Araku Valley Travel Essentials

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"Hill Station of Andhra Pradesh"

Araku Valley Tourism

Araku Valley is a comparatively unexplored hill station mostly visited by locals as a weekend getaway and is situated some 120 kilometres away from Vishakhapatnam. If you're a tourist looking for exclusivity and tranquillity, Vistadome train leaves Vishakhapatnam at 6.50 AM, making way through 58 tunnels and passing over 84 bridges making way through the breathtaking landscape to reach Araku in approximately in 5 hours, go, catch that!

Located in the gentle hills of Eastern Ghats, Araku Valley is also home to a number of tribes as well. This valley is also home to a few tribal caves and the Museum of Tribal Arts, which are an experience in their own right. This destination is quite famous for its exquisite coffee, whose subtle aroma will have you craving for a cuppa. In addition to being a beautiful vista point, you can also try your hand at a number of adventure sports here, which include trekking and swimming as well. If a holiday to the hills is your call but you think you've seen it all, maybe you should to wait till you visit this one.

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Things to Do in Araku Valley

1. Borra Caves:
While here, one must visit the tribal museums and the million years old Borra caves. The text, pictures, symbols carved on the wall of the caves, their million-year existence is bound to fascinate people interested in archaeology and history. Those who value art and culture will also love the aura while the peace lovers will appreciate the atmosphere of the place.

2. Coffee Plantations:
On your way to Araku from Borra Caves, you can get down at one of the coffee plantations

3. Chaprai and Anantgiri fall must also be visited, which are located nearby.

4. Kartiki waterfall is also located within the bounds of the valley and makes up for a picturesque encounter.

5. A coffee museum is also located nearby, which is a look into Araku's coffee culture. You can also enjoy a hot cup of coffee here, and assorted coffee based chocolates are the perfect gift to take back home.

6. Try Dhimsa or chicken cooked in bamboo

7. Visit Botanical garden and try out the toy train ride

8. The adrenaline junkie in you will surely love to explore the terrains of this valley as you trek and hike through the mountains.

9. In addition to trekking, you can also try your hands at swimming. Sightseeing, photography, visit to the fields, interactions with locals, and getting to know the tribal culture are great activities to make the most of your trip to Araku.

Sample Itinerary For Araku Valley

Catch the morning train to Araku or take the road, both means of commutation have their own positives and negatives. When going to Araku do cover Shimliguda, Tyda, Borra caves, Galikondalu viewpoint and tribal museums. You can come back by the night train. You can, however, plan a weekend trip too and stay overnight.

Tips For Visiting Araku Valley

1. If you're planning to go to Araku valley, make sure that you confirm your ticket in advance. Despite the innumerable cabs available for the valley, only one train runs from Vishakhapatnam to Araku, which leaves Vishakhapatnam early in the morning and comes back late in the night. This journey, needless to say, is a delight.
2. It is advised that you carry a couple of woollens, an umbrella and a pair of comfortable shoes, the weather keeps changing in the valley.
3. This place has hotels of all kinds for travellers, however, it could be a journey to knowing a new culture for you as the locals are mostly tribal.
4. Try to carry your own food if you are a vegetarian

How to Reach Araku Valley

From Visakhapatnam to Araku train number 58501, Departs at 6.50 AM and arrives at 10.50 AM
From Araku to Visakhapatnam train number 58502 leaves Araku at 3:40 PM and arrive at Visakhapatnam at 8:10 PM daily.  These are Vistadome or Glass Top coaches which for which the ticket price is INR 565.

Private buses from Mumbai, Bengaluru, Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Chennai also run at regular intervals.


  • Air: The airport at Vishakhapatnam is the nearest to reach Araku. It is 80kms away from Araku valley. The journey hereon can be completed via train/ bus or taxies.

  • Rail: The only train to Araku is from Vishakhapatnam which connects it to the other major cities. The journey takes nearly five hours.

  • Road: Apart from buses run by the state government, there are also many cabs available connecting the Araku valley to Vishakhapatnam. Private buses from Mumbai, Bengaluru, Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Chennai also run at regular intervals.

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FAQs on Araku Valley

What is the best time to visit Araku valley?

The best suggested time for visiting Araku valley is between September to February. It gets quiet cold here after December and the temperature often goes as down as 4 degree Celsius. That said, many tourists prefer visiting Araku after August, mostly just after the monsoons. There is a charm about driving through its lush green fields, with the familiar smell of wet soil and the a yellow surface layer of the washed harvest till horizon.
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What is the local food in Araku valley?

While there are a few good eating places in Araku working as multi cuisine restaurants, there mostly are locals dhabas serving Chinese, Odiya, South Indian platters to the travellers. While the food can be rated decent, don't keep high expectations for a classy ambience. For non-vegetarians, try the bamboo chicken that is served by a small vendor at the premises of the tribal museum. This can easily be the food highlight of your trip to Araku Valley. A few of the food outlets include Vasundhara Restaurant, Chandrammas Spicy Restaurant, Hills View and Sri Annapurna Tiffin Center.
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What are the things to do in Araku valley?

The top things to do in Araku valley are Borra Caves, Katiki Waterfalls, Chaparai Waterfalls, Tribal Museum, Padmapuram Gardens, Tadimada Waterfalls. You can see all the places to visit in Araku valley here

What are the places near Araku valley?

The top places near to Araku valley are Ananthagiri hills which is 19 km from Araku valley, Visakhapatnam which is located 80 km from Araku valley, Vizianagaram which is located 60 km from Araku valley, Jeypore which is located 67 km from Araku valley, Samalkot which is located 160 km from Araku valley

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