I am going to Hyderabad for a couple of days and to accompany me will be my wife. After the work done there I would like to take my wife out some place other than Hyderabad itself. I would like some suggestions on the places to visit near Hyderabad within 100kms. Ideally, some romantic place would be great where we would be able to spend some quality time together. We would also be interested to visit some wildlife sanctuary as well, as long as it is a popular place to visit and not just any old sanctuary.
Hello, welcome to the forum! (Images from Venki, Temple Purohit, Telangana Tourism, Aditya Sen and Arkrishna) Overview The city of Hyderabad serves as the capital of the newly formed state of Telangana. It is the home of various software industries, mainly located in the Hyderabad Information Technology and Engineering Consultancy (HITEC) City of the region. As such, it is inevitable that a large number of software and IT employees have made Hyderabad their home. While there are many attractions in the city itself, they can be fully covered within a few days time. So what if you're stuck in the city for more days? Does that mean that you won't have any more new places to explore around Hyderabad? Nope! Because the truth is, Hyderabad is a good base for various excursions, leading you to more pristine, adventurous and even spiritual destinations. If you're crunched for time, read on and find out which places can be visited just within a few hours of driving away from Hyderabad. Places to Visit Near Hyderabad (Within 100 Kilometres) Feel the romantic vibe... 1. Medak (Telangana) - Medak is located to the north of Hyderabad, a small town that is sure to make you feel rejuvenated at the end of your trip. Reaching Medak requires one to pass through rural sceneries and even through the Narsapur Forest Area. The views of lush greenery all along your road trip can make you forget about the concrete jungle that is of Hyderabad. It's advisable though to remain in the car as there are plenty of monkeys around this forest area. A bit further and you'd reach your main destination, Medak, famed for the Medak Fort and Medak Cathedral. For the romantics though, the Pocharam Reservoir is the main draw here. A unique feature of this water reservoir is that it doesn't have gates, unlike other dams. When visited during the monsoon, the overflowing water seems like waterfalls amidst the dam. Even during the other seasons, the serenity of the dam is sure to entice the lovers to cuddle and reminisce about their good times together. Or for a group of friends, they can venture into the nearby supposedly haunted building to the dam. If you still have time, the nearby Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary has a few wild animals like sambars, spotted deers and antelopes. Keep in mind that you need to have a four-wheeler vehicles to gain access to the sanctuary, as two-wheeler vehicles are not allowed. Distance from Hyderabad - 91 Kilometres Must Visit Attractions - Narsapur Forest Area, Pocharam Reservoir, Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary, Medak Fort and Medak Cathedral Related Thread - n/a Pocharam Reservoir (Image from Venki) 2. Singooru (Telangana) - Still a bit off the radar of tourists, although gaining popularity as days go by, is the small village of Singooru, close to Sangareddy. It is merely 95 kilometres away from Hyderabad or about 3 hours of driving, more or less. Singooru is a fairly quiet and rural village with not much tourist infrastructures. It is therefore, an ideal one-day getaway from Hyderabad, where you won't need to spend a night just to get here or explore its attraction. Singooru is home to the Singur Dam, a water reservoir built after the damming of the Manjira River. This is a large water reservoir, serving as the main water source of Hyderabad and other nearby villages. Make sure you leave early in the morning though, spend the whole day here, maybe try out boating during the early hours. You can indulge in a small picnic too, there are also some food stalls selling snacks and meals close to the water reservoir. Exercise caution though as the water reservoir is supposedly home to a number of freshwater crocodiles. There's a small government hotel nearby, the Haritha Hotel, in case you'd like to spend a night here. Overall, the Singur Dam is a romantic destination, a quick getaway for couples who just want to escape the mundane city life. Distance from Hyderabad - 95 Kilometres Must Visit Attraction - Singur Dam Related Thread - n/a Get closer by enriching your spiritual sides... 3. Nalgonda (Telangana) - Nalgonda is famed for the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam and Lake, one of the largest man-made lakes in India. For the couples though, or even families, the lake can get very crowded during weekends. A better option would be to explore the different religious sites around the city. The Yadagiri Gutta Temple is the most popular Hindu temple of the city. It is located upon a hillock so it requires a bit of climbing to reach. You can also opt to ride an auto rickshaw to take you to the top of the temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Narasimha, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The deity's idol is located within a natural cave here. There's also the Chaya Someshwara Temple, an ancient stone temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple was built during the rule of the Kakatiya dynasty. It is famous for the phenomenon wherein at any time of the day, one of the pillar's shadows falls unto the idol of Lord Shiva. Last are the Jain temples of Kulpakji and Kolanpaku, with hundreds of years behind them. These two temples are a bit further from Nalgonda though but can be reached within two hours. Then, if you still have time, you can visit the lake mentioned above, as there would be lesser people here during the late afternoon. Distance from Hyderabad - 104 Kilometres Must Visit Attractions - Nagarjuna Sagar Dam and Lake, Yadagiri Gutta Temple, Chaya Someshwara Temple, Kulpakji Temple and Kolanpaku Temple Related Thread - Largest Freshwater Lakes in India 4. Mahbubnagar (Telangana) - Located 103 kilometres away from Hyderabad is the city of Mahbubnagar. It also has a number of pilgrimage sites that can make for a very fulfilling weekend trip. The Jogulamba Temple is one of the Shakti Peethas, so regarded as very important by Goddess Sati devotees. It has a very colourful gopuram and classic stone-like interiors. The original temple was built in the 7th century but was destroyed by the Muslim invaders during the 14th century. The present structure was more recently constructed, but still exudes that serenity and tranquility. About an hour away from the temple is the village of Srirangapuram, where the Sri Ranganayaka Swamy Temple can be found. This temple is located upon a small hillock, approachable by both car and foot. It is dedicated to the Lord Vishnu, known in his form here as Sri Ranganayaka Swamy. The temple also overlooks the Ratna Pushpakarini Lake, giving one a natural vibe amidst the spirituality. And finally, before returning home, take a peek into one of the largest and oldest banyan trees in the world, known as the Pillamarri Banyan Tree. This is also an hour away from Srirangapuram so you need to plan accordingly. Many locals enjoy a small picnic just beside the tree, which is believed to be over 800 years old. Distance from Hyderabad - 103 Kilometres Must Visit Attractions - Jogulamba Temple, Sri Ranganayaka Swamy Temple and Pillamarri Banyan Tree Related Thread - Tourist Places Near Hyderabad Nature and wildlife lovers... 5. Anantagiri Hills (Telangana) - Anantagiri Hills is about 10 kilometres away from the city of Vikarabad. This is one of the most dense and lush forests close to Hyderabad. Most nature lovers and adventure seekers reach the hills for a trekking adventure. There are no guides nor proper tracks but it's not that bad since you can enjoy the absolute solitude once in the core area of the forest. Muddy trails, large banyan trees, colourful flowers and chirping birds would accompany you on your trek. You can reach hilly slopes too, though you might need to traverse rocky and muddy paths, plus hang on through branches of trees. After the exciting trail, you can visit the nearby Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Here, the deity is known as Anantha Padmanabha Swamy, and the hills were actually named after him. You can also visit the Kotepally Reservoir, about 26 kilometres away from Anantagiri Hills. Enjoy the sunset here or dip your water in the cold water, before finally returning to Hyderabad. Distance from Hyderabad - 82 Kilometres Must Visit Attractions - Anantagiri Hills Forest, Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple and Kotepally Reservoir Related Thread - Weekend Getaways from Hyderabad Anantagiri Hills (Image from Sanjay Vedula) 6. Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary (Telangana) - The Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary is a little known wildlife spot close to Hyderabad. Perhaps this has to do with the lesser developed area or even the less road signs leading to the sanctuary. A must visit here is the Manjira Reservoir, created from the damming of the Manjira River itself. The dam has several islands comprising of various marshy soils, to which both resident and migratory birds are attracted. Commonly spotted bird species here are cranes, bar-headed geese and Brahminy ducks. During winter, you might even spot migratory birds such as Eurasian coots and painted storks. Mugger crocodiles also reside in the swampy regions of the dam. On to the wildlife sanctuary proper, you might spot jackals, hares, wild boars and various snake species. However, before embarking on this road trip, make sure you have ample food and water with you. There are little tourist facilities in and around the wildlife sanctuary. Also, make sure you reach the place early in the morning and leave just before dark, to be on the safer side. Distance from Hyderabad - 50 Kilometres Must Visit Attractions - Manjira Reservoir and Wildlife Sanctuary Proper Related Thread - n/a For the history buffs... 7. Bhuvanagiri (Telangana) - Lying just under two hours away from Hyderabad is the city of Bhuvanagiri, where the Bhongir Fort is located. Originally, the fort was built by Vikramaditya VI, a Chalukyan king. However, the fort is mostly associated with one of the few women rulers of pre-colonial India, that is Rani Rudrama Devi. The fort served as her capital, as well as her grandson's capital, during the flourishing era of the Kakatiya dynasty. Interestingly, the Bhongir Fort was constructed in such a way that every climb of the attackers give them an obscured view of the structure as well as the defensive armies, making the fort very hard to conquer all throughout the era of the Chalukyan and Kakatiya dynasty. Although mostly in ruins, the structures that once stood stall in the fort are still decipherable, like the armoury grounds, stables and underground rooms. Also fascinating is that the fort was built in one of the largest Batholith Hills in the world. Batholiths are large rock formations created from the cooling of magma. Make sure you take time to view this sometimes skipped part of the attraction. Distance from Hyderabad - 48 Kilometres Must Visit Attractions - Bhongir Fort and Batholith Hills Related Thread - n/a 8. Rachakonda (Telangana) - Located in the Nalgonda district of Telangana is the village of Rachakonda. This is where the Rachakonda Fort is situated, a 14th century fort built by Recherla Anapotanayaka, a Kakatiya dynasty ruler. En route to the fort, you'd be passing by rural villages, which would make your trip even more dreamy. Unlike other forts in India, there are no clear cut paths to the fort, nor are there any road signs that will lead you to it. You can park your vehicle at the base of the hillock where the fort is located and thereafter, it's up to you to find the tracks to explore the fort. Most of the fort is in ruins now, but the expanse as to where it is located is vast. The boulders strewn all along the paths give you a glimpse of the once thriving era of the Kakatiya dynasty here. Another unique feature of the fort is that it was built without any mortar, known as the Cyclopean Masonry. As such, boulders were fitted together, even in minute spaces, to give the fort its majestic strength and beauty. It can take you around a whole day to explore the fort in its entirety but make sure you bring your own meals and water as there are no tourist provisions around. Distance from Hyderabad - 65 Kilometres Must Visit Attraction - Rachakonda Fort Related Thread - n/a Offbeat places... 9. Kondapur (Telangana) - Though Kondapur is a little known town in the Medak district of Telangana, it boasts of one off the beaten track attraction. This is where the only ASI Museum of Telangana is located, holding important artefacts excavated from the Kotagadda Fort Mound of the same town. The excavated artefacts were taken from the beginning until the middle of the 19th century. The entry fee for the ASI Museum of Kondapur is merely Rs. 5 per person yet not too many tourists visit this gem of an attraction. Most of the artefacts can be traced back to the 2nd Century AD, giving one a glimpse of the life of the locals back then. Unearthed items such as potteries, terracottas, beads and coins can be found here. Statues of both Hindu deities and Buddha can also be found in the museum. Other materials excavated from the fort mound like stones, bricks and tiles are also displayed on the museum. The Nizams of Hyderabad also have their share of artefacts here, some were gifted to them while others were bought by the royal rulers. You can spend a whole day here and enjoy the untold story of this era of the Kondapur region. Distance from Hyderabad - 78 Kilometres Must Visit Attraction - ASI Museum of Kondapur Related Thread - n/a 10. Surendrapuri (Telangana) - Surendrapuri is merely five kilometres away from the Yadagiri Gutta Temple in Nalgonda. Though short in distance, it is rarely visited by tourists who explored the nearby area of Nalgonda. The Surendrapuri museum is also known as the Kunda Satyanarayana Kala Dhamam, an open-air museum dedicated to various Hindu deities and stories. It is vital that you spend around a whole day in this open-air museum to fully explore and enjoy its grandeur. The open-air museum was built by Kunda Satyanarayana and pays tribute to the various Hindu mythologies of India. You would find the structures depicting scenes from Hindu epics like the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita quite mesmerising. There are also miniature sculptures of the most famous Hindu temples of India. Though the museum is mainly a Hindu one, it does not restrict on the visitors. Therefore, even non-Hindus can visit this museum, learn more about the religion and overall, enjoy a simple getaway from Hyderabad. The colourful and elaborate statues are sure to entice you, all worth the Rs. 300 entrance per person. Do bring your own food and water as tourist facilities are sparse in and around the museum. Distance from Hyderabad - 76 Kilometres Must Visit Attraction - Kunda Satyanarayana Kala Dhamam Related Thread - Best Time to Visit Hyderabad Conclusion So these are all your getaways near Hyderabad, all within 100 kilometres, more or less. They can be reached within three hours at the most and the attractions in and around them can be explored within five to seven hours. As such, they would make for great one-day trips away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Good luck and I hope this helps you!
