This monsoon, Visit these getaways suggested by trekking pros from the city
Come weekend and your social media timeline is flooded with photos of a friend’s visit to the usual weekend getaways like Warangal or Hampi. But with the weather being this awesome, it’s time to trek to places that are not known about. The roads are good and the rains can set the mood for the perfect weekend getaway. We speak to two groups from Hyderabad — the Hyderabad Adventurers and Trekker’s Club and the Great Hyderabad Adventure Club — who recommend the following places to visit. Mark the weekends and head out.
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Family-friendly getaways
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Maredumilli: The Maredumilli forest, situated around 420 km from the city, is a great weekend getaway for the family, with plenty of treks through the jungle to nearby waterfalls, Jalatarangini and Rampachodavaram waterfalls and even coffee plantations around.
Eco-tourism resort Vana Vihari is a GHAC recommended place to stay, with affordable rates, and also gives you the opportunity to camp overnight, right in the middle of the forest. GHAC’s Diyanat Ali says that while the monsoons might not let you hike around too much, it’s still a great place to spend a quiet weekend amidst nature.
Laknavaram and Ramappa: About 200 km from the city, Laknavaram lake is a great place for basic water-based activities like kayaking. You can kayak around the 13 islands in the lake, which are home to many species of birds. Three of the islands are connected by small suspension bridges that help you navigate between the islands.
Around 30 km away is Ramappa lake, which is home to the ancient Ramappa temple said to be built during the Kakatiya era. While camping at Laknavaram is recommended only for large groups, Ramappa Lake has accommodation by the AP Tourism Department.
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For serious trekkers
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Gandikota: Known as the Grand Canyon of India, Gandikota is a good 5-6 hour drive from the city, a little beyond Kurnool and is a great place to camp if you’re looking for an overnight stay. “You can visit this place even if it rains, because there is a village where you can take shelter at,” says Prithvi, adding that getting in touch with the sarpanch of the village there would help getting an house arranged for you to stay in. The HATS Club, however, camps out in the open whenever they organise trips to the area. “We carry our own tents and we usually camp at an abandoned masjid there,” Prithvi says.
Ghattuppal: Prithvi Reddy from the HATS Club says that Ghattuppal is great place for day-long treks. Around 70 km from the city outskirts, Prithvi recommends that one needs to start at around 5 am or 6 am, to reach the place by 9 am. “It’s a hardcore trekking place with many hills that have been given names like Cheetah Hill, Leopard Hill and Devil’s Ground,” he says. “The hills over there are about 600-metre high, so it’s good for trekking.” A three-hour trek later, you can leave the place by around 2 pm to get back to the city by 5 pm.
