Araku Valley, popularly known as Araku, is a scenic hill station in the Vishakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Relatively lesser known, the hill station has retained its pristine charm.
At an elevation of about 3200 ft, Araku is famous for its coffee plantations surrounded by beautiful gardens, streams, waterfalls and valleys that are covered with lush green forests. Situated in the Eastern Ghats, the hill station is about 112 km southeast of Vishakhapatnam.
The natural beauty of the place is what attracts tourists from all over the world to the hill station. The Anantagiri Reserved Forest and Sunkrimetta Reserved Forest are a part of the Araku Valley. The Raktkonda, Sunkrimetta, Chitamogondi and Galikonda mountains form a protective wall around the valley. The Galikonda Mountain, at an elevation of 5000 ft, near the hill station is the highest mountain in all of Andhra Pradesh.
Araku Valley can be reached by road that goes through thick forests which is an adventure in itself. There are many places of interest like the government silk farm, famous for its mulberry gardens and the tribal museum. The region is home to many tribes and the area is rich in tribal culture.
Being a mountainous region, trekking is a popular activity and the area offers several interesting trails. Most known and popular trekking trails go through dense forests to the summit but a few adventurous trails go through the many streams that dot the landscape and are ideal to view breathtaking waterfalls like the Sangda waterfall.
There are many budget hotels, cottages and resorts. State run lodges provide affordable accommodation and are clustered near the Araku railway station.
Mid-range options are mostly found near the road connecting Araku to Visakhapatnam and a few near Araku railway station.
There are no luxury hotels in Araku Valley. There are many options for eating out in Araku Valley with restaurants and food stalls serving North Indian, South Indian, Odiya and Chinese cuisine.
The best time to visit the region is between October and March.
The average minimum and maximum temperature of Visakhapatnam is as given below. The best time to visit Visakhapatnam is also specified.
