Horsley is located 531 kilometers from Hyderabad. It is, in fact, a small hill station in Andhra Pradesh in the Chittoor district. The place is a wonderful getaway from Bangalore on a weekend tour. Horsley Hills, at an altitude of 1265 meters is a great place to visit. The place was named after the Collector of the district, W.D. Horsley. He chose this place for his summer residence spot. The drive to the Horsley Hills is intriguing with the vegetation around and with flora and fauna all along. Here, there is a dense vegetation of Sandalowood, Amla, Gulmohar, Allamanda, Jacaranda and Eucalyptus Trees. Panthers, Sambar, Fowls, Wild Dogs, Bears are the usual wild life of the place. There are environmental parks, lakes, museums in and around the place which serve as excellent tourist spots. Trekking and rappelling are the major activities that go on here.
1. View Point
The View point is quite a scenic point at a distance of around 200 meters from the bus stand at Horsley. This is one of the most favorite tourist spots in the Horsley Hills and it is located at the highest point so that it offers a great view of the dense forests, hillocks, valleys and so on. The endless expanse of lands around is dotted by forests and hills. The sunset from the point is a feast for the eyes. The dipping sun looks magical and incredible from the place that gets a lot many tourist visits every time.
2. Gali Bandalu
The Gali Bandalu tourist spot also wins the name of Windy Rock. It is a rocky slope that receives a lot of gusty winds that blow over this place every day. This is perhaps one of the best places to visit once you are at Horsley Hills. We have the leisure to walk the entire hilly rock and also watch the views of the valleys around. There are always the heavy winds that blow past. The eastern and the western viewpoints are absolutely wonderful places for sunsets and sunrises. There are natural lakes and small parks for children to run about. It is an exotic place for retreat during the weekends.
3. Mallamma Temple
The Mallamma temple is actually one of the most ancient of all temples that is located on the top of the place called Horsley Hills. The temple is in the name of Goddess Mallamma, dedicated to her and it is one of the most important tourist spots. The temple has a legend associated with it. The old name of this place was Mallamma Konda. A legend that runs about the place is that a small girl whose name was Mallamma whom the elephants took care of. The small girl used to heal the tribal people, so the people had built a temple for her. Devotees flock to the Mallamma Goddess shrine every year.
4. Horsley Hills Zoo
The Horsley Hills Zoo is one of the must visit places in the Horsley Hills area. A very popular activity to perform while we are at the Horsley hills is visiting the zoo. It is less than a kilometer from the Bus Station and is located near the Forest Bungalow. This is a great thing to take the kids over for a day out and enjoy. The small zoo park has few animals and it has a lot of wild life, covered with thick vegetation. Although there is a not much activity in the zoo, there is a small collection of Nature and Wild Life around.
5. Kaigal Falls / Dumukurallu Waterfalls, Near Kanipakam
The fall is located on the Palamaner Kuppam Highway, 68 kilometers from Chittoor and a matter of seventy eight kilometers from Kanipakam. It is a perennial waterfall that comes out of a rock from a stupendous height of about forty feet. The name of the fall, Dumukirallu comes from the sound it makes on the stones below as it falls from a great height. The beauty and the force of the gushing water is at its best during the Monsoon. There is a dense forest also nearby with shrubs and trees and fauna. The Shivalinga inside the temple also attracts the pilgrims during the festival of Shivaratri. There is a Palamaner Kuppam bus to the Kaigal falls. However there is no accommodation to stay over near the falls. September to December is perhaps the best time to visit the place.
Horsley Hills tour is incomplete without a visit to the Gangotri Lake which is on Madanpalle Road. The lake is brimming with water during the monsoon and the Eucalyptus trees around offers a peace and serenity like never before. So this is a must visit place. The nearest airport is Bangalore International Airport, one hundred and forty-four kilometers from Horsley Hills.
