reservoir.

The park has rich forest cover, small streams, hills, valleys, and waterfalls. The important animals in Nagarhole are tiger, leopard, wild dog, sloth bear, the hyena, spotted deer, sambar, barking deer, wild boar and elephant. Bus & Jeep Safari available in the park run by forest dept from Kutta & Dhammanakatte (kabini side). Explore our Nagarhole Travel Guide for complete details on the beautiful sanctuary.

Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, Kanyakumari is one of the famous pilgrimage places to visit as part of Tamilnadu tour. It is about 242 km from Madurai and 707 km from Chennai.

A place of great natural beauty, Kanyakumari is one of the popular href='/tamilnadu/best' target='_blank'>Tamilnadu Tourist Places. Swami Vivekananda is said to have been lived here for a while and meditated. Situated at the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean, this is the only place in India where one can enjoy the unique spectacle of Sunset and Moonrise simultaneously on full moon days. One of the main attractions in Kanyakumari is the Kumariamman Temple. Thiruvalluvar Statue, Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Gandhi Memorial, Padmanabhapuram Palace, Suchindram, Pechiparai Reservoir, Vattakottai Fort, St Xavier's Church and Udayagiri Fort are some of the top places to visit as part of Kanyakumari tour packages.

Kanyakumari is also known for its spectacular beaches. Thengapattinam Beach, Sanguthurai Beach, and Chothavilai Beach are the important beaches near Kanyakumari.

Thanjavur, also known as Tanjore, is one of the popular places of href='/tamilnadu/heritage' target='_blank'>heritage in Tamilnadu as it has a rich historical heritage and is a prism of ancient as well as the modern south Indian civilizations. It is situated about 170 km from Madurai, and 326 km from Chennai. Situated on the banks of River Cauvery, it is one of the top places to visit as part of Madurai tour packages.

The city was once the stronghold of the historic Cholas. Since then, Thanjavur has been one of the chief political, cultural and religious centers of South India. Thanjavur is famous for the Brihadeeswarar Temple built by Rajaraja Chola in the year 1010 AD. Also known as the Big Temple, Brihadeeswarar Temple is one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and among the most important heritage sites in India. The temple is considered to be one of the best specimens of South Indian temple architecture and among the must-visit places as part of Thanjavur tour packages.

Apart from Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur and the surrounding areas have several important tourist attractions like Thanjavur Palace, Kumbakonam, Darasuram, Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Thiruvaiyaru, Thirubuvanam, etc.

Bandipur National Park is one of the well preserved national parks in Karnataka, and among the top places of wildlife in India. Located between Mysore & Ooty, it is about 80 km from Mysore and 215 km from Bangalore.

Spread across 874 sq.km, Bandipur is a part of the famous Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve along with Nagarhole National Park, Mudumalai National Park and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. It is one of the must include places in Mysore Tour Packages as it is one of the 15 sanctuaries belonging to the Project Tiger Scheme. It is home to around 70 tigers and over 3000 Asian elephants, as well as other animals like leopards, dhole, gaur, sloth bears, and a variety of birdlife.

Jeep Safaris and Mini Bus Safaris are arranged by the forest department. The entry point & interpretation center of the park is located in Bandipur village on Highway after Melkamanahalli Village. Private vehicles are NOT allowed inside the park. The best time to visit Bandipur is from June to October. Explore our Bandipur Travel Guide for complete details on the famous national park. Bandipur can also be visited along with Ooty tour packages.

Hogenakkal Falls is one of the best waterfalls in India, and among the best places to visit in Tamil Nadu. It is about 146 km from Bangalore and 345 km from Chennai. Also, it is one of the major waterfalls near Bangalore.

Often referred to as the 'Niagara of India', Hogenakkal is one of the wonderful places to visit near Bangalore & Chennai. When the River Kaveri enters the Tamil Nadu border after winding its way through the state of Karnataka, it descends down the lofty landscape forming the Hogenakkal Waterfalls. The Carbonatite rocks found near the waterfall are one of the oldest in the world. The falls has about 14 channels with drops varying between 15 & 65 ft. It can be visited as part of Yercaud tour packages.

Coracle riding is one of the main attractions here which is allowed during the monsoon and winter season. Boating is usually stopped in peak monsoons. Hogenakkal is also the good place to try out your swimming skills. Tourists can also go for trekking on the nearby surrounding hills. The water from the fall flows towards the Mettur Dam which is also known as the Stanley Reservoir. Yercaud, MM Hills, and Yelagiri Hills are some of the major tourist destinations near Hogenakkal Falls.

Nicknamed as the Garden City of India, Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka, is the 5th largest city in India, and among the top places to visit in Karnataka. It is one of the fastest growing industrial and commercial centers in India. It is often referred as Silicon Valley of India due to large number of software companies established in the city.

Bangalore is one of the ideal places for those planning to visit south India with many attractions in the form of heritage palaces, gardens, museums, temples, etc. Lalbagh Garden, Cubbon Park, Tipu Sultan's Palace, Bangalore Palace, Bannerghatta National Park, and Vishveswaraiah Museum, are the some of the must include places in Bangalore tour packages.

Explore our Bangalore Travel Guide for complete details on the capital city of Karnataka.

Bangalore is the perfect stopover point, because this city is the gateway to a plethora of South Indian tourist destinations - you can choose from ancient temples, jungles, historic sites to even scenic countrysides for a quick weekend getaways. Coorg, Mysore, Chikmagalur, Wayanad and Ooty are the top weekend getaways from Bangalore.

Situated on the banks of the Cauvery River, Tiruchirappalli or Trichy is the 4th largest city in Tamilnadu and among the must include places in Tamilnadu tour packages. It is located about 133 km from Madurai and 334 km from Chennai.

Tiruchirappalli is home to numerous historical monuments and temples that attract tourists and pilgrims from all parts of the country throughout the year. The city played a critical role in the Carnatic Wars (1746-1763) between the British and the French East India companies. Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, one of the most famous pilgrimage centers in South India is situated near Trichy. Rockfort Temple, Jambukeshwar Temple, Uraiyur, Mariamman Temple, Government Museum and the St John's Church are some of the top places to visit as part of Trichy tour packages.

Tiruchirappalli is internationally known for a brand of cheroot known as the Trichinopoly cigar. The city is very popular for its cigars, handloom saris and stone-studded jewelry, Pith models, and cheroots. According to the National Urban Sanitation Policy (2010), Tiruchirappalli was one of the ten cleanest cities in India.

Gokarna is a famous places of pilgrimage in Karnataka, and among the top Karnataka Tourist Places. It is about 514 km from Bangalore.

Sri Mahabaleshwar Temple which houses the Atmalinga is the must-visit places as part of Gokarna tour packages. Gokarna is considered to be the Mukti Stala, where Hindus perform funeral rites. Gokarna is also home to some of the best beaches in Karnataka including Om Beach, Kudle Beach, Gokarna Beach.

Among the beaches in Gokarna, the Om Beach is extremely popular among surfers. The beach gets its name due to the natural formation of the holy Om symbol. Explore our Gokarna Travel Guide for complete details on Gokarna. Gokarna can also be visited along with Dandeli tour packages.

Often referred to as 'The Queen of the Arabian Sea', Kochi or Cochin is the financial capital of Kerala and one of the prime tourist places to visit in Kerala. It is situated about 190 km from Coimbatore, and 204 km from Trivandrum.

The tourism in Kochi is admired for its scenic beauty, traditional architecture, and cultural diversity. Attracting tourists from all around the world, Fort Kochi, Bolghatty Palace, Marine Drive, Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary, St. George Ferona Church - Edappally, Matancherry Palace, Chinese Fishing Nets, and Fort Kochi Beach are the must include places in Kochi tour packages.

Kochi is one of the finest natural harbors in the world. It is one of the major places you must visit in Kerala tour packages. This city is home to Cochin Jewish Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth, as well as numerous old churches and temples.

Shivanasamudra is one of the best waterfalls near Bangalore and also among popular one day trip from Bangalore. It is about 130 km from Bangalore.

Shivanasamudra is a segmented waterfall with several parallel stream formed adjacent to each other. Situated on River Kaveri, Shivanasamudra is among the popular Tourist places in Karnataka. The island of Shivanasamudra divides Kaveri River into two parts that form two waterfalls, one is Gaganachukki and the other is Bharachukki. Gaganachukki includes a huge horsetail shaped waterfall dropping from a height of 90 m and two large parallel streams that cascade down through a rocky bed from a height of over 320 feet. Asia's first hydroelectric power station was set up in the downstream of the falls in the year 1905. Barachukki is a cascading fall with a height of 70 m forming several streams through the wide rocky formations establishing superb natural beauty.

This place offers breathtaking sight in the peak monsoons. Shivanasamudra is among the must include place in your Mysore tour packages. An interesting way to watch the beauty of the waterfall is to take a coracle ride to the mouth of the magnificent waterfall.

At a distance of 602 km from Hyderabad, 355 km from Vijayawada, 168 km from Kakinada, 203 km from Rajahmundry and 444 km from Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam (also called Vizag) is a coastal & port city in the state of Andhra Pradesh, located on the shores of Bay of Bengal. It is the headquarters of Visakhapatnam district and is the base for Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy. Vizag is also one of the top places to experience Andhra Pradesh tourism.

The city of Vizag, as Visakhapatnam is popularly called, derives its name from the Hindu God of valour, Visakha. The city is located beautifully among the hills of the Eastern Ghats with facing towards the Bay of Bengal. According to the Archaeological records, Visakhapatnam was built by Kulotunga Chola between the 11th and 12th centuries AD. Kailasagiri, Rama Krishna Beach and Rishikonda Beach are among the must include places in your Vizag tour packages.

The religious Hindu texts mention that the region of Visakhapatnam in the 5th century BC was part of the vast Kalinga territory which extended up to River Godavari. The relics found in the area also prove the existence of a Buddhist empire in the region. Kalinga later lost the territory to King Ashoka in the bloodiest battle of the time which prompted him to embrace Buddhism. The city was also under the rulers of Chalukya, Pallava,Vengi, ...

Situated on the banks of the River Kali, the picturesque town of Dandeli is one of the top Karnataka tourist places. It is located about 130 km from Goa, and 462 km from Bangalore. Dandeli is quite famous for its gorgeous natural backdrop, wildlife, and adventure activities, that can be experienced as part of Dandeli tour packages.

Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is the second largest wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka. Dandeli is one of the top white Water Rafting destinations in India. Kayaking, water rafting, and canoeing trips on the Kali River are some of the things one can indulge in Dandeli. Sathodi Falls, Syntheri Rocks, and Kavala Caves are the other important places to visit in Dandeli.

Explore our Dandeli Travel Guide for complete details on the stunning scenic place. Dandeli can also be visited along with Goa tour packages and Gokarna Packages.

Chidambaram is a pilgrimage town in Tamil Nadu. Well known for Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram temple is one of the most celebrated shrines in South India and also one of the famous Tamilnadu places to visit. It is about 66 km from Pondicherry, and 217 km from Chennai.

Also known as Thillai, the town is known for the Thillai Nataraja Temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Built during the 11th century, Chidambaram Nataraja Temple has a great religious as well as historic and cultural significance. This is one of the Panchabhoota Stalas signifying the five elements of wind (Kalahasti), water (Tiruvanaikka), fire (Tiruvannamalai), earth (Kanchipuram) and space (Chidambaram). Thillai Kaali Amman Temple, Pichavaram, Sattanathar Temple, Bhuvanagiri, Parangipettai, Annamalai University, Kollidam (river) and Poompuhar are the other prominent places to visit as part of Chidambaram tour packages.

Brahmotsavam, Ani Thirumanjanam, Thai Poosam and Arudra Dharshan are some of the Nataraja Temple festivals that attract large crowds from far and nearby places. Natyanjali Dance Festival is a major festival held in February. Many eminent dancers give their performances during this festival.

At a distance of 160 km from Nandyal, 181 km from Kurnool, 229 km from Hyderabad, 263 km from Vijayawada and 527 km from Bangalore, Srisailam is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva situated on the banks of River Krishna in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the most important pilgrimage centers of Lord Shiva in India and also one of the top Places to visit in Andhra. Srisailam is also one of the most popular weekend getaways from Hyderabad.

Srisailam is famous for Srisailam Dam & Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The sanctum enshrines Lord Mallikarjuna in the form of a linga protected by a three-hooded cobra. This ancient temple built in the Dravidian style with lofty towers and sprawling courtyards is one of the finest specimens of Vijayanagara architecture. Though the exact origins of the temple are not available, the Satavahanas of the 2nd century AD have referred to it. The Kakatiyas and the Vijayanagara kings have made several endowments here.

The unique feature of this kshetram is the combination of Jyothirlingam and Mahasakthi (in the form of Bhramarambika) in one campus, which is very rare and only one of its kind. The great religious leader Aadi Sankara is said to have visited this shrine and composed his immortal Sivananda Lahiri here.

Srisailam is ...

Murudeshwar is one of the most famous places to visit in Karnataka and among the popular places of Pilgrimage in India. It is about 162 km from Mangalore & 497 km from Bangalore.

Murudeshwar is the abode of Lord Shiva. The temple town is famous for the world's second tallest Shiva statue (123 ft) & tallest temple tower (249 feet). The sea on three sides surrounds the Murudeshwar Temple towering on the small hill called Kanduka Giri. This is a great place to watch the sunset. Murdeshwar Beach, Kollur Temple are popular sites to visit as part of Murudeshwar tour packages. Gokarna, Karwar, Kollur, Udupi, Jog Falls, Sirsi & Sringeri are the nearby attractions.

Maha Shivaratri during February is the important festival celebrated here with much devotion and religious rituals. The best time to visit Murudeshwar is from November to February. Explore our Murudeshwar Travel Guide for complete details on the beautiful and sacred placce. Murudeshwar can also be visited along with Gokarna tour packages.

Also known as Trivandrum, Thiruvananthapuram is the capital city of Kerala. About 85 km from Kanyakumari, and 204 km from Kochi, it is one of the must include places in Kerala tour packages.

The city derives its name from the deity of Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple. Located on the west coast of India, Trivandrum is famous for its enchanting tourist spots including internationally renowned beaches like Kovalam, historic monuments with Gothic architecture, lakes / backwaters, unexplored mountain ranges, etc. Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Napier Museum, Kanakakkunnu Palace, Science, and Technology Museum, Kowdiar Palace, St. Joseph's Cathedral, Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, Happyland Amusement Park, etc. are some of the tourist attractions one can visit as part of Trivandrum tour packages.

Also, Trivandrum is a popular medical tourism destination as there are more than a hundred recognized Ayurveda centers in and around the city. It is also considered as one of the cleanest cities in India.

Udupi is one of the most famous Pilgrimage Sites in Karnataka and well known for it's beautiful beaches. Located between the verdant mountains of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, Udupi is the land of breathtaking beauty. It is about 403 km from the city of Bangalore.

Udupi is famous for Sri Krishna Temple which attracts pilgrims from all over India. This temple has a fascinating idol of Lord Krishna that is richly adorned with jewels. Apart from the temple, Malpe Beach, Kaup Beach & St Mary's Island are the top places to visit as part of Udupi tour packages.

It is also the source of renowned Udupi cuisine, which is served all over India in the efficiently-run Udupi restaurants, famous for dosas, idlis and other snacks. The tradition of this cuisine started in the great kitchens of the Krishna Temple which serve meals in the form of prasad to the thousands of devotees who come to pray at the holy shrine. Explore our Udupi Travel Guide for complete details on the holy shrine. Udupi can also be visited along with Murudeshwar tour packages.

At a distance of 66 km from Nandyal, 137 km from Kurnool, 114 km from Kadapa, 348 km from Vijayawada, 350 km from Hyderabad and 407 km from Bangalore, Ahobilam or Ahobalam is an important pilgrimage center located in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. Ahobilam is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Andhra Pradesh and also one of the best Places to visit in Andhra Pradesh.

Ahobilam is the holy abode of Lord Narasimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu in man-lion form. According to legend, this is the place where Lord Narasimha killed Hiranyakasipu and saved Prahalada. Though the initial temples were built by Chalukyas in 8th century, most of the current structures were rebuilt by Vijayanagara kings around 15th century.

Situated amidst dense Nallamala Forest, Ahobilam is one of the 108 Divya Desams. This place is also called as Nava Narasimha Kshetra since Lord Narasimha is worshipped in 9 different forms and separate temples exist for all the forms within a radius of 5 km from the main temple. Jwala Narasimha, Ahobila Narasimha, Malola Narasimha, Kroda Narasimha, Kaaranja Narasimha, Bhargava Narasimha, Yaogananda Narasimha, Chathravata Narasimha and Paavana Narasimha are the nine forms of Lord Narasimha in Ahobilam. Few of these temples have easy access, but most of them have to be reached by difficult treks through thick forest and rocky paths.

The town is divided ...

At a distance of 33 km from Guntur, 38 km from Vijayawada, 111 km from Machilipatnam, 162 km from Khammam, 178 km from Nalgonda, 178 km from Bhadrachalam, 194 km from Rajahmundry, 270 km from Nellore, 274 km from Hyderabad, 403 km from Vishakhapatnam, 450 km from Anantapur, Amaravati is a popular historical town situated on the southern bank of Krishna River in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. It is the new capital of Andhra Pradesh state and one of the popular pilgrimage sites for Hindus as well as Buddhists.

The town gets its name from Amareshwara or Amaravati temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The town has been mentioned in the Indian epics as Dhanyakataka and Andhranagari. It was also served as the capital of the Satavahanas, who ruled Andhra Pradesh from the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. Later it was ruled by several major dynasties like Andhra Ikshvakus, the Pallavas, the Cholas, the Kakatiyas, the Delhi Sultanate, Musunuri Nayaks, Bahmani Sultanate, Vijayanagara Empire, Sultanate of Golconda and Mughal Empire successively before the founding of the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1724. It was ceded to France in 1750 but was captured by England in 1759. It was briefly captured by Hyder Ali, but remained under British rule for the majority of time since the 1780s. Amaravati is currently the de-facto capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh, following its bifurcation from Telangana in 2014.

Amaravathi has gathered attention from all over the world because of the ...

At a distance of 112 km from Vizag, 432 km from Vijayawada, 85 km from Vizianagaram, 26 km from Anantagiri and 635 km from Hyderabad, Araku Valley, popularly known as Araku, is a scenic hill station in the Vishakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Often referred to as Andhra Ooty, it is one of the most famous places to experince Andhra Pradesh tourism and is one of the top attractions you must include in Vizag tour packages.

Located on the Eastern Ghats at an altitude range of 900 to 1400 meters above sea level, Araku Valley is home to a number of tribal communities. Spread over an area of 36 sq. km, Araku is a perfect tourist destination with pleasant climate, lush greenery, waterfalls and streams. It is popular for its famous coffee plantations.

Araku has some interesting places to visit including Borra caves, Tyda, Katiki Falls, Tribal Museum & Padmapuram Botanical Gardens. Besides, these the coffee plantations are a must visit for those who want to indulge themselves in the flavors of nature. The tourists can see tribal folk dances like Dhimsa and Mayuri. The Araku Tribal Museum houses rich tribal tradition and number of artifacts and displays related to Eastern Ghat Tribal Culture.

The Anantagiri Reserved Forest and Sunkarimetta ...

At a distance of 15 km from Jammalamadugu, 94 km from Kadapa, 155 km from Kurnool, 233 km from Tirupati, 280 km from Bangalore, 386 km from Hyderabad and 391 km from Chennai, Gandikota is a small village in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. Situated on the banks of Pennar River, it is one of the popular historical places to visit in Andhra Pradesh and among the weekend gateways from Hyderabad as well as from Bangalore.

Gandikota is a small village spread in and around the historical Gandikota Fort. According to history, Gandikota area was first identified and made Sand fort in 1123 CE by Kapa Raja of nearby Bommanapalle village and a subordinate of Ahavamalla Someswara I, the Western Chalukyan king of Kalyana. The village transformed into major fort after the emergence of the Kamma kings, who ruled Gandikota more than 200 years. The fort fell into hands of Qutub Shahis of Golconda in 1650 CE. The medieval fort of Gandikota is named after the adjoining gorge which means gandi in Telugu. It is also believed that Vemana, the Telugu poet lived in Gandikota area for a short period.

Known to few ardent travelers, Gandikota is not the usual tourist hub as it is neither a world heritage site, nor is it marketed well by state tourism agencies. This untouched and unexplored place is worth a visit for history buffs as well as nature lovers. A frozen in time village in the middle of centuries old structures such as forts and temples is known for its spectacular gorge formed ...

At a distance of 125 km from Anantapur, 124 km from Bangalore City Junction, 225 km from Tirupati, 478 km from Hyderabad & 569 km from Vijayawada, Lepakshi is a small village which lies 14 km east of Hindupur in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. It is the one of the important heritage sites in Andhra Pradesh highlighting the legacy of Vijayanagara Dynasty. It is one of the famous Tourist places in Andhra Pradesh and also one of the popular one day trip from Bangalore.

Lepakshi was founded in the 16th century during the reign of the Vijayanagara king, Aliiya Rama Raya. Virupanna, the royal treasurer was accused of drawing funds without the king's permission from the state treasury to build the Veerabhadra temple at Lepakshi. However, he blinded himself to avoid the king's punishment. Even today one can see two dark stains upon the wall near the Kalyana Mandapa, which are said to be the marks made by his eyes. Hence the village is called 'Lepa-akshi', means a village of the blinded eye.

Lepakshi is the centre of some of the finest temple architecture and paintings. Lepakshi consists of three important shrines dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Veerabhadra, of which Veerabhadra temple is the most important place to visit in Lepakshi (this ...

At a distance of 74 km from Kurnool, 148 km from Nandyal, 49 km from Adoni, 43 km from Raichur, 253 km from Hyderabad, 301 km from Hubli, 402 km from Bangalore and 416 km from Vijayawada, Mantralayam, also known as Manchale or Mantralaya is situated in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. This is the place where the Vaishnava saint Sri Guru Raghavendra took Jeeva Samadhi (tomb) and is also one of the popular Places to visit in Andhra. Mantralayam is situated near the border of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh along the banks of River Tungabhadra, a chief tributary of River Krishna.

Mantralayam is associated with the famous saint Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy, renowned Hindu saint and philosopher. Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy, lived between 1595 and 1671 was an influential saint in Hinduism. Followers of the saint consider him to be an incarnation of Bhakta Prahallada, who was saved by Vishnu in the avatar of Narasimha. Sri Raghavendra Swamy is said to have performed many miracles during his lifetime and has a large following even today. Mantralayam is a small and peaceful town situated on the banks of the River Tungabhadra and gets thousands of devotees from all over the country. He also served as the head of Sri Mutt of Kumbakonam from 1621 to 1671.

Mantralayam is also popular for Manchalamma Temple located near the Samadhi Temple, inside the Mantralayam ...

At a distance of 60 km from Rajahmundry, 180 km from Vijayawada, 20 km from Polavaram, 260 km from Vizag & 410 km from Hyderabad, Papi Kondalu is a breathtakingly beautiful hill range bounded by River Godavari in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Papi hills are a set of three hills which form a beautiful gorge on the Godavari River spread across East Godavari and West Godavari districts. Entire area of Papi Kondalu is covered by tropical rain forests and it was recently declared as a protected National Park and is one of the top places to experience the Tourism in Andhra Pradesh. Papikondalu is one of the top attractions you must include in Vizag tour packages.

The original name for this hill range was 'Papidi Kondalu'. Papidi is a rough translation for partition in Telugu. It is believed that the place was visited by Lord Rama and goddess Sita during their exile. Papi Kondalu has to be reached by boat from Rajahmundry, Pattisam (35 km from Rajahmundry), Polavaram (40 km from Rajahmundry), Kunavaram (50 km from Bhadrachalam) or Sriram Giri (60 km from Bhadrachalam). The boat service from Rajahmundry to Bhadrachalam is a wonderful experience and it is operated in post monsoon season.

Apart from enjoying the view of the hills, valley ...

At a distance of 154 km from Vijayawada, 207 km from Vizag, 186 km from Guntur, 64 km from Kakinada, 151 km from Machilipatnam and 430 km from Hyderabad, Rajahmundry, formerly called as Rajamahendravaram, is a beautiful city located on the banks of Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh. It is also known as the 'cultural capital' of Andhra Pradesh and is one of the popular Tourist places in Andhra Pradesh. It is the birth place of Adikavi Nannayya who developed script for Telugu language. Rajamundry is one of the top attractions you must include in Vizag tour.

Rajahmundry is ranked amongst the oldest cities in the Indian subcontinent. The earliest rulers of the region were the Eastern Chalukyas. It was built by Chalukya king Rajaraja Narendra during 11th century. It was part of the Madras Presidency and was made into the District of Rajahmundry in the year 1823, during the British rule.

Rajahmundry is a blend of various qualities like picturesque landscapes, monuments of cultural importance, ancient temples and adventurous tourist spots that make the place unique, interesting and suitable for tourism for all ages. This is one of the major Pushkara Ghats on Godavari River. Pushkaras, held once every 12 years, is a holy congregation which sees millions of devotees taking a dip in the River Godavari. The last Pushkara was held in 2015. Godavari Bridge, Sir Arthur Cotton Museum, Dowleswaram ...

At a distance of 37 km from Tirupati, 113 km from Chennai, 291 km from Bangalore, 375 km from Vijayawada and 552 km from Hyderabad, Srikalahasti, popularly known as Kalahasti is one of the ancient and most important Shiva Kshetras situated in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Srikalahasti is famous for Srikalahasteeswara Temple (referred as Srikalahasti Temple) built in 10th century. The entire temple was carved out of the side of a huge stone hill. Srikalahasti is among ideal weekend getaways from Chennai city for a two day trip and also one of the top places to experience AP Tourism.

Srikalahasti got its name from three words - 'Sri' meaning a spider, 'Kala' meaning a serpent and Hasti meaning an elephant, as these three creatures are believed to have worshipped Lord Shiva at this place and attained salvation. It is located on the banks of the River Swarnamukhi, which is a tributary to River Pennar, one of the major rivers in South India. The ancient Shiva temple of Srikalahasti finds reference in the three ancient epics the Skanda Purana, Shiva Purana and the Linga Purana. According to Skanda Purana Arjuna came to this place to worship Kalahasteeswara (Lord Shiva) and met Rishi Bharadwaja on the peak of a hill.

The temple of Kalahasteeswara is one of the most impressive Siva temples in India. This ...

At a distance of 49 km from Bakarapet, 64 km from Tirupati, 120 km from Horsley Hills, 192 km from Chennai, 241 km from Bangalore and 89 km from Chittoor, Talakona Falls are situated in Sri Venkateswara National Park near Nerabailu Village of Yerravari Mandal of Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. The gorgeous waterfall falling deep into a valley from a height of around 270 feet makes it the highest waterfall in Andhra Pradesh and also one of the top Tourist places in Andhra Pradesh. It is also one of the popular waterfalls near Bangalore.

The waterfalls are placed amidst dense forest surrounded by natural beauty and greenery. It is believed that the water of Talakona Falls is enriched with herbs with healing powers. Talakona was declared as Bio-Sphere Reserve in 1990 because of wide variety of plant species present in the region. In this forest, one can find variety of endangered species like sambar, porcupine, cheetal, golden gecko, Indian giant squirrel, slender loris, panther and mouse deer etc. Talakona means 'head hill' in Telugu. This place is believed to be the starting point of Seshachalam Hills which are extended till Tirumala.

There is a 240 m long canopy rope walk, about 35 to 40 feet in height, giving a thrilling ...

At a distance of 37 km from Guntur, 273 km from Hyderabad, 354 km from Vizag, 453 km from Chennai and 643 km from Bangalore, Vijayawada, also known as Bezawada, is the second largest city in Andhra Pradesh State and also one of the top Places to visit in Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the banks of the Krishna River to the South, Budameru River on the north and the Indrakiladri Hills on the west. This is the largest railway junction of the South Central Railway, situated along the Chennai-Howrah and Chennai-Delhi rail route.

Legend says that Goddess Durga took rest in this sacred place after destroying a Rakshasa and since then the name 'Land of Victory' or Vijayawada came into existence. The discovery of Stone Age artifacts along the banks of River Krishna from Machilipatnam to Nagarjuna Sagar indicates that this area was inhabited long before. The Chalukyas once conquered this place and it was later part of Vengi Kindom, Eastern Gangas, Vijayanagaras and Reddy Dynasty. Finally it came under British Madras presidency.

The major attractions of Vijayawada are Kanaka Durga temple and Mangalagiri temple. Apart from these, other tourist attractions include Prakasham Barrage, Gandhi Hill, Mogalarajapuram Caves, Victoria Museum, Hazarat Bal Mosque, Rajiv Gandhi Park and Bhavani Island. The Kondapalli Reserve Forest in the western outskirts that sprawls over an area of 121.5 sq. km is ...

Belur is one of the best heritage sites in Karnataka. It was the early capital of the powerful Hoysala Empire on the banks of River Yagachi. About 25 km from Chikmagalur, and 217 km from Bangalore, it is among the most visited places as part of Chikmagalur tour packages.

Belur is renowned for the grand Hoysala Temple built by king Vishnuvardhana in 1117 CE. Dedicated to Lord Chennakesava, it is the best of three Hoysala temples nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Sites (other two being the temples at Halebid & Somnathpur). The Hoysala temples are known for minute & intricate carvings and sculptures with metal-like polishing. Sri Chennakesava Temple is one of the must-visit places as part of Belur tour packages.

Standing on a star-shaped platform, Sri Chennakesava Temple is known for its intricate sculptures and friezes. There are about 48 pillars of various sizes, shapes, and designs, bearing testimony to remarkable artistry. The main highlight of the temple is Darpana Sundari or The lady with the mirror. Yagachi Dam, Halebidu, and Narasimha Pillar are the other places to visit in Belur.

Formed over Sharavathi River, Jog falls is the one of the highest plunge waterfalls in India and among the top destinations of Karnataka Tourism. It is situated about 400 km from Bangalore.

Locally known as Gerusoppe Falls, Jog Falls is one of the best waterfalls near Bangalore to visit as part of Karnataka holiday packages. The Sharavathi River flowing over a very rocky bed about 250 yards wide, 253 m deep and the water comes down in four distinct falls known as Raja, Rani, Rover, and Rocket. The four cascades merge to form the huge waterfall. The Raja Fall pours in one unbroken column sheer to the depth of 830 ft. Halfway down it is encountered by the Rover, another fall, which rushes violently downwards to meet the Raja. A third falls, the Rocket, shoots downwards in a series of jets; while the fourth, the Rani, is a quiet fall over the mountain side.

A narrow path from viewpoint leads to the bottom of the falls. The view is amazing from the bottom and the showering sizzles of the falls at the bottom are really worth the effort. Unchalli Falls, Bennehole Falls, Yana and Banavasi are among the must include places in Jog Falls tour packages.

Situated on the banks of Malaprabha River, Pattadakal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Badami & Aihole known as Chalukyan Group of Monuments. Pattadakal is among the popular Tourist places in Karnataka. It is about 439 km from the city of Bangalore.

Pattadakal is the place where the coronation of Chalukyan kings took place. Along with Aihole, Pattadakal is considered the cradle for South Indian Temple architecture. The main complex has about 10 temples date back to 6th - 9th centuries, that are the must-visit places as part of Pattadakal tour packages. The temples are built in different architectural styles representing Dravidian, Nagara, Phamsana, and Gajaprastha models.

Virupaksha Temple, Sangameshwara Temple, Mallikarjuna Temple, Kashivisvanatha Temple & Galganatha Temple are the most prominent places to visit in Pattadakal. Pattadakal can also be visited along with Aihole & Badami Tour Packages.

Sakleshpur is a quaint hill station in the Hassan district of Karnataka. Situated at an altitude of 3061 feet, Sakleshpur is one of the least explored hill stations in Karnataka and among the must include tourist attractions in Karnataka tour packages. It is about 151 km from Mangalore and 220 km from Bangalore.

Lies in the Malnad region, this beautiful hill station is very popular for its fascinating mountains, scenic beauty, and pleasant weather as well, which are the must-experience things to do as part of Sakleshpur tour packages. Manjarabad Fort, Sakleshwara Temple, Agni Gudda Hill, Magajahalli Waterfalls, Betta Byraveshwara Temple, Hemavathi Dam, and Pandavar Gudda are some of the popular places to visit in places to visit in Sakleshpur. Besides, this lesser-known hill station is famous for trekking activities in Bisle Reserve Forest Trail and Kumara Parvatha trail, in which one can explore the rich biodiversity of the place.

Sakleshpura is the gateway to the Western Ghats from Bengaluru & Hassan side. Sakleshpur is among the major producers of coffee and cardamom output in India.

Earlier known as Cannanore, Kannur is one of the top beach destinations in Kerala, as it is famed for its vibrant culture and pristine white beaches that are relatively undiscovered. It It is about 113 km from Madikeri, 138 km from Mangalore, 270 km from Kochi, and 311 km from Bangalore. It is one among the best places to visit during Kerala Trip.

Cradled in the lap of nature, the beautiful town of Kannur has a plethora of sightseeing options in the form of beaches, historical monuments, and ancient temples. St. Angelos Fort, Thalassery Fort, Muzhappilangad Beach, Parassinikkadavu Snake Park, Arakkal Museum, Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Payyambalam Beach, Madayipara, Valiyaparamba Island and Kottappuram are the top places to visit as part of Kannur tour packages.

Also, Kannur is well known for its handlooms and is often described as the land of 'loom and lore'. Besides, Kannur enjoys the credit of having been the cradle of many colorful folk arts and folk music of Kerala. Apart from being culturally rich, Kannur is a valuable asset to the country as it is having Indian Naval Academy, Asia's largest Naval Academy.

Kottayam is a city located in central Kerala and is also the administrative capital of Kottayam district. It is one of the well known places to visit as part of Kerala Tour Packages. About 63 km from Kochi and 155 km from Trivandrum, the city is an important trading center of spices and commercial crops, especially rubber.

Being a mountainous region with scenic landscapes, backwaters, bird sanctuaries, temples, and churches make this place an attractive tourist destination. The Poonjar Palace, Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple, Pallippurathu Kavu, Thiruverpu Temple, Mary Church (Cheriyapally), and Thazhathangady Juma Masjid are the must include places in Kottayam tour packages. It is also a gateway to the famous Sabarimala Temple.

Bounded by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake on the west, Kottayam is well known as a beautiful Kerala backwaters destination with stunning landscape and beauty. Kumarakom, the most famous backwater destination of Kerala is situated very close to Kottayam (13 km). Kottayam is the first town to have attained 100 percent literacy in India.

Thrissur, also known as Trichur, is one of the famous places of pilgrimage in Kerala, and among the must include places in Kerala tour packages. Situated about 81 km from Kochi, and 279 km from Trivandrum, this is one of the ideal weekend getaways around Kochi & Coimbatore.

Thrissur is also known as the Cultural Capital of Kerala because of its cultural, spiritual, and religious leanings throughout history. Vadakkumnathan temple, Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple and Paramekkavu temple, and Guruvayur Temple, Our Lady of Lourdes Syro-Malabar Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral, Athirapally Falls, Thrissur Zoo, Shakthan Thampuran Palace, and Kerala Kalamandalam are the most popular places to visit as part of Thrissur tour packages.

Thrissur hosts the world-famous Thrissur Pooram, the most colorful and spectacular temple festival in Kerala. UNESCO has awarded Thrissur Pooram as the most spectacular festival event on the planet. Thrissur is also the home town of the great Hindu Saint, Adi Shankara.

At a distance 130 km from Pondicherry, 285 km from Chennai, 66 km from Chidambaram, 283 km from Rameswaram, 274 km from Madurai, 96 km from Thanjavur & 154 km from Trichy, Karaikal is an important port town and district headquarters under the Union Territory of Pondicherry. Karaikal was a French colony until its merger with Indian Union in 1954. Karaikal is one of the best places to include in your Pondicherry tour packages.

French acquired Karaikal in 1674 and converted that into a major commercial port, primarily trading spices. French acquired trading rights in Karaikal by then Tanjore rulers. In 1739, the current town of Karaikal along with its adjacent villages were transferred to French East India Company by the king of Tanjore, Sahuji. This territory was surrendered to the British in 1761. The control changed between French and British few times until it was finally handed over to French in 1816 until the Treaty of Paris, 1814.

Karaikal has rich heritage and it still holds the old charm. Thirunallar, Karaikal Beach, Karaikal Ammaiyar Temple and Tantondreeswara Temple are few important places to visit around Karaikal. Nagore Dargah (14 km), Nagapattinam (20 km) and Velankanni Church (31 km) are other major attractions in the vicinity of the town.

Nearest Airport to Karaikal is Tiruchirapally ...

Fondly called the 'Cultural Capital of India', Chennai is the fourth largest metropolis in India and the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu. It is also one of the famous tourist places in Tamilnadu.

Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, the city is famous for its beaches, museums, parks, temples, and several historical places. Marina Beach, Govt Museum, Parthasarathy Temple, Kapaleeswaraar Temple, San Thome Cathedral, etc are some of the must include places in Chennai tour packages. There are several other attractions in the vicinity of Chennai like Elliot Beach, VGP Golden Beach, Pulicat Lake, Muttukadu, etc.

Chennai is as dynamic as it is immersed in tradition. It is also the starting point of many tourist destinations including Mahabalipuram, Madurai, Coimbatore, Pondicherry, Vellore and Kanchipuram, the famous historical & pilgrimage town.

Kumbakonam is an ancient temple town located amidst the two rivers Cauvery and Arasalar in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. About 235 km from Madurai, and 282 km from Chennai, it is one of the famous places of pilgrimage in Tamilnadu, and among the popular places to visit near Chennai.

Kumbakonam is known for its temples and mutts (monasteries). There are around 188 Hindu temples within the municipal limits of Kumbakonam. Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Nageswaraswamy temple and Kasi Viswanathar temple are the prominent temples to visit as part of Kumbakonam tour packages. Sarangapani temple is the largest Vaishnava shrine present in Kumbakonam. Patteeswaram, the Oppiliappan Kovil, the Swamimalai Murugan temple and the Airavateeswarar Temple are the other temples located in the vicinity of Kumbakonam.

The town is well - known for its prestigious educational institutions and carved Panchaloha idols, silk products, brass, and metal wares. The important festival of Kumbakonam is the Mahamaham festival. It takes place once in 12 years during the Tamil Month of Masi (February/March) and lakhs of pilgrims visit Kumbakonam and takes a holy bath in the sacred Mahamaham Tank.

At a distance of 218 kms from Hyderabad, 22 Kms from Kurnool, 126 Kms from Mahbubnagar & 200 kms from Srisailam, Alampur is a historical place located in Mahbubnagar district of Telangana. Alampur is famous for Jogulamba Temple (a Shakti Peetha), Navabrahma temples and Sangameswara Temple built in 7th century. Alampur is considered as the western gateway to the famous pilgrimage town Srisailam. The temple consists of several inscriptions dated between 7th and 16th centuries. Alampur is one of the famous places to visit near Hyderabad.

Situated on the banks of River Tungabhadra close to the place where the mighty rivers of Krishna and Tungabhadra merge, Alampur has rich historical and pilgrimage importance. Several dynasties ruled this place including Satavahanas, Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Bahamani sultans, Vijayanagara kings and finally falling under Hyderabad. Alampur is one of the top attractions you must include in Hyderabad tour packages.

As per history of this place, Lord Brahma, after losing his powers due to a curse of a saint, performed penance for Lord Shiva. It is believed that Lord Shiva appeared in nine different forms, thus nine different temples to celebrate each form. The shivalinga in the main temple of Bala Brahma ...

At a distance of 39 km from Kothagudem, 115 km from Khammam, 178 km from Rajahmundry, 182 km from Vijayawada, 352 km from Vizag and 312 km from Hyderabad, Bhadrachalam is a pilgrimage town in Khammam district of Telangana State, situated on the banks of the River Godavari. Bhadrachalam is renowned for the famous Sri Rama Temple built in 17th century and is one of the best tourist places near Hyderabad.

The temple for Lord Rama was built by a devotee called Kancherla Gopanna popularly known as Bhakta Ramadasu in the 17th century. Gopanna was the Tasildar of Bhadrachalam and constructed the temple using public donations. But the Golconda Sultans were misled and felt that Gopanna had misused the government funds to build the temple. He was imprisoned in a dungeon at Golconda Fort. Lord Rama is said to have miraculously appeared before the Sultan and paid the money spent by Gopanna, after which he was released. Gopanna then became Bhadrachala Ramadasu and went on composing several songs in Telugu in praise of Rama. Kabirdas, the famous Muslim saint and poet, was also closely associated with this temple. This is another popular attraction to visit as part of Hyderabad tour packages.

This holy town with beautiful landscapes provided by River Godavari attracts several devotees throughout the year from different parts ...

At a distance of 35 km from Nizamabad, 158 km from Adilabad and 212 km from Hyderabad, Basara is a popular pilgrimage site located in Adilabad district of Telangana. This is also one of the top Places to visit in Telangana.

Basar or Basara is situated on the banks of River Godavari. It is a popular tourist and pilgrimage site because of the famous Saraswathi temple. The Basara temple in is a unique temple of Goddess Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of Knowledge and Learning. Children are brought here to do the learning ceremony called Akshara Abyasam. It is believed to be one of the two oldest temples of Goddess Saraswathi in India, the other being located in Kashmir. Basara is one of the top attractions you must include in Hyderabad packages.

According to mytholpgy, Maharishi Vyas, his disciples and sage Viswamitra decided to settle down in a cool and serene atmosphere after the Kurukshetra War. In the quest for a peaceful abode, he came to Dandaka forest and pleased with serenity of the region, selected this place. Since Maharishi Vyasa spent considerable time in prayers, the place was then called 'Vasara' and turned into Basara due to the influence of the Marathi language in the region.

It is also considered to be one among the three temples created near the holy confluence of the Manjira and Godavari Rivers by the ...

At a distance of 12 km from Neredikonda, 43 km from Nirmal, 58 km from Adilabad & 260 km from Hyderabad, Kuntala Waterfalls is situated in the middle of the Sahyadri mountain range near Neredikonda village in Adilabad District. Kuntala Falls is the highest waterfall in the state of Telangana with a height of 200 feet and also one of the popular weekend getaways from Hyderabad.

Formed by Kadam River, Kuntala falls cascades down through two steps from a rocky platform. It is one of the famous one day outings and a good weekend getaway from Hyderabad city. There is a motorable road till the entry point of waterfalls from where about 400 steps have to be trekked down to reach the bottom of the falls. The falls is about 10-15 minutes walk (one way) from the entry point. This is another popular attraction to visit as part of Hyderabad tour packages.

According to the popular and prevalent local belief Kuntala Waterfall got its name after Shakuntala, the beloved wife of King Dushyanth; the pair fell in love with each other and were mesmerized by the scenic beauty of the surroundings. The locals also believe that Shakuntala used to take bath in the waterfall.

Monsoons and post-monsoons are the best seasons to visit Kuntala Falls. It is dangerous to get into water at the bottom when the water flow is high due to sharp rocks and ...

At a distance of 166 km from Hyderabad, 83 km from Nalgonda, 149 km from Guntur, 551 km from Vizag & 190 km from Vijayawada, Nagarjuna Sagar (or Nagarjuna Sagar), located in Nalgonda district of Telangana, is one of the most prominent Buddhist centers in India and also one of the top Tourist places in Telangana. Nagarjuna Sagar is one of the most popular tourist places to visit near Hyderabad and one of the best weekend getaways from Hyderabad city. It is also well known for Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, one of the largest dams in India.

Known in ancient days as Vijayapuri, meaning 'The city of victory', Nagarjuna Sagar takes its present name from Nagarjuna, one of the most revered Buddhist monks lived in 2nd century AD. It is also a place of immense archaeological significance & excavations revealed this place as a center for the propagation of Buddhist teachings in South India during 3rd century AD. It was ruled by the Sathavahanas and subsequently by the Ikshvaku rulers during ancient times.

One of the early river valley civilizations took birth here. Enthused by the peaceful environs of this place, Buddhists made this land a great hub of learning, setting up one of the four major Viharas here. Further down in history, one of the first Hindu kingdoms of South India, Ikshvakus made ...

At a distance of 149 km from Hyderabad, 142 km from Nalgonda, 118 km from Khammam, 241 km from Vijayawada and 523 km from Visakhapatnam, Warangal or Orugallu or Ekasila Nagaram is a historical city in Warangal district of Telangana. Warangal is the district headquarters and the second largest city in Telangana after Hyderabad. It is also one of the famous weekend getaways from Hyderabad and an important historical site in Telangana. This is one of the popular places to experience Telangana tourism. Hanamkonda is its twin city.

Warangal was the capital of a Hindu Shaivite kingdom ruled by the Kakatiya dynasty from the 12th to the 14th centuries. Its old name was Orugallu where Oru means one and Kallu means stone. The entire city was reportedly carved using a single rock. The cultural and administrative distinction of the Kakatiyas was mentioned by the famous traveler Marco Polo. Famous rulers of Kakatiya dynasty include Ganapathi Deva, Prathapa Rudra, and Rani Rudramma Devi. After the defeat of Prathapa Rudra, the Musunuri Nayaks united seventy two Nayak chieftains and captured Warangal from Delhi sultanate and ruled for fifty years. Jealousy and mutual rivalry between Nayaks ultimately led to the downfall of Hindus in 1370 AD. It was occupied by Bahmani Sultanate followed by the takeover of ...

At a distance of 66 km from Hyderabad, 85 km from Nalgonda & 91 km from Warangal, Yadagiri Gutta is a popular pilgrimage town in Nalgonda district in the state of Telangana situated close to Warangal highway. It is famous for Yadagirigutta Temple, abode of Narasimha Swamy, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This cave temple is situated at an altitude of 300 feet on a large hillock. Yadagirigutta was earlier known as Vedagiri because it is believed that Lord Vishnu kept all the Vedas at this sacred place. This is one of the top tourist places to visit near Hyderabad and also one of the popular one day trip from Hyderabad. The official name of this place was recently changed to Yadadri by Telangana government.

This temple has five forms of Narasimha. According to the legend, Sri Yadava Maharishi son of Sri Rushyashrunga Maharishi had performed great penance for Lord Narasimha Swamy. Impressed with his penance, Lord Narasimha appeared before the sage and took five Avatars known as Jwala Narasimha, Yogananda Narasimha, Ugra Narasimha, Gandaberunda Narasimha and Lakshmi Narasimha. They later manifested themselves into finely sculpted forms that later came to be worshiped as Pancha Narasimha Kshetram.

In the sanctum of this hill temple Jwala Narasimha, Gandaberunda ...

At a distance of 4 Kms from Chennai Central Railway Station (located at Kamarajar Road, near local Chepauk Railway Station), the famous Marina beach is the second longest beach in the World and runs to a length of 13 Km. This is one of the top tourist places to visit in Chennai city and also one of the popular attraction not to miss in a Chennai tour packages.

Situated on the beach, the Anna Park, named after the founder of D.M.K Anna durai and the tomb of M.G. Ramachandran who was a film star (both were former Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu) and the Statue of Labour is a splendid sculpture depicting the efforts of a team of labourers who are at hard manual labour.

The beach can be ideally visited in the early mornings or in the late evenings when the area becomes a virtual ground with food stalls and other entertainments.

At a distance of about 2 kms from Trivandrum Central Railway Station, Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, located in the Fort Area. The temple is one of the 108 Divyadesams of Lord Vishnu and among the popular temples in India that can be visited as part of Kerala Packages. The main deity is seen in reclining position over the serpent Anantha or Adi Sesha. The temple depicts a blend of Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture.

Padmanabha Kshetram and its properties were controlled by Ettuveetil Pillamar under the guidance of Ettara Yogam. Later, Marthanda Varma defeated the Pillamar and his cousins took over power. The temple was renovated majorly by King Marthanda Varma, Maharaja of Travancore in the mid of 17th century.

The temple has an impressive 100 feet gopuram. Only Hindus are permitted inside the temple. Men should remove clothes above waist, no pants for men or churidhar for women. Dhotis can be borrowed at the locker room for Rs. 15.

Timings: 4:15 AM to 11:45 AM & 5:15 PM to 7:30 PM.

At a distance of 2 kms from Kurnool Railway Station & 24 kms from Alampur, Konda Reddy Buruju, also known as Konda Reddy Fort, is an imposing structure situated in the heart of Kurnool City.

The construction of the fort dates back to 12th century when the city of Kurnool was used as a base for halting before crossing Tungabhadra River. Kurnool was occupied by Vijayanagar ruler Devaraya II and Achyutaraya who suceeded Krishnadevaraya built the initial fort between 1530 to 1542.

The fort has different gateways and bastions. The gateways of the fort were constructed by Gopal Raja, the grandson of Rama Raja of Talikota Vijayanagara kings in 17th century. The fort has three levels and it was used as watch tower in 17th and 18th centuries. The ground level is closed for visitors, while the visitors can climb to the first and second floors and get a glimpse of the history. First level has few enclosures with large portico. Second level houses a large tower used for observation.

The fort is named after Konda Reddy, the last ruler of Alampur who was imprisoned in the fort by the Kurnool Nawab in 17th century. Konda Reddy eventually escaped from the fort, but had to loose his territory to Golconda Nawabs.

Timings: 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM.

At a distance of 6 km from Kemmanagundi, 36 km from Tarikere, and 66 km from Chikmagalur, Hebbe Falls is a wonderful waterfall located in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. It is one of the top Kemmanagundi tourist places, and among the best places to visit near Bangalore.
Situated inside Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Hebbe Falls is surrounded by dense forest and coffee plantations. It is one of the must include places in Kemmanagundi Tour Packages. It cascades down from a height of 550 feet in two stages to form Dodda Hebbe (Big Falls) and Chikka Hebbe (Small Falls). This fall is created by the springs generated in the mountains. A pool is formed by the waterfall below the second stage which allows visitors to swim and play in the water. It is believed that the waters of these falls are infused with herbs and can cure skin diseases. Taking a refreshing bath in the herb-infused water is popular among the visitors. It can be visited along with Chikmagalur Tour Packages.

Hebbe Falls is a perfect retreat from the busy city life and it is one of the must-visit tourist spots in Karnataka. These waterfalls are situated inside a coffee estate and can be reached either by walk or four-wheeler. There is a motorable road for the first ...

At a distance of 5 km from Gooty Railway Station, 52 km from Anantapur, 97 km from Kurnool, 311 km from Hyderabad, 425 km from Vijayawada and 265 km from Bangalore, Gooty Fort or Gutti Fort is a hill fort located at Gooty in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Gooty was center of power struggle and witnessed several wars in the medieval period. Sri Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara Empire has enhanced the fortifications and added several sections in the fort. Bahmani Sultans have also occupied the fort for some time. After the fall of Vijayanagara Empire, this place came under the rule of Qutb Shahis of Golconda and Hyderabad Nizams. Later, it came under the rule of Hyder Ali in 1773, then Tipu Sultan and over a period of time it fell into the hands of Hyderabad Nizams. The fort was briefly occupied by Maratha forced under the command of Morari Rao. This place was gifted to British by Nizam for the maintenance and became part of Ceded region under Madras Presidency.

Previously this place was known as Gowthampuri and later renamed as Gooty. The earliest inscriptions on the walls of this fort date back to the 7th century. As per the inscriptions, the place was called as Gadha meaning Fort while an inscription of Bukkaraya mentions this place as King of Forts.

Gooty Fort is one of the oldest hill forts of Andhra Pradesh. It fort was made of granite rocks and the domes were constructed with fine stone, mortar ...

At a distance of 36 km from Araku, 88 km from Vizag & 662 km from Hyderabad, Borra Caves are one million year-old limestone caves and the deepest caves in the country. Situated in Anantagiri hills of Andhra Pradesh, the caves are situated at an altitude of 1400 m and occupy an area of 2 sq.km. Borra Caves is one of the best places to visit in Araku Valley as part of Vizag packages.

These natural caves were discovered in 1807 by William King George of the Geological Survey of India. According to locals, once a cowherd lost his cow while grazing. He soon realized that his cow had fallen down. While searching for the cow, the cowherd found these caves and came across a Linga inside it. The Linga is considered synonymous to Lord Shiva, who saved the cow. After this, a small Shiva temple was built right outside this cave.

The caves are filled with fascinating stalagmite and stalactite formations of calcium deposits. The Gosthani River used to flow through the caves between the formations. The caves were created due to the flow of river over the limestone area. The pressure was exerted by the humic acid in the water on the mineral deposits and the limestone dissolved in the water. The dissolved limestone trickled down drop by drop forming different shapes in the cave. One can see different formations of the stalactites and stalagmites as Shiv-Parvathi, Mother-Child, Rushi's Beard, ...

At a distance of 7 Kms from Athirapally & 75 Kms from Kochi, Vazhachal Waterfalls is a breathtakingly beautiful waterfall situated very close to Athirapally - Valparai road. It is one of the best places to visit near Athirapally Falls and among the stunning waterfalls in India which can be visited as part of Kerala Packages.

Near the entrance of the Sholayar forest range, the waterfall is formed on Chalakkudy River at lower stream of Athirapally Waterfalls. The surroundings of the waterfalls offer rich natual views. Unlike Athirapally Waterfalls, Vazhachal flows through an inclined slope of more than 300 feet to descend into huge pool. It is very difficult and dangerous to step into the flow or to reach the bottom of the flow. It is advised to limit your Vazhachal trip to enjoying the natural beauty of the falls.

There is another seasonal waterfall called Chapra Falls on the way to Vazhachal Falls towards left side of the road. In peak season, the falls can be seen falling from 63 meters height.

Several private vehicles ply between Athirapally & Vazhachal falls.

At a distance of 10 Kms from Munnar Bus Station, Mattupetty Dam is one of the most scenic places in Munnar situated on Top Station Road. This is one of the best places to visit in Munnar and also a great place to experience the beauty of Munnar along with boating. It is one of the top attractions you must include in Munnar packages.

Constructed in 1953, the lake and dam surrounded by wooden hills and tea plantations, makes a great view. Boating in the Mattupetty Lake is a memorable experience. If possible, hire an exclusive speed boat. Often, elephants from surrounded forest take bath in the waters of the lake and watching them (while boating) is a pleasant experience. This place is also famous for Eucalyptus Oil, which is sold near the dam. The tea plantations enroute the Dam might be crowded with visitors rushing to take snaps.

Mattupetty Boating Timings: 9 AM to 5:30 PM, Boating Fee: Speed boat - Rs.600 for 15 min (max. 5 persons)

Mattupetty is also famous for its highly specialized dairy farm, an Indo-swiss project. It is open for visitors between 9 AM to 11 AM and 2 PM to 3:30 PM.

At a distance of 20 km from Chikmagalur and 23 km from Baba Budangiri (by road), Mullayanagiri is a mountain peak located in Chikmagalur. With an altitude of 1950 m, it is the highest peak in Karnataka, and among the must include places in Chikmagalur Packages.
 
Regarded as the highest peak between the Himalayas and Nilgiris, Mullayanagiri is one of the best places for trekking in Karnataka. The peak gets its name from a small temple at the summit, which is dedicated to a Tapasvi Mullappa swamy, who is believed to have meditated at the cave near the summit. For adventure enthusiasts, it is one of the best places to visit in Chikmagalur as it offers an opportunity to engage in activities like mountain biking, trekking, and road biking.

Being the highest peak in Karnataka, it offers some very interesting trails. The trek route to the peak begins from Sarpadaari, which is connected with Chikmagalur by road. This is a 3 km long moderate level trek which is fairly steep and takes about 1.5 hrs to reach the peak. Direct road access is also available closer to the peak which needs less than 1 km trek and takes about 20-30 mins. The valley views from the top of Mullyanagiri are breathtaking. The landmarks on the trek path are a small stream, a Nandi statue, and a cave ...

At a distance of 12 km from Mangalore Railway Station, Tannirbavi Beach is located towards the southern end of Mangalore Port. The beach is the property of Mangalore port trust. This is one of the best beaches in Mangalore and among the top Mangalore tourist places.

The soft sands of the beach and breezy winds of the Arabian Sea offer a memorable experience as part of Mangalore Tour Packages. It is also a favorite spot to watch the sunset. You can see the remains of a ship which sank 15 years ago near the beach. This beach is comparatively deserted and is a great spot for safe swimming.

Due to the poor connectivity, it's important to have your own vehicle to visit this beach in Mangaluru.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Free

At a distance of 9 Kms from Palakkad Railway Station, Malampuzha Dam is a large irrigation dam built on Malampuzha River, a tributary of Bharathapuzha River at the base of the hills of the Western Ghats. The reservoir provides drinking water to Palakkad town.

There is a beautiful well laid garden near the Dam. There are lush green lawns, innumerable flower beds, glittering pools, fountains and avenues. There is a fresh water aquarium, Snake Park and a Children's park with a toy train. The Garden house has a unit of Water sports also. The imposing concrete sculpture of YAKSHI, the passenger ropeway, first of its kind in South India, offers adventurous and delightful air journey of 20 minutes across the garden are added attractions of the park. A telescopic tower, the first rock garden and the first amusement park of Kerala Fantasy Park are also located at Malampuzha. The reservoir has boating and fishing facilities.

Timings: 9 AM to 8 PM. Ropeway Timings: 10 AM - 1 PM & 2:30-8 PM.

At a distance of 8 km from Madikeri Bus Station, Abbey Falls or Abbi Falls is a wonderful waterfall situated amidst the mountains of Western Ghats in Coorg. It is one of the best waterfalls near Bangalore, and among the must include places in Coorg tour packages.

Abbey Falls is one of the top tourist places to visit in Coorg. British called Abbey Waterfalls as Jessy waterfalls in memory of Jessy, the daughter of Madikeri's first British Captain Chaplain. Numerous small streams and abundant rainfall combine to form the Abbey Waterfalls. It cascades down the rocky slopes from a height of about 70 feet into a pool.

Abbey Falls is situated in the middle of private coffee plantations and spice estates. It is one of the best waterfalls in the Coorg region. This waterfall flows to unite with the River Cauvery. A hanging bridge has been built across the gorge here, from where the visitors can get a beautiful view of the falls. The sound of the waterfalls can be heard from the main road during the rainy season. A Kali Mata temple on the other side of the bridge is also not to be missed. The path leading to the waterfalls is filled with thick vegetation and offers a wonderful experience.

The best time to visit the waterfall is during the monsoon when the waterfalls in full gush and ...

At a distance of 1 km from Srirangam Railway Station, 9 km from Trichy Railway Junction, 62 km from Thanjavur, 145 km from Madurai & 327 km from Chennai, Srirangam is well known for Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple which is the foremost of the eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu. The temple is considered the first among 108 prominent Vishnu temples and also one of the popular Tamilnadu tourist places.

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is one of the most famous temples in South India, constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture. Built across an area of 156 acres, this temple is dedicated to Ranganatha, a reclining form of Hindu deity, Lord Vishnu. This temple lies on an island formed by the twin Rivers Cauvery and Kollidam. Though the temple existing since 2nd century BC, the archaeological inscriptions are available only from the 10th century CE.

This temple is also known by other names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati, Periyakoil, Bhoologa Vaikundam and Bhogamandabam. It has seven enclosures formed by thick and huge rampart walls which run around the sanctum. Apart from the 7 enclosures with massive walls, the temple complex has 21 very colorful sculpted gopuras, 50 sub shrines, 9 sacred pools and a golden Vimana (dome) over the sanctum sanctorum of the presiding deity.

During the invasion of Malik Kafur in 1310-1311, the idol of the deity was stolen and taken to ...

At a distance of 7 km from Tenkasi, 160 km from Madurai, 62 km from Tirunelveli & 625 km from Chennai, Courtallam, or Kutralam is well known for Courtallam Falls which is one of the most famous waterfalls in Tamilnadu and among the must include places in Tamilnadu tour packages during monsoon season. Courtallam is famed as the 'Spa of South'.

The main attraction of this summer resort is its waterfalls. The waters of Courtallam are believed to have medicinal qualities as it flows through forests of herbs. There are nine waterfalls at Courtallam where the River Chittar cascades over 92 meters at varying volumes.

The Main falls or Peraruvi is the most popular and the biggest among the nine falls, at a distance of about 300 meters from Courtallam Bus Stand. Falling from a height of 60 m, it is located right inside Courtallam town. The flow of water is interrupted by the Pongumakadal rock and comes down gently making it a safe place to bath. One can find water not only during the season but also in off season (November to January). During the peak months, this place is frequented by travellers from around the country. The Kutralanathar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva is located near this falls. Road access is available close to the falls.

Chitraruvi or Small falls is situated just above the Main falls. There are steps which provide easy access to the small falls. ...

At a distance of 13 km from Dandeli Bus Stand, Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is situated on the banks of the River Kali at Dandeli in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. This is the second-largest sanctuary for wildlife in Karnataka, and also one of the best places to visit in Dandeli.
 
Spread over an area of 866.41 sq. km, the sanctuary lies at an altitude ranging between 100 m to 970 m with the highest point being Hegada Temba. It is one of the must include places in Dandeli Tour Packages. The dense forests of the Sanctuary are crisscrossed by the meandering streams of River Kaneri and River Nagzari, tributaries of River Kali.

The Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as a tiger reserve in the year 2007. The sanctuary is contiguous with the Mahaveer Sanctuary in Goa and Anshi National Park in Karnataka. Karnataka state government has officially notified the Dandeli Elephant Reserve under Project Elephant on 4th June 2015.

Dandeli is a natural habitat for several wildlife animals like tigers, leopards, black panthers, elephants, gaur, deer, antelopes, crocodiles, and various kinds of snakes. This sanctuary is also a birdwatcher's paradise, housing nearly 200 species of Birds. The birds in the sanctuary include the golden-backed woodpecker, crested serpent eagle, white-breasted ...

At a distance of 10 km from Kakinada Town Railway Station, 66 from Rajahmundry and 37 from Annavaram, Uppada Beach is located on Uppada Road and it offers a relaxed and rejuvenating ambience to enjoy the sun kissed sand and water. The wide shore is a major attraction of this beach. The clear water, the silver sand and the golden sun gifts the beach with a majestic beauty.

The wide shoreline and the gradual inclination into the water make it a safe beach. One can have a variety of activities at this beach. Shore activities like cricket, football, jogging and trekking can be fun and rejuvenating. The local fishermen along the beach are very friendly and also, one could get an experience of going along with the local fishermen for deep water fishing.

The sunrise and the sunset are very worth watching at this beach. This riveting seashore also has a beautiful well maintained park that adds to its beauty. One can find snack bars and local restaurants selling fresh seafood near the beach. Haritha Beach Resort situated Kakinada and Uppada Beach offers Accommodation, food and boating facilities.

This place Uppada is a village which is known for weaving, located on the shores of the sea and also is a home to many fishermen. It is also a very popular fishery station which is famous for prawns. The view of nature alongside the road from Kakinada to Uppada Road Beach is another attraction to the visitors.

At a distance of 24 km from Somnathpur, 32 km from Sivanasamudram & 49 km from Mysore, Talakadu is a historical place situated on the banks of Kaveri River n Karnataka. It is one of the popular places to visit in Somnathpur.

Talakadu is a beautiful place surrounded by temples and is among prime place to visit on a Mysore trip. Talakadu had over 30 temples, most are them are buried in the sand today. Some of these temples have been excavated and are open to the public. There are five temples dedicated to Lord Siva - Pathaleshwara, Maruleshwara, Arkeshwara, Vaideeshwara, and Mallikarjuneshwara Temple. The Keerthinarayana temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is a beautiful site with wonderful carvings.

Talakadu was ruled by several dynasties - Gangas, Hoysalas, Rashtrakutas and Vijayanagara Kings. The temples of Talakadu have mixed architecture styles of these dynasties. Talakadu is also known for 'Curse of Talakad' by Alamelamma on the Wodeyar Dynasty of Mysore.

A famous festival called Pancha Linga Darshana is celebrated here once in 12 years. It is held on new moon day in the month of Karthika when two stars conjoin, the stars of Khuha Yoga and Vishaka.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM

At a distance of 22 km from Kalpetta, 21 km from Mananthavady, 46 km from Sulthan Bathery, Banasura Sagar Dam is the largest earthen dam in India and second largest in Asia. This is one of the most popular tourist places in Wayanad and often represented in the promotion of Wayanad Tourism. It is also one of the top attractions you must include in Wayanad Packages.

Banasura Sagar Dam across the Karamanathodu River, a tributary of River Kabini, is ideally placed in the foothills of Banasura hills, which got its name from Banasura, the son of King Mahabali, the famous ruler of Kerala. It is said that Banasura undertook severe penance on the top of the hills. Banasura hill is the third largest peak in the Western Ghats.

The dam was built in 1979 under the Indian Banasura Sagar Project that was started with an aim of supporting the Kakkayam Hydro Electric Power Project. This project also aimed at contributing to the drinking water and irrigation requirements of the locals during the hot summer season. Banasura Sagar Dam is made up of massive stacks of stones and boulders. The reservoir is marked with a cluster of small islands which were formed when the reservoir submerged the surrounding areas during monsoon season. These islands with the background of the Banasura hill provide a mesmerizing sight to the tourists.

About 1 km walk from the dam entrance will lead to the boating area which offers speed boating facility ...

At a distance of about 26 km from Kollam & 48 km from Trivandrum, Papanasam Beach is located in Varkala, which is a coastal town on the banks of Arabian Sea. Varkala is the second best beach resort in Kerala after Kovalam. It is a good weekend getaway destination from Trivandrum city.

Papanasan Beach is a quite and clean beach. It is believed that a dip in the water destroys all kind of sin. Hence, people prefer this shore for their offering of VAVUBALI in honour of ancestors and relatives whose souls are in rest. After the offering of VAVUBALI, people visit Janardhana Swamy Temple and perform Thilakahoma pooja performed for the sublimation of the departed souls.

This beach is less commercialized and less crowded. This long sandy beach is getting popularized in recent days. It is very much safe to swim & play in the waters of the beach here. Dolphins are also spotted at this place.

At a distance of 10 km from Kemmanagundi and 82 km from Chikmagalur, Kalhatti Falls is located at Kallattipura in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. Also known as Kalhattagiri or Kalahasthi Falls, it is one of the spectacular waterfalls near Bangalore and among the most picturesque places to visit in Kemmanagundi.

The waterfall cascades down from a height of over 400 feet through the Chandra Drona Hills in front of the Veerabhadreshwara Temple, which is the most commonly visited part of the falls. The presiding deity in this cave temple is Lord Shiva. It offers an excellent view of the surrounding valleys. The adjoining mountain is enriched with rare flora and fauna that can be experienced during your Kemmanagundi Tour.

According to legend, sage Agastya had prayed for a long time at this place. The Veerabhadra temple is believed to be built in the Vijayanagara period. The entrance of the temple is adorned with carved elephants. The water cascades over these elephants and devotees believe that these waters have the power of curing diseases. Hence, the area adjacent to this waterfall is also a famous pilgrimage center. The annual festival of Lord Veerabhadra is organized here for three days during March / April, which attracts thousands of devotees.

Kalhatti ...

At a distance of 29 km from Kemmanagundi & 36 km from Chikmagalur, Baba Budangiri is a mountain in the Baba Budan range in Chikmagalur. Also known as Dattagiri & Chandra Drona Parvatha, it is one of the prime place to include in your Chikmagalur Tour Packages.

At an altitude of 1895 m, Baba Budangiri is one of the top places for trekking in Karnataka and among the best places to visit as part of 2 day trip from Bangalore. The mountain is named after the Muslim saint, Baba Budan who used to reside here. Baba Budan was a 17th-century Sufi saint who came to India from Saudi to spread the message of Islam and peace. According to legend, he introduced coffee to India by bringing beans from the port of Mocha, Yemen in 1670 AD. This place is also important for Hindus as Dattatreya Peetha. A cave here is believed to have been the residence of Sri Dattatreya Swamy. An annual Jatra or Urs, which is held for three days after the Holi Festival according to the Hindu calendar, is attended by both Hindus and Muslims.

The main peaks in this range are the Mulliyangiri and Baba Budangiri. Collectively, these peaks are known as Chandra Drona Mountain Range as they naturally form the shape of a crescent moon. Baba Budangiri is known for its distinct ...

At a distance of 12 km from Halebidu, 27 km from Belur, 64 km from Chikmagalur, and 82 km from Kemmangundi, Belavadi is a village situated in the Chikmagalur district. It is one of the popular places to visit in Halebidu.

Belavadi is famous for Sri Veera Narayana Temple built in Hoysala architectural style. The place is described as Ekachakranagara of Mahabharata and is said to be the place where Pandava prince Bheema killed the demon Bakasura and protected the village and its people. Belavadi Temple can be visited along with Chikmagalur Tour Packages.

The Veera Narayana temple was built in the 13th century by the Hoysala King Veera Bhallala II. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in three different forms. While Belur and Halebid are famous for their intricate sculpture, this temple is one of the best examples of Hoysala architecture. The west side of the temple consists of a square garbhagriha, a sukanasi, Ranga mandapa and square maha mantapa. The whole structure has been constructed on a raised platform. The entire temple is built out of soapstone and is believed that this temple was constructed in two phases. The temple is in trikuta style (three vimanas) with Sri Veera Narayana in the center facing east, Sri Venugopala facing north and Sri Yoganarasimha facing south. The shrines ...

At a distance of 16 kms from Chidambaram & 217 Kms from Chennai, Pichavaram is among the most exquisite places of tourist interest near Chennai and a scenic spot.

The backwaters are interconnected by the Vellar and Coleroon River system and offer abundant scope for water sports such as parasailing, rowing and canoeing. The Pichavaram forests not only offer scenic waterscape and backwater cruises but combines the mangrove forests. These are trees permanently rooted in a few feet of water.

The mangroves of Pichavaram are considered among the healthiest mangrove forests in the world. Pichavaram consists of a number of small islands interspersing a vast expanse of water and covered with green trees. The area is about 2800 acres and is separated from the sea by sand bars.

At a distance of 1 km from Bugga Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple, 3 km from Tadipatri Railway Station, 57 km from Anantapur, 106 km from Kadapa, 356 km from Hyderabad, 413 km from Vijayawada and 268 km Bangalore, Sri Chintala Venkataramana Swamy Temple is a famous temple located in Tadipatri town of Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is in the divine form of Venkataramana Swamy.

This temple is believed to have been built in 16th century by Timma Naidu, son of Ramalinga Naidu, a chieftain of Vijayanagar Kingdom. It was built during the same time as the Vittala Temple of Hampi in a similar manner. Most of the features of these two temples bear close resemblance to each other, being built on a similar ground plan. While the stone chariot here is compact and small in size when compared to the famous stone chariot at Hampi.

Originally the temple was called Chintala Tiruvengala Natha Swamy Temple. Spread across 5 acres of land, this temple is built according to the Silpa Sastras. The carvings of episodes of the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavatha are seen around the Garba Griha, Ranga Mandapa, Mukha Mandapa, Main Gopura and the Prakaraa.

The Mukhamandapa has forty pillars in the Vijayanagar style. Beyond the Mukhamandapa is a Rangamandapa, which has scenes of the Ramayana and rare sculptures of the Vishnu avatars. The idol of Lord Venkataramana Swamy is very beautiful and ...

At a distance of 26 km from Araku, 85 km from Vizag & 660 km from Hyderabad, Anantagiri is a lovely tiny hill station between Vizag and Araku Valley. It is one of the top tourist places to visit in Araku Valley and is also among the top hill station in Andhra Pradesh apart from being a popular weekend getaway from Vizag city.

At an altitude of 1168 meters, Anantagiri is famous for extensive coffee plantations and numerous waterfalls. There is a view point on the way to Anantagiri on main road that offers excellent views of the deep valleys on one side and coffee plantations on the other side.

Anantagiri Hills are well known for its scenic beauty and charming weather. It is a perfect gateway to spend some time amidst the lap of nature. Anantagiri is paradise for coffee lovers and nature enthusiasts. The village is surrounded by coffee estates that emit the rich aroma of coffee and the surrounding hillocks are home to cascading waterfalls that feed the lush greenery.

The famous Borra Caves are very close to Anantagiri. This unexplored and peaceful environment of the hill station attracts tourists from various parts of the state. Watching the panoramic views ranging from sunrise, sunset, thick forests and mountain ranges cover the route between Vizag to Anantagiri. The Anantagiri hill resort is a perfect getaway from the hot and humid weather of Vizag in summer months.

Accommodation ...

At a distance of 12 kms from Kakinada, 40 kms from Annavaram, 52 km from Rajahmundry,199 km from Vijayawada, 172 km from Visakhapatnam & 447 km from Hyderabad, Samalkota is very famous for Pancharama Sri Kumararama Bheemeshwara Swamy temple. Situated just beside the Railway Station, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

This place was known as Purva Chalukya Bhimavaram as the Eastern Chalukyans ruled this place. The temple was built by Chalukya Kumara Rama during the end of 9th century as a celebration of his victories in more than 300 wars. A mantapam supported with one hundred pillars is built here along with Eka Shila Nandi (Single Stone Bull) at the temple entrance opposite to Shiva Lingam. Goddess Shri Bala Thripura Sundari is also worshipped in this temple. Pushkarni Lake is situated to the east of temple. The main entrance to the temple is called Surya Dwaram.

Kalyana Mahotsam & Mahashivratri are most celebrated festivals here.

Timings: 6 AM to 12 PM & 4 PM to 8 PM

At a distance of 31 Kms from Athirapally & 45 Kms from Valparai, Sholayar Dam is a beautiful dam situated on Athirapally - Valparai road. It is one of the top tourist places to visit near Athirapally Waterfalls.

The Solaiyar Dam is the second largest rock dam in Asia and measures about 20 Km in length. The dam is an important reservoir under the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project. The surroundings of the dam are full of great natural beauty.

Permission to enter the dam can be obtained at the office near dam entrance.

At a distance of 23 km from Kurnool, 53 km from Nandyal, 45 km from Alampur, 56 km from Yaganti, 70 km from Mahanandi & 237 km from Hyderabad, Orvakal Rock Garden (also known as Orvakallu) is a wonderful site with abundant natural beauty of rock formations. It is situated on Kurnool - Nandyal highway at a distance of 3 km from Orvakal village.

Orvakal Rock Garden is a rare silica and quartz rock formation site with beautiful surroundings. The rocks are formed around a natural lake in the middle of the site that enhances the beauty of the place. This is one of the must visit places in the surrounding of Kurnool. The rocks are spread across an area of 50 acres adjacent to Kurnool - Nandyal highway.

The garden is well developed by AP Tourism with a restaurant at the entrance and cottages spread across the garden. There is a walkway built through the formations which allows the tourists explore the beauty of the site. At the center of the hilltop, there is a metal animal garden with several large animal structures built with iron which is an added attraction. There is enough parking area and a children play area near the restaurant.

September to February is the best season to visit the place when the lake is filled with water that enhances the character of this beautiful place.

This place is well connected by bus ...

At a distance of 16 Kms from Munnar, Rajamalai is a tiny hill station located inside Eravikulam National Park on Munnar - Udumalpet Road. The Eravikulam National Park was established to protect the Nilgiri Tahr. The park is extended into Tamil Nadu and known as Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary. Trip to Rajamalai is one of the top things to do as part of Munnar tour packages and among the beautiful places to see Neelkurnji flowers in South India as part of your wildlife tour in India.

This region is famous as the natural habitat of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr. Nearly half the world's population of this rare species is found in area. Other faunal species found in the park are elephant Gaur, Giant Squirrel, Leopard, Lion-Tailed Macaque, Tiger, and Sambar.

The national park is spread across an area of 97sq km and is a protected area. The park is divided into 3 regions - the core area, the buffer area and the tourism area. Visitors are allowed only to the tourism area, which is in the Rajamalai region. Tourists can take safari and trekking tours inside the park.

Entry to the park is adjacent to Munnar - Udumalpet main Road. Private vehicles are not allowed into the park and visitors can park the vehicles at the entrance and board forest department minu bus. The bus rides tourists into the sanctuary and stops at the base of the Eravikulam peak from where a 2 km ...

At a distance of 34 Kms from Thanjavur & 284 Kms from Chennai, Darasuram, a small town 8 Kms away from Kumbakonam is known for the Airavathesvara Temple built by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century CE. This temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Great Living Chola Temples'.

This temple is a storehouse of art and architecture. The vimana is 85 feet high. The front mandapam itself is in the form of a huge chariot drawn by horses. The temple has some exquisite stone carvings. The main deity's consort Periya Nayaki Amman temple is situated adjacent to Airavateshwarar temple.

The legend goes to show that Airavata, the white elephant of Indra, worshipped Lord Siva in this temple; so did also the King of Death, Yama. Inscriptions on the temple walls say that it was known in those days as Raja Rajeswaram and Raja Rajapuram.

Timings: 6 AM to 7 PM

At a distance of 6 km from Gokarna Bus Station, Om Beach is a pristine beach situated in Gokarna. Along the Arabian Sea coast, it is one of the most famous Karnataka beaches, and among the must visit Gokarna tourist places.

Om Beach is the most famous beach in Gokarna. It is shaped as two semi crescents joined together forming the shape of Om (Hindu religious symbol) hence the name Om Beach. Om Beach is further along the coast from Kudle Beach. The curve of the symbol forms a pool which can be a safe bathing area for even non-swimmers.

Blessed with tropical weather, the area has plenty of palm trees dotting its coastline. Its azure waters are ideal for an exciting dolphin spotting trip. Om Beach is the center for several water sport activities such as boating, surfing, water-skiing, parasailing, and banana boat rides, which will surely spike your adrenaline to an altogether new level.

The beach is well maintained and there are commercial establishments like restaurants and resorts in close vicinity. In the rainy season, there are very limited options for boarding and lodging. This beach currently does not have beach rules and is open to camping and bonfires on the beach.

This beach can be accessible by foot from the nearest road point which ends at a hillock near the beach. Visitors need to decent about 100 well-laid steps ...

At a distance of 15 km from Udupi Railway Station, 65 km from Mangalore & 100 km from Murudeshwar, St. Mary's Island is a group of small beautiful islands situated to the north of Malpe Beach near Udupi. It is one of the best places to visit as part of Udupi Packages.

A quaint island just off the coast of Udupi, St. Mary's Island is an island of white sand beaches, rock monoliths, and great wildlife making it one of the best places to visit in Udupi. It is said that Vasco da Gama first reached this Island before reaching the Kappad Beach (near Calicut) while finding a sea route to India.

This island is a group of four individual islands namely Coconut Island, North Island, South Island, and Daryabahadurgarh Island. The island has two beautiful beaches and crystallized basalt rock formations which were created at the time Madagascar Island got separated from India. These unique rock formations scattered throughout the island giving a special landscape to the place. Watching the sunset standing on the crystalline rocks is one of the most alluring experiences on the island.

St.Mary's Island is 4 miles away from the coast and can be reached by 30 minutes boat ride from Malpe Beach. This island is uninhabited and there is no possibility to stay overnight there.

Ferry Timings from ...

At a distance of 15 km from Kushalnagar, and 29 km from Madikeri, Dubare Elephant Camp is an elephant training center situated on the banks of the river Cauvery in the Kodagu district of Karnataka. It is one of the most famous places to visit in Coorg, and also one of the top attractions you must include in Coorg packages.

Dubare is a natural island formed by Cauvery River. It is an important base for the Karnataka Forest Department's elephants and among the must include places in India wildlife tour packages. Dubare Elephant Camp is a project undertaken by the forest department and jungle lodges & resorts. This camp has plenty of elephants which are trained under naturalists. The elephants used for Mysore Dussehra are trained at this camp. The trainers explain the various aspects of elephant history, ecology, and biology. Visitors can also participate in various activities involving elephants like feeding the elephants with ragi, jaggery, sugarcane, banana, and coconuts. Tourists can also watch elephants being given a scrub-bath in the river and also watch how oil is applied on their forehead, tusks, etc.

There are opportunities for trekking, elephant rides, coracle ride, bird watching, fishing, and river rafting. River rafting at Dubare is one of the top things to do in Coorg. These ...

At a distance of 27 Kms from Thrissur & 81 km from Kochi, Guruvayoor is well known for the most famous Sri Krishna Temple in South India. This is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in Kerala & an ideal getaway from kochi.

Lord Sri Krishna can be seen in standing posture with four hands carrying Sankhu, Sudarshana Chakram, Lotus and Mace. A 33 meter tall gold-plated Dwajastambham is a special attraction. There is a 7 meter high 'Deepastambham' with thirteen circular containers, provides a wonderful site when lit.

The walls of the sanctum sanctorum are adorned with beautiful mural paintings and carvings. The temple is built in a typical Kerala temple architecture. Vishwakarma, the divine architect is said to have built the first temple here. On Malayalam New Year day, the first rays of Sun fall directly at the feet of Lord Krishna. The temple has a collection of 65 elephants, preserved at Anakotta, 3 Kms from the temple.

Only Hindus are allowed into temple. Guruvayoor Ekadasi is the main festival celebrated in Mar / Apr.

Timings: 3 AM - 12:30 PM & 4.30 PM - 10 PM.

At a distance of 8 km from Karwar Bus Stand and 5 km from Majali Beach village, Devbagh is a beautiful beach located nearer to the Karnataka-Goa border on the northern side of the Kali River. This is a private beachthat can be visited along with Goa Tour Packages.

Devbagh Beach is one of the most beautiful and enthralling beaches in India and also one of the best places to visit in Karwar. This is a special island beach that faces the mighty Arabian Sea on one side and the dense Western Ghats on the other side. It is known for its endless stretch of golden sand, the clear blue waters of the Arabian Sea, and the line of casuarina trees that dot the beach. This is the place where the renowned poet Sri Rabindranath Tagore had visited and lost in the scenic beauty of the natural way back in 1916.

Devbagh Beach is not only famous for the cool breeze and the golden sands but is also famous for water sports and fun. Here one can see people engaged in a variety of water sports like fishing, dolphin watching, snorkeling, speedboat rides, banana boat rides, water scooter rides, kayaking, parasailing, and more. These activities are offered by Devbagh beach resorts located near the beach. One can also cruise up the Kali River from the point where the river meets the sea.

Devbagh beach resorts are the ideal way to enjoy the days ...

At a distance of 6 km from Ambalavalayal, 14 km from Sulthan Bathery and 28 km from Kalpetta, Edakkal Caves are two natural caves located on top of Ambukutty Mala near Ambalavalayal in Wayanad. Edakkal caves are one of the prime tourist places to visit in Wayanad and among the best historical places to visit as part of Kerala Holiday Packages.

Situated an altitude of 4000 feet, these caves were discovered by Fred Fawcett, the then Superintendent of Police of the Malabar district in 1890, during his hunting trip to Wayanad. The name 'Edakkal' literally means 'a stone in between'. Here one can see a cave formed by a heavy boulder straddling a fissure in the rock. Many legends are there behind the formation of Edakkal caves. According to one, these caves are said to be formed with the arrows fired by Lava and Kusha, the sons of Lord Sri Rama. Another one is associated with Kutti Chathan and the Goddess Mudiampilly. The local people used to have a pilgrimage trip to this place to honour the Goddess.

The caves have two levels accessible though narrow iron steps. The lower chamber is around 18 feet long and 10 feet high. A small path from here leads to the upper chamber which is around 95 feet long and 18 feet high. These caves are natural rock formations which were formed by a large split in a huge rock. The stone walls in the upper chamber have ...

At a distance of 13 km from Meppadi, 24 km from Kalpetta & 46 km from Sulthan Bathery, Soochipara Waterfalls, also known as Sentinel Rock Waterfalls, is a beautiful waterfall situated in Vellarimala mountain range of Wayanad, among the popular tourist places in Kerala. It is one of the most visited tourist places to visit in Wayanad and is among prime place to visit on a Wayanad Trip.

Soochipara Waterfalls is a 3 tiered waterfall, dropping from a height of about 200 meters. The waterfall cascades down into a large pool, which is a good place for swimming and bathing. The name Soochipara given from the words soochi means rock and para means needle. One can see needle-shaped rock here hence the name Soochipara. The water from Soochipara Falls later joins Chaliyar River after Vellarimala Hills near Cherambadi in Tamil Nadu.

This waterfall, surrounded by dense green forest, is one of the best waterfalls in Wayanad. A 20 minute drive from Meppadi will take you to this splendid waterfall. Visitors have to trek down for about 2 km to reach the falls from the road point through well laid path. The trekking is of easy level, which takes about 30 minutes one way. There are high chances that visitors may get a glimpse of wildlife like Deer.

The Sentinel Rock, a huge rock which is about 200 meters in ...

At a distance of 12 km from Mallandur village, and 39 km from Chikmagalur, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area and a tiger reserve, situated amidst the Western Ghats in Chikmagalur and Shimoga districts of Karnataka. It is one of the most popular Wildlife Sanctuaries in Karnataka, and among the must-visit places as part of Chikmagalur Tour Packages.

Spread over an area of 490 sq. km, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is also known as Muthodi Wildlife Sanctuary. It is one of the most popular places to visit in Chikmagalur. The region was declared as a natural reserve, known as the Jagara Valley Game Reserve, in 1951 by the Government of Mysore. In 1974, the reserve was named the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. The Sanctuary boasts of a substantial tiger population and it was declared as the 25th Project Tiger of India in 1998.

The sanctuary is situated in the lush tropical forests of the Western Ghats and accommodates the tributaries of the Bhadra River. The sanctuary gets its name from the Bhadra River and a dam has been built on the river near Lakkavalli. The sanctuary has an elevation ranging from 750 m to 1875 m above sea level. Kallahathigiri is the highest peak in the sanctuary with a height of 1875 m. Lakkavalli village near Bhadra ...

At a distance of 5 kms from Kumarakom Bus Station, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is one of the famous bird sanctuaries in Kerala, situated on the banks of Vembanad Lake. The sanctuary is an amazing paradise of mangrove forests, emerald green paddy fields and coconut groves. This is one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in India and among the best places to visit in Kerala.

Spread across 14 acres, it is a favorite haunt for many migratory birds. The main attractions are local birds like the waterfowl, cuckoo, owl, egret, heron, cormorant, moorhen, darter, Brahminy kite and the duck, as well as the migratory Siberian crane. Parrot, teal, lark, flycatcher, and other birds are seen here during their respective migratory seasons.

The sanctuary is accessible by road & boat from Kumarakom village. It has well laid out paths for moving around within the sanctuary (1-2 hours by foot). The best way to watch the birds is to take a 2 hour boat trip around the sanctuary through country boats available at the entrance of sanctuary. The best time to watch migratory birds is from Nov to Feb.

At a distance of 42 km Chidambaram, 76 km from Thanjavur, 110 km from Trichy & 268 km from Chennai, Sri Brihadeeswara Temple is situated at Gangaikonda Cholapuram. Gangaikonda Cholapuram was the capital of Cholas. It was built by Rajendra Chola I, the son and successor of Rajaraja Chola, who conquered a large area in South India at the beginning of the 11th century. It occupies an important place in the history of India as the capital of the Cholas from about 1025 CE for about 250 years. This temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Great Living Chola Temples'.

Rajendra Chola I has established this temple after his great victories in Northern India. He was originally called Madurantakan and assumed the title of Rajendra during his coronation and continued to rule along with his father Rajaraja-I for a while. Gangai Konda Cholapuram is regarded as the reproduction of Brihadisvara Temple that was built by Rajaraja Chola, father of Rajendra Chola. The temple is renowned for having the biggest Shivalingam in the Southern part of India.

The temple was located at the center of the Gangai Konda Cholapuram and occupies around 6 acres of land. The temple has 2 enclosures surrounding the vimana, most of the wall was destructed and the granite rocks were used to construct a dam during the British rule. Archeological Survey of India has renovated and restored the vimana. The 182 feet tall tower over the sanctum is the second biggest after Thanjavur temple.

The ...

At a distance of 4 km from Tadipatri Railway Station, 58 km from Anantapur, 107 km from Kadapa, 357 km from Hyderabad, 413 km from Vijayawada and 269 km Bangalore, Bugga Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple is located on the banks of Penna River at Tadipatri in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva in the form of Ramalingeswara Swamy.

The temple got this name by a perennial underground stream from which water always keeps flowing (Bugga in Telugu) into the sanctum sanctorum at the spot where the Lingam is consecrated. Sri Bugga Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple was built by Ramalinga Nayudu, a chieftain of the Vijayanagara Kings, in 16th century. The records indicate that a sculptor Yellanchari was brought from Benaras to construct the temple. According to legend, the temple has been established at the site, where sage Parasurama lived and performed meditation.

The architecture of the temple shows a mixture of Chalukyan, Chola and Vijayanagar art. The temple has main entrances on South and West. The Vijayanagar kings have built the western, northern and southern gopurams of the temple. The north gopuram although unfinished has the most elaborate sculpture, with intricate carvings. The entire Shiva Purana is carved on the walls of the temple in miniature carvings with elaborate details. Episodes from Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata are also carved on the walls. This temple has a mini stone chariot similar to the famous chariot ...

At a distance of 11 Kms from Kottayam Railway Station, Mahadeva Temple located in Ettumanoor is one of the most celebrated Siva temples in Kerala. This is one of the popular tourist & pilgrimage sites to visit near Kottayam & Kochi.

This temple is known for its exceptional murals and woodcarvings made in 16th century. The themes of these murals are stills from the Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata and the and Puranas.The oil lamp at the entrance of the temple is believed to have been lighted for more than 450 years and it is fed with oil by the devotees everyday. There are 14 decorative gopuras in the temple built in 16th century.

Another attraction of the temple is Ezhara Punnana (golden elephants) donated to the temple by Maharaja of Travancore. The golden elephants are kept on display during the temple annual festival celebrated in the month of February / March. Only Hindus are allowed into this temple.

Ezharaponnaana Ezhunallathu is the main festival celebrated for 10 days in the month of Feb- Mar.

Timings: 4 AM to 12.30 PM & 5 PM to 8 PM.

At a distance of 17 km from Kakinada, 42 km from Rajahmundry, 65 Kms from Annavaram, 197 km from Vijayawada, 198 km from Vizag & 466 Kms from Hyderabad, Draksharamam is famous for one of the pancharama temples called Draksharama Bheemeshwara Swamy temple. This temple is situated in a green belt of river Godavari. Draksharamam is among prime place to visit on a Vizag tour.

This temple was constructed by the East Chalukyan king during 9th century. The temple also consists one of the Shakti Peethas called Sri Manikyamba. The speciality of this Shiva Lingam in this temple is that, the early morning tender Sun light falls on the Linga. There are nearly 800 ancient scripts on the walls of the temple. The celebrations in this temple were started during 14th century in the period of Reddy Kings. Shiva Lingam is nearly 9 ft height and the top part is seen at the first floor.

There are other small temples inside the main temple premises. Once upon a time Draksharama was considered as a Buddhist complex.

It is easily accessible by Bus from Kakinada & Rajahmundry (40 Kms).

Timings: 6 AM to 12 PM & 3 to 8 PM

At a distance of 3 km from Mysore Railway Station, the Mysore Zoo is a zoological park situated in Mysore. Also known as Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, it is one of the oldest zoo parks in South India, and among the must include places in Mysore packages.

The Mysore Zoo was established in the year 1892 by Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar and designed by German Landscaper and Horticulturist Mr. GH. Krumbeigal. It is one of the best Mysore tourist places, and often used to promote Mysore Tourism along with Mysore Palace.

The zoo was originally 10 acres and has expanded to over 250 acres currently. Mysore Zoo provides shelter to a large number of animal species. The Zoo is famous for breeding some very rare animals in captivity. It has a fine collection of animals like lions, tigers, hyenas, deer, elephants, rhinos, king cobras, and birds. The highlights of the zoo are Giraffes, Jaguars, African elephants, and Wallaby.

The zoo is very organized with a wonderful collection of animals and birds. The vegetation and landscape of the zoo are very well maintained. The sightseeing starts with birds followed by Tiger, Cheetah, Gorilla, Rhino, Zeebra, Bear, Deer, Elephant, Jaguar, Lion, Ghoral, Reptiles, Hippo, Ostrich and ends with Giraffe.

The best time to sight the animals is during the early hours of the morning, before 11 AM. Battery ...

At a distance of 40 km from Kurnool, 43 km from Nandyal, 63 km from Alampur, 59 km from Mahanandi, 71 km from Yaganti & 255 km from Hyderabad, Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the best sanctuaries in the state. It is primarily known as a habitat of the Great Indian Bustard, a rare species of bird. The sanctuary also attracts large number of migratory birds and it is often called as Rollapadu Bird Sanctuary. It is situated at a distance of 4.5 km from Rollapadu village.

Covering an area of 6.14 sq. km, it was established in 1988 to protect the Great Indian Bustard. It is the only habitat for the Bustard in Andhra Pradesh which is a critically endangered species. Rollapadu sanctuary is a dry grassland area that provides unique setting to the location. There is also a large lake called Alaganuru Reservoir at a distance of 3 km from the Rollapadu village (7 km from the sanctuary). Alaganuru Reservoir is the base site for the migratory birds and it's a must visit place.

Rollapadu sanctuary is home to variety of species with large number of deer's and black bucks. Other wildlife includes Foxes, jackals, bonnet macaques, jungle cats and sloth bears have been reported at the sanctuary. It also houses 132 bird species with the Alaganuru reservoir near the sanctuary being a haunt for migratory species. Some of the bird species ...

At a distance of 16 km from Srirangapatna, & 19 km from Mysore, Brindavan Gardens is a famous & beautiful garden laid out below the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam in Karnataka. This is one of the best tourist places to visit in Mysore, and among the must include places in Srirangapatna Tour Packages.

The construction work of the garden was started in the year 1927 and completed in 1932.
The garden was designed by Sir Mirza Ismail, Diwan of Mysore based on Shalimar Gardens of Kashmir in the Mughal style. Spread over an area of 150 acres, the Brindavan Gardens is considered one of the best gardens in India, and among the prime places to visit in Srirangapatna. The garden is enriched with fountains, terraces, parterres, running and cascading water channels, lush green lawns & flower beds.

The Musical and dancing fountain, located in the North Brindavan Garden, is the main attraction of the garden. The best time to visit the gardens is after sunset when all the bright colorful fountains come alive. The garden also has a wonderful palace in the southern park which is now converted to a 4-star luxury hotel called Royal Orchid.

Boating is available between southern and northern parks.

Timings: 6.30 ...

At a distance of 5 km from Kemmanagundi, 67 km from Chikmagalur and 1 km from Shanti Falls, Z Point is a wonderful trekking spot and one of the prime places to visit in Kemmanagundi. Z Point is a beautiful spot with deep valleys all around amidst thick green surroundings. The cool breeze on the peak mesmerizes visitors. It is one of the best short treks in Karnataka with beautiful views of nature and valleys.

The 3 km trekking trail to Z Point starts from Kemmanagundi Raj Bhavan and runs through thick forest. Shanti Waterfalls is situated enroute to the Z Point. The trek is relatively easy till Shanti Hills and gets little tough afterwards. The later part of the trek runs through narrow path with deep gorges and steep hills. The trek route provides breathtaking views of the hills of Kemmanagundi. The wide and beautiful grasslands provide unique setting to the slopes.

The Z Point is a great sunset & sunrise point. The trek from Raj Bhavan to Z Point usually takes about 1 hour. Camping at the Z Point is possible.

At a distance of 34 km from Madikeri, 4.5 km from Kushalnagar, 7 km from Cauvery Nisargadhama & 87 km from Mysore, the Golden Temple or Namdroling Monastery is a beautiful Buddhist Monastery situated in Bylakuppe. Bylakuppe is the second largest Tibetans settlement in India after Dharamshala. This Buddhist Monastery is one of the most popular tourist places to visit in Coorg.

Bylakuppe is a Tibetan refugee settlement area established by Lugsum Samdupling in 1961 and Dickyi Larsoe in 1969 and is situated to the west of Mysore district close to Bangalore - Coorg route. The main tourist attraction here is the magnificent Namdroling Monastery. Popularly called as Golden Temple, the Namdroling Monastery was established by Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche in 1963. This is the largest teaching center of Nyingmapa, a lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, in the world and is home to a sangha community of over 5000 monks and nuns.

The Golden Temple complex is huge and it houses 40 feet high gilded images of Guru Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche), Buddha Sakyamuni and Amitayus. The temple tower is highly ornate. The outer walls flanking the doorway are decorated with huge colorful murals. The doors, red in color, have huge gold knockers and a thick plaited ...

At a distance of 2.5 km from Srirangam Temple and 11 km from Trichy Railway Junction, Sri Thiruvanaikoil or Thiruvanaikaval, is famous for Jambukeswarar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple was built by Kochengon, one of the Early Cholas around 1800 years ago on Srirangam Island.

Thiruvanaikoil Temple is one of the five major Shiva Temples known as Panchabhoota Sthala representing element of water. The sanctum has Shiva Lingam in the form of Appu lingam (water lingam). The sanctum of Lord Jambukeshwara has an underground water stream and one can see water coming out of that stream all the time. The presiding goddess is Devi Akilandeswari Amman.

According to legend, Parvathi performed penance in the form of Akilandeswari in the Jambu forest. She made the lingam out of the water of river Kaveri, installed it under the Venn Naaval tree evolved out of Saint Jambu and commenced her worship. Lord Siva at last gave darshan to Devi Akhilandeswari and taught her Siva Gnana.

According to Sthala Purana, there were two Siva Ganas by name Malyavan and Pushpadanta. They always quarrel with each other and fight for one thing or other. On top of all in one fight Malyavan cursed Pushpadanta to become an elephant and the latter cursed the former to become a spider. Both the elephant and the spider came to Jambukeshwaram and continued their Shiva worship. The elephant collected water from river Cauvery and conducted Abhishekam to the lingam under the Jambu tree daily. ...

At a distance of 400 m from Ratnagiri Bus Stop and 17 km from Vellore Town Railway Station, Ratnagiri Balamurugan Temple is an ancient temple located on top of a hillock in Ratnagiri on Vellore - Chennai National Highway. It is one of the important temples around Vellore.

The Ratnagiri Temple is dedicated to Lord Murugan. There are two forms of the deity in this temple, one is Lord Thirukkolam, seen with his wives Valli and Devasena and the other is Lord Gurukkolam. The idol of the main deity Bala Murugan was installed in a chariot which is made of granite. The garbhagriha is made of granite and is modeled according to the Chola architecture. The wall surrounding the shrine has small idols of Ganesha, Dakshinamurthy, Murugan, Brahma, Durga, and Chandikeswarar. There are 2 temples for the Lord Vinayaka, one on top of the hill and another at the bottom of hill.

This temple was built in the 14th century by Arunagiri Nathar. It was renovated in the year 1980 by Bala Muruganadimai Swamy. The temple boasts a huge tower at the entrance. One of the special features of this temple is that the poojas are conducted in Tamil instead of common Sanskrit.

According to the locals, the divine power in the temple manifests its blessings in three forms. First is in the form of the Lord Murugan idol installed inside the sanctum, the second is in the form of Balamurugan and the third ...

At a distance of 10 Kms from Kozhikode Railway Station, Beypore Beach is located at the mouth of the Chaliyar River. Now an important port and fishing harbor, this place was also an important trade and maritime centre during the days of the early Arab and Chinese travelers and the Europeans.

The Beypore Beach is a commercial center for ship building and has existed here for more than 1000 years. This boatyard is famous for making a distinctive ship vessel known as 'Uru'. One of the major attractions at Beypore is its magnificent 2 km long stone bridge called as Pulimoodu, built entirely of stones, making a pathway into the sea.

Nearby attractions in Beypore are fishing harbor and Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary (7 kms). Baypore is little close Madras Trunk Road.

At a distance of 13 km from Karwar Bus Stand, 2.5 km from Majali Bus Stop, Tilmati or the Black Sand Beach is located at Majali village in Karnataka. Situated just beside Polem Beach of South Goa, it is one of the popular places to visit in Karwar.

Tilmati Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Karnataka and among the must include places in Karwar Tour Packages. At this little beach, one can find coarse black sand of basaltic rock making the beach black in color. Tilmati literally translates to sesame sand or the sand that looks like sesame. This stretch of black sand, spread over 200 m, is said to be formed when the waves hit the basaltic rocks that are concentrated in this area. It is also believed that the Arabian Sea dumps the fine black sand brought by River Kali to this place.

Majali Beach and Palm Beach are adjacent to each other hence it can be visited along with Goa Tour Packages. Tilmati Beach in Karwar is an ideal place for picnicking. It is a tourist destination suitable for those who want to spend time lonely and enjoy amidst the sea waves. This secluded beach set amidst hillocks also offers stunning sunset views. Abundant flora and fauna present near the beach makes it one of the rarest coastal forestlands in the state. ...

At a distance of 5 km from Kigga, and 15 km from Sringeri, and, Sirimane Falls is a stunning waterfall situated near Kigga in Karnataka. Also known as Kigga Falls, it is one of the popular waterfalls in Karnataka, and among the prominent tourist places in Sringeri.

With a height of about 40 feet, this waterfall is located in serene surroundings with dense forest all around. There is a motorable road available to reach the falls and vehicles can be hired from Kigga. A little walk is required from the parking place to reach the falls through well-laid steps.

It is possible to get right to the bottom of the falls and enjoy the force (however, this may not be possible when the water force is heavy during monsoons). The falls are wide and can accommodate more crowds at the bottom. This is a good place to visit throughout the year. This is a very safe place to swim & play in the water.

There is a changing room for women.

Timings - 9 AM to 6 PM.

Entry: Free

At a distance of 15.5 km from Vizag Railway Station, Rishikonda Beach is a fascinating place at a close distance to the city of Vizag situated on the way to Bheemili. Rishikonda Beach is one of the prime attractions of Vizag city and also one of the top places to experince Andhra Pradesh tourism. Rishikonda Beach is among prime place to visit on a Vizag tour.

The lovely Rishikonda Beach here with golden sands and vast stretch of water is considered the best beach in Vizag. The unspoiled beauty of the beach is its main attraction and offers a unique opportunity to relax and enjoy the golden sands, palm trees and cool breeze. The beach is a haven for watersports lovers and one can enjoy water skiing, speed boating, sunbathing, wind surfing and swimming.

The Rishikonda Beach is the best site for the swimmers. The waves at the beach are peaceful compared to RK Beach. But a sudden increase in depth can surprise the visitors and is advised to be careful while swimming at the beach. On Holi, the beach gets transformed to a hue of vibrant colours, with people splashing color and water on each other.

This beach is famous for outings of love birds. There are several huts on the beach to enable visitors enjoy the view in shade. There is a 14th century temple on Rishikonda beach called Sapta Rusheswara Temple.

Andhra Pradesh Tourism has accommodation facility in the form of ...

At a distance of 2.5 km from Kaigal Village, 28 km from Palamaner, 55 km from Kolar, 92 km from Horsley Hills, 142 km from Tirupati, 123 km from Bangalore, 68 from Chittoor, 78 km from Kanipakam, 96 km from Vellore & 225 km from Chennai, Kaigal Water Falls, also known as Dumukurallu Waterfalls is a nice waterfall located on the Palamaner - Kuppam Highway.

The waterfall is natural, perennial and water comes from a big rock at a height of 40 feet, irrespective of seasons. But its force and beauty is increased during the Monsoon season. The name Dumukurallu waterfalls came into prominence because of its sound resembling the fall of stones from above.

The falls is formed by the Kaigal stream which is one of the two streams flowing through Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary. There is a big pond below the waterfalls and this is a nice place to visit for nature lovers. It is situated in a dense forest with plenty of birds, shrubs, trees and wildlife. The falls is particularly popular picnic destination for people from surrounding areas. There is a shivalinga installed near the falls which attracts pilgrims from nearby villages during Shivaratri festival.

Visitors seeking public transportation can take Palamaner - Kuppam bus and get down at Kaigal waterfalls bus stop. From the Kaigal Waterfalls bus stop, the falls can be reached by 10 minute walk on mud road. The road from ...

At a distance of 6.5 km from Vijayawada Railway Station, 30 km from Guntur and 275 km from Hyderabad, The Undavalli Caves, a monolithic example of Indian rock-cut architecture, are located in Undavalli Village of Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh.

The Undavalli Caves are ancient cave temples believed to be built between 4th and 5th centuries by Gupta dynasty. The caves are located on a hill overlooking the Krishna River. These caves have been carved out of solid sandstone on a hillside. The best known and largest one has four stories with a huge statue of Lord Vishnu in a reclining posture sculpted from a single block of granite in the second floor. Other shrines inside the cave are dedicated to Trimurti- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Main cave belongs to the earliest examples of Gupta architecture, primarily primitive rock-cut monastery cells carved into the sandstone hills. Initially caves were shaped as a Buddhist monastery and the first floor still retains style of Buddhist vihara, including some Buddhist sculptures. Facade of the third floor is adorned with numerous sculptures, including depictions of lions and elephants.

Undavalli caves are associated with the Vishnukundina kings of 420 to 620 CE. It is also believed that these caves were used by the Buddhist monks as the rest houses. This is a good place to visit in the vicinity of Vijayawada.

Timings: 9 AM to 6 PM

At a distance of 2 km from Pykara Lake and 23 km from Ooty Bus Stand, Pykara Falls is a majestic waterfall located in Ooty, Tamil Nadu. Situated on the Ooty - Mysore road, this is one of the best waterfalls near Bangalore, and among the most popular Ooty places to visit.

Pykara Falls is formed by the Pykara River on downstream of the Pykara Dam. The falls drops down into two sections with a height of 55 m and 61 m through multiple layers on the rocky bed providing a unique beauty to the stream. The waterfall amidst the dense forest is a treat to watch. It is one of the must-visit places for honeymoon couples and nature lovers as part of their Ooty trip. During the rainy season, the waterfall is in full bloom. There are barricades along with the waterfall viewpoint for the safety of the tourists.

Swimming is possible at upper cascades, but not recommended as the path is filled with sharp rocks and the depth of the water is very less. Swimming in the lower part of Pykara Falls is dangerous and is mostly closed in the monsoon season to avoid accidents.

The best time to see the falls is in July. The falls can be reached by a little moderate walk (5-10 mins) on well-laid path from the parking location.

Timings: 8.30 AM - 5. 30 PM

Entry Fee: Rs. 5 for Person

Kuttanad is a region in Alappuzha district that is known as 'Rice Bowl of Kerala' for the vast paddy fields. With seven rivers flowing through it (Pampa, Manimala, Achencoil, Meenachil, Moovattupuzha, Chalackudy & Periyar), Kuttanad is breathtakingly beautiful. Kuttanad is also popular as an ideal place for Kerala backwaters trip in a houseboat. It is one of the popular tourist places to visit near Kochi & Alappuzha. Kuttanad is one of the very few places in the world where farming is done below the sea level.

The most popular route taken to explore Kuttanad is the Alappuzha - Changanassery route. This road takes you through the heart of Kuttanad region demonstrating the daily life of people in the region. The possible activities for the tourists in this region are to visit villages and enjoy the daily life of villagers, walk along the rivers/streams and enjoy the nature or take a boat trip between villages.

Nedumudy (11 Kms from Alappuzha - near SH11), Kavalam (20 Kms from Alappuzha) & Champakkulam (13 Kms from Alappuzha - on SH11) are best places to experience the uniqueness of Kuttanad

At a distance of 15 km from Tirupati, 33 km from Tirumala Tirupati Balaji Temple, 147 km from Chennai, 238 km from Bangalore & 574 km from Hyderabad, Chandragiri is an ancient town and the seat of Yadavaraya Kings from 11th to 13th centuries and fourth capital of Vijayanagar Dynasty. Chandragiri along with Tirupati is one of the ideal Chennai weekend getaways and a major heritage / historical site in Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the prime Tourist places in Tirupati town.

Chandragiri near Tirupati is famous for the historical fort, built in the 11th century. Chandragiri was under the rule of Yadavaraya Dynasty for about three centuries and came into control of Vijayanagar rulers in 1367. It came into prominence during Saluva Narasimha Rayalu. Chandragiri was the 4th capital of Vijayanagar Empire and they shifted their capital here when Golconda sultans attacked Penukonda. In 1646, the fort was annexed to the Golconda territory and subsequently came under Mysore rule before controlled by British.

The Fort is built on a huge rock at an altitude of 183 meters. The southern side of the hill is enclosed by strong walls, surrounded by a ditch to prevent any intruder from entering into the fort. The Chandragiri Fort has eight ruined temples inside the fortification along with Raja Mahal, ...

At a distance of 3 km from Penukonda Railway Station, 79 km from Anantapur, 436 km from Hyderabad, 550 km from Vijayawada and 142 km Bangalore, Penukonda Fort is a medieval fort situated at Penukonda in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Penukonda was once served as the 2nd capital of Vijayanagar Kingdom after the fall of Hampi and was earlier called as Ghanagiri or Ghanadri. According to the inscriptions, the Penukonda state was gifted by the King Bukka-I to his son Virupanna. This fort was built at the time of Virupanna. This fort was one of the best defenses of the Vijayanagara kingdom. With the decline of Vijayanagara kingdom, the Sultan of Golconda captured this fort. Later Mysore Kingdom captured this fort briefly until British overtook after the fall of Tipu Sultan.

Built on a gigantic hill, the huge and imposing fort offers a spectacular view of the town below. The basement of the walls, bastions and gateways in the fort was made of stone, mortar and lime. The first inner section of the fort residential building designed amenities for royal family members. The central hall of the fort follows Hindu and Muslim architecture. Dome of this hall has been designed in Hindu style of construction, whereas the floor has the signature style construction of Islamic architecture.

The fort bounds with natural fortification of surround hills and moats dug up around the outer wall. There are seven citadels within ...

At a distance of 7 Kms from Pathanamthitta, Malayalappuzha Devi Temple dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali (another form of Goddess Parvati) is located in Malayalappuzha town near Pathanamthitta.

This temple is believed to be more than 3000 years old, constructed in Kerala style of architecture. The idol of Goddess Bhadrakali is about 5.5 feet tall. More than 100,000 devotees visit this temple every week, with Tuesday and Friday being the most popular days for darshan. The temple is under the administration of Travancore Devaswom Board. The temple has beautiful wall paintings and attractive sculpture work.

It is the only temple in Kerala where the 'Satha Kodi Archana' is performed which is attended by large number of devotees. Malayalappuzha is connected by bus service with Pathanamthitta.

At a distance of 23 km from Karaikal, 23 km from Mayiladuthurai, 44 km from Chidambaram and 57 km from Kumbakonam, Thirukkadaiyur is a popular temple town located on the east coast of Tamil Nadu in the Nagapattinam district. The Amritaghateswarar - Abirami Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva is the most famous temple in Thirukkadaiyur.

The presiding deity of this temple is Sri Amirthalingeswara and his consort is Sri Abirami. Thirukkadaiyur is one of the 8 Veera Sthalas, where Yama was clashed with Lord Shiva. It is believed that this is the place where Lord Shiva protected Markandeya, son of Mrikandu, from Yama. The scar caused by the Yama's rope is visible on the Linga during abisheka times.

The temple was built by Chola kings in 11th century in the traditional Chola architectural style. Spread over 11 acres, the temple has great architecture and has five enclosures, huge towers and spacious mandapas. Based on the inscriptions seen here, the main shrine (sanctum) was in existence before early 11th century. The brick walls of the temple were replaced with stonewalls and the front mandapa was constructed during the period of Kulottunga Chola I. According to legend, when devas and asuras churned milk ocean to get Amritham, they forgot to worship Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha hurt and stole the pot of Amritham and kept at Thirukkadaiyur. While there, Ganesha created a Shiva Lingam and poured some of the Amritham over it. ...

At a distance of 3 km from Srirangapatna, and 16 km from Mysore, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is a small sanctuary situated in Srirangapatna, Karnataka. It is one of the must include places in wildlife tours in India and among the must visit Mysore tourist places.

Spread across 67 sq. km, the sanctuary comprises six islets on the banks of the Kaveri River. It was declared in 1940 as a result of many requests from Dr. Salim Ali who surveyed the birds in this area. Since then, the sanctuary has become a paradise for bird watchers. The sanctuary is a breeding ground for many migratory birds from all over the world. It is home to a wide species of birds including cormorants, darters, white ibis, spoon billed storks, open-billed storks, painted storks, white-necked storks, egrets, herons, terns, swallows, kingfishers, sandpiper, etc.

A boat ride takes you to the six islets crowded with many species of birds. The best time to visit the sanctuary is between June & October.

Timings: 9 AM to 6 PM

Entry Fee: Rs. 60 for Indians, Rs. 30 for Indian Children, & Rs. 200 for Foreigners

Boating Charges: Rs. 60 for Adults & Rs. 200 for Foreigners

Parking: Rs. 30 for Four wheeler & Rs. 20 for Two wheeler

At a distance of 4 km from Kemmangundi & 66 km from Chikmagalur, Shanti Falls is a small and beautiful water fall situated on the way to Z Point in Kemmangundi. It is one of the popular tourist places to visit in Kemmanagundi.

Shanti Falls is a refreshing sight that awaits visitors on their trek to Z Point in the lush green forest stretch of Kemmangundi. The water flows all the way from top of the hill, creating a spectacular view while falling into the valley below. The waterfall cascades down to create a natural pool that is believed to have remarkable medicinal qualities. The most interesting fact about this waterfall is that its water remains extremely cold even during the hot summer months. Visitors can enjoy a swim in the cool waters of the Shanti Falls.

This is one of the trekking trails in Kemmangundi. The route all the way is very scenic with deep valleys on one side and hills cover on the other. This place can be reached by trekking through the forest from Kemmanagundi Raj Bhavan (2 kms) or Kemmanagundi center (4 kms). The trek can be continued till Z-point which is further 1 km from Shanti Falls. The trek is relatively easy and can be easily done.

The best time to visit Shanti Falls is during the early winter season or the late monsoon season. It is ideal to visit the waterfall between 6 am to 6 pm, when there is ample daylight in the area.

At a distance of 12 km from Thanjavur and 35 km from Kumbakonam, Thirukandiyur is a temple town situated in Tamilnadu. The major attraction of Thirukandiyur is the Temple of Hara Sapavimochana Kandeswarar. The temple of Thirukandiyur is considered one of the 108 Divyadesams and is also known as Pancha Kamala Kshetram. As per history, the temple was built by Emperor Mahabali and is located between Kudamurutti and Vennar Rivers.

According to a legend, Brahma became very arrogant and feet superior to Shiva. Brahma once visited Kailas to meet Shiva. Parvathi, the wife of Shiva got confused and performed pooja to Brahma instead of Shiva. Lord Shiva plucked off one head of Brahma to avoid the confusion between the two. This resulted in Shiva incurring a Brahmahathya dosha. The skull of Brahma stuck to the hands of Shiva which he could not separate despite all efforts. All the food offered to him was consumed by the skull and it was never filled. Holding the skull, Lord Shiva came down to earth for Bikshatana with his skull bowl. It is believed that Lord Shiva prayed to Goddess Kamalavalli and Lord Vishnu at Thirukandiyur and attained salvation from Lord Kamala Nathan in this temple. Finally, the head fell down at this place and disappeared. At last with the help of Lord Vishnu, Shiva got salvation from the curse; hence this place is called Hara Sapavimochana Temple.

This temple is an excellent specimen of Dravidian style ...

At a distance of 53 km from Palakkad, 40 km from Mannarkad & 102 km from Coimbatore, Silent Valley National Park is an evergreen rain forest located in the Kundali Hills of the Western Ghats.

Spread across 90 sq. kms, it is one of the smallest national parks in India and the only rain forest in India. This altitude of the park varies between 658 to 2383 meters. The park provides shelter for variety of species including elephants, tigers, leopards, wild boar, sambhar, gaur and the endangered lion-tailed macaque. The park is also heaven for bird watchers and trekkers.

The park is divided into 4 parts, Nilikkal, Sairandhri, Poochipara & Walakkad and only Sairandhri is open for tourists. Mukkali (on Mannarkad-Anaikatti-Coimbatore road) is the entry point to the park where private Jeeps are found to get into the park (guides are also available here). Vehicles are allowed till Sairandhri watchtower (23 Kms from Mukkali). Visitors can trek to Kunthi River from watchtower (1.5 Kms).

Timings: 8 AM - 5 PM

At a distance of 8 km from Madurai Junction Railway Station, Thiruparankundram Temple, also known as Tirupparamkunram Murugan Kovil is renowned for its 8th century rock cut cave temple dedicated to Lord Murugan (Subrahmanya). It is one of the major sacred places to visit in Madurai.

Tirupparankundram Temple is one of the six abodes of Murugan and considered as the first and foremost temple of Lord Muruga. Several myths and legends are associated with this temple and one of them says that it is at this place that the Lord Muruga defeated the demon Surapadman and got married to Deivayani, daughter of the king of heaven, Indra and worshipped Lord Shiva.

The main shrine is an early rock cut temple which has cells that house the sanctums of Subramanya, Durga, Vinayakar, Shiva and Vishnu. There are several mandapas in this temple known as Kambathadi Mandapam, Ardha Mandapam, and Mahamandapam situated at different levels connected by steps. There are several architectural features of interest, especially the rock cut portions of this hill temple dating back to the Pandya period and the life sized sculptures in the mandapams of the Nayakar period.

An Aasthaana Mandapam with several artistically carved pillars lead one to the Rajagopuram which is 150 feet high. The shrine, having 48 artistic carved pillars, is a large rectangular chamber excavated into the huge main rock. The sanctum sanctorum is constructed by a combination of nine minerals called Navabashana and ...

At a distance of 9 km from Bhagamandala & 44 km from Madikeri, Talacauvery is the origin of the Cauvery River in Karnataka. It is situated on the slopes of the Brahmagiri mountain ranges near Bhagamandala at an altitude of 1276 m. It is one of the best places to visit in Coorg and is among prime place to visit on a Coorg trip.

At Talacauvery, there is a square tank called Cauvery Kundike or Brahma Kundike, which is considered to be the birth place of River Cauvery. Here, River Cauvery emerges as a perennial spring and disappears underground. River Cauvery again emerges at Nagathirtha near Bhagamandala and joins with Kannike and Sujyoti at Triveni Sangam. Bhagamandala is the meeting of three rivers and is also referred to as Triveni Sangam.

According to legend, Cauvery was held captive by sage Agasthya in a Kamandala, a pot carrying sacred water. Lord Ganesha in the form of a crow made the Kamandala to topple at this hill when Sage Agasthya was meditating. There is a shrine dedicated to Kaveri Amman near the kundike and a big tank in front of it where devotees baths before offering prayers. The temple was renovated by the state government in 2007.

Talacauvery also consists of shrines dedicated to Lord Agastheeshwara and Lord Vinayaka. The Shiva temple here houses a rare and ancient Shivalinga. ...

At a distance of 10 km from Udupi Railway Station, Malpe Beach is a pristine beach situated along the shores of the Arabian Sea at Malpe village near Udupi. Spread between Swarna Nandi River and Malpe Port is one of the finest beaches in Karnataka, and among the top places to visit as part of Udupi Tour Packages.

Malpe Beach is situated at the mouth of the Udyavara River, a small river that is commonly referred to as the Malpe River by the locals. Characterized by silver-white sands, and rocky islands, Malpe Beach is still quite secluded and not visited by a lot of tourists. It is one of the popular Udupi tourist places for those who want to spend some time alone at the beach.

The vast coastline of Malpe has four rocky islands. The northern-most island is the Daria-Bahadurgad, the middle one is the Daria-Gadara-Kallu, the southernmost island is the Kari-Illada-Kallu, while the fourth rocky island is St. Mary's Island, among the most famous and frequently visited one of all. St. Mary's Island can be reached from here.

The endless stretch of golden sand, graciously swaying palm trees, the clear blue sky, and the clean waters of the Arabian Sea all set a perfect mood for an unforgettable holiday. Besides, the beach offers a variety ...

At a distance of 1 km from Samayapuram Bus Stand, 11 km from Srirangam, 19 km from Trichy, 66 km from Thanjavur & 317 km from Chennai, Sri Mariamman Temple situated at Samayapuram on NH-45 is one of the popular temples in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Sri Mariyamman Temple is dedicated to Samayapurathal or Mariamman, an incarnation of Goddess Shakti. The main deity in the sanctum is made of sand and clay and hence there are no abhishekams conducted to the main deity, but instead the abishekam is done to the small stone statue in front of it.

According to legend, the present deity was at the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam, and one of chief priests of the temple believed that the idol caused him illness and hence asked it to be removed from the temple. It is a common belief that such local deities have immense powers and they must always be satisfied by proper offerings and sacrifices.

According to history, King Vijayaraya Chakaravarthi built the present day temple in 17th century. The Goddess Mariamman has enormous powers over curing illnesses and hence, it is a ritual to buy small metallic replicas made with silver or steel of various body parts that need to be cured, and these are deposited in the donation box. Devotees also offer mavilakku, a sweet dish made of jaggery, rice flour and ghee. Persons affected by Chickenpox and Smallpox come to this place, stay here and pray the Goddess for speedy recovery. Abisheka Theertham is sprinkled on them after Pooja.

Car ...

At a distance of 650 m from Virinjipuram Bus Stop and 13 km from Vellore Town Railway Station, Sri Margabandeswarar Temple is a 13th century temple situated on Bangalore - Chennai National Highway. The temple has rich sculptures and artistic pillars. The temple was built by Cholas Kings in 13th Century while Bomma Nayakars, who built Vellore Jalagandeswarar temple, made several extensions to the temple including beautiful kalyana mandapa.

The main deity of this temple is Swayambu Lingam known as Margabandeeswarar. The Siva Lingam is slightly leaning to North East direction. The Goddess of the temple is Maragadambal. Other deities seen in the temple are Ganapathy, Subramanya, Chandra Mouleeswara, Pancha Mukha Lingam, Saptha Matrukas, Lakshmi, Saraswathy & Durga. In this temple Lord Brahma is worshiped as Virinjan. He worshipped Lord Shiva at this place and hence it got the name Virinjipuram.

The rays of sun fall on the presiding deity during the Panguni month (March/April). The roof above the sanctum sanctorum is decorated with Rudraksha. The temple is a very good example of Dravidian temple architecture. This is the birth place of renowned Vedic scholar and Shiva devotee Sri Appaya Dikshithar.

The Simha teerth, the tank with the lion faced sculpture located inside the temple complex is a nicely built. The temple ...

At a distance of 25 Kms from Idukki, 48 Kms from Munnar & 20 Kms from Thodupuzha, Thommankuthu Waterfalls is a marvelous seven step cascading waterfall dropping from a height of over 300 feet with pool at each level.

It is a best place to spend a day watching the nature and drown in the waters of the falls. Trekking into the surrounding picturesque hills is another popular activity at this place.

This place is connected by bus from Munnar and Thodupuzha. There are no accommodation facilities available near the falls.

At a distance of 60 km from Murudeshwar, 73 km from Udupi, 90 km from Jog Falls and 133 km from Mangalore, Sri Mookambika Devi Temple is a Hindu temple situated at Kollur in Udupi district of Karnataka. The temple is located in the valley of Kodachadri Mountain Peak on the banks of Souparnika River. Kollur is regarded as one of the Seven Mukti Stalas created by Parashurama and the other places are Udupi, Subrahmanya, Kumbasi, Kodeshwara, Sankaranarayana and Gokarna. It is a famous site of pilgrimage in Karnataka and one of the top places to visit near Murudeshwar.

This temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvathi. According to Legend, Goddess Parvathi killed a demon called Kamsasuran who lived here and attempted to become powerful through his penance. Devi along with the help of Veerabadra, Ganesha and Shiva initially made him dumb and he came to be called Mookasuran (Mooka means dumb). Later the goddess killed him with her Chakra and called as Mookambika thereafter. The place where Devi killed Mookasura is known as Marana Katte.

The Panchaloha (five metals) image of the Goddess Mookambika is stated to have been consecrated by Adi Shankaracharya during his visit to this place. Devi Mookambika has three eyes and four arms, with chakra and conch in her hands sitting in the padmahasana ...

At a distance of 20 Kms from Kozhikode Railway Station, Kappad beach is one of the most charming Kerala beaches and also one of the best Kerala tourist places. Vasco da Gama landed on Indian soil on 27th May 1498 at Kappad beach along with 170 men.

There is a monument on the beach that commemorates the landmark event of Vasco da Gama's arrival. This marked the beginning of a new era in the relationship between the Indians and the Portuguese which lasted for 4 to 5 centuries.

The beach is ideal for relaxing and playing around with sand. Devi Temple, which is believed to be 800 years old, is situated on top of a rock near the beach. Karappula River at Elathur close to the beach is a good place for boating. Sunset is a great site to watch here, in the combination of Sea and River.

This place is very close to NH17 towards Mangalore. It is connected by frequent buses from Kozhikode.

At a distance of 10 km from Karwar Bus Stand, Majali Beach is located at Majali Village, which is a small coastal town lies on the northern tip of coastal Karnataka and just a few kilometers South of Goa. This 4.5 km long beach is situated towards north of Devbagh beach. Indulging in activities at Majali Beach is one of the top things to do in Karwar.

Majali Beach is a renowned attraction in Karwar and is known for its sea facing cottages and resorts. Majali Beach Village offers six Row Cottages with all the modern amenities. Apart from this, the resort also boasts of wonderful Wood House and Tree House. The resorts located along the beach provide with facilities like private balcony, sit-outs, in-house laundry and many more. Majali Beach Village has a fine restaurant that offers delicious local and coastal cuisine.

The Resort also offers recreation facilities like boating, fishing, kayaking, pedaling, a swing on the lake etc. Cruises to the Tilmati Beach, with its unique stretch of black sand, trips to the islands nearby, dolphin watching, river cruises, rock climbing, visit to ship wreck, bird watching, and much more. It is beautiful to see the sunset in the evening.

At a distance of 2.5 km from Pithapuram Railway Station, 12 km from Samarlakota, 16 km from Kakinada, 61 km from Rajahmundry, 31 km from Annavaram, 208 km from Vijayawada and 152 km from Vizag, Sri Kukkuteswara Swamy temple is an ancient Siva temple in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. Pithapuram which was earlier known as Pithikapuram is one of the Ashta Dasha (Eighteen) Shakthi Peethas.

Kukkuteswara Swamy temple is the most famous temple of Lord Shiva at Pithapuram. The presiding Deity is Lord Shiva, who reveals himself in the form of a Spatika Linga. This is a Swayambhu Linga of white marble and is about two feet in height. The Linga resembles that of a cock; hence Lord Shiva is called Sri Kukkuteswara Swamy. There is a huge beautiful idol of Nandi (bull) made from a single stone in front of the temple. The shrine of Sri Rajarajeswari, consort of Sri Kukkuteswara Swamy, is present beside the Shiva temple.

There is the temple of Puruhutika Devi inside the campus of Sri Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple. It is one of the Asta Dasha Shakti Peethas. After Daksha Yagna, Goddess Sati Devi's body part (back part) has fell down in this area, because of this place earlier people has called as Puruhoothika puram later it has changed as Peetika Puram. Finally it has changed Pithapuram. This temple is considered as the 10th Sakthi Peetham of the 18 Shakti Peethas.

This place ...

At a distance of 16 km from Kalpetta & 4 km from Pookote Lake, Lakkidi is small hill station situated at the highest point in the Wayanad district. Located at an altitude of about 700 m, Lakkidi gets about 600 cm rainfall annually, making it one of the highest rainfall regions in Kerala and also one of the prime Wayanad tourist places to visit.

Often referred as 'the gateway of Wayanad', Lakkidi is located at the crest of the serpentine Thamarassery ghat pass, which features over 9 hairpin curves that start at Adivaram (downhill). The 12 km long ghat road from Adivaram to Lakkidi passing through thick forest leaves a wonderful experience. The lush green hills, gorges and streams on both sides of the passage up the hill are breathtaking sights to the visitors.

This beautiful hill town has a number of scenic locations and enchanting viewpoints. Lakkidi Viewpoint is a popular viewpoint which offers dazzling views of the surrounding cliffs and valleys. Apart from Lakkidi Viewpoint, Pookote Lake is another popular attraction in Lakkidi. This is a natural fresh water lake, spread across 13 acres.

Lakkidi is also famous for the Chain Tree, which is a large ficus tree bounded by a chain. According to the myth, a British engineer, after many attempts, failed to create a passage through the forests of Wayanad. Then a tribal youth, Karinthandan, guided ...

At a distance of 32 km from Vizag Railway Station, 377 km from Vijayawada, 227 km from Rajahmundry & 628 km from Hyderabad, Bheemunipatnam popularly known as Bheemili is famous for a picturesque beach. It is located at the mouth of the river Gosthani which merges with Bay of Bengal at Bheemunipatnam.

The beach is known for its soft golden sand, blue water and unspoiled beach front. A concrete pathway too has been laid along the beach to hold statues of Buddha, Five Pandavas and a dinosaur. The beach is considered to be safe for swimming. It is an ideal place for nature lovers and adventurers. The beach is famous for several water sports like snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming and water-skiing. Boating facility is also available here.

Bheemili beach provides a beautiful seafront to the fishing town of Bheemunipatnam, one of the oldest municipalities in India and is dotted with thatched cottages and ancient Dutch bungalows that are a reminder of its historic past. The 17th century ruins of a fort and cemetery built by the Dutch are seen here. The cemetery named Hollanders Green has some tombs embossed with the skull and cross bones motif of sea pirates. It is located near the beach and it is one of the oldest cemeteries in India. The Bheemili port used to operate passenger vessels to Madras and Calcutta during the British rule.

Bheemunipatnam was an important Buddhist center. Evidence of Buddhism dating back to the ...

At a distance of 29 km from Tada, 45 km from Srikalahasti, 85 km from Tirupati, 92 km from Chennai, 130 km from Nellore and 156 km from Chittoor, Tada falls or Ubbalamadugu Falls is situated in Varadaiahpalem mandal of Chittoor district. It is situated on the border of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh and is an ideal place for trekking near Chennai for a day trip.

The falls are located in a dense forest called Siddulaiah Kona. The falls are located within the Kambakam hills and are a popular destination for trekking, climbing and picnicking. The terrain that surrounds the falls includes rocky hill formations and lush forests interspersed with a number of streams.

To reach the falls visitors have go through the Varadaiahpalem village, about 12 km from Tada falls. There is only 7 km rugged path and the remaining distance has to be trekked through. SUVs or vehicles with high ground clearance are best suited to reach the trekking starting point. Autos can also be hired from Varadaiahpalem village to the trekking starting point. There is a forest check post on the way where visitors need to pay Rs 50 per vehicle and Rs 50 for camera. There is limited guidance in the form of arrow marks and it is advisable to hire a villager as guide in Varadaiahpalem village. The total trek distance would be about 10 km both ways, which is somewhat difficult and advisable only for physically fit people.

As soon as you enter the forest ...

At a distance of 24 km from Vijayawada Railway Station & 262 km from Hyderabad, Kondapalli Fort, also known as Kondapalli Kota, is located at Kondapalli Village in the Krishna district close to Vijayawada.

This 14th century Fort is believed to have been built by the Reddy King of Kondaveedu, Prolaya Vema Reddy. Spread over an area of 18 sq.km, this Fort is said to have served as a recreational palace for the king. The Fort was also used as a business centre. Later, the fort went into the hands of Gajapati rulers of Orissa. In the year 1520 AD the King, Sri Krishna Devaraya of Vijayanagara Empire has captured the Kondapalli fort in Kalinga wars. Later, the fort came into the hands of Qutubshahi Kings in the 16th century. During the colonial rule, the British soldiers were given training in this fort.

Situated on a hill, the fort has an impressive three storied rock tower protected by three levels of entries. The main entrance gate is known as the Dargah Darwaza, which has been made out of a single slab of granite. Another entrance gate of the fort is known as the Golconda Darwaza. The major attraction of the fort is the Tanisha Mahal or Palace, which is located on a crest between two hills. Near the fort there is a Dargah of a Persian Saint, Gareeb Sahib. One can still find several other ruined structures within the premises of the fort. There is a Gajasala, where elephants were kept, Queen's palace, Virupaksha Temple, Dining hall, a reservoir and prisons.

Kondapalli ...

At a distance of 10 km from Chikmagalur & 50 km from Kemmanagundi, Hirekolale Lake is a beautiful manmade lake situated in Chikmagalur. It is one of the well-known tourist places in Chikmagalur.

Surrounded by high mountains, this beautiful lake is awe-striking for every spectator, and mustinclude places in Chikmagalur Tour Packages. This lake was built to supply water to Chikmagalur town and assist in the irrigation of lands in all the villages situated nearby.

The lake is encompassed by gorgeous surroundings and offers a serene retreat for people coming along with friends and family wishing to have a great time. It also offers the most fascinating views of the landscape during sunset and is a delight for photography lovers who are looking to add an idyllic sunset shot to their travel albums. The famous hills of Mullayanagiri can be viewed from here.

This place can be easily accessed from the town of Chikmagalur. It can be visited throughout the year. There is no boating facility at the lake.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Free

At a distance of 39 km from Kemmangundi, 47 km from Shimoga, and 79 km from Chikmagalur, Amruthapura is a village located in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka which is well known for the famous Amruteshwara Temple. It is one of the historical places to visit as part of Kemmanagundi Packages.

The Amruteshwara Temple is an ancient temple built in 1196 AD by Amruteshwara Dandanayaka, a general of the Hoysala ruler Veera Ballala II. Ruvari Mallitamma, the well-known Hoysala sculptor and architect is known to have started his career here working on the domed ceilings in the main mantapa. On the porch of the temple is a large stone inscription, a fine example of medieval Kannada poetry. This temple is situated near the Bhadra Reservoir in the Malnad region surrounded by coconut and palm plantations. It is one of the best places to visit in Kemmanagundi.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple was built using soft claystone. This medium-sized temple showcases excellent craftsmanship of Hoysala architecture. This temple is in the ekakuta style, it has just one vimana, unlike other trikuta temples built by Hoysalas at Somnathpur and Belur. The temple has a large maha mantapa and a ranga mandapa connecting it to the beautifully carved main sanctum. The inner shrine is square-shaped with ...

At a distance of 12 km from Bandipur National Park, 37 km from Ooty, and 92 km from Mysore, Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary or Mudumalai National Park is located at the foothills of the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the famous wildlife sanctuaries in Tamilnadu, and among the must include places in Ooty tour.

Established in 1940, Mudumalai is the first sanctuary in South India and was declared as a National Park in 1990. In April 2007, the Tamil Nadu state government declared Mudumalai to be a tiger reserve. The sanctuary is situated on Karnataka-Kerala border adjacent to Bandipur National Park of Karnataka and Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala. At an altitude of 1140 m, the sanctuary is spread over 103.24 sq. km on Ooty - Mysore road and is one of the bestOoty tourist places.

Mudumalai is a part of Niligiri Biosphere Reserve which includes the Bandipur National Park, Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarhole) in Karnataka, and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala. The sanctuary is divided into 5 ranges - Masinagudi, Theppakadu, Mudumalai, Kargudi, and Nellakota. There is a high diversity of animal life in the park with about 50 species of fishes, 21 species of amphibians, 34 species of reptiles, 200 species of birds, and 50 species ...

At a distance of 15 km from Tirumala and spread around Tirumala Hills, Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 353 Sq. kms, over Kadapa and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh. Established in 1989, the park is a heaven for nature lovers with unfathomable valleys and striking waterfalls, surrounded by Seshachalam and Tirumala Hills. The waterfalls is also a great place for trekking and it's a nice place to visit from Chennai as a weekend getaway.

The wide range of fauna found here includes Tiger, Civet, Jackal, Black Buck, Panther, Spotted Deer, Ibex, Sloth Bear, Bonnet Monkey, Wild Dogs, Bison, Jackal, Fox, Rare Golden Gecko, Jungle Fowl, Indian Giant Squirrel, Tree Shrew, Flying Lizards, Nilgai, Wildboar, Occasional Leopard and Hyena. Fauna comprises of more than 100 species of birds, including Crested Serpant Eagle, Ashy Crowned Finch Lark, Indian Roller, Kingfishers, White bellied Woodpecker, etc.

The best gateways to the sanctuary are Papanasam Dam on Tirumala Hills and Talakona waterfalls which is 64 km from Tirupati by Road. The best way to explore this beautiful sanctuary is by foot from these two entry points.

There are several trekking trails within the sanctuary with duration ranging from half day trek to 3 full days. Tumbura Thirtham is situated within the sanctuary which can be completed within ...

At a distance of 2 km from Rayadurgam Bus Stand, 99 km from Anantapur, 53 km from Bellary, 95 km from Guntakal, 245 km from Kurnool, 449 km from Hyderabad, 571 km from Vijayawada and 265 km from Bangalore, Rayadurgam Fort is a medieval fortress that is situated in Rayadurgam town in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. Rayadurgam Fort is one of the oldest forts in Andhra Pradesh and was constructed at an elevation of 2727 feet.

According to the history, Rayadurgam Fort was built by Junga Nayaka, a chieftain of Vijayanagar Kings. The Battle of Talikota was a bitter battle fought between Rama Rayalu the son in law of King Sri Krishna Deva Raya and Deccan Sultanates. Later the Muslim force was driven out by Koneti Nayaka. The fort was strengthened to a greater extent by his son Venkatapathi Nayaka. Later Tipu Sultan captured the fort and it was annexed to the province of Gooty.

The Rayadurgam Fort comprises of several layers of inner forts that made the access difficult. The fort played a significant role during the reign of the rulers of the Vijayanagar Empire. The Rayadurgam Fort is one of the chief tourist destinations in Rayadurgam town. Majority of the fort stands strong till date.

A wonderful temple for Lord Ganapathi known as Dhasabhuja Ganapathi Temple has been built in the fort. It was carved out from a 4 m high monolithic stone. There are other temples that are dedicated to Lord Hanuman, Ellamma, Prasanna Venkateswara, Venugopala, Jambukeswara, Veerabhadra ...

At a distance of 4 km from Ernakulam Junction (South) Railway Station, Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary is situated behind the High Court, in center of kochi City.

This mangrove forest is home to many exotic and rare varieties of migratory birds. It is a mangrove area consisting of a shallow lake in the middle, with its edges covered with thick vegetation. This water body is connected with famous Kochi backwaters (Vembanad Lake) via a canal. In the heart of this lake, there is a small island with mangrove growth. The Bird Sanctuary plays a significant role in balancing the ecology of Kochi. This Sanctuary is surrounded by the backwaters of Vembanad Lake. The sanctuary houses 41species of birds representing 25 families. The most common bird species found at Mangalavanam are Little Cormorant and Black-crowned Night Heron. Highest crowd of birds is found in the months of May and July.

Timings: 9 AM to 6 PM

At a distance of 7 km from Borra Caves, 39 km from Araku, 90 km from Vizag & 665 km from Hyderabad, Katiki or Katika Waterfall is magnificent waterfall situated near Borra Caves in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the best waterfalls in Araku and also among the top places to visit in Araku.

The name of the falls is derived from the name of the village nearby. Katiki waterfall is formed by the Gosthani River and it cascading down from a height of 100+ feet. The pond at the bottom of the waterfall is an excellent place for taking a bath after a tough trek to the place. It has to be reached by 20-30 minutes trek (one way) through lush forest and upwards to mountain top from the nearest motorable road. Cooking and camping are also permitted at this place. This is also a good place for trekking.

To reach Katiki falls from Araku, you have to take Borra Caves road at Mulyaguda junction between Araku and Visakhapatnam (around 30 km from Araku, after Anantagiri). Cross the Borra Caves railway crossing on the same road. Nearly 2 km from the railway crossing, you have to take left turn where the straight road takes to Borra Caves (caves are 2 km from here). After 300 meters on the same road, take a left turn and go for about 4-5 km. The road ends at the railway track near Tunnel #44. From here, you have to cross the railway track and go straight trekking the mountain. The falls are nearly 20-30 minutes trek from here and the path is narrow and slippery. ...

At a distance of 35 Kms from Kanyakumari, 53 Kms from Trivandrum & 700 Kms from Chennai (situated on Trivandrum - Kanyakumari road), Padmanabhapuram is an ancient historical town surrounded by a fort with an area of 187 acres. The ancient capital of Travancore might be constructed before AD 1601. The palace with an area of seven acres, is situated in the very centre on the Padmanabhapuram Fort, amidst hills, dales and rivers.

The fort which was built with mud originally was dismantled and reconstructed with granite by Maharaja Marthanda Varma. The height of the walls varies from 15 ft to 24 ft according to the inclination of the ground.

Entry Fee Rs 25 for Adult & Rs 10 for Children. Closed on Mondays.
Fees for Foreigners : Adult Rs 200 & Children Rs 50
Video and Camera Fee are Rs 1500 & Rs 25 Respectively
Separate fee for Car parking

At a distance of 3.5 Kms from Trivandrum Central Railway Station, Attukal Bhagavathi Temple is one of the famous temples in Kerala and famously known as the Sabarimal of Women. This temple got its place in Guinness Book of World Records as 'the largest gathering of women in the world'. About 1.5 million women gather at this temple to celebrate the famous Pongala festival.

Dedicated to Goddess Devi (another form of Goddess Parvathi), this temple is located in the heart of Trivandrum city. Pilgrims visiting Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple consider their visit is incomplete without offering prayers at this temple.

Attukal Pongala is the main festival celebrated at this temple on Karthika day of Kumbham month (Feb/March). During this festival, millions of women gather around this temple and prepare Pongala (rice cooked with jaggery, ghee, coconut as well as other ingredients) to offer to the goddess to seek her best blessings.

Timings: 4:30 AM to 12:30 PM & 5 PM to 8:30 PM

At a distance of 37 km from Kumbakonam, 37 km from Karaikal and 42 km from Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai is a town and headquarters of the Mayiladuthurai Taluk in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu. Mayiladuthurai is known for the Mayuranatha Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is one among the six temples which are compared as equivalent to the temple in Varanasi. The other 5 Shivasthalams are Tiruvenkaadu, Chaayaavanam, Tiruvaiyaru, Tiruvanchiam and Tiruvidaimarudur.

This temple was reconstructed with stone in 10th century during the period of Sembiyan Mahadevi. However, the renovations from the 19th century have destroyed some of the older structures and the inscriptions. Some of the stone sculptures of Vinayakar, Natarajar, Dakshimamurthy, Lingodbhavar, Brahma, Ganga Visarjanamurthi, Durga and Bhikshatanar from the period of Sembiyan Mahadevi have been well preserved.

The main diety is in the form of lingam called Mayuranathar and his consort Abhayambika appears as a peacock worshipping the Lord here. According to legend, Daksha, father of goddess Parvathi, conducted a Yagna but intentionally didn't invite Lord Shiva to humiliate him. Lord Shiva did not want Parvathi also to attend the Yagna. But Goddess Parvathi attended the function and was humiliated by Daksha. Lord Shiva in Veerabadra form and destroyed the Yagna. As Parvathi ignored Lord's advice, she was cursed to become a peacock. She came ...

At a distance of 29 Kms from Kottayam, 35 Kms from Alappuzha & 33 kms from Pathanamthitta, Sri Vallabha Temple is located near Thiruvalla town (4 Kms) in Pathanamthitta district.

This ancient temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is one among the 108 Diva Kshetrams in India. This temple is built in typical Kerala style of temple architecture with fine carvings and murals. The inner sanctum of the temple houses a 6 feet tall idol of Maha Vishnu. The flag staff of the temple is made out of granite and it is about 50 feet tall. A 3 feet idol of Garuda (the eagle vehicle of Lord Vishnu) is installed on top of the flagstaff.

This temple is famous for the traditional Kathakali performances almost every night and it is perhaps the only temple in Kerala where Kathakali is regularly performed as a ritual offering to a deity, after the evening Pooja

The annual festival of the temple is celebrated in Feb / Mar and the Utharaseeveli festival is celebrated for one day on Mar / Apr.

At a distance of 32 Kms from Munnar, Top Station is a breathtakingly beautiful place on Kerala - Tamilnadu boarder. From here, one can get 360 degrees view of the Western Ghats. This is one of the best Munnar tourist places and among the prime place to visit on a Munnar tour.

At an altitude of 2200 meters, this place is also known for the Neelakurunji Plant, which flowers only once every 12 years (next flowering year is 2018). The view point is at a distance of 2 kms from the road point and has to be trekked down. The trek path is very steep with deep valleys one side. One should be very careful while trekking to the view point, which offers lifetime memories. Top Station is the highest approachable road in South India.

The viewpoint at Top Station offers breathtakingly beautiful views of Kannan Devan Hills. The valleys all around, the misty mountains and distant waterfalls all make this place a must visit spot in Munnar.

Top Station is also a wonderful trekking destination in Munnar. There are multiple trekking routes in Top Station. The most popular route starts from Kurangani, a small village in Theni district of Tamilnadu. The total distance of Kurangani to Top Station is about 9 km and it usually takes around 6 hours to complete the trek. Camping is also allowed on the trail if overnight stay is preferred. This can also ...

At a distance of 60 km from Palakkad, 75 km from Pollachi, 75 km from Thrissur & 105 km from Coimbatore, Nelliyampathy, also spelled as Nelliampathi, is a charming hill town in Palakkad district of Kerala. The Nelliyampathy hills and mountains form a part of the Sahyadri ranges in the Western Ghats. These hills are located in the Tamil Nadu - Kerala border sharing border with Palakkad district of Kerala and Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu.

Nelliyampathy is one of the less explored hill stations of Kerala which has an elevation ranging from 467 m to 1572 m. It is also an ideal weekend getaway from Coimbatore city. The green sprawling Nellikota Mountain ranges which is anchored at a height of 1572 m is the highest peak in the region. Covered with valleys and green forests, the mountain range of Nelliyampathy has several tea, coffee and cardamom plantations. The extensive expanses of plantations offer unique opportunities of plantation tours here.

Nelliyampathy hills are exclusively famous for their exquisite fauna and green dense forests with many wild animals like Monkey, Deer, Porcupine and Elephants. Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, Nelliyampathy Hill, Shimmering Pothundi Reservoir, Padagiri, Palagapandi Estate and Pothundi Reservoir are the famous sightseeing places in Nelliampathi. Pothundi Dam, which was constructed in the 19th century, is the entrance to Nelliyampathy. A viewpoint called Seetharkund is situated ...

At a distance of 45 Kms from Yaganti, 70 Kms from Nandyal, 82 Kms from Ahobilam, 95 from Mahanandi, 109 Kms from Kurnool & 318 Kms from Hyderabad, Belum Caves are the second largest caves in India and the longest caves in India.

Situated between Nandyal and Tadipatri in Kurnool district, the caves are 3229 meters long. These caves have long passages, spacious chambers, fresh water galleries and siphons. The deepest point of caves is at 120 feet from entrance level. The caves were formed due to erosion in limestone deposit in the area by Chitravati River, millions of years ago. Now Chitravati River flows almost 30 km south of caves.

There is a big Buddha statue near the caves. This place was used as Meditation Hall by Buddhist monks in ancient days. AP Tourism has developed pathways and bridges for easy access of the caves. A resort is run by AP Tourism near the entrance of the caves.

This place is very close to Kolimigundla village (around 2 Kms) on Nandyal - Tadipatri route, connected by frequent buses.

Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM. Entry Fee: Rs. 50

At a distance of 100 km from Mangalore, Kukke Subrahmanya Temple is a sacred Hindu temple located at Kukke near Mangalore. It is one of the most famous temples in Karnataka and among the must-visit places as part of Mangalore Packages

Kukke Subrahmanya Temple is dedicated to Lord Murugan and is one of the important temples of Lord Subrahmanya (Lord Murugan). This temple is famous for Sarpa Dosha. Lord Subrahmanya is worshipped as the protector of all serpents. The epics mention that the divine serpent Vasuki and other serpents found refugee under Lord Subrahmanya when attacked by Garuda.

Pilgrims visiting the temple have to cross the Kumaradhara River and take a holy dip in it before entering the temple. According to Mythology, Lord Kumaraswamy killed the demon rulers Taraka, Shoorapadmasura in a war; and washed his Shakti Ayudha in this river (hence the river is named Kumaradhara). This is also one of the famous places of trekking in Karnataka.

Sarpa Samskara/Sarpa Dosha is one of the poojas performed at this temple by devotees to get rid of the sarpa dosha. Kukke Subramanya can be reached by road from Mangalore and Bangalore.

Timings: 6:30 AM - 1:30 PM & 3:30 PM - 8 PM

At a distance of 21 km north-east of Madurai, Alagar Koil is a beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu situated on a picturesque wooded hill. It is one of the major temples in Tamilnadu and an important pilgrimage site near Madurai city.

The temple is the abode of Lord Vishnu and is the sacred place for several followers of Lord Vishnu in the region. It is situated in the Alagar hills and is also known as Azhagar Kovil. Here 'Vishnu' presides as Meenakshi's brother 'Azhagar'. The statue of the lord is made of stone and is a great masterpiece created from kallalgar. Several different statues in different postures of the Lord are all kept in the temple under the same roof and it is the best form of distinct temples in southern India.

The impressive main tower at the entrance is believed to have been built by the Pandyan Kings. Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan (1251-1270 AD) has beautified the 'vimana' with gold plates. Later, during the reign of the Vijayanagar king Krishnadeva Raya, the temple has received good funding for conducting regular festivals.

Timings: 9 AM - 6:30 PM

At a distance of 1.7 km from Palakollu Railway Station, 85 km from Eluru, 67 km from Rajahmundry, 138 km from Vijayawada, 97 km from Kakinada, 22 km from Bhimavaram and 258 km from Visakhapatnam, Sri Ksheera Rama Temple is one of the Pancharama temples, situated in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. The other four are Amararama Temple in Amaravathi, Draksharama Temple in Draksharamam, Kumararama Temple in Samalkoti and Somarama Temple in Bhimavaram.

Lord Shiva is worshipped as Ksheera Ramalingeswara Swamy at this temple. The temple tower is one of the tallest among the temple towers in Andhra Pradesh. The height of the temple is 120 ft with 9 floors constructed during the reign of Chalukya Bheema in 9th century. The Prakara was designed by Sri Velupathi during 10th century. Gopuram was constructed by Sri Alladu Reddy during 14th Century. This ancient temple has been listed as a protected monument by the Archaeological Department.

The Shivlinga is a unique milky white in color and the tallest. According to legend, Upamanyu the son of sage Kaushik, requested Lord Shiva to grant him enough milk so that he can carry on the rituals in the temple. Lord Shiva filled the Ksheera Pushkarni Tank with the mythical milky ocean (Ksheera Sagaram). Hence this place is known with different names, Ksheerarama, Palakollu and Dugdhapovanam.

The Shiva Lingam inside the garabha griha can be seen from all the four sides through ...

At a distance of 16 km from Udupi, Kaup Beach is a beautiful beach situated close to NH17 between Udupi & Mangalore. It is one of the must include places in Udupi Tour Packages, and among the best beaches near Bangalore.

Kaup Beach is one of the famous beaches in Karnataka where tourists enjoy the beauty of the environment, the long stretches of golden sands, and the cool sea breeze. The beach is covered by palm groves. There is a lighthouse here, constructed in 1901, which is open every day for an hour from 5.30 AM. The delightful view of the entire seashore and the beach from the lighthouse is every photographer's dream.

Besides the lighthouse, Kaup also has ruins of Jain Basadis that line across the stretch of sand, and these are definitely worth a visit. Kaup is also known for the temple of Goddess Mariamman. There is also an ancient fort located in Kaup which is in ruins now.

This beach is also popular with students who come from Manipal, a student town. The beach also has small shacks and eateries where one can sample a bit of the local cuisine.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

At a distance of 8 km from Kodaikanal Bus Station, Silver Cascade is a mesmerizing waterfall situated in the town of Kodaikanal. This is one of the most popular waterfalls near Bangalore and among the prime place to visit on a Kodaikanal trip.

Cascading down from a height of about 55 meters (180 ft, the Silver Cascade waterfall is formed from the outflow of Kodaikanal Lake. It is one of the most visited tourist places in Kodai. The name 'Silver cascade' is given to this fall, owing to the colour of the water which appears silver when flowing down the 55-meter high cliff.

There is a dedicated viewing platform in front of the waterfall, which serves as an excellent point to view the flowing waterfall down in a pool. One can easily reach the silver Cascade falls via local transport such as auto or rickshaw, in Kodaikanal.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Free

At a distance of 40 Kms from Idukki, 38 Kms from Kumily, 57 Kms from Munnar, 15 Kms from Nadumkandam & 18 Kms from Kambam (on NH220 towards Palani), Ramakkalmedu is a lovely tourist place with rolling green hills and the fresh mountain air.

The hilltop also offers a panoramic view of the picturesque villages of Kambam and surrounding places on the slope of the Western Ghats. Kerala Tourism Department has provided additional facilities for tourists with resting points & statues of Kuravan & Kurathi (local tribes) at Ramakkalmedu.

Ramakkalmedu is also a great trekking destination. The view point on top of the hill is the highest point in this area, which can be reached by 3-4 Kms trek from the Ramakkalmedu Junction.

This place is connected by bus service from Munnar, Kottayam and Ernakulam.

At a distance of 14 km from Honavar, and 15 km from Murudeshwar, Ganapati Temple is a Hidu temple situated at Idagunji village near Murudeshwar. It is one of the famous temples in this region, and among the popular places to visit in Murudeshwar.

Located on the left bank of River Sharawati, the Idagunji Temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. According to the legend, Lord Ganapati stayed in this place which was known as Kunjaranya. It is said to be a place of penance selected by ancient Rishis. The importance of Idagunji is mentioned in the Skanda Purana. This temple is one of the major pilgrimage centers in Karnataka and attracts more than 1 million devotees per year.

Lord Vinayaka can be seen here in a standing posture, which is a rare sight. Vinayaka Chathurthi is the major festival celebrated here. Idagunji can be reached by bus from Honavar or Manki.

Timings: 6AM - 1PM & 3PM - 8.30PM

Entry: Free

At a distance of 10 km from Vellore Town Railway Station, 70 Kms from Kanchipuram, 55 kms from Kanipakam, 146 Kms from Chennai, 120 Kms from Tirupati and 212 Kms from Bangalore, Sripuram Golden Temple dedicated to goddess Mahalakshmi is one of the famous temples in Tamilnadu and it was built using 1500 kilograms of gold.

Constructed in the year of 2007, Sripuram is the biggest structure made out of gold. The Vimana and Ardha Mandapa have been coated with gold both in the interior and exterior. The temple is built in 100 acres area of land and constructed by Vellore-based Sri Narayani Peedam, headed by spiritual leader Sri Sakthi Amma. One and half tonnes of gold has been used for the construction of the temple with a cost of 600 crore.

The temple is built in Dravidian style with wonderful artisitc work. Sripuram design represents a star-shaped path (Sri chakra) running a length of over 1.8 km. The temple is positioned in the middle of wonderfully maintained lush green landscape . One has to walk along the star path to reach the temple in the middle.

A walk of about 1 km is needed to reach the central gopuram from main temple entrance. The center also provides parking, locker facility and shoe rack facility. Cell Phone, MP3 Player and Camera are strictly prohibited.

The temple is open from 7 AM to 9 PM.

At a distance of 30 km from Kakinada, 62 km from Rajahmundry, 212 km from Vijayawada and 197 km from Vizag, Yanam is a town in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry; it is located in Yanam district, which forms a 30 sq. km enclave adjacent to East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh.

Yanam was a Dutch colony prior to French takeover in the 1720s. Neelikundilu (indigo wells) are still found in the west of Yanam. The Dutch built a fort, which they used to store their currency, minted in nearby Neelapalli. The region was presented to the French general the Marquis de Bussy by the Vijayanagaram King as a token of gratitude for the help rendered by Bussy in his fight against the rulers of Bobbili.

For 200 years it was a French colony, and though united with India in 1954. It possesses a unique blend of French and Telugu culture prevailing in Andhra Pradesh. During French rule, the Tuesday market at Yanam was popular among Telugu people in the Madras Presidency who visited Yanam to buy foreign and smuggled goods during Yanam People's Festival held in January. Yanam is situated between the confluence of Coringa and Gowthami Godavari Rivers into Bay of Bengal. This place is surrounded by plenty of coconut trees.

There are number of places to visit in Yanam town. Sivalayam, Grand Mosque, Catholic Church, Yanam beach and Venkanna Babu Temple are the important tourist ...

At a distance of 10 km from Gandikota, Mylavaram Dam is a medium irrigation project built across Penna River near Mylavaram in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the beautiful reservoirs on River Pennar and among the must visit Gandikota Tourist Places.

Also known as Tatireddy Narasimha Reddy Reservoir, Mylavaram Dam is an earthen dam constructed for providing irrigation potential to an extent of 75,000 acres. The construction of the project and formation of canals were completed by the end of 1981-82 and the distributary system was completed by 1985-86. The reservoir has a gross storage capacity of 9.96 tmc. The reservoir consists of two main canals viz. MR South Canal & MR North Canal having an extent of 25,000 acres & 50,000 acres of ayacut respectively. With the completion of Srisailam right bank canal, Krishna River water would be fed from Srisailam Dam to this reservoir.

The dam view is amazing and one can see a museum nearby. It is a nice place to visit in the evening so that you can see spectacular sunset. Recently, AP Tourism has set up a boat club in the backwaters of Mylavaram Dam in order to attract tourists. Tourists can indulge in various water sports activities like speed boat, kayaking etc.

Timings: 9 AM - 6 PM

Boating Cost: Rs. 200 per Person for Speed Boat (Max 4) & Rs. 200 for Kayaking (Max 2)

At a distance of 18 km from Vizag Railway Station & 128 km from Annavaram, 208 km from Rajahmundry, 359 from Vijayawada, 607 km from Hyderabad, Simhadri or Simhachalam is a Hindu temple located in the Visakhapatnam City suburb of Simhachalam in Andhra Pradesh. This 11th century temple is dedicated to Sri Varaha Narasimha Swamy, an incarnation of Vishnu and situated on top of the Simhachalam Hills.

The temple is believed to have been constructed in 1098 by the famous Chola king, Kulothunga Chola. The queen of Kalinga gifted golden armor to the statue. The Eastern Ganga King Narasimha Deva has constructed the central shrine in 1267. Krishna Deva Raya, the Vijayanagara Emperor visited this temple in the year 1516, as seen from inscriptions here. The temple activities are managed by the Pusapati Gajapatis, for last three centuries.

The architectural of the central shrine follows Kalinga style. Facing towards west, it is a square shrine surmounted by a high tower, a portico in front with a small tower, a carved 16 pillared Natya mantapa. The shrine has inscriptions dating back to 1098 AD on its walls. The deity is always kept covered with sandal paste. The actual form of the deity is in the tribhanga posture with two hands & head of a lion, which can be viewed only during the 'Chandanotsavam' in April/May. Legend has it that the Ugra form of ...

At a distance of about 10 kms from Trivandrum Central Railway Station, Shanghumugham Beach is a famous beach around Trivandrum. The huge sculpture of a Nymph (Jalakanyaka) made by the famous sculptor Sri Kanai Kunjuraman and a restaurant shaped like a star fish are added attractions here.

The beach is more crowded during the weekends and local holidays. Sunset at this beach is worth watching. The Chacha Nehru Traffic Training Park here attracts children and helps them to learn the traffic rules. During temple festivals the beach witnesses ritual washing of temple idols.

At a distance of 18 Kms from Kollam and 6 Kms from Varkala, Kappil Beach is a famous weekend gateway from Tivandrum.

Sprawls across 25 acres of land, the thin line of sand beach separates Edava-Nadayara Lake from the Arabian Sea. Swimming, water sports and Sun-bathing are famous activities at this spot. Boating is available in the backwaters of the lake at Priyadarshini Boat Club and Lake Sagar Boat Club near Beach. Dolphins are an added attraction on the Kappil Beach.

Kappil Beach is connected by bus service from Kollam, Varkala & Trivandrum.

At a distance of 9 from Sullurpet, 50 km from Srikalahasti, 105 km from Nellore & 88 km from Chennai Central Railway Station, Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lake in India, after Orissa's Chilka Lake. It lies at the border of Thiruvallur district in Tamil Nadu and Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh states. The island of Sriharikota (home for famous ISRO) separates the lake from the Bay of Bengal. This is one of the popular tourist places to visit near Chennai and an ideal weekend getaway near Chennai.

The sanctuary is home to wide range of migratory birds that migrate in large numbers in winter. It is one of the best places for bird watching in the vicinity of Chennai city and at the same time experience the memorable boat riding in Pulicat Lake. The entrance to the sanctuary is situated on Sullurpet - Sriharikota road.

The lake is 60 kms long and width varies between 0.2 to 17.5 kms. It is an important stopover of migrant birds and approximately 15,000 flamingos visit the lake each year, along with pelicans, kingfishers, herons, painted storks, spoonbills and ducks.

Pulicat village, which is 60 km from Chennai (via Ponneri), is also an alternate place to experience the beauty of the lake & sanctuary. Boating is available in the lake at Pulicat village. Pulicat ...

At a distance of 16 km from Ooty, Wenlock Downs is a vast expanse of grassy meadow located on the way to Pykara in Ooty, Tamilnadu. It is one of the most scenic places in Ooty and also one of the best Ooty tourist places. Along with Ooty Lake, this place is most commonly represented for Ooty Tourism.

Wenlock Downs is a spectacular meadow named after Sir Arthur Lawley's sibling Beilby Lawley, third Baron Wenlock. The downs spread majestically across 20,000 acres of rolling lands that seems to be stretching endlessly. The entire place is covered with Shola forest. More popularly known as the Shooting Point, Wenlock Downs has two popular movie filming points known as Sixth Mile and Ninth Mile named so because of they are located at 6 miles and 9 miles away from Ooty.

The extensive grassland of Wenlock Downs was once used as hunting ground by the British and Europeans. Today, Wenlock Downs home to the Gymkhana Club, the Hindustan Photo Films Company and a Government Sheep Farm.

The journey from Ooty to Wenlock Downs takes one to the most serene excursions from Ooty. The Wenlock Downs are perfect for walking and hiking amidst this elegant landscape. The peak offers breathtaking views of the Nilgiris and is one of the best places to watch the nature of Ooty. The view of a lake (formed ...

At a distance of 1.5 km Kadiri Railway Station, 100 km from Anantapur, 113 km from Kadapa, 458 km from Hyderabad, 476 km from Vijayawada, and 174 km from Bangalore, Sri Kadiri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple is located in Kadiri town in Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh. The temple is dedicated to Lord Narasimha, a Man-lion form and is one of the 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu.

Lord Narasimha in this temple is swayambhu emerging from the roots of Khadri tree (Indian mulberry). The specialty of this temple is that after the daily Abhishekam is performed, the idol of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha oozes sweat continuously even after repeatedly wiping off sweat by the temple priests.

The construction of this temple is said to have been commenced during the Western Chalukya rule but it was completed during the time of Vijayanagara rulers. The inscriptions in the temple relate mostly to the Vijayanagar period. One of them states that the temple was built by a Nayaka during the reign of Bukka I in 1332 AD. The raja gopuram was built by Harihararaya. The popular king of Vijayanagara Sri Krishna Devaraya and Maharashtra King Shivaji visited this famous temple and constructed sub temples and Mahishasuramardini Temple respectively.

The temple is enclosed in large walled compound with 4 entrances having a gopura over each entrance. On the eastern entrance one can see the idol of Anjaneya. Garbgriha is decorated beautifully with four lions in corner. There is an idol of Prahalada ...

At a distance of 6 km from Owk, 10 km from Belum Caves, 34 km from Yaganti, 56 km from Jammalamadugu and 70 km from Gandikota, Owk Reservoir is an earthen dam built across Paleru River near Owk in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. It is one among the popular places to visit in Gandikota.

Built in 1946, Owk Reservoir is a balancing reservoir comprising of three smaller dams namely Paleru, Gollaleru and Thimmaraju Cheruvu. Previously the Paleru and Thimmaraju earth dams are the tanks feeding water to Owk village ayacut of approximately 600 acres and 2000 acres respectively. These tanks were converted into Owk Reservoir by raising its bund to 220 feet height. Now, the reservoir has internal area of more than 1000 acres and it is main source of irrigation in Rayalaseema region and also providing drinking water facility to nearby villages and towns.

Recently, AP Tourism has set up a boat club in backwaters of Owk Reservoir in order to attract tourists. Tourists can indulge in various water sports activities like Cruise Boat, speed boat, etc. There are two water falls namely, Gollaleru and Paleru in the catchment area of the dam.

Timings: 9 AM - 1.30 PM & 2 PM - 5.30 PM

Boating Cost: Rs. 150 per Person for Cruise Boat & Rs. 200 per Person for Speed Boat (Max 4)

At a distance of 500 m from Apsara Konda Bus Stop, 7 km from Honavar, 28 km from Kumta and 20 km from Murudeshwar, Apsara Konda Falls is a small waterfall located in the Uttara Kannada (North Canara) district of Karnataka. It is one of the scenic tourist places near Murudeshwar.

The water cascades down from a height of 10 meters into a pond below. The specialty of this pond is that it faces the sea and appears like a lagoon. People say that Angels used to come from heaven and take bath in that pond, hence the name Apsara Konda. Reaching the base of the waterfall is an easy as steps have been built to make the trail easier for the public. A unique fact about the waterfall is that the water flows down through the roots of a peepal tree while descending to the pond below. The pond is very safe for swimming and playing.

Just few mins walk from the falls is a magnificent hill which has a viewpoint. The hill and beach offer a beautiful view of sunset. Apsara Konda Hill contains many small and big caves known as Pandava Caves. People believe that Pandava's had stayed in these caves during their exile. Karnataka tourism department has taken initiatives to develop this place as major tourist attraction. The department built a beautiful park in the hillock and boating is initiated in the pond. As a result Apsara Konda is witnessing many tourists these days.

There is a beautiful temple - Umamba Maha Ganapathi and Ugra Narasimha ...

At a distance of 58 km from Srisailam & 173 km from Hyderabad, Mallela Theertham is a charming waterfall located in the dense Nallamala forest. This is one of the popular tourist places to visit near Hyderabad and among ideal weekend getaways from Hyderabad for a day trip. It is situated close to Hyderabad to Srisailam highway and is a popular place to visit while travelling to Srisailam.

With a height of about 150 feet, water directly falls from a high cliff on a Shiv Lingas kind of rock formations. Bordered by thick forest, the surroundings of the falls offer unique experience. The water comes from a small stream which flows through the dense jungle and meets the Krishna River. About 380 well laid steps need to be walked down to reach the falls from the road point. The pool below the falls is closed with fencing on all sides. However, there is a path to reach the bottom of the falls and play in the water, if the flow of the stream is not heavy. The water from main falls flow into another pool in the vicinity forming another small but cute waterfall, though reaching bottom of this fall is little difficult.

It is said that many sages have performed penances here for Shiva. It is believed that many tigers visit this place to drink water during summer. Mallela Theertham is a good place to hangout for a weekend to enjoy with ...

At a distance of 2 km from Thiruvarur Junction, 40 km from Kumbakonam, 39 km from Karaikal and 62 km from Thanjavur, Thiruvarur is a famous temple town known for Sri Thyagaraja Temple is a Hindu temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. This is the fore most form of the Saptha Vidanga Sthalams.

Thyagaraja Swamy temple was first constructed by Aditya Chola I in 9th century. The temple was upgraded and rebuilt with stone by Rajendra Chola I in 11th century. The later expansions are attributed to Vijayanagar rulers. This temple is one of the biggest in the country and has the biggest temple chariot in Tamil Nadu.

Sri Vanmikanathar (Lord Shiva) is the presiding deity of the temple. According to the legend, Vishnu worshipped Shiva in the form of Somaskanda, associated with Ajapa dance. Shiva is said to have appeared in an anthill to Vishnu. So, no abishekam is performed for Vanmikanathar. Daily poojas are offered to a small idol referred to as Marakatha lingam and his consort Parvati is depicted as Kamalambal.

The image of Tyagarajar is the foremost of seven forms, which lord Indra had asked Muchukunda Cholan to pick up the original image of Somaskanda worshipped by Lord Vishnu. Muchukunda Cholan had picked the right one which is the present idol at Thiruvarur. Indra was pleased and rewarded all the 7 idols to Muchukundan, which he placed in 7 different temples in his territory which are Thiruvarur, Thirunallar, Thirukkuvalai, ...

At a distance of 70 km from Mangalore, Dharmasthala is a sacred town in Karnataka. Situated on the banks of the Nethravathi River, it is one of the famous places of pilgrimage in Karnataka, and among the popular places to visit as part of Mangalore Packages.

The main attraction of Dharmasthala is the famous Manjunatha Temple. This place is also known as Sri Kshetra, and is one of the top places to visit in Mangalore. Dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of Manjunatha or Lokeshwara, this temple dates back to 16th Century. It is said that the Shiva Linga worshipped at this temple was procured from Kadri Temple in Mangalore. This place was known as Kuduma and was later renamed Dharmasthala in the 16th century by Vadiraja Swami of Udupi.

The shrines of four Dharma Daivas (Kalarahu, Kalarkaayi, Kanyakumari, and Kumaraswamy) are built well before Manjunatha Temple in Dharmasthala. Lakshadeepotsava celebrated in Kartheekamasa (Nov/Dec) is the main attraction of the temple.

This temple is involved in several social activities, especially, educational institutes for the poor.

Timings: 6:30 AM - 2:30 PM & 5 PM - 8:30 PM

At a distance of 41 Kms from Palakkad, Mangalam Dam is constructed on the river Cherukunnapuzha, a tributary of the river Mangalam. It is a popular picnic site from Palakkad.

The construction of the scenic dam was completed in the year 1956. The entire area is quite fascinating with beautiful parks and lawns.

Located on the Alathur - Vadakkanchery Highway, the reservoir is bounded with forest area which is home for wildlife like deer, elephants and a variety of birds.

At a distance of 17 km from Mayiladuthurai, 27 km from Chidambaram, 45 kms from Karaikal, 54 km from Kumbakonam and 94 km from Thanjavur, Vaitheeswaran Koil is town in Nagapattinam district which is famous for the Vaidyanatha Swamy Temple. The temple is also known as Pullirukkuvelur.

Vaidyanatha Swamy and Thaiyalnayaki are the presiding deities of this temple. The Selva Muthukumara Swamy shrine here is also considered to be of important. There are Shiva lingas said to have been worshipped by Rama, Jatayu, Skanda, Surya and Angaraka. It is believed that Rama and his brother Lakshmana cremated the vulture king Jatayu who was killed by Ravana when he tried to prevent the abduction of Sita at this place. There is a pond at this temple called Jatayu kundam.

It is one of the Navagraha temples associated with the planet Mars (Angaraka). According to legend, Planet Mars was once afflicted with leprosy and was cured by Vaidyanatha Swamy and from then on it is treated as Angaraka sthalam.

The temple has a five-tiered gopura and large enclosures. Lord Vaitheeswaran is worshipped as Shiva linga in the inner sanctum. The first enclosure around the sanctum has the image of Subramanya, worshipped here as Muthukumara Swamy. The other metal images in the sanctum are of Nataraja, Somaskanda, Angaraka and stone sculptures of Durga, Dakshinamoorthy, Surya and Jatayu. The shrine of Thaiyalnayaki who stands with the medicinal oil ...

At a distance of 1 km from Dwaraka Tirumala Bus Stand, 45.5 km from Eluru, 73 km from Rajahmundry, 101 km from Vijayawada, 135 km from Kakinada and 278 km from Visakhapatnam, Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple is located on the top of the Seshachala Hill at Dwaraka Tirumala in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. This temple is considered as sacred as the famous Sri Venakteswara Temple of Tirumala.

Lord Vishnu is presiding deity here in the form of Sri Venkateswara Swamy. The temple was constructed by the Mylavaram Zamindars in 19th century. The self-manifested idol of Sri Venkateswara Swamy was unearthed by a saint named Dwaraka and hence, the temple is called Dwaraka Tirumala. This place is also called Chinna Tirupati.

The statue of the lord is visible above the waist and the lower portion is imagined to be in the earth. The holy feet are said to be offered to Bali Chakravarthi in Patala loka for his daily worship. The full size idol of Lord Venkateswara standing at the back of the main idol is said to have been installed by the great social reformer Ramanujacharya in 11th century. These two idols are located in the same sanctum sanctorum which is a unique feature of this temple. The idols of Goddess Padmavathi and Nanchari are installed in the Arthamandapa.

This temple is a masterpiece of South Indian Architecture with its five-storied main Rajagopuram facing the ...

At a distance of 16 km from Siruvani Falls and 32 km from Coimbatore, Isha Yoga Center is an ashram situated at the foothills of Vellaiangiri on the outskirts of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, India. It is the headquarters for the Isha Foundation and among the top places to visit as part of Coimbatore Tour Packages.

Isha Yoga Center was founded by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev two decades ago and is administered by the Isha Foundation. Sprawling over 150 acres of lush land, the ashram is dedicated to fostering inner transformation and creating an established state of wellbeing in individuals. The large tranquil residential complex houses an active international community of Brahmacharis who are full-time volunteers. It offers all four major paths of yoga - kriya (energy), gnana (knowledge), karma (action), and bhakti (devotion), drawing people from all over the world.

Surrounded by thick forests and situated right next to the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, the center houses the architecturally distinctive Spanda Hall and garden, a 64,000 sq. ft meditation hall and program facility. The first thing that catches visitor's attention at the Center is the 112 feet high bust of the Hindu God Shiva, called Adiyogi. The Guinness Book of World Records has declared it to be the world's largest bust sculpture. The statue is named Adiyogi, which means 'the first yogi' because Shiva is known as the originator of yoga. The height of the statue, 112 feet, symbolizes the 112 ways to attain liberation ...

At a distance of 17 km from Kalpetta, Chembra Peak is a mountain peak in Western Ghats of Wayanad district. Located at an elevation of 2100 m above sea level, Chembra is the highest peak in Wayanad & third highest peak in South India. This is one of the top places of trekking in Wayanad and also one of the best tourist places in Kerala. It is another popular attraction not to miss in a Wayanad Tour Packages.

Chembra is located near the town of Meppadi, which is about 10 km south of Kalpetta.Trekking and mountain climbing are popular activities here. Being nestled amidst the beautiful Wayanad hills and the adjoining Nilgiri hills, trek to the peak is certainly a rejuvenating affair. Chembra Peak is accessible by foot from Meppadi town.

Trekking to the Chembra Peak is a moderately difficult task and recommended for trekkers with good physical fitness. There is a heart shaped lake on the way to the top of the peak, which is believed to have never dried up, is a major tourist attraction here. Earlier, the trek used to be till Chembra peak. But, now visitors can only trek till the heart shaped lake.

The actual trek starts from the watchtower at the foot hill of Chembra Peak which is about 7 km from Meppadi. The trek entry point can be reached by private vehicles (jeeps) from Meppadi town. Visitors can get the permission from ...

At a distance of 12 km from Baba Budangiri and 23 km from Chikmagalur, Jhari Waterfalls, also known as Buttermilk Falls, is a beautiful waterfall situated near Attigundi in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. This is one of the popular waterfalls in Chikmagalur and also one of the best Chikmagalur tourist places.

Jhari Falls, situated on the way to Baba Budangiri or Kemmangundi from Chikmagalur, is surrounded by dense forest and coffee plantations. This falls is created by the springs generated in the mountains. A pool is formed by the waterfall below which allows visitors swim and play in the water. This is a perfect retreat from the busy city life and it is one of the must visit tourist spots in Chikmagalur.

The Falls is located on a steep and rugged road down through private coffee plantations from the parking, which is about 4 km from the falls. Visitors cannot take their vehicles due to bad condition of the roads. One must take a Jeep ride down the hill, which would cost Rs. 600 per Jeep (for 6 pax max). There is also a small shop just near the Falls selling hot omelet, Vada Pav, and more.

The falls is at its best in monsoon and post monsoon seasons. The best time to visit Jhari Falls is from August to January while the peak season is from September to December.

Timings: 8 AM - 5 PM

Jeep: Rs. 600 per Jeep (6 Max)

At a distance of 5 km from Banasura Sagar Dam, 25 km from Kalpetta & 48 km from Sulthan Bathery, Meenmutty Waterfalls is a magnificent falls located near Banasura Sagar Dam. The upper level of the waterfall can be reached by 1.5 km trek from the entry point. It is one of the best waterfalls near Bangalore and among the best Wayanad tourist places to visit.

Cascading down through multiple tiers from a height of over 800 feet, it is a spectacular fall situated inside thick forest flowing through rocky platform. The falls has major tiers with varying height. The first tier can be reached by walking for about half km from the parking area / main entrance of the falls. The lower tier is smaller one with water collecting into a pool. The pool is safe for swimming with low depth.

The second tier can be reached by trekking up through steps built over boulders. The half km path runs along with downstream of the river and offers wonderful views of the stream and thick vegetation. The third tier is the toughest and needs some walking through the stream on slippery rocks with help of ropes. The ascend is steep at few places and this half km stretch takes about 10-15 minutes.

The peak on top of third tier offers breathtaking views of Banasura Sagar Dam and surrounding valleys. Meenmutty Falls situated amidst serene location offers wonderful ...

At a distance of 5 km from Sakharayapatna, 63 km from Chikmagalur and 25 km from Chikmagalur, Ayyanakere Lake is an ancient lake situated at the eastern base of Baba Budan Range hills. This is the biggest lake in the Chikmagalur district and the second largest lake in Karnataka. Ayyanakere is also called as Dodda Magoda Kere and it is surrounded by beautiful hills. It is one of the prime places to visit in Chikmagalur.

Ayyanakere Lake is one of the important places to visit during your Chikmagalur Tour. This lake believed to have been constructed by Rukmangada Raya, a ruler of Sakharayapatna. It was renovated in 1156 AD during Hoysala's rule. The sprawling lake was built to supply water for was agriculture. It supplies water for irrigating 21,560 hectares of land in the region.

Ayyanakere Lake is surrounded by mountains on three sides. There is a beautiful mountain called Shakunagiri. The 4,600 ft conical shaped Shakunagiri forms a picturesque backdrop for the lake. Positioned in the Malnad region, tourists visit the lake to witness beautiful sunrise and sunset. Tourists can also engage in recreational activities at the lake such as fishing and camping at the lakeside.

Sakharayapatna is also famous for Prasanna Balleshwara shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva built during Hoysala's ...

At a distance of 9 km from Ooty Bus Station, Kamraj Sagar Dam, also known as the Sandynalla Reservoir, is a very quiet and scenic dam situated on the slopes of the Wenlock Downs in Ooty. It is one of the top Ooty tourist places and also a must include in every Ooty Tour Packages.

The dam, built on the Kamrajar Lake, is spread over 400 acres and is situated on the way to Wenlock Downs & Pykara. The dam is a monsoon fed water body and measures about 6 km in length. The dam and the serene location make it a heavenly place and a favorite haunt for the nature lovers. It is also a popular destination with honeymoon couples because of its picturesque natural beauty. It is a popular shooting location in Ooty.

There are several walking trails around the lake and visitors can also explore several tourist places in the area through these walking trails. The surroundings of the lake are home to variety of birds which include peacocks, storks, kingfishers, cranes, herons and sunbirds can easily be spotted in the area. The animals that are seen in this area include wild boars, Indian bison, barking deer, monkeys, mongooses and leopards.

There is a pine forest adjacent to the main road through which the reservoir is accessed. Pine trees spread across several acres is a nice place to take snaps & famous shooting spot as well. ...

At a distance of 40 Kms from Chidambaram, 40 km from Karaikal, 90 Kms from Thanjavur & 257 Kms from Chennai, Poompuhar was once the biggest port on the east coast of Tamil Nadu, and was as its peak of glory under the earlier Chola kings.

The River Kaveri is merging with the sea here. It was known as puhar due to the exquisite beauty of the port town, and it later came to be called Poompuhar. Silappathikaram and Manimekalai, the tamil epics, bring out the greatness of the city in some of the poems in Sangam literature.

Danish Fort that was built as early as 1620 A.D is the masterpiece of the Danish architecture in India. The fort is in perfect condition till now and most of the decorations and carvings are still prominent.

A fine beach and calm waters offer good opportunity for sunbathing and swimming.

At a distance of 30 km from Araku, 3 km from Anantagiri village, Tadimada waterfalls, also known as Anantagiri Waterfalls is a charming waterfall situated near Anantagiri town in Vizag district of Andhra Pradesh. It one of the best waterfalls in Araku and also one of the top tourist attractions in Araku.

With a height of about 100 feet, Anantagiri falls offer best views in monsoon season. The best way to reach these waterfalls is by walking / trekking from Anantagiri. The falls is about 1-2 km away from the main road between Anantagiri and Araku Valley (after about 1.5 km from Anantagiri). The approach road from main road is very narrow and bumpy. Only SUVs can manage well on this road. It's advisable to walk to these falls from Anantagiri - Araku main road which takes about 20 minutes. The road is almost flat and anyone can manage to walk easily.

The rocks near the falls are very slippery and should be careful while getting on to the rocks. Though swimming is possible, water here is bit dirty.

Timings: 9 AM - 5 PM

At a distance of 68 km from Kollam, 39 km from Tenkasi & 73 km from Trivandrum, Thenmala Dam also known as Kallada Dam or Parappara Dam located in Thenmala village is built across Kalla River. It is situated very close to Kollam - Tenkasi road. The dam is located amidst picturesque location with beautiful surroundings at the foothills of the Western Ghats.

The surroundings of Thenmala Dam are developed under eco-tourism development activities. It is also selected by World Tourism Organisation as one of the best eco-friendly projects in the world. Thenmala means honey hill. Due to the peculiar floristic composition of the forest, the honey collected from Thenmala forest is famous for its medicinal values.

This place has facilities like winding pathways, sway bridge, amphitheatre and a musical fountain. You can also visit the traditional tree houses of the tribal of this area. There are also boating facilities in the reservoir. There is a rope bridge along with many trekking, mountaineering and biking opportunities.

At a distance of 20 Kms from Munnar, Kundala Lake is a picturesque lake situated on the way to Top Station from Munnar. The tea estates spread across Kundala are a real feast to the eyes.

The lake is formed by Kundala artificial dam, which is a small dam in cured shape. The lake offer boating facility. The unique experience of boating in Kashmiri boats in this lake is a special attraction. These boats are also known as Shikara Boats. Kundala Lake is one of the best places for sightseeing in Munnar.

There is also a golf course which belongs to Tata Tea Ltd in Kundala village.

Boating Timings: 9 AM to 5:30 PM

Boating Fee (30 minutes): Shikara Boat - Rs 200 for 2 persons, Row Boats - Rs 150 for 4 persons, Pedal Boat - Rs 100 for 2 persons

At a distance of 1.6 km from Basavakalyan Bus Stand, 78 km from Gulbarga, and 80 km from Bidar, Basavakalyan Fort, earlier known as Kalyani Fort is located in the town of Basavakalyan. It is one of the popular places of heritage in Karnataka, and among the must include places in Bidar Tour Packages.

Basavakalyan Fort is considered to be one of the oldest and most imposing forts in South India. It was built by King Nalaraja in the 10th century. Basavakalyan, earlier known as Kalyani, was the royal capital of the Western Chalukyan Dynasty from 1050 to 1189. The name was changed to Basavakalyan in 1956. It is named after Basaveshwara, a spiritual scholar from the 12th century. During the rule of Chalukyas, Jainism flourished and a large number of Jain images were carved on the walls of the forts by Chalukya kings. It is one of the most popular places to visit in Bidar.

This fort was ruled by Yadavas of Devagiri, Kalachuris, Western Chalukyas, Bijapur Sultanate, Bidar Sultanate, Bahamani Sultanate, and Hyderabad Nizams. After the fall of Western Chalukyas in the 12th century, the fort lost its. The fort still shows signs of different dynasties ruled this region.

The fort is strategically built as a defensive structure, with inter-connecting boulders scattered on the hills with strong fort ...

At a distance of 1 km from Velankanni Railway Station, 31 km from Karaikal, 93 km from Thanjavur, 11 km from Nagapattinam, 161 km from Pondicherry and 313 km from Chennai, The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health is located in Velankanni town of Tamil Nadu. The Roman Catholic Latin Rite Basilica is devoted to Our Lady of Good Health. Situated on the coast of Bay of Bengal, this is one of the most popular Christian pilgrimage sites in South India.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Velankanni is one of the most frequented religious sites in India. It can be traced back to mid-16th century and is attributed to three miracles at different sites around where the Basilica currently stands. The appearance of Mary and Christ Child to a shepherd boy, the curing of a buttermilk vendor and the rescue of Portuguese sailors from a violent sea storm are the miracles associated with this shrine.

The shrine was started as a small structure in the mid-sixteenth century. The chapel was built by Portuguese sailors and became a parish church in 1771. Later in 1962 it was granted a Special status of a Minor Basilica and merged with the Major Basilica of Mary in Rome on 3 November 1962 by Pope John XXIII.

Representing a Gothic style of architecture, the building of the church is painted white, while the roof is covered with red tiles. The Basilica contains three chapels, Our Lady's Tank, Church Museum, Priests' Residence, Offering Center, ...

At a distance of 39 Kms from Palakkad, Meenkara Dam is a lovely picnic spot amidst great scenic beauty.

This dam is built across the Gayathri River which flows into the Bharathapuzha River. This is a fascinating place with full of paddy & coconut fields and full of greenery.

Meenkara Dam can be access through Puthunagaram, Pallassana & Kollengode.

At a distance of 27 km from Kasaragod, 72 km from Mangalore, 77 km from Kannur, Bekal Fort is an ancient fort situated at Bekal in Kerala. Along the shores of Arabian Sea, it is the best preserved fort in Kerala and among the top visited Kerala tourist places.

Bekal Fort happens to be the biggest fort of Kerala spreading over 40 acres. This fort is more than 300 years old and is believed to have been built in the 1650's by Sivappa Naik of the Ikkeri dynasty. There is also another belief that it was originally built by Kolathiri Rajas and was captured by Sivappa Naik. The fort was occupied by Hyder Ali of Mysore in 1763 AD and later by the British. Being the source of attraction for historians and tourists, the Bekal Fort was declared as the special tourism area by the Government of India in the year 1992.

The Bekal Fort is a keyhole-shaped lofty structure that stands still against the rocky shores of the Arabian Sea. The fort has zigzag entrance, strategically designed openings on the outer walls and various underground passageways. The fort has no palaces inside and was probably erected just for defence purposes. The important features of this fort are the sea bastion, underground tunnels, the observation tower and a temple dedicated to Hanuman. One can also visit a mosque built by Tippu Sultan of Mysore just outside the fort.

The observation tower affords a magnificent view of the sea on three sides and the green ...

At a distance of 1.2 km from Bhimavaram New Bus Station, 65 km from Eluru, 76 km from Rajahmundry, 117 km from Vijayawada, 116 km from Kakinada, 22 km from Palakollu and 277 km from Visakhapatnam, Sri Someswara Temple is one of the Pancharama Kshetras of Lord Shiva known as Somaramam and is situated at Bhimavaram town in West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. The other four are Amararama Temple in Amaravathi, Draksharama Temple in Draksharamam, Kumararama Temple in Samalkoti and Ksheera Rama Temple in Palakollu.

The main contribution for temple construction was made by the King Chalukya Bheema I during 10th century. The Shiva lingam is called Someshwara as it is believed that this lingam has been installed by Lord Chandra. The color of the linga is believed to change according to the Lunar rays. In Full Moon days it changes into white and during Amavasya day, it turns into black in form.

According to legend, Tharakasura worships Lord Shiva and gets his Atma Linga. Then, Tharakasura starts troubling people and Devatas. The Devathas then got frightened and went to Lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu told them that Tarakasura was a great Shiva bhaktha and a devoted worshipper of Lord Shiva. Lord Vishnu advised the devathas to go and pray to Lord Shiva. As per blessings, Tharakasura dies only by a boy. Lord Kumara Swamy Avatar thus happens and boy kills Tharakasura. After Tharakasura is destroyed, the Athmalinga gets divided ...

At a distance of 9 km from Bapatla, 28 km from Vodarevu Beach, 92 km from Vijayawada and 61 km from Guntur, Suryalanka Beach is situated in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. Also known as Bapatla Beach, it draws a large number of visitors on weekends and holidays.

Suryalanka Beach is the perfect weekend getaway beach to spend time with friends and families. The natural beauty of the beach is major draw for people, who are looking to refresh and rejuvenate themselves. The shore of the beach is wide and spacious. The Suryalanka Beach overlooks the crystal blue waters of the Bay of Bengal.

This beach is quite safe for swimming and sunbathing is another popular activity. Sunrise is very beautiful at this beach. The major tourist attraction of the beach is the sightseeing for dolphins in the month of November.

Haritha Beach Resort run by AP Tourism provides accommodation here. Advance booking is advised for a weekend stay. Other than this beach resort, Bapatla town also has various affordable accommodations available.

The Bhavanarayana Swamy temple at Bapatla town is another place which can be visited from here.

From Bapatla town, this place can be reached by public buses and autos. Bapatla town has very good train and bus connectivity with major towns in Andhra Pradesh.

At a distance of 22 Kms from Thrissur Railway Station, Peechi Dam is a picturesque dam built across Manali River near Peechi village.

The dam has a large catchment area of about 3200 acres. There is a nice botanical garden with cascading fountains near the dam which is an added attraction to the visitors. The dam was constructed to fulfill the drinking water needs of the population of Thrissur town. It also serves as an irrigation dam to villages around Thrissur.

Boating facility is available in the reservoir. The park is bounded with The Peechi-Vazhani Sanctuary.

At a distance of 16 km from Valparai Bus Station, Grass Hills is a protected area located in Valparai, Tamilnadu. It is one of the awe-inspiring places to visit in Valparai.

Located at an altitude of 2400 m, Grass Hills is a part of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu which forms its boundary with Eravikulam National Park in the neighboring Kerala state. The landscape is a combination of peaks and high plateaus composed of montane shola-grassland eco-system that is unique to the higher ranges of the Western Ghats of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. This cool location surrounded by high green grasses on mountain slopes is a mind-blowing place to watch and explore. Here, viewing the gorgeous sunset over the hills is an unforgettable experience.

Grass Hills presents the visitor with the beauty and ambiance of a pristine green ecosystem and astonishing views of the hill and forest entwined as one. The Valparai range is a habitat of the Niligiri Tahr, an endemic wild goat. These mountain goats inhabit the high ranges and prefer open terrain cliffs and green covered hills largely confining to altitudes from 1200 to 2700 m in the Western Ghats. Apart from the Nilgiri Tahr, elephants, bison, Indian Gaur, Bear, Nilgiri Langurs and a wide variety of birds including Hornbills are a part of the environs of Grass Hills.

Access to Grass Hills is two-pronged. The first is a combination of 4x 4 ride for about an hour and a half on a non-existent bumpy track and then trek a couple ...

At a distance of 22 km from Ooty, Pykara Lake is a placid lake situated on Ooty - Mysore road in Tamilnadu. Pykara Lake & Dam is one of the best places to visit in Ooty and an ideal place to experience beautiful boat ride.

Pykara Dam built on Pykara River amidst dense forest is a beautiful destination offering breathtaking scenery. Pykara is the largest river in Nilgiris district. Pykara Lake is a blessed lake for the Todas, the local tribe of Nilgiris. This is the best place to relax and admire the beauty of nature. The dam is near the main Ooty - Gudalur road and includes a power station. Often referred as one of the oldest power plants in South India, the Pykara Power Station still functions and generating about 60 megawatts electricity. It was declared as a heritage plant in 1997, triggered the establishment of more hydro-electric power stations in the state.

A boat house on the Pykara reservoir is an added attraction for tourists and is maintained by Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation. Boating in Pykara Lake is a memorable experience. Visitors can hire a speed boat or motor boat from the boat house and enjoy a fun ride in the lake. The boat house also includes a restaurant and a rest house, where tourists can relax. The place is a popular picnic spot among locals as well as tourists. The lake is surrounded by thick forest of Mukurthi ...

At a distance of 36 km from Madakasira, 70 km from Hindupur, 156 km from Anantapur, 513 km from Hyderabad, 627 km from Vijayawada and 158 km Bangalore, Hemavathi is a small town located in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. Hemavathi was the capital of Pallavas between 8th and 10th century AD. The town was known as Henjeri during the Pallava reign.

Pallavas built few fascinating temples at Hemavathi. Ruins of a large fort were excavated near Hemavathi town. There are many temples around this fort which possess wonderful architecture. Some of the famous temples are Siddeswara Temple, Doddeshwara Temple, Virupaksheswara Temple and Malleswara Temple. The temple complex is spread over an area of around 15 acres.

Among these temples, Doddeswara Swamy temple is most striking and a well built structure. The stone used in making the idols are polished like metal and also make a sound of metal when struck. There is a 6 feet tall Shivalinga installed inside the sanctum sanctorum. A huge 8x4 feet idol of Nandi made of black granite sits at the entrance. The temple boasts some wonderful artwork. The walls of the temple are adorned with several artistic sculptures and images. The pillars have scenes from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Rajendra Chola was very much attracted by the massive pillars in this temple. The temple adorns the place as a witness of a striking collection of Pallava and Chola architecture.

The other two temples in this complex are dedicated ...

At a distance of 50 Kms from Kanyakumari, 51 Kms from Trivandrum & 704 Kms from Chennai (about 12 kms from Trivandrum - Kanyakumari highway, 13 kms from Pechiparai Dam), the Kodayar makes its descend at Thiruparappu and forms this wonderful waterfall.

The river bed is rocky and about 300 feet in length. The water falls from a height of nearly 50 feet and the water flows for about seven months in a year. The whole bed above the falls is one rocky mass which extends up to a distance of about quarter of a kilometer upstream where the famous Thirparappu weir has been constructed for supplying water to the paddy fields. A swimming pool has been constructed for children over here. This is a safe place for swimming.

Mahadeva Temple dedicated to Siva enclosed by strong fortification is very close to the waterfalls and it's one of the important Siva temples in Kanyakumari district.

This waterfall has good road access and does not demand any trekking.

At a distance of 81 km from Kollam, 29 kms from Tenkasi & 86 km from Trivandrum, Palaruvi Waterfalls are wonderful waterfalls located on Kollam - Tenkasi road, at a distance of 11 Kms from Thenmala Dam on Kerala -Tamil Nadu border.

The word Palaruvi means stream of milk in Malayalam. Falling from a height of 300 feet, it is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Kerala. It is a favourite picnic spot for visitors from all over south India. The water falls into a small pool and this place is ideal for swimming. There are seperate locations for kids and ladies to bath here.

The falls are close to the main road needs little walk from the road. Best time to visit the place is Jun-Jan.

At a distance of 14 km from Karaikal, 85 Kms from Thanjavur, 9 Kms from Nagapattinam & 291 Kms from Chennai, Nagore is famous for a Muslim dargah dedicated to the 16th century saint Meeran Sahib.

The Nagore Dargah shrines are situated at three locations, Nagore, Vanjur and Silladi. The main campus is at Nagore, spread over an area of about five acres, which is enclosed by compound wall, with four impressive entrances, one each on the north, south, east and west. In front of the western gate, just outside the compound, is a large tower, 131 feet tall, called 'Periya Minara'. Nagore Dargah literature discloses that Tanjore King Pratap Singh built -Periya Minara- around 1760 AD, about 200 years after the death of Meeran Sahib. He is said to have built it in appreciation of having received the grace of Meeran Sahib.

Although this is a Muslim religious place, the dargah's rituals and architecture are influenced by Hinduism. Kandhuri festival during October and November is very popular.

At a distance of 2 km from Bekal Fort, 28 km from Kasaragod, 62 km from Mangalore & 78 km from Kannur, Bekal Fort Beach is a beautiful sea beach on the Malabar Coastline of Kerala. Situated near Bekal Fort, it is one of the best Kerala Beaches and among the top places to visit near Kannur.

Bekal Beach is one of the best maintained beaches in this region. Swaying palm trees along the ridges of the beach, its evergreen outlook, the turquoise water of the Arabian Sea, and the tranquility that exists in and around Bekal Beach makes it a much sought-after beach in Kerala. Along with the historic Bekal Fort, this sandy retreat leaves an everlasting impression in the minds of its visitors.

There is a Bekal Beach Park with fascinating walkway made for the visitors to view the scenic beauty of the coastal line and relish the panoramic view of the Bekal Fort. Bekal Beach Park is the extension of Bekal Beach on the other side of the fort. On the actual Bekal Beach swimming is not allowed but on this side one can take a dip in the warm waters of Arabian Sea. There are Lifeguards on the beach appointed by Department of Kerala Tourism.

The Bekal Beach Park is the best place to spend some quality time with friends and family. One may enjoy camel rides, horse rides, local snacks etc. on the beach. There is also a children play area where they can spend time. It also has got food stalls and toilet facility. Bekal Beach remains enlightened during evening hours so that tourists ...

At a distance of 3 km from Kushalnagar, 7 km from Bylakuppe, 12 km from Dubare Elephant Camp, and 29 km from Madikeri, Cauvery Nisargadhama is an island formed by the River Cauvery in Kodagu district of Karnataka. It is one of the most scenic Coorg tourist places and also a famous picnic spot for the people of Coorg.

This island was developed as a tourist spot in 1988 by the Forest Department. Spread over a sprawling 64-acre land, the island is filled with thick bamboo groves, sandalwood, and teak trees. The island is accessible through a hanging rope bridge. This island also features a deer park, Rabbit Park, Peacock Park, and Orchidarium. The Island is perfect for a picnic with the children. It is also an ideal destination for those who love nature and spend time by themselves. It is a very good site for seeing parakeets, bee-eaters and woodpeckers, and a variety of butterflies.

Elephant rides and boating are the major attractions here. Tourists are also allowed to get into the water at a few safe points along the river. There are treetop bamboo cottages and forest department guest houses for accommodation. There is one small restaurant as well.

October to April is the best time to visit this island.

Timings: 9 AM - 5 PM

Entry Fee: Rs. 10 for Adult, Rs. 5 for Children, Rs. 25 per Person for Elephant ...

At a distance of 8 km from Chirala, 28 km from Suryalanka Beach, 103 km from Vijayawada and 72 km from Guntur, Vodarevu Beach is located on the coastline of Bay of Bengal. It is situated 6 km from the Ramapuram Beach in Prakasam district.

Vodarevu beach is popular and one of the most visited beach around Vijayawada. This Beach is a beautiful beach with a constant inflow of tourists spending their weekends in serene settings. The tranquil setting of the beach can make visitors forget time and the beautiful sunsets and sunrises just add to the overall charm and attraction of the beach.

The Vodarevu Beach provides adventure in the form of exciting water-sports, swimming and fishing. Local boats are available which facilitate boating in the sea. There is also a light house nearby which can be visited.

There are several accommodation facilities near Vodarevu beach. The Sip and Dip Cottages, situated on the Vodarevu Beach Road is equipped with all basic amenities. Also, the nearby Jolley Home Resort and Ramapuram Beach Resort are also good options. Alternately, there are several accommodation options available in Chirala town.

Vodarevu is connected by bus and autos from Chirala town. Chirala has very good train and bus connectivity with major towns in Andhra Pradesh.

At a distance of 14 km from Sulthan Bathery and 39 km from Kalpetta, Muthunga Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, is a sanctuary and Elephant Reserve in Wayanad district of Kerala. It is one of the top places of wildlife in Kerala and also one of the best Wayanad tourist places.

Established in 1973, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary was brought under the Project Elephant in the year 1991-92. The sanctuary is bordered with Nagarhole National Park & Bandipur WLS in Karnataka and Mudumalai WLS in Tamilnadu. Occupying an area of 345 sq. km, Wayanad WLS is the second largest WLS in Kerala and is now an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The sanctuary was set up with an objective of conserving the biological heritage of the region with due consideration to the general life style of tribes and others whose lives are dependent on the forest. The Western Ghats, Nilgiri Sub-Cluster, including all of the sanctuary, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.

The sanctuary is divided into two separate parts, known as Upper Wayanad WLS and Lower Wayanad WLS. Lower Wayanad WLS at Muthanga is known as Muthanga Wildlife Range. The Reserve is home ...

At a distance of 36 Kms from Coimbatore Railway Station, 50 Kms from Palakkad & 535 Kms from Chennai, Siruvani Waterfalls (also called as Kovai Kutralam Falls) are located in Siruvani Hills in Tamil Nadu. These falls formed by Siruvani River are located in dense forest.

The falls can be reached by about 4 Kms trek from the nearest road point between Siruvani Dam and Madavarayapuram. The falls are best seen in monsoon season between June and October. The upper part of the falls is dangerous with deep cliffs and tourist usually enjoy the beauty and bathing at bottom of the falls.

These falls are very close to Siruvani Dam (5 Kms away) which provides drinking water for Coimbatore City. The water of the Dam is famous for its sweetness.

This place is usually evacuated before 5 PM due to its remote accessibility and darkness spread by the forest. Siruvani Dam is connected by frequent buses from Coimbatore.

At a distance of 47 Kms from Coimbatore and 51 Kms from Palakkad, Siruvani Dam is a wonderful place located in thick forest in Palakkad district of Kerala state.

Build across Siruvani River in 1927, the Siruvani Reservoir is the main source of drinking water to the city of Coimbatore. The water of Siruvani Reservoir are famous for the sweatness. People of Coimbatore are very fond of this water, some even carry the water when travel outstation.

Surrounded by Muthikulam Hill, the scenic beauty of Siruvani is simply enchanting. Boating facility is not available in this lake since it's the source of drinking water.

This place is connected by frequent buses from Coimbatore city.

At a distance of about 29 Kms from Trivandrum Central Railway Station, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over an area of 128 sq. kms at the foot of Western Ghats. The Neyyar Dam built over Neyyar River is located within the Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary is the home of unique species of flora and fauna. From wild boars and elephants to the vast range of medicinal herbs, Neyyar is truly a nature lover's paradise. The crocodile farm, the lion safari park and the deer park are some of the main attraction of the Neyyar Sanctuary. Boating facility is available in the reservoir of the Neyyar Dam.

The best time visit Neyyar Dam and Wildlife Sanctuary is October to March.

At a distance of 95 Kms from Vijayawada & 349 Kms from Hyderabad, Kolleru Lake is a large freshwater lake spread over an area of 300 Sq. Miles between Krishna and Godavari delta. It is home to migratory birds between October and March every year.

Now declared as Bird Sanctuary, the lake is a great picnic spot and a paradise for birdwatchers. The lake was an important habitat for an estimated 20 million resident and migratory birds. The visitors include Open Bill Storks, Painted Storks, Glossy Ibises, White Ibises, Teals, Pintails, Shovellers, Red-Crested Pochards, Blackwinged Stilts, Avocets, Common Redshanks, Wigeons, Gadwalls and Cormorants, etc.

The lake is approachable from all four sides of the lake by road: Atapaka - 2.5 Kms from Kaikaluru & 25 Kms from Eluru, Murthiraju Tank - 8 kms from Nidamarru & 45 Kms from Eluru, Gudivakalanka - 15 kms from Eluru. Watchtowers are available at these places for bird watching. Eluru is connected by frequent buses from Vijayawada.

At a distance of 17 km from Ooty and 27 km from Coonoor, Emerald Lake, a serene lake with emerald blue waters, is located near Emerald village in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. Situated amidst dense forests, it is one of the top Ooty tourist places. The lake is part of the Silent Valley National Park situated on the way to Avalanche village.

The blue waters of Emerald Lake surrounded by lush green meadows and forest is simply mesmerizing. The water is crystal clear and of course cold. This is a great place to enjoy the day with breathtaking views of the slopes of Nilgiris. Emerald Lake is also a haven for a variety of birds. It is a mini paradise for bird lovers and ornithologists as they get to see and study a number of native birds. It is also notable for the scenic sun rise and sun set views near the lake. The Tea gardens is a great spot to spend some time as it gives a memorable experience. Trekking is another activity visitors can indulge in.

Far from maddening crowds packed in the town, this place is untouched by regular tourists. There are no amenities around the place except The Red Hill Nature Resort which is a little further from the shore of the lake. The various facilities arranged by the resort for tourists include mountain biking, bird watching, fishing and trekking in the regions surrounding the lake.

The journey to Emerald Lake (from Ooty / Coonoor) offer ...

At a distance of 60 km Nagajuna Sagar, 30 Kms from Srisailam and 173 km from Hyderabad, the Nagarjuna Sagar - Srisailam Sanctuary (or Srisailam Sanctuary) is the largest tiger reserve in the country, spread across 3568 Sq. Kms. It is spread between Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir & Srisailam reservoir. It was declared a sanctuary in 1973 and was incorporated under Project Tiger a decade later.

Animals that can be found here are the panthers, tigers, spotted deer, mouse deer, black buck, sambars, chousingha nilgai, tree straw, mugger crocodile, and wolfs, sloth beer & wild dogs. Mannanur (104 Kms from Mahbubnagar towards Srisailam), Kandla Kunta (30 Kms from Macherla & 60 Kms from Sagar towards Srisailam), Vatwarla Palle (30 Kms from Srisailm towards Mahbubnagar) are different gateways into the sanctuary.

The Forest department organized a Jeep Safari in the forest (to Farahabad Viewpoint) from the entry point on Hyderabad to Srisailam highway. The entry point is situated between Mannanur and Vatvarlapally, 57 km before Srisailam. The duration of the trip is about 1 hr 30 minutes and costs Rs. 800 per trip (can accommodate 6 people). Private vehicles are not allowed for Safari.

Several places of interest near Srisailam like Malleka Teertham Falls, Saleshwaram & Uma Maheshwaram are acitually situated inside the sanctuary and provide an opportunity to experience the ecology ...

At a distance of 16 Kms from Kollam Railway Station, Paravur is a beautiful place with the combination of Sea, Lakes, Rivers, Backwaters and vast green fields. This is one of the most beautiful places in Kerala and also a popular place for houseboat trip in Kerala backwaters.

Paravur has the largest natural Backwater lakes in South Asia. Boating, Fishing (with prior permission), Swimming & Surfing are the important activities at Paravur. Paravoor is also famous for handloom weaving.

There are many other attractions in and around Paravur including Puttingal Temple & Puthenkulam Elephant Village (5 kms from Paravur, where around 50 Eelephants are given shelter).

At a distance of 18 Kms from Munnar Bus Station & 45 kms from Idukki, Devikulam is a cute hill station at an altitude of 1800 meters. This is one of the top tourist attractions in Munnar and also among the most visited Kerala hill resorts. It is one of the top attractions you must include in Munnar packages.

The name Devikulam is a combination of two words Devi from the goddess Devi and kulam meaning pond. According to legend, the goddess Sita Devi bathed in Devikulam Lake now named as Sita Devi Lake. The lake draws tourists not only because of its sacredness but also for the curative powers of its mineral waters. The lake is also idle for trout fishing. The scenic beauty, adventure sports, beliefs and religion come together to make the Sita Devi Lake a major tourist attraction in Devikulam.

The lush green open spaces and the high cliffs of Devikulam provide scope for hiking and mountaineering. There are several tea plantations in and around Devikulam that add to the charm of the hill resort. The gum trees in red and blue are the other major highlights of the natural vegetation at Devikulam. For those of the tourists to Devikulam interested in visiting the tea estates, tea plantations or the factories conducted tours are available. Power House Waterfall, Lock Heart Gap and Anayirankal Dam are the nearest attractions to Devikulam.

Prior ...

At a distance of 115 Kms from Thanjavur, 56 Kms from Nagapattinam (which is 85 Kms from Thanjavur) & 354 Kms from Chennai, Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary (also known as Kodikkarai Wildlife Sanctuary) is a coastal island sanctuary situated at a distance of 11 Kms from Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district towards Bay of Bengal.

Stretching across an area of 21.47 sq. kms, it is surrounded by the sea and mesmerizing beaches. This sanctuary is famous for the migratory birds like flamingos, water fowl, etc, which arrive here every winter. The park is also home for Wildlife like chital, wild boar, bonnet macaque, Painted stork, black buck, terns, plovers and stilts. Dolphins and turtles can also be observed near the shore.

The best time to visit is November to January. The Forest Department Rest House at Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary provides accommodation.

Timings: 6 AM to 5 PM on all days

At a distance of 3 kms from Kodaikanal Bus Station & 512 Kms from Chennai, Bear Shola Falls is a tall waterfall in a Reserve forest. It is said that bears used to drink water at top of the falls, and the falls are called so. This is one of the top places for sightseeing in Kodaikanal and one of the best waterfalls in kodaikanal.

The approach road to the falls is bumpy and hilly. The falls offer best views just after monsoon during the months of September & October. You don't find any water in summer season. The pathway from the main road follows through dense forest amidst serene location. Apart from the majestic waterfall, the walk through the forest itself is a wonderful experience.

Height of the falls is about 40 feet and the water drops into a small pool. Swimming here is safe if the water flow is not fierce. This place demands a 10 minute walk from the road point. The waterfall attracts large number of visitors during monsoon season. There is a shop at the entrance of the path to the fall that sells tea, water and snacks.

Timings: 7 AM - 6 PM