Araku Valley and Borra Caves
While on a trip to Visakhapatnam, if you wish to go for bird watching, rock climbing, trekking and over night stay, Araku Valley is the ideal destination. Being a famous hill station of Andhra Pradesh, Araku Valley offers its guests with the superb natural view when the train passes through tunnels, hill sides and streams. The valley with waterfalls and streams flowing by the side of the train track and roads, is quite enough to leave you mesmerized in the first go.
This is the place to enjoy the best and most interesting tribal dance of the whole state. Famous for its scenic beauty, the place offers you a unique and amazing accommodation option in its tree top cottages located in the middle of green surroundings. These tree huts or the hanging cottages are ten feet above the ground level and one can experience rare swing along with trees. Huts are attached with proper toilets and continuous water supply. The tribal museum here is again an interesting attraction that showcases various aspects of the tribal heritage, living system and culture.
Location
The entire valley is located on the eastern ghats. It lies at a distance of about 120 km from Visakhapatnam (Vizag), and 30 km from the Anantagiri waterfall. Another popular picnic spot, Dumbriguda Waterfalls (Chaaparai), is at a distance of 15 Km from Araku.
Considered as the deepest caves in India, Borra open with 100 meter on horizontal plane and about 75 meters on vertical plane. Spread over a large area, the place is nurtured by the Gosthani River which flows through the district. The place is believed to be discovered by the British Geologist William King in the year 1807. These million years old caves are located amidst the breathtaking hilly terrain, beautiful landscape, semi-evergreen moist deciduous forests. The wild fauna of the area is again a visual feast. People believe that the perennial water flow over a period of time resulted in the formation of these caves.
Location
Located at a height of 800 to 1300 meters, Borra Caves are at a distance of about 92 km north of Visakhapatnam.
The most appealing part of the caves are the formation of Stalagmites and Stalactites (due water percolating from the roof containing calcium bi carbonate and other minerals from mounds). Because of their different shapes, tourist and locals have given different names to them. One can see different formations of the stalactites and stalagmites as Shiv-Paravathi, Mother-Child, Rushi's Beard, Human Brain, Crocodile, Tiger and Cows udder.
These are known for their archaeological, historical as well as religious significance. People visit these caves to worship the Shivalinga and the idol of the holy cow Kamadenu, which is placed deep in the caves.
