An amazingly beautiful hill range bounded by the holy River Godavari, Papikondalu is an amazing travel getaway in Andhra Pradesh. It has been declared as a protected National park which is more or less entirely covered by the tropical rainforests. Owing to its rich and mesmerizing natural beauty, this place is one of the major attractions for tourists and is undoubtedly an epitome of grace and allurement.
Did you know that this place was originally named “Papidi Kondalu?” The word Papidi is translated as partition and it is believed that Lord Rama along with Goddess Sita used to visit here at the time of their exile. The lush greenery and the majestic beauty of this place will make you visit here again and again. And apart from enjoying the breathtaking views of the hills, valleys, and waterfalls, one can also indulge themselves in adventure activities like camping and trekking.
If you are an adventure lover, then this is the place that you must definitely visit. The lush greenery, the giant hills and the calm serenity of this place gives you every major reason to visit and explore it. The scenery of this place quite profoundly resembles that of Kashmir. The peaceful atmosphere and tribal life make this place a truly special site.
One can visit Papikondalu from October to January. However, the peak time to visit this destination is from November to December.
Major Attractions in and Around Papikondalu
1. Perantalapalli
Perantalapalli is a village situated in Velerupadu Mandal, sited at the Kunavaram-Rajahmundry waterway. It is just 10 minutes away from Kolluru and can be reached by a boat ride. One can explore Sri Krishna Munivatam Temple that was constructed in the year 1927. The village is blessed with scenic beauty.
2. Pattisam
Pattisam is located 35 km away from Rajahmundry and a distance of 30 km from Papikondalu. It is an astonishing place sited on the banks of river Godavari. One can reach this destination via road as well as by a boat from Rajahmundry. Two ancient temples are the main attraction points of the destination and the temple is devoted to Lord Shiva and another one to Lord Vishnu.
3. Jammalapuram Temple
The temple is situated in the Jamalapuram village close to Yerrupalem town. The reigning God here is Swami Venkateshwara and this temple is dedicated to him. Alongside, you can adore the other temples in the surroundings and amazing scenic beauty would fill your heart with joy.
4. Gandi Pochamma Temple
Gandi Pochamma Temple is sited at the riverbank of Godavari. The destination can be reached by a boat ride and it’s an hour's journey from Pattiseema. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Gandi Poshamma. One can appreciate the hilly region that offers scenic views to the travellers.
How to Reach Papikondalu
Papikondalu is a very beautiful travel destination to explore in Andhra Pradesh. This place is located at a distance of 1,796, 1,149, 1,068, and 823 km from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru respectively. Here is how you can reach here by the following means of transportation.
By Air
The best option to visit here would be Rajahmundry Airport (RJA). This airport is situated in the state of Andhra Pradesh on national highway 516E. Spread over an area of about 366 acres, this airport was constructed in the British era. Many flights like Air India, IndiGo, Go Air operate to and fro this airport from various Indian destinations.
- Delhi - Board Air India, IndiGo flights from Indira Gandhi International Airport. The airfares start from Rs.4,000
- Jaipur - Board SpiceJet, IndiGo, TruJet flight from Jaipur Airport. The airfares start from Rs.6,500
- Ajmer - Board Spicejet, Trujet flights from Ajmer Airport. The airfares start from Rs.8,000
- Bengaluru - Board IndiGo flights from Bengaluru Airport. The airfares start from Rs.4,000
- Mumbai - Board IndiGo, Trujet, Spicejet flights from Mumbai Airport. The airfares start from Rs.4,000
- Surat - Board IndiGo, SpiceJet flights from Surat Airport. The airfares start from Rs.4,000
By Train
Rajahmundry Railway Station is your best option to reach here. This train station even has computerized railway facilities. Here is how you can reach here by the following train routes. After deboarding at the station, you will need to cover the remaining distance by some means of public transportation.
- Delhi - Board NDLS VSKP AP EXP from New Delhi Railway Station and deboard at the Rajahmundry station
- Nagpur - Board NDLS VSKP AP EXP from Nagpur Station and deboard at the Rajahmundry station
- Mumbai - Board Konark Express from Mumbai Central Station and deboard at the Rajahmundry station.
- Raipur - Board BSP TPTY EXPRESS from Raipur Station and deboard at the Rajahmundry station
- Bhubaneswar - Board Coromandal Express from Bhubaneswar Junction and deboard at the Rajahmundry station
By Road
Depending upon your location, you can choose to travel here by road as well. You can either travel here by your own vehicle or a bus.
- From Vijayawada, the bus fares start from Rs.250-Rs.500
- From Kurnool, the bus fares start from Rs.500-Rs.700
- From Bengaluru, the bus fares start from Rs.1,000
- From Mumbai, the bus fares start from Rs.1,000
Here is how you can reach here by the following road routes
- Raipur - 606 km via NH30
- Nagpur - 740 km via Chandrapur - Mul - Nagbhir - Nagpur Hwy
- Amravati - 817 km via Mancherial - Chandrapur - Nagpur Road
- Jagdalpur - 350-400 km via NH30 and Rajahmundry - Bhadrachalam Hwy
- Visakhapatnam - 216 km via NH16
You can plan your trip and create your own route to the city with Adotrip’s technically driven circuit planner. Click here
