| State- Andhra Pradesh | | | | accompanying mess. |
| Location- Araku valley lies 3100 ft high up in the | | | | Taxis can be hired at fixed rates but drivers will |
| Eastern Ghats, close to Orissa | | | | demand more. Autos are available at half the price |
| Route from Vizag- Sri hari Kota Road to Araku via | | | | Waterfalls--- |
| Simhachalam, Virabhadrapuram, Anantagiri and | | | | There are many waterfalls near Araku but nappurai |
| Sunkermetta. | | | | (14kms), heads the list both for immediacy and fun. |
| The VK Passenger disappears 52 times on its way to | | | | Smooth, slanting rocks interrupt a stream, making a |
| Araku valley. It transpires from the tunnels only to be | | | | huge natural water slide. It would be difficult to get kids |
| lost again in the spools of roving clouds that find their | | | | out soon enough so carry food along. |
| way to you through the window outside; the green is | | | | When you get to anantgiri take the right turn close to |
| so bright that it tears through the haze of white | | | | the state electricity board. Duduma falls (82kms), the |
| vapors. The paddy fields, the coffee plantations and | | | | site of the muchkund power project, is the biggest |
| the forests all stand broken by spears of falling water. | | | | spectacle. On the Orissa border, huge water falls, |
| An excitable railway employee who’s made this | | | | dribbles down from 2000 feet, each apparently falling |
| trip many times compares the journey’s 52 dark | | | | into a different state. The latter part of the 2.5-hour |
| tunnels to the 52 work logged weeks people have | | | | drive is especially lovely. |
| endured before attaining a holiday at Araku. For, even | | | | Once you get to muchkund take permission of the |
| on its ‘off’ days, this place can make short | | | | office of joint electric officer, open everyday. |
| work of exhaustion. That Araku no longer has an | | | | The taxi from Araku and back will cost 1500 km |
| off-season is partly the work of AP tourism. It was a | | | | approx. |
| good day for them when Araku was cut out from | | | | Borra caves— |
| Orissa and placed on their side of the map. And today | | | | These caves (35kms) have been around for a billion |
| they’re promoting its waterfalls, rolling hills and tribal | | | | years. Then 200 years ago English men came by and |
| culture with great efficiency. | | | | announced they have discovered them. |
| THINGS TO SEE AND DO | | | | The tribes here say that credit belongs not to William |
| The journey is a bit of a conundrum and it seems | | | | hunter but to one of their cows that fell into their cave |
| natural to expect long mountain paths fading around | | | | through a hole (bore). |
| unknown curves. One forgets this is a valley and the | | | | The caves are huge, but the stalactite and stalagmite |
| hills aren’t as near as they look. Araku is a village | | | | formation are minor. The round trip costs rs.500-600 |
| with most of amenities of a town without the | | | | by taxi. |