About Andhra Pradesh Tourism

Andhra Pradesh Tourism

Andhra Pradesh Tourism promotes travel across the state through the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) and the AP Tourism Authority. The state offers one of India's busiest temples at Tirumala, a long Bay of Bengal coastline, the Araku hills, and many old Buddhist sites. This guide covers the main places, the services APTDC runs and how to contact AP Tourism.

What makes Andhra Pradesh special

• A coastline of close to 1,000 km, one of the longest in India.
• Important Hindu shrines such as Tirumala, Srisailam, Srikalahasti and Simhachalam.
• Buddhist heritage from about 2,000 years ago at Amaravati, Nagarjunakonda and near Visakhapatnam.
• Hills, caves and valleys in the Eastern Ghats.
• Food known for its heat: Andhra meals, Guntur chillies, pesarattu and Rayalaseema dishes.

The state splits naturally into three regions for travel: the north coast around Visakhapatnam, the central Krishna and Godavari belt around Vijayawada and Rajahmundry, and Rayalaseema in the south and west, which includes Tirupati, Kurnool and Anantapur. Each region can be covered in a trip of two to four days.

Top places to visit

Temples and pilgrim centres

• Tirumala and Tirupati: the Sri Venkateswara Temple and nearby temples such as Tiruchanur.
• Srikalahasti and Kanipakam: short trips from Tirupati.
• Srisailam: the Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga on the Krishna river.
• Simhachalam and Annavaram: hill temples near Visakhapatnam and Kakinada.
• Kanaka Durga Temple, Vijayawada: on Indrakeeladri hill above the Krishna river.

Beaches and coast

• Visakhapatnam: RK Beach, Rushikonda, Yarada and the submarine museum.
• Kakinada and Machilipatnam: quieter coastal towns.
• Bapatla and Suryalanka: beaches within reach of Guntur and Vijayawada.

Hills and nature

• Araku Valley: coffee estates, tribal museum and a scenic train ride from Vizag.
• Borra Caves: large limestone caves on the way to Araku.
• Lambasingi: a cool hill village known for winter mist.
• Papikondalu: river cruises through the Godavari gorge.
• Gandikota and Horsley Hills: a canyon fort and a small hill station in Rayalaseema.

Buddhist and heritage sites

• Amaravati: the old stupa site and museum near the new capital region.
• Thotlakonda, Bavikonda and Salihundam: hilltop monasteries near the coast.
• Lepakshi: the Veerabhadra temple with its hanging pillar and large Nandi.

The old AP Tourism list also named district towns such as Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Guntur, Nellore, Ongole, Kurnool, Nandyal, Rajahmundry, Kadapa, Anantapur, Chittoor, Eluru, Bhimavaram, Tenali, Kavali, Proddatur, Hindupur, Madanapalle, Adoni, Tadipatri, Guntakal, Dharmavaram, Gudivada, Narasaraopet, Chilakaluripet and Tadepalligudem. They are useful bases for nearby temples and river spots.

APTDC services

• Tours: day and multi-day coach tours, including popular Tirupati darshan tours from Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad.
• Hotels and resorts: Haritha hotels at major tourist points.
• Boating and cruises: including Papikondalu and Bhavani Island near Vijayawada.
• Araku packages: rail-cum-road tours from Visakhapatnam.

Suggested trips in Andhra Pradesh

• Tirupati circuit (2 days): Tirumala darshan on day one; Tiruchanur, Srikalahasti and Kanipakam on day two.
• Vizag and Araku (3 days): Vizag beaches and Kailasagiri, then a train ride to Araku with Borra Caves on the way back.
• Vijayawada and Amaravati (1 to 2 days): Kanaka Durga Temple, Undavalli Caves, Bhavani Island and the Amaravati museum.
• Godavari (2 days): Rajahmundry and a Papikondalu river cruise.
• Rayalaseema (2 to 3 days): Gandikota canyon, Belum Caves and Lepakshi.

How to reach and get around

Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati and Rajahmundry have airports. The Chennai to Howrah rail line runs along the coast through Nellore, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry and Vizag, and Tirupati has direct trains from most big cities. APSRTC buses connect every district town, and private cars are the easiest way to cover temple circuits.

Food to try

Andhra meals come with rice, pappu (dal), pickles, gongura chutney and spicy curries. Try pesarattu with upma for breakfast, Ulavacharu in the Krishna region, Rayalaseema ragi sangati, and fresh seafood in Vizag. Tirupati laddu and Kakinada kaja are famous sweets.

Travel tips

• Book Tirumala darshan and rooms well ahead; they sell out within minutes on release day.
• Carry light cotton clothes for the plains and a warm layer for Araku in winter.
• Check the Papikondalu boat schedule; cruises pause when the Godavari is in flood.

Best time to visit

October to February is the most comfortable time for the coast and the plains. Araku and Lambasingi are best from November to January. Summer (April to June) is very hot in most of the state.

Festivals worth planning for

• Brahmotsavam at Tirumala: the nine-day annual festival, usually in September or October, with grand processions and very large crowds.
• Sankranti: the harvest festival in January, celebrated with kite flying, rangoli and village fairs in the Godavari districts.
• Maha Shivaratri at Srisailam and Srikalahasti: night-long worship at the Shiva shrines.
• Dasara at Vijayawada: nine days of special worship at the Kanaka Durga Temple.

AP Tourism contact details

• Toll-free: 1800-42-545454
• APTDC head office: Vijayawada
• Websites: tourism.ap.gov.in and aptourism.gov.in

Plan your Andhra trip

GoldBox Holidays arranges Tirupati Tirumala tour packages from many cities, plus Visakhapatnam tour packages and Araku tour packages. For the Jyotirlinga, see the Srisailam tour packages. Our guide to the best places to visit in Araku Valley helps with planning a hill trip.

Frequently asked questions

What is APTDC?

APTDC is the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, the state company that runs tours, hotels and boating for visitors.

Which is the most visited place in Andhra Pradesh?

Tirumala draws the largest crowds by far, followed by Srisailam, Visakhapatnam and Araku.

When is the best time to visit Araku?

November to January, when the weather is cool and the valley is green after the rains.

Does AP Tourism run Tirupati darshan packages?

Yes. APTDC has run Tirupati darshan tours from nearby cities, subject to TTD ticket quotas.