Araku valley is filled with plenty of beautiful things - colorful landscapes, gardens, coffee plantations and lots to savor for that nature-lover in you. But the best of them all are all of its waterfalls that are scattered in and around the valley, each a spectacle to behold.
Among all the water falls, these five are the most visited by people not just because of their vicinity to the habited lands of Araku but also because they are the most beautiful and safe. Next time you’re at the Araku valley, make sure you pay a visit to atleast a few of these waterfalls, for a trip to the picturesque Araku is never complete without that.
About 4km away from Borra caves lies this Katiki waterfalls which has water falling from 50ft onto a collection of rocks. You can hire a jeep (on a very bumpy ride) to a certain point after which you will have to do a small trek which will take you to these picturesque and beautiful waterfalls. You can even bathe in these falls as they aren’t dangerous at all, but you should choose to come here at a time when the crowd is less – which is probably in the winter months as the place does tend to get crowded at times.
A little away from the Katiki waterfalls also quite close to the Borra caves (about a half an hour’s drive) are the Ananthagiri waterfalls in the Ananthagiri area. Once you reach the Ananthagiri hills, it takes about 1km of a trek to reach these falls. These falls are not a place you can bathe in or get wet in, as they are rather dry and the rocks are quite slippery too. The coffee plantations around the area amidst these hills are also worth paying a visit to. The best time in the day to visit here is before it gets dark which is about 6 pm and the best time of the month to pay a visit to these waterfalls is the monsoon months.
Unlike the above two falls which are located a little bit away from the Araku valley, the Chaparai falls are within the valley and take just about half an hour to reach from the main centre of Araku. They are surely the most scenic and beautiful among them all too, because of the colourful flora that surrounds the area. The water flows on a few rocks at very a very low height at these falls and the rocks are slippery too so you really can’t bathe in them and all you can do is just get your feet wet and walk about over the water and still it’s going to be an experience you’ll love.
A little ahead of the Ananthagiri waterfalls, also in Ananthagiri lie the Tatiguda waterfalls at about 3 kms from Borra caves. At 3100 feet above sea level, these falls which were hidden all these days have now become a really popular tourist destination in Araku. Water falls from a series of descending rocks from a good height and this makes for a beautiful view with all the bushes and sometimes colorful flowers among them around these rocks. Another plus is that this is a perennial fall with waters flowing in it all through the year.
These falls are located about a few kms away from the popular Padmapuram gardens of Araku valley. They are dense and fall from quite some height creating a vast pool of water underneath them. These waterfalls form one of the major sources of water for Araku and therefore, we aren’t allowed to go into the waters or swim in the lake. We can only get to watch these wonderful falls from afar and yet with all the beauty that it offers, that is just about enough!
Have you been to any of these waterfalls? Would you like to share your experience? You can do that here.
Also, why should English readers have all the fun? Tripoto is now available in Hindi.
