Gandikota Canyon
Gandikota is a tiny town in Andhra Pradesh's Kadapa district, renowned for its stunning Pennar river gorge that runs through the Erramala mountains. This beautiful piece of architecture of Nature has become known as India's Hidden Grand Canyon by tourists who visit it and are enchanted by its beauty. In and near the village several attractions attract tourists, the most special being the ancient, beautiful Gandikota fort that sits majestically on top of the Gorge. The mystical charm of this fort, apart from the unmatched beauty of the Gorge, visits this village even more interesting for enthusiasts of history and adventure seekers.
Things to do around Gandikota
Gandikota may be famous for India's secret Grand Canyon, but this fantastic Gorge is just one of Gandikota's many attractions. In Gandikota there are different things to do that you have to indulge in during your visit:
Ruins of Gandikota fort
The massive Gandikota fort spread over miles. Constructed in the 13th century. The fort is made from red sandstone, consists of beautiful palaces with intricate sculptures. Perennial springs to water the neighboring vegetation, and the fort's 5-6 km perimeter wall.
Pennar river and the Gorge
The Pennar Gorge created by the Pennar River which runs through the mountains of Erramala, also known as the mountains of Gandikota. A gorge is a narrow valley between mountains or hills, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream that runs through it. In reality, canyons created over a long period due to rock erosion. The Gorge of the Pennar River is nearly 300 feet from the cliff.
It is hard to imagine that Gandikota's Pennar River could carve such an enormous gorge. But the continuous flow of its water ultimately cuts a deep trench through the landscape, exposing many rock layers and creating the fantastic place we see today.
Belum caves
The Belum Caves are known for its speleothems, stalactite and stalagmite formations. Is the most significant and most extended cave system accessible to the public on the Indian subcontinent? The Belum Caves have lengthy passages, galleries, vast freshwater caverns, and siphons. The Belum Caves situated in the Andhra Pradesh state close to Belum Village in Kolimigundla Mandal, Kurnool District. Kolimigundla is 3 km from Belum Caves. The caves are an 8 km drive from the village of Petnikota.
How can one reach Gandikota
By Road
Gandikota well linked through the NH 7 to main towns such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Vizag. Because the roads in Andhra Pradesh are in excellent condition and related to multiple highways and state highways, a smooth, trouble-free road journey to Gandikota is possible.
By Train
Jammalamadugu (18 km away), Kadapa (77 km away) and Tirupati (219 km away) are the closest railway station to Gandikota. You can also take a direct train to get to this location from Bangalore.
By Air
The closest airports to Gandikota are Tirupati Airport in Renigunta and Bengaluru International Airport in Bangalore. One can fly to either of them by bus or private taxi and cover the remainder of the distance to Gandikota. The airport of Bangaluru is 345 km (6 hours) from Gandikota, while the airport of Tirupati is 220 km (4.5 hours) from Gandikota.
