Hyderabad to Kondaveedu Fort

[KSK]

We (my son and me) went to Kondaveedu Fort on Jan 13, 2019, in our Baleno. It is approximately 275 km from Hyderabad, and drive time is around 5-1/2 hrs.

 

Route:
Hyderabad -> Narketpalli -> Narsaraopet -> Phirangapuram -> Kondaveedu Fort

 

Short Note:

Kondaveedu Fort is situated in a beautiful spread of Kondaveedu mountain ranges, located 1700 feet above the sea level and at a distance of 26 kms from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. The fort being located on a hill top, the view from this place is awe inspiring. And driving through the newly-laid continuous hairpin bend (almost 20) ghat road is exhilarating to say the least. It is a shame that this beautiful place, once flourished as the capital of Reddy kings, could not fast become a tourist hotspot. It is only in recent years, tourists from across the state are thronging the place and enjoying the scenic beauty of the area.

 

We started from Hyderabad at 5:30 am and reached the fort by 10:30 am. We drove to the top of the hill, spent some time, took some photographs, enjoyed beautiful view of natural scenery and returned back. Unfortunately, we could not get into the fort as renovation work was still going on. Later, we went to Mangalagiri and Kanuka Durga temples and returned back to Hyderabad same day by 7:15 pm. Total trip distance was 635 km.

 

Since Kondaveedu Fort can be reached easily via road and has excellent roads, I would recommend going here for a picnic and returning on the same day. However, if you want to crash, put up in any hotel in Guntur. Although the roads have been maintained, there are not many options for food and drinks around the fort. However, presently renovation work is going on and no tourists are allowed to go to the top of the hill. We were fortunate enough to be allowed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sagar]

Welcome onboard @KSK. Excellent post sir. You pictures look fantastic as well. Your trip seemed pretty much a hectic one but well done.. Any food joints you would want to recommend in this stretch ?

[KSK]

31 minutes ago, sagar said:

Welcome onboard @KSK. Excellent post sir. You pictures look fantastic as well. Your trip seemed pretty much a hectic one but well done.. Any food joints you would want to recommend in this stretch ?

Thank you!

 

Around 7:30 am, we took right turn at Narketpalli where a line of hotels present on roadside. Due to relentless fog, we had to stop and have our breakfast in one of those hotels. Food quality was not so good. After crossing Tipparthi, there is a nice hotel named Vividhi Restaurant. Though we didn't stop here, the hotel looks pretty decent.  As we wanted to complete darshans at Mangalagiri and Kanuka Durga temples, we didn't scout for any hotels near Kondaveedu surroundings. We did our lunch at 1947 restaurant, 3-4 km from Kanuka Durga temple. It's a small restaurant but food was excellent.

 

[sagar]

Thanks for sharing this information @KSK.. Much helpful. ?

[Gowtham]

Excellent pictures.

That is quick trip.

 

On 1/17/2019 at 12:20 PM, KSK said:

Unfortunately, we could not get into the fort as renovation work was still going on.

 

Fort is very much collapsed.
Been there last year.

 

Road to hill top is excellent.

Zero facilities,

A nice food joint and accommodation is required for this place to survive.

 

Early morning is the best time to visit,

Better to avoid this place in summer.  

 

How is the overall road once you divert from highway?

[KSK]

37 minutes ago, Ranger said:

Excellent pictures.

That is quick trip.

 

How is the overall road once you divert from highway?

 

Thank you @Ranger

 

After taking right turn at Phirangipuram from Narsaraopet-Guntur road, the road until Kondaveedu ghat road is good, nothing to complain about, except it becomes narrow passing through a couple of villages (Phirangipuram and Ghaneshwarapadu).

[KSK]

After coming down from the fort, we went to Nallapaneni Shilpakaladhamam which is in the vicinity of the fort.

The Nallapaneni Shilpakaladhamam or Nallapaneni Brothers Garden is a park with rooftop swimming pool and has very good sculptures of some deities and also sculptures of legendary NTR in different avatars.

[sagar]

30 minutes ago, KSK said:

The Nallapaneni Shilpakaladhamam or Nallapaneni Brothers Garden is a park with rooftop swimming pool and has very good sculptures of some deities and also sculptures of legendary NTR in different avatars.

 

This is something which I haven't heard of earlier. The place looks more like a guest house and quite exciting. Are general crowd allowed to access the pool or stay there for a night on rent?

[Sridhar Tandra]

That picture of Subrahmanya swamy reminded me of Malaysia! ?

[KSK]

1 hour ago, sagar said:

 

This is something which I haven't heard of earlier. The place looks more like a guest house and quite exciting. Are general crowd allowed to access the pool or stay there for a night on rent?

 

The security guard didn't allow us to go to the top, maybe it is accessible only if anyone books accommodation; however, I didn't ask him about accommodation. But I did ask him about the food court and for that he replied it is going to start shortly.

 

This is the narrow off-road that leads to the park (Pic taken from the entrance)

[Gowtham]

3 hours ago, KSK said:

After coming down from the fort,

 

Looks like lot of tourism related development going on around the Fort area. 

 

3 hours ago, KSK said:

nothing to complain about

 

Thank you for the update. 

[mit1682]

Great work done ksk. Surely this will help us during upcoming meetup on 26th Jan 2019.

[Sridhar Tandra]

16 minutes ago, mit1682 said:

Surely this will help us during upcoming meetup on 26th Jan 2019

? we are going to a different Fort next week bro @mit1682 This is related to Kondaveedu and we are doing Gandikota

[Pralay]

Great Post @KSK.. those photos of car are really good. It would be great to watch sunrise or sunset from the top of the fort I guess. But we need to find our accommodation nearby!  

[sagar]

2 hours ago, Pralay said:

Great Post @KSK.. those photos of car are really good. It would be great to watch sunrise or sunset from the top of the fort I guess. But we need to find our accommodation nearby!  

 

Guntur would be the only place closer to Kondaveedu fort which offers good accommodation and food options.

[Pralay]

1 minute ago, sagar said:

 

Guntur would be the only place closer to Kondaveedu fort which offers good accommodation and food options.

Yes, till the time AP tourism opens a Haritha here! I guess it should come very soon

[KSK]

3 hours ago, Pralay said:

Great Post @KSK.. those photos of car are really good. It would be great to watch sunrise or sunset from the top of the fort I guess. But we need to find our accommodation nearby!  

Thank you @Pralay

 

Sunrise may not be possible at least in the near future but watching sunset may be, if security allows to stay long enough.  But it would be a mesmerizing spectacle from top of the fort.  As per the enforcement present at the fort, tourists are allowed to visit the fort only during specific timings.

 

BTW, at present, last section of the road is under construction.

 

 

[KSK]

Read this new recently:

Buddhist remains found at Kondaveedu fort!

 

[sagar]

17 hours ago, KSK said:

Read this new recently:

Buddhist remains found at Kondaveedu fort!

 

 

Wow.! This place sure has some serious history. I only thought this place belonged to the king's dynasty until now.. Buddhist remains makes things much interesting now. I'm sure that this place would become the next hotspot for the tourists