Andhra’s Ooty: Araku Valley.

• Araku Valley is a hill station in Visakhapatnam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, lying 111 km west of Visakhapatnam city. This place is often referred to as Ooty of Andhra. It is a valley in the Eastern Ghats inhabited by different tribes.
• Araku is located in the Eastern Ghats about 114 kilometers from Visakhapatnam, close to the Odisha state border. The Ananthagiri and Sunkarimetta Reserved Forest, which are part of Araku Valley, are rich in biodiversity and are mined for bauxite.
• Galikonda hill rising to a height of 5,000 feet is amongst the highest peaks in Andhra Pradesh. The average rainfall is 1,700 millimeters, the bulk of which is received during June to October. The altitude is about 1300 m above the sea level. The valley spreads around 36 km.
• Araku is connected through both rail and road to Visakhapatnam. Araku railway station is located on the Kothavalasa to Kirandul railway line of Visakhapatnam division of the East Coast Railway, on the Indian Railways network. RTC Buses to Visakhapatnam every half an hour.

• The best time to visit Araku Valley is in the winter from December to February. The Valley is doubly enchanting amid the magic of the winter air. With pleasant days and cool nights, all sightseeing activities are best done during that time of the year.

Famous coffee of Araku: The finest coffee in all the land, we must add! Araku Valley’s rich coffee plantations are a sensory delight, whether you’re a coffee drinker or someone who appreciates a great view. Endless rows of squat, green coffee bushes are surrounded by majestic oak trees and neat little paddy fields lie in the distance. These blissful vistas are infused with the intoxicating aroma of fresh coffee beans.

• The Andhra Pradesh government formed the Girijan Co-operative Corporation (GCC) in 1956. It endeavored to provide dignified livelihoods to the tribes of Araku Valley, by engaging them in coffee cultivation. The Araku Valley coffee plantations are home to an award-winning coffee blend called the Araku. But there’s something more special brewing here. Indeed, this wondrous blend is transported from the Araku Valley all the way to the swish neighborhoods of Paris.
• The Coffee Museum in Araku Valley offers visitors the chance to do just that while perusing the splendid history and science of coffee. Follow the trail and signature aroma from the Araku bus stand, from where a short walk brings you to the museum. The Araku valley is famous for the finest Arabica coffee in the country and internationally. History geeks will love the Sampoorna Coffee Gallery, a one-stop destination wonderfully documenting the history of coffee, from its discovery in Ethiopia to how it came to bloom in the Araku valley.

Prominent ridge places in Araku:

Borra Caves: At a distance of 36 km from Araku, Borra Caves are one million year-old limestone caves and the deepest caves in the country. Situated in Ananthagiri 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.

• 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, Human Brain, Crocodile, Tiger and Cows udder. A Shiva lingam and an idol of a cow (i.e.) Kamadhenu are among the formations which have religious significance.

• 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. Timings of Borra caves is from 10 AM to 5.30 PM. With an entrance Fee of Rs.40 to Adult, Rs.30 to Children and for carrying Camera Rs.25. As these money is used for the maintenance of borra caves.

Ananthagiri Hill Station: At a distance of 26 km from Araku, Ananthagiri 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, Ananthagiri is famous for extensive coffee plantations and numerous waterfalls. There is a view point on the way to Ananthagiri on main road that offers excellent views of the deep valleys on one side and coffee plantations on the other side.
• Ananthagiri 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. Ananthagiri 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 Ananthagiri. 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 Ananthagiri. The Ananthagiri hill resort is a perfect getaway from the hot and humid weather of Vizag in summer months.
• Accommodation is easily available in Ananthagiri Hills. There are various types of hotels and lodges in the area which offer pleasant lodging facilities and services. AP tourism runs a resort is the Ananthagiri village. Jungle Bells resort at Tyda is about 11 km from Ananthagiri and it’s a wonderful option to stay.

Chaaparai water falls

Chaaparai Water falls: At a distance of 13 km from Araku Bus Stand, Chaaparai is a beautiful water cascade situated on Paderu-Araku Road in Vishakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Also known as Dumbriguda Waterfalls, it is a scenic place surrounded by forests and is one of the popular Araku Tourist Places.

• Chaaparai Waterfalls is a popular tourist attraction, with its endless streams that cut across big rock formations of Araku Valley. The area around the waterfalls has become a popular site for picnicking, owing to the presence of the beautiful stream flowing through wide rock formations.
• Smooth slanting rocks interrupt the stream, making a huge natural water slide. This waterfall is highly attractive and allures lots of tourists. This waterfall is one of the preferred locations for Telugu filmmakers. One can experience the beauty of water gushing through natural rocks. Bathing is well possible when the water flow is not really heavy. It is recommended not to enter into the water in monsoon season when water flow is heavy.

Tribal Museum: At a distance of 200 m from Araku Bus Station, Araku Tribal Museum is a wonderful place which explores the tribal culture of Eastern Ghats. It is one of the top tourist places to visit in Araku Valley.

• The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation established this museum in 1996. Araku Valley boasts of 19 tribes that live in the vicinity of the town. The purpose of the museum is to create awareness about tribal culture and lifestyle. Araku Tribal Museum is not a historical place but offers information about the tribes that currently live here.
• Araku Tribal Museum is spread over two levels, built with mud and real metals to portray tribal life. The museum has been designed to showcase tribal lifestyle in motion, starting with a kitchen that displays utensils made of iron and mud. A series of 10 photographs capturing the wedding ceremony of the tribal is very interesting at the entrance.

• The passages within the museum that connect various sections are constructed of mud walls adorned with drawings and artwork made by tribals. The most impressive section of the Tribal Museum is the one that exhibits the local tribal Mayur and Dhimsa dance.
• The museum consists of several clay monuments that depict their day-to-day activities. Various artifacts of the tribal people are exhibited which includes jewellery, hunting tools and kitchen utensils. The museum is well equipped with sign boards, which provides requisite information to aid the visitors. There is a stall in the museum where handicrafts items of the tribes are sold. To encourage tribal art, the museum also possesses a Tribal Art and Crafts Centre, where workshops and exhibitions are held.

Lambasingi: At a distance of 92 km from Araku Valley, Lambasingi, or Lammasingi is a small hamlet in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Also known as Korra Bayalu, it is one of the popular tourist destinations to visit in Andhra Pradesh.

• Fondly called the ‘Kashmir of Andhra Pradesh’, the little hamlet of Lambasingi is situated at an altitude of 1025 m in the beautiful and lushly forested Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh. One of the best-kept secrets of Andhra Pradesh, the tiny village is known for its majestic hills, quaint valleys, and chilling temperatures.

• This village is the only place in all of South India that experiences snowfall as the temperatures drop significantly. Lambasingi is also known by another name- Korra Bayalu, which means ‘if someone stays out in the open they would freeze like a stick!’ in the local language.
• Surrounded by mesmerizing hills, and dense forests, Lambasingi makes for a perfect weekend getaway from Visakhapatnam as this tiny village is covered with an ethereal white mist throughout the year that swirls with the wind. Also, this village offers myriad interesting opportunities to adventure seekers ranging from trekking and mountain biking to hiking and camping.
• Lambasingi is famous for its tea and coffee plantations along with little apple and strawberry farms. Moreover, the place is abounding with a variety of wildlife, flora, and fauna. The region was formerly densely covered in forests and known in the past to have supported tigers. The region is known for its diversity of birdlife.

Padmapuram Gardens: At a distance of 2.5 km from Araku Bus Station, Padmapuram Gardens is a popular botanical garden situated in Araku. It is one of the well-known places of sightseeing in Araku Valley.

• The garden was built in 1942 on a 26-acre plot to supply vegetables to the soldiers who fought in World War II. After the War, it was converted into a Horticultural Nursery cum Training Center where orchards, rare species of flowers and trees, tree houses and stone sculptures greet the eye.
• A pleasurable way of seeing the gardens is to get on to the Araku Express toy train, popular with visitors to the gardens. Along with the toy train, the garden also contains tree top huts, which can be booked by the tourists. These tree huts, also known as hanging cottages, are ten feet above the ground level.

• It is a thrilling experience to stay in a hanging cottage and one can experience a rare swing as the tree sways to a heavy breeze. A beautiful rose garden and exotic varieties of plants form the chief attractions here and are sold to visitors.

The below video shows the must visit places in Araku:

Link of above video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK8qBK1v2uA