Being the only international balloon festival in Andhra Pradesh, Araku Balloon Festival offers a lot. Located close to Visakhapatnam, Araku Valley is a hill station full of breathtaking views. When vibrant hot air balloons in different shapes fill up the sky, it only enhances the scenic beauty of the valley.

Araku Balloon Festival Dates

Araku Balloon Festival is a 3-day event held in January each year, started in 2017. The festival dates for 2025 are Jan 31 - Feb 2.

Itinerary

Araku Balloon Festival
The colorful balloons at the Araku Balloon Festival (Source)

1. Hot Air Balloon Rides: The main event of the Araku Balloon Festival, these rides give you an opportunity to witness the stunning valley, its vast green space, and surrounding hills - all from a bird's eye view.

2. Excursions: In between the hot air balloon rides, you can visit some great attractions at the hill station such as the wonderful Katiki and Tadimada waterfalls, coffee plantations, and tribal villages to learn more about Araku's culture.

3. Para-motoring Display: Enjoy watching professional areal enthusiasts paint stunning views in the sky. An eye-catching show!

4. Camp Nights: The overnight camp stays in the wild will connect you with yourself and nature so that you can unwind, away from the city life.

5: Barbeque Dinners: In addition to breakfast and lunch, there will be mouth-watering barbeque dinner every night at the camps. You will definitely feast your mouth (along with your eyes) during the course of the festival.

How to Reach Araku Valley

Getting to Araku is plain sailing. The hill station is located at a distance of 114 km from Visakhapatnam (a 3-hour journey).

By Air: The nearest airport is located in Visakhapatnam. From there you can hire a taxi.

By Rail: Araku also has a railway station. Trains generally run from Visakhapatnam. Several AC/ Non AC buses are also running on the route.

This post was published by Yash Saboo

Share this post on social media

Comments on this post

View Hotels