South India : Experience the Unique Tourist Spots in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

DAY 01 : Europe – Hyderabad

Arrival of the group by early morning flight in Hyderabad and transfer to the hotel. Check-in at 4 am and take rest during the morning. In the afternoon, discovery of the city of Hyderabad by visiting the Chowmahallah Palace, Charminar, the Mecca Mosque and the Laad Bazaar then return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel

Le Chowmahallah Palace (1750): one of the residential and ceremonial palaces of the Nizams of Hyderabad.

Charminar (1592): a symbolic monument of Hyderabad.

The Mecca Mosque, considered the second largest mosque in India.

Le The Laad Bazaar famous for its bangles, laces, imitation jewelry with workshops.

 

DAY 02 : Hyderabad

Great visit of the city of Hyderabad. Visit of Golkonda Fort and Qutb Shahi tombs; after lunch, visit of Salarjung Museum OR HEH Nizam Museum. In the evening, short visit to Birla temple, located on the top of the hill, to enjoy a beautiful view of the city and the lake. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Fort Golkonda East (12th c.), originally a frontier garrison, was the world’s most famous diamond trading and mining center until the late 17th century.

Qutb Shahi Tombs: royal necropolis of the Qutb Shahi Sultans of Golkonda with large mausoleums, mosques, stepped wells and mortuary baths; Indo-Islamic architecture.

The white marble Birla Temple built on a hilltop with its three styles of architecture South Indian, North Indian and Central Indian style.

HEH Nizam’s Museum, a museum located in the Purani Haveli Palace which houses personal artifacts of the Nizams of Hyderabad as well as a remarkable collection of gifts and mementos of the 7th Nizam.

The Salarjung Museum: the largest one-man collection in the world with 40 galleries ranging from textiles, bronze, ivory, weapons, miniature paintings of India and jade.

 

DAY 03 : Hyderabad – Nagarjuna Sagar (244 Km / 5 h)

Departure to Nagarjuna Sagar (160 km / 3h30). On arrival, check-in at the hotel. Photo stop at Nagarjuna Sagar dam and visit of the reconstructed monuments of Anupu, then back to the hotel for lunch. Then board a boat to the island museum of Nagarjuna Konda. In the evening (optional), visit the waterfalls of Ethipothala.

Dinner and overnight stay. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, is the largest masonry dam in the world built on the Krishna River. The island museum / Nagarjuna Konda Museum in the middle of the reservoir displays Buddhist sculptures from the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

 

DAY 04 : Nagarjuna Sagar – Amaravati – Undavalli Caves – Kanakadurga Temple – Vijayawada (207 Km / 5h30)

Departure from Nagarjuna Sagar for Amaravati (150 km / 4 h) and on arrival, visit the Buddhist stupa of Amaravati and the museum of the site of Amaravati. Then visit the statue of the great Buddha of Amaravati and short trip from Amaravati to the caves of Undavalli (32 km / 1 h) for their visit.

Optional visit to Kanakadurga temple (6.5 km / 20 min by car or about 20 km / 35 min by bus) and visit to the rock temple of Sri Durga Malleswara on top of Indrakeeladri hill. Afterwards, return to the hotel (5 km / 12 min). Check-in, dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Vijayawada is one of the four main towns in the region. The government has chosen nearby Amaravati, across the Krishna River, as its capital. Amaravati, the modern capital is close to the ancient Amaravati, now a small town but former capital of Satavahanas. Undavalli caves belong to the 7th century rock architecture of the Vishnukundin era with 4 floors of Buddhist and Hindu origin. The Kanakadurga temple is very famous in Andhra Pradesh, dedicated to the goddess Durga. It attracts thousands of devotees every day, especially during the Dasara festival.

 

DAY 05 : Vijayawada – Machilipatnam – Pedana – Vijayawada (148 Km / 4h30)

En route to Pedana (72 km / 2 hrs) and on arrival, visit the Kalamkari block factory and the Kalamkari art printing shop of Pichuka Srinivas. Then drive from Pedana to Kuchipudi (30 km / 1 hr) with lunch on the way in Machilipatnam and on arrival visit Kuchipudi Kala Kshetra and its students. Then road from Kuchipudi to Vijayawada (46 km / 1h30) and on arrival, the rest of the day free.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel. Machilipatnam is the administrative capital of Krishna district and was an important trading post for the Portuguese, Dutch, British and French from the 16th century. Manginapudi Beach is the nearest beach to Machilipatnam well maintained by the government.

Pedana is a village known for its Kalamkari fabrics and its printing and block making workshops. The Kalamkari technique was mainly influenced by Persian designs and is still practiced by artists in one of the few places in India where one can experience this art form. Kuchipudi is a village birthplace of the classical dance form Kuchipudi, one of the classical dance forms of India.

 

DAY 06 : Vijayawada – Guntupalli Caves – Kadiyapulanka – Rajahmundry (215 Km / 6 h)

Departure from Vijayawada to Guntupalli caves (100 km / 2h45) and on arrival, visit the group of Buddhist monuments at Guntupalli or the Guntupalli caves. Then drive to Tadepalligudem (70 km / 2h). After lunch, en route from Tadepalligudem to Kadiyapulanka (45 km / 1 hr 20 min) and upon arrival, visit the horticultural nurseries of Kadiyapulanka (1h visit). Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Guntupalli is a popular Buddhist site in Andhra Pradesh that flourished between the 2nd century BC and the 10th century AD. Relic coffins have been found during excavations and there are rock-cut stupas and Chitya halls.

The Kadiyapulanka Horticultural Nurseries is one of the few places in Andhra Pradesh where one can find diverse varieties of plants, i.e. flowering plants, fruit plants, and ornamental plants. Rajahmundry was the capital of the Eastern Chalukya Kings, which attracts “lakhs “* of devotees for a sacred bath in the river. This city is often called the cultural capital of Andhra. (*Lakh : Indian unit =100 000)

 

DAY 07 : Rajahmundry – Tapeswaram – Draksharama – Yanam – Chollangi – Kakinada (100 Km / 3h30 drive)

After breakfast, visit the bathing ghat of Pushkara, then drive from Rajahmundry to Tapeswaram (30 km / 50 min) and visit the famous Khaja making stores of Tapeswaram and taste the Khaja, a sweet pastry, mixture of flour and ghee, flavored with cardamom.

Continuation from Tapeswaram to Draksharama (20 km / 40 min) and on arrival, visit the bridal temple of Sri Bhimeswara of Draksharama. Then drive from Draksharama to Yanam (20 km / 38 min). Visit the Godavari ferry route and the church. Continue from Yanam to Chollangi (20 km / 35min) and visit the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary. Continue from Chollangi to Kakinada (10 km / 25 min). Check in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Tapeswaram : village in East Godavari district known for its sweets : Tapeswaram Khaja.

Draksharama: a very popular pilgrimage site with the rock temple of Sri Bhimeswara (10th century).

Yanam (or Yanaon) is one of the five French colonies in India that were ruled by France until 1954. The other places are Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Chandornagar. There is a beautiful walkway along the bank of the Godavari River and also a French-era church.

Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary in Chollangi is the second largest mangrove forest after the Sunderbans in India. It is home to various species of birds, aquatic life and smooth Indian otters and covers an area of 235 sq km at the confluence of the Godavari River with the Bay of Bengal.

 

DAY 08 : Kakinada – Etikoppaka – Sankaram Buddhist site – Visakhapatnam (200 Km / 5 h)

After breakfast, en route from Kakinada to Etikoppaka by the Uppada Beach road (100 km / 2h30). On arrival, drive through the village to learn about the process of making wooden toys and visit the Padmavathi Associates handicraft marking unit. Then, drive from Etikoppaka to Sankaram (50 km / 1 h 30) with lunch at Anakapalle and visit to the Jaggery market, then visit the Buddhist site of Bojjanakonda and Lingalakonda at Sankaram. Finally, from Sankaram to Visakahapatnam (38 Km / 1h20). Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Kakinada is the administrative capital of East Godavari district with a deep water port and a fishing port. The beach of Vakalapudi is about 10 km from the city center.

Uppada is a village of fishermen and weavers who make beautiful zamdhani saris on traditional handlooms.

Etikoppaka is internationally known for making colorful wooden toys: lacquerware handicraft on turned wood.

The Buddhist site of Sankaram (or Lingalakonda and Bojjanakonda) is a popular Buddhist site of the 4th and 9th centuries with stone and brick built Stupas, Chaitya Grihas, Viharas and Votive Stupas.

 

DAY 09 : Visakhapatnam – Borra Caves – Araku – Visakhapatnam

In the morning, departure for the station of Vizag to take the Kirandol Express to make a fantastic journey by train through the tunnels and the beautiful forest of the Eastern Ghats to then go down to the Borra caves (95 Km / 2h30) with our vehicle. Visit the Borra Caves, then drive to the Araku Valley (Ooty of the poor) (38 Km / 1h10). After lunch, visit the tribal museum of Araku and the botanical gardens of Padmapuram, then return from Araku to Vizag (120 km / 3h30) and on arrival, dinner and overnight at the hotel.

 

DAY 10 : Visakhapatnam – Hyderabad

In the morning, visit the fishing port and the local market. Visit the Visakha museum and the submarine museum. After lunch, drive from RK Beach to Bheemili Dutch Cemetery (33 km / 1h30) visiting Kailasagiri hill with a magnificent view of the Bay of Bengal, the ancient Buddhist site of Thotlakonda and the Bheemili Dutch Cemetery. In the evening, free time at Bheemili beach or Rushikonda beach. Then flight to Hyderabad.

 

DAY 11 : Hyderabad – Europe

Transfer to Hyderabad international airport, departure by international flight to Europe.

 

Hyderabad – Fortune Park Vallabha 2nights

Nagarjuna Sagar – TSTDC Vijaya Vihar Resort 1 night

Vijayawada – Fortune Murali Park 2 nights

Rajahmundry – Anand Regency 1 night

Kakinada – Royal Park Hotel.

Vishakhapatnam – Taj Gateway

The Package Included : Full board, superior hotels, English-speaking tour guide, air-conditioned bus transportation, domestic flights and site visits

Not included : international airfare, visa to enter India, insurance, drinks and tips for driver and guide