Hyderabad is a wonderful city. But it is not rich in terms of the connectivity to short trip destinations. You may still have some places for a day trip like Medchal or Warangal or Ananthagiri. But weekend getaways are hard to find.
To help you decide on your next adventure, we have listed our top-4 picks for weekend getaways from Hyderabad (2 more destinations have been added as an afterthought). The trips in the list below fulfill 2 basic conditions:
- Easy connectivity from Hyderabad such that we leave on Friday evening and can come back Monday morning.
- Destination has enough juice to spend 2 days.
Dandeli
- What’s special? Dandeli is Nature lovers’ paradise. The beauty of Western Ghats, the greenery of paddy fields and raging river Kali create a wonderful expedition.
- How to get there? Hyderabad to Hubli is well connected by trains which leave on Friday evening and arrive back on Monday morning. Hubli to Dandeli can be covered by bus or taxis.
- What to do? Nature trails and trekking is fun. Ganeshgudi is hub for number of water activities including white water rafting, kayaking and natural Jacuzzi. Synthari rocks and some waterfalls are at a short distance.
- Where to stay? You have several options of riverside resorts and few very good homestays.
- READ ALSO: Monsoon adventure in Dandeli
Hampi
- What’s special? Hampi has best of both the worlds. It is a UNESCO world heritage site for amazingly crafted group of monuments. The other side of Tungabhadra gives you more laid back vibe and with nature all around you.
- How to get there? Hyderabad to Hospet is well connected by trains which leave on Friday evening and arrive back on Monday morning. Hospet to Hampi can covered easily by auto-rickshaw or taxi.
- What to do? Hire an auto-rickshaw cum guide and explore the beauty of Hampi temples at your own pace. On the other side, rent a scooter and roam around the countryside. Go to the top of Hanuman temple for stunning sunset.
- Where to stay? On the other side of Tungabhadra you have a wide range of resorts to stay in midst of paddy fields.
- READ ALSO: UNESCO site of Hampi, ‘Other side’ of Hampi
Gokarna
- What’s special? Beautiful pristine beaches without the crowds and commercial hubbub of Goa.
- How to get there? Hyderabad to Hubli is well connected by trains which leave on Friday evening and arrive back on Monday morning. Hubli to Gokarna can be covered by bus or taxis.
- What to do? Enjoy the beaches. Trek along the coastline and explore the secluded beaches where you could count the visitors on your fingers.
- Where to stay? You get several cheap lodging options around Kudle and Om beach.
Vizag (and Araku)
- What’s special? Vizag has several beautiful beaches and a unique submarine tour. Borra caves near Araku valley are one of the most beautiful caves.
- How to get there? Overnight buses and trains run between Hyderabad and Vizag. Vizag to Araku is again connected by buses and trains.
- What to do? You can spend 2 days exploring Vizag beaches, the Vishakhapatnam port, the temples and the unique submarine. Alternatively, you can spend one day in Vizag and the other day can be spent in coffee plantations of Araku valley and discovering wonders of Borra caves.
- Where to stay? Wide range of hotels in Vizag both near the beach and near the city center.
- READ ALSO: Our trip of Vizag
You may also want to explore…
Bengaluru
- What’s special? The garden city Bengaluru (or Bangalore in yesteryears) has a completely different feel than Hyderabad. The city itself has a lot to offer and you also have a number of short trips around Bengaluru.
- How to get there? Overnight buses and trains run between Hyderabad and Bengaluru. But it takes 12 hours so the timings might be pushing it.
- What to do? You can spend a day in the city and the other at Nandi hills or Wonderla or Shivasamudram falls or on some other trip.
- Where to stay? That isn’t even a valid questions for city like Bengaluru. You would get multitude of options at each step.
Gandikota
- What’s special? The grand canyon of India.
- How to get there? About 380 km by road, Gandikota can be reached by private vehicle from Hyderabad. Or you may take a train till Kondapuram (8 hrs. from Hyderabad) which is 50 km from Gandikota.
- What to do? Trek the highs and lows of Gandikota fort to get the best views of the canyon. Watch a beautiful sunrise over the river. The Yaganti temple is a short drive from Gandikota.
- Where to stay? The Haritha resort at Gandikota is clean and well maintained by AP Tourism.
Do you have any other pick for weekend getaway from Hyderabad? Drop in a comment or send us a mail. We will definitely reply and your inputs will be published in a special feature.
