Explore Vizag and Araku 2027 (By Andhra Pradesh State Branch)

Five days between the Bay of Bengal and the Eastern Ghats. The programme opens in Visakhapatnam - Vizag to most people - a port city of beaches, hill temples and naval history, then climbs into the Araku valley, where coffee grows in the shade of silver oaks, hill tribes keep their dance traditions alive and the limestone hills hide the Borra caves.

January is the cool, dry season and a good time for the hills. Araku's coffee, grown largely by Adivasi farmers, carries a Geographical Indication tag, and the Borra caves, first explored by a British geologist in 1807, are full of stalactites and stalagmites.

Visakhapatnam

• Simhachalam - the Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple in the Simhachalam hills, about 16 km from the city. The present temple dates from the 13th century under the Eastern Ganga kings; its dark granite shrine and sixteen-pillared mandapam are richly carved, and the deity stays covered in sandalwood paste through the year.
• INS Kursura - a Navy submarine commissioned in 1969 and retired in 2001, now a walk-through museum on RK Beach, described as the first submarine museum in South Asia. The TU-142 aircraft museum, built around a retired Navy maritime patrol aircraft, stands across the road.
• The city - named after Vaisakha (Kartikeya), the god of valour, Vizag curves along the shore below three hills: Ross Hill with its church, Darga Konda with its mosque and saint's tomb, and Sri Venkateswara Konda with its temple. The Dolphin's Nose headland carries a lighthouse, and Kailasagiri, a hilltop park reached by ropeway, looks out over the city and the sea.

Araku Valley

• Dhimsa dance - the traditional dance of the hill tribes of the Eastern Ghats, performed by women in a linked chain while the men play the music, followed by a campfire.
• Sunkarametta - a wooden walkway through coffee estates shaded by silver oak trees, and the coffee gardens around it.
• Borra caves - a limestone cave system in the Ananthagiri hills, at about 705 m, reaching some 80 m underground, with stalactites and stalagmites in strange, sculpted shapes.
• Katiki waterfalls - a cascade on the Gosthani river in the forested hills near Borra.

At a Glance

• Dates: 22 to 26 January 2027 (4 nights / 5 days)
• Fee: Rs. 8,500 per person
• Ages: 18 to 65
• Reporting: Youth Hostel Building, beside YMCA, Beach Road, Visakhapatnam, by 10:00 AM
• Stay: shared accommodation, with one night at a guest house in the Araku valley

The Fee Includes

• Good vegetarian food
• Accommodation on a sharing basis
• Expert guidance and supervision
• Group insurance
• Bus fare and parking fees

Not Included

• Entry tickets and fees at all tourist spots in Vizag and Araku

Program Team

• Program Director: Mr. B. Uma Maheswar Rao - 98663 20272
• Program Coordinators: Mr. K V Raju - 91107 05594; Mr. P Satyanandam - 94401 78232
• Email: apstateyhai@gmail.com

Who Can Join

• Any physically fit member of the Association. The booking page accepts ages 18 to 65.

How to Join

• Online: through www.yhaindia.org.
• Offline, through the AP State Branch: fill in the registration form and attach a recent passport-size photograph and a copy of your Aadhaar card. Deposit the fee to State Bank of India, Ukkunagaram Branch, Visakhapatnam - current account 35195966786, IFSC SBIN0008054.
• Send the counterfoil with the form to KVE Prasad, State Secretary, D.No. 13-26-4, behind Vijetha Hospital, KGH Down, Maharanipeta, Visakhapatnam 530002 - 94412 46987.

How to Reach

• The base is the Youth Hostel Building, beside the YMCA, Beach Road, Visakhapatnam.
• Visakhapatnam airport is 30 km away, the RTC bus stand 5 km and the railway station 6 km. RTC buses, taxis and autos are easy to find.

Stay and Food

• Shared accommodation arranged by the organisers
• Good vegetarian food

What to Bring

• Bed sheet
• Sun cap
• Torch with spare batteries
• Water bottle
• Toilet kit and cold cream
• Camera (optional)
• Your regular medicines, if any

Please travel light - bring as little luggage as you can.

Safety and Security

Careful preparation has gone into planning the route, and experienced field staff and camp leaders have visited the area to check every detail. While every care is taken for your safety and health, the YHAI AP State Branch cannot be held responsible for any accident, illness or other unforeseen eventuality.

Cancellation Rules

• If you cannot join after paying, Rs. 4,250 of the fee is refunded, provided your request reaches the Secretary, AP State Branch, YHAI, directly by email at least 15 days before the reporting date.
• WhatsApp messages, text messages and phone conversations are not accepted as requests.