Araku Valley is the tourist’s most preferred destination. Araku is the most favored by those looking to travel with friends and family and even for the wanderlust trekkers. The best time to visit Araku Valley is almost throughout the year. It is a hill station in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Araku Valley can be explored to the fullest by using a map for necessary sightseeing.
1. Araku Tribal Museum
Araku Tribal Museum is a great place that represents all explored tribal cultures in all the places in and around Eastern Ghats. This is at a distance of 2 kilometers from the Bus Station at Araku. This is one of the best and the most popular tourist stops in Araku. The museum is a place for creating awareness about the lifestyle and culture of the people here. This is not a historical place but it offers ample information about the tribals living in the place, their culture, tradition and ways of living.
2. Chaaparai Waterfalls
The waterfall is located at a distance of only fifty kilometers from Araku. The Chaaparai waterfalls are on the way to a place called Paderu is located in a beautifully picturesque and scenic place that is surrounded by the forests. It is located among other tourist places in Araku Valley. It is also known as the Dumriguda falls. Endless little streams crisscross the great Araku Valley causing such magnificent cascades. These areas around the waterfalls are wonderful regions for a lazy day out and for a casual picnicking.
3. Anantagiri
Anantagiri is at a distance of twenty six kilometers from Araku and it is a beautiful little hill station between Vizag and Araku. Vizag is eighty five kilometers from Anantagiri. That is also one of the most important hill stations in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The place is worth visiting for a weekend getaway from Vishakhapatnam. The place Anantagiri stands at a height of 1168 meters. The extensive plantations of coffee and a large number of waterfalls make it a wonderful retreat from the hubbubs of city life. The deep valleys and scenic places of grandeur make it a place worth visiting for travellers.
4. Paadmapuram Botanical Gardens
Paadmapuram Botanical Garden is a garden that hails from historic times on the Araku Road. The garden supplied vegetables to the soldiers during the Second World War. It is now known as the Botanical Garden. It is also a horticultural nursery containing all rare varieties of trees and flowers. A toy train runs round the garden providing an enjoyable joy ride to the visitors. The tree top huts on the trees can be booked for short stays by visitors. There is also an exotic rose garden from which various types of plants can be purchased.
5. Talimada Waterfalls
The Talimada Waterfalls are located at a distance of thirty kilometers from Araku. These are also known as the Anantagiri falls due to the village Anantagiri being in the vicinity. The water falls from a height of about 100 feet. The best view is during the monsoon. Tourists would reach the waterfall location all the way trekking or walking from Anantagiri. They are located quite close to the main road between Araku and Anantagiri. Although the road is rough and bumpy, SUVs should manage to drive well on such roads.
The immensely beautiful Araku valley comes alive with the forests, gardens, waterfalls along with the tribal people around. There are some stunning viewpoints on the hills perched high up. Besides the hills and the magnificent cascades are the coffee plantations on the Eastern Ghat routes and the region is covered with mango groves too with the waterfalls falling into the deep ravines. There are some extensive mulberry gardens and silk farms in the vicinity. The valley is a great place of retreat due to its serenity and peace. It is also a perfect valley for trekking and offers several wonderful trails for trekking. These trails are through the dense forests and quite adventurous to undertake if you are looking to explore the region thoroughly.
