- Best time
- November to February
- Nearest airport
- Tirupati (Renigunta); Chennai International about 150 km
- Nearest railway station
- Chittoor
- Known as
- Mango City
Why go
Most visitors come for pilgrimage: the Venkateswara temple at Tirumala, the Varasiddhi Vinayaka temple at Kanipakam and the Srikalahasti Shiva temple are all within easy reach. The region also has quiet hill retreats, forest reserves and old forts, which makes it easy to mix a temple circuit with a day or two in the hills and forests. In early summer, pick up some of the local mangoes.
Places to visit around Chittoor
- Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Temple, the famous hill shrine above Tirupati
- Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple, known for its self-manifested Ganesha idol
- Srikalahasti Temple, an important Shiva shrine often called the Kailash of the south
- Swami Pushkarini, the sacred temple tank at Tirumala
- Gurramkonda Fort, a hill fort of stone and mud said to be about 500 years old
- Horsley Hills, a cool hill station popular for short treks
- Nagari Hills, with a peak shaped like a nose
- Kaigal Falls and Tada Falls, forest waterfalls best seen after the rains
- Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary, known for its elephants
Gurramkonda Fort
The fort stands on top of a steep hill. Local tradition says the rulers rode up on horseback, which explains the name: in Telugu, gurram is a horse and konda a hill.
Best time to visit
November to February is the most comfortable period, with mild days suited to temple visits and sightseeing. April to June is very hot, with afternoon temperatures that can touch 40°C. The monsoon, from July to September, is humid but brings the waterfalls to life.
How to reach
Tirupati airport at Renigunta is the closest for domestic flights, while Chennai International Airport, about 150 km away, has wider connections. Chittoor railway station is right in town, and the APSRTC bus stand runs frequent services to Tirupati, Vellore, Chennai and Bengaluru.
Also nearby
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