Ancient Buddhist hilltop ruins, a living seafaring city, and one of India’s holiest temples—Andhra Pradesh rewards the curious. Once part of the Kalinga and Satavahana spheres, the region later flourished under the Eastern Ganga and Vijayanagara empires, leaving cave shrines, stupas, and forts amid rainforest-clad hills.

Today, Visakhapatnam (Vizag) hums with port-city energy, sandy beaches, and a unique naval museum inside a decommissioned submarine. Inland, the lush Araku Valley rolls with coffee estates and tribal culture, while Tirupati anchors spiritual South India with the revered Tirumala Venkateswara Temple.

Expect bold, peppery Andhra cuisine—think gongura (sorrel) flavors, prawn fry, and iconic tiffins like pesarattu. Monsoon runs roughly June–September; the clearest skies and calm seas arrive October–March. At major temples, modest attire and advance darshan bookings are essential.

Visakhapatnam (Vizag)

Vizag pairs Bay of Bengal panoramas with hilltop viewpoints, Buddhist sites, and India’s first submarine museum. It’s the perfect coastal base for the famed glass-roof “Vistadome” rail into Araku.

• Top sights: RK Beach promenade, INS Kurusura Submarine Museum, TU-142 Aircraft Museum, Kailasagiri ropeway, Rushikonda & Yarada beaches, Simhachalam Temple, Thotlakonda & Bavikonda Buddhist complexes, Dolphin’s Nose Lighthouse.
• Food & drink: Start with tiffins at Sri Sairam Parlour; savor coastal fare at Bamboo Bay (The Park); try a thali at Dharani (Daspalla Hotel); coffee at Bean Board.
• Getting there: Fly into VTZ (Visakhapatnam). Search fares on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. City taxis and app cabs are readily available.
• Where to stay: Browse seafront stays and family apartments on VRBO Visakhapatnam and hotels on Hotels.com Visakhapatnam. Look near RK Beach or Rushikonda for easy access.

Day 1: Arrival, RK Beach, and Submarine Stories

Afternoon: Arrive VTZ and check in near RK Beach. Stretch your legs along the promenade, then tour the INS Kurusura Submarine Museum—retired after 31 years of service and now open for fascinating, tight-corridor walkthroughs (closed some Mondays; modest entry fee).

Evening: Catch sunset at RK Beach, then dine beachside: Bamboo Bay at The Park plates grilled seafood, coastal curries, and appams with waves as your soundtrack. Prefer veg? Dharani (at Daspalla) serves a well-spiced Andhra thali; go for gongura pappu and avakai complements.

Day 2: Temples, Buddhist Hills, and Viewpoints

Morning: Breakfast at Sri Sairam Parlour—order a ghee karam dosa, pesarattu-upma combo, and strong filter coffee. Visit Simhachalam Temple, a millennium-old shrine blending Kalinga and Chola elements; then continue to Thotlakonda, a windswept Buddhist monastic site with sea views.

Afternoon: Ride the ropeway up to Kailasagiri for sweeping panoramas of the coastline. Stroll the hill park, hop the mini toy train loop, and photograph the giant Shiva-Parvati sculptures. Lunch at Venkatadri Vantillu for homestyle Andhra meals, or an easy biryani stop at Tycoon.

Evening: Head to Rushikonda Beach for a golden-hour swim or shoreline walk. Dinner at The Square (Novotel Varun Beach) for a varied buffet with regional specials, or try Mekong at The Park for Pan‑Asian if you’re craving dim sum and Thai curries.

Day 3: Scenic Rail to Araku Valley

Morning: Board the Visakhapatnam–Araku train; reserve the Vistadome coach for glass-roof views through tunnels and viaducts (about 3.5–4 hours; Vistadome seats often USD 12–18 equivalent). Check schedules and pricing on Trip.com Trains and book early in peak season.

Afternoon: Check into an Araku resort. Visit the Tribal Museum for crafts and cultural exhibits, then the Coffee Museum to learn how Araku beans are grown and roasted; sample a pour-over or cold brew.

Evening: Dinner with regional flavors—ask your resort for bamboo chicken (marinated chicken steamed in bamboo) and jonna rotti (sorghum flatbread). If your property offers a bonfire, bring a sweater; valley nights can be cool.

Araku Valley

Emerald hills, pepper vines, and coffee blossoms define Araku. The journey is half the joy, and the rest is a gentle rhythm of waterfalls, caves, and tribal handicrafts.

• Don’t miss: Borra Caves’ cathedral-like chambers, Galikonda viewpoint, Katiki Waterfalls, and tasting single-origin Araku coffee.
• Where to stay: Search rustic stays and small resorts on VRBO Araku Valley or browse options on Hotels.com Araku Valley. Availability can be limited—book ahead in winter and holidays.

Day 4: Borra Caves, Coffee Slopes, and Return to Vizag

Morning: Early start to Borra Caves (about 1–1.5 hours from Araku by car). Explore vast limestone formations—stalactites lit in vivid colors—and step out to a viewpoint above the Gosthani River gorge. Carry a light jacket and sturdy shoes.

Afternoon: Stop at Galikonda viewpoint and an Ananthagiri coffee estate for a quick tasting. Simple, tasty lunches are found at roadside dhabas—order egg curry, veg fry, and hot chapatis. Continue down to Vizag by car (roughly 3–4 hours total with stops) for a smoother descent than the return train.

Evening: Back in Vizag, walk the TU‑142 Aircraft Museum and the adjacent sea-breeze corridor. Dinner: try Zaffran (Novotel) for kebabs and biryani or return to Dharani for a classic veg spread with podi and ghee.

Tirupati

One of India’s great pilgrimage cities, Tirupati is the gateway to Tirumala’s hilltop shrine of Sri Venkateswara. Expect rhythmic chants, fragrant laddus, and a deep sense of devotion alongside forested trails and waterfalls.

• Top sights: Tirumala Venkateswara Temple (book darshan in advance), Silathoranam natural arch, Akasha Ganga, Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple (Tiruchanur), Kapila Theertham, Chandragiri Fort, Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park.
• Food & drink: Filter coffee and idli-vada at Minerva Coffee Shop; hearty vegetarian meals at Bhimas; spicy Andhra specialties at Mayura and local messes; try the iconic Tirupati laddu prasadam.
• Getting there from Vizag: Morning flight VTZ→TIR is typically 1.5 hours nonstop when scheduled, or 3–5 hours via Hyderabad/Chennai; expect about USD 60–140. Compare on Trip.com Flights and Kiwi.com. A direct overnight train runs ~12–14 hours; search options on Trip.com Trains.
• Where to stay: Check VRBO Tirupati and Hotels.com Tirupati. Well-located choices include Fortune Select Grand Ridge (near Alipiri), Marasa Sarovar Premiere (by Kapila Theertham), and Pai Viceroy (central).

Day 5: Fly/Train to Tirupati, Temples in Town

Morning: Depart Vizag for Tirupati. If flying, aim for a mid-morning arrival at TIR; if taking the overnight train, you’ll roll in early. Transfer and check in near Alipiri for easy hill access.

Afternoon: Visit Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple in Tiruchanur, honoring the consort of Lord Venkateswara—an essential stop for many pilgrims. Browse Laddu and sweet shops nearby for boondi, kaju sweets, and Andhra savories to take home.

Evening: Dinner at Minerva Coffee Shop (Fortune Kences) for crisp vadas, ghee masala dosa, and filter coffee; or Bhimas for a pure-veg Andhra meal with sambar, rasam, and curd rice. Turn in early for tomorrow’s hill temple.

Day 6: Tirumala Darshan, Silathoranam, and Hillscapes

Morning: Start before dawn for Tirumala. Use the Alipiri or Srivari Mettu paths if you wish to climb, or take a TTD-run bus or taxi up the ghats. Ensure you’ve pre-booked a darshan slot (the Special Entry Darshan is commonly available) and dress modestly; expect queues and security checks.

Afternoon: After darshan (and a celebratory laddu), visit Silathoranam, a rare natural stone arch, and Akasha Ganga for serene forested streams. Simple vegetarian lunches are available at hill canteens—think lemon rice, curd rice, and hot pongal.

Evening: Descend to Tirupati. Unwind with coffee and pastries at a local bakery, then dine at Marasa Sarovar Premiere’s vegetarian restaurant for paneer tikka, dal tadka, and tandoori rotis in a calm, temple-inspired setting.

Day 7: Waterfalls, Wildlife, and Departure

Morning: Visit Kapila Theertham, where a waterfall tumbles beside an ancient Shiva temple on the edge of the forest. If time permits, continue to Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park—one of Asia’s larger zoos—for a quick loop to see deer, big cats, and birdlife.

Afternoon: Depart from TIR. If you have a late flight, stop for a final thali at Mayura or a quick plate of upma pesarattu and coffee before heading to the airport. Check flights on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com.

Practical Notes and Extras

• Local transport: App cabs and prepaid taxis are the simplest in both cities. In Vizag, the ropeway and hill train at Kailasagiri are fun add-ons.
• Costs (approx): Ropeway USD 1–2; museum entries USD 1–3; Vistadome rail USD 12–18; private car Araku→Vizag with sightseeing USD 45–70 depending on car and hours.
• Optional detours: From Tirupati, Srikalahasti Temple (about 1 hour) for remarkable Dravidian architecture; or Talakona Waterfalls (about 2 hours) for a forest hike—best if you add a night.

Where to book stays, trains, and flights: For hotels and apartments use VRBO Visakhapatnam, Hotels.com Visakhapatnam, VRBO Araku Valley, Hotels.com Araku Valley, VRBO Tirupati, and Hotels.com Tirupati. For transportation, compare on Trip.com Flights, Kiwi.com, and Trip.com Trains.

Across a week, you’ll watch sunrise gild the Bay of Bengal, ride a glass-roof train past emerald valleys, and join pilgrims circling the sanctum in Tirumala. Andhra Pradesh shows India’s variety in one sweep—salt air, coffee hills, and temple bells lingering long after you’ve headed home.