A day before, I and my friends were sitting and exploring places one can visit near Hyderabad in a day. We instantly developed a liking for Anantagiri Hills and planned to explore the place the next morning. Yes! That is how much time one requires to plan a visit to this place. No excessive planning, no going through travel packages, no pre-bookings. Just a good company and a bike.
Anantagiri Hills is one of the dense forest regions in Telangana state. It is located in the Vikarabad district and is about five kilometers away from the city center. It lies southwest to Hyderabad and is almost 80 km away. Amid heavy traffic, in Hyderabad, it took us almost three hours to reach Anantagiri Hills.
One can visit the place in two easy steps:
1) Arranging for a bike: If you have a bike of your own or can borrow one from someone then half of the task is done. If you don't have one, Hyderabad has plenty of options to rent a bike. You can compare the prices of different bike rental services and select one which suits your budget. You can check ONN Bikes for comparatively cheaper prices. Do consider the prescribed kilometers you can travel on renting a specific bike because if you exhaust it you will be charged extra.
2) Visiting the place:
We picked the bikes a day before so that we can start early the next day. We started from Hyderabad at around 7 a.m. After crossing the busy Hyderabad traffic, we reached the outskirts of the city and that is where the real beauty of the trip started. One could see the clouds touching the blue sky. The countryside was lush green as if washed by a recent shower. The road was neatly paved and one could see people selling tea and fruits by the road. We stopped mid-road for a tea break. It provided me some time to submerge in the pleasant atmosphere which surrounded the countryside. The feeling was surreal and it set the tone for the trip further. We reached Vikarabad at around 9 a.m. We had to turn left from the city center to head towards Anantagiri Hills. The ride from here gets more indulging. The road slowly gets uphill and is covered with dense forest.
Note: You may be stopped by the forest police on the way. They will issue you a pass to enter the forest range. One pass costs Rs 10 per person.
We came to a halt in front of the Shri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple. It is an ancient temple and is devoted to the worship of Lord Vishnu. It is after this temple's name that the place was named Anantagiri. The temple can be easily recognized by the tall Hanuman Statue which stands erect next to the temple. After visiting the temple we headed to visit Lord Siva Temple which can be reached by climbing down the stairway behind the temple. Ahead of Lord Shiva temple lies a vast forest which can be explored on foot. The place is filled with tranquility and is ideal to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city life. We spend some time in the forest trying to reach a viewpoint to have a bird's-eye view of the hills. Google map was of little help as there was little connectivity plus the locations on the map were not accurate. We took several detours before finally reaching a viewpoint. The view was breathtaking as an expanse of forest lay before us. After taking pictures, we backtracked to our starting point.
Note: 1) Although there wasn't any official notice, you may be charged a fee of Rs 10 by a Forest Guard on entering the forest.
2) As there are no signboards inside the forest, one may be at a risk to get lost. As a precaution, follow the main unpaved road which starts from the temple. If you take any detours inside the forest, keep a track of your way and ensure to return to the unpaved road.
3) The forest might remain closed during the rainy season.
After having lunch, we drove towards Naga Siva Temple which lies a few miles ahead of the main temple. Here, a bull statue is placed in front of a Shiva linga. We parked our bikes to take a view of the place and we were awestruck by the view. One could view the roads swirling down the hill and getting lost in the green adobe which lied ahead of it. A distant hill was clear insight and amplified the view. We sat there for some time as the breeze touched our faces and allured us to stay.
Note: Some of the locations on the google map are not accurate. I would suggest you ask the locals for directions.
With time on our hands, we decided to visit Sarpanpally Lake. It is a peaceful lake and is near to Naga Siva Temple. Kayaking was not available when we went there but can be arranged with the help of a private tour operator. We spend some time on the shores of the lake until it started to get dark. We realized that it was time for us to retreat. We started our bikes and bid farewell to the place with the promise to return soon.
A tour to Anantagiri is more about getting one with nature and realizing your place in it. The place invites you to slow down and leave the fast-paced lives of the city behind. It is a natural retreat for those who are willing to spend some quality time with themselves and explore their inner-selves. There is a lot to explore in the jungles and appreciate all the tiny and mighty things nature has to offer. As John Muir rightly puts it, "The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness".
Note: Various adventurous activities such as trekking, camping and kayaking can be tried in Anantagiri. It is advisable to come in contact with a travel operator or resort to arrange for camping and trekking. For kayaking, you can head to Kotpally Kayaking Reservoir.
The total cost of the Trip:
1) Bike rent: Rs 350 per person (Approx. Rs 700 for one bike)
2) Petrol: Rs 250 per person (In total Rs 500 on one bike)
3) Food and snacks: Rs 200-250 per person
4) Tickets: Rs 20-50 per person
Go hit the road!
To go to my Vlog on Anantagiri, open the following link or search for it on Tripoto's photoblog using the same title.
https://tripoto.page.link/NDmL
Some photos from the trip:
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