Explore the scenic view of the picturesque hill station, Araku, from the heights above the clouds. The Aaraku, one of the most visited tourist destinations in Andhra Pradesh, hosts a scenic and beautiful Balloon Festival, organised during the first week of January every year.
Araku Balloon Festival is among the key destinations in Visakhapatnam tourism and offers visitors a wide range of memorable experiences. The city of Araku is among the significant tourist spots in Andhra Pradesh.
The serene Araku Valley displays vast, lush green coffee plantations, along with majestic mountains and stunning waterfalls.
The Araku Balloon Festival is among the major celebrations in the region, which showcases the lush landscape of the Araku Valley, along with displaying the rich and distinctive tribal culture of the region.
The balloon festival is among the first-of-its-kind festivals, which features a unique blend of culture, adventure, and the natural beauties of Andhra Pradesh.
The balloon festival offers the visitors a wide range of leisure activities, like Hot Air Balloon rides, Helicopter joyrides, Marathons, Cycling, and various carnivals, along with cultural activities.
Key Activities of the Araku Balloon Festival.
- Hot Air Ballooning: The most prominent and picturesque activities in the festival, in which the visitors can enjoy various forms of flights, like the morning flights, tethered ride, or evening glow rides. The hot air balloon ride ensures a mesmerising view of the Araku Valley and its lush landscape.
- Tribal Culture: The Araku Balloom Festival also includes a Tribal Culture event, also known as the Adivasi Culture event, that displays the rich heritage of the tribal population of the region. The event includes traditional Dhimsa dances, local handicrafts, authentic tribal music, and tribal cuisines.
- Adventure Sports: The Araku Balloon Festival also includes a wide range of adventure sports, suitable for every age group. The prominent adventure sports of the balloon festival include rappelling, zorbing, aero modelling, and air shows.
- Marathon and Cycling: The festival also includes various types of fun races, like Marathon and cycling, across the scenic valley of Araku.
- Carnivals: The balloon festival also includes a vibrant atmosphere, featuring various stalls displaying local cuisines, handicrafts, artefacts, and cultural events.
Key Tourist Destinations in Araku
In Araku, apart from the Balloon Festival, visitors can also explore various key and stunning tourist attractions.
- Borra Caves: Situated about 40 kilometres from Araku Valley, it is among the largest cave systems in India, and features massive stalactites and stalagmites. The Borra Caves also feature a rich archaeological history, along with the presence of ancient human tools. The Borra Caves, formed by the Gosthani River eroding, and a deposit of limestone.
- Chaparai Waterfalls: In the Araku Valley, visitors can also explore the mesmerising Chaparai Waterfall, also known as Dumbriguda Waterfalls. The waterfall features a beautiful and scenic view, with rapid water flowing over large, smooth rock formations.
- Katiki Waterfall: Accessible by trekking, the Katiki Waterfall is situated about 25 kilometres from the Araku Valley. The waterfall features a stunning and adventurous view, with the Gosthani River pouring down the hill.
- Anantagiri Waterfalls: Anantagiri, or Ananthagiri Waterfalls, is among the most significant waterfalls in the valley, and features a lush green surrounding, with stunning natural landscape. The waterfalls are among the major ecotourism hubs in Andhra Pradesh.
- Tarigura Falls: Tarigura or Thatiguda Falls is a prominent natural tourist attraction in the region, situated about 30 kilometres from Araku Valley. The waterfall, accessible by a short walk, features a stunning view, with water cascading over the rocks.
- Tribal Museum: The Tribal Museum of Araku displays the vast and rich tribal history of the region, along with showcasing the authentic and traditional tribal arts, tools, and artefacts.
- Coffee Museum: The Coffee Museum of Araku is also among the major tourist attractions in the region, which offers in-depth knowledge related to coffee processing.
Must-Try Dishes in Araku
The Araku Valley offers a wide range of authentic tribal and traditional dishes from the region.
- Bongulo Chicken: The Bongulo or Bamboo Chicken is among the most popular main course dishes in Araku Valley, in which chicken is marinated and stuffed into a bamboo stalk for preparation.
- Bamboo Biryani: The Bamboo Biryani is a type of local delicacy that offers a flavourful taste of the biryani, cooked within bamboo.
- Tomato Bajji: A deep-fried tomato, coated in gram flour batter.
- Araku Coffee: The Araku coffee is a special type of coffee variety, cultivated in the region. The coffee offers a high-quality taste along with a stronger flavour.
- Puran Poli: A sweet flatbread, which is stuffed with lentils and jaggery.
- Boorelu: A form of sweet dumpling, which is made from rice flour and features jaggery or coconut fillings.
How to Reach Araku Valley
- By Air: The nearest airport to the Araku Valley is the Vishakhapatnam Airport, which is situated about 110 kilometres away. From Vishakhapatnam, visitors can take local cabs or other modes of public transport to reach the valley.
- By Rail: The nearest railway station to Araku Valley is the Araku Railway Station, which offers direct connectivity to Vishakhapatnam and other nearby cities. The Vishakhapatnam Railway Station is also among the major railway stations to the Araku Valley, situated about 113 kilometres away, and takes roughly 3 hours to reach.
- By Road: You can travel to Araku Valley from various key destinations by road, as the valley offers highway connectivity from major cities and tourist attractions in the region.
FAQs
When is the Araku Balloon Festival held?
Ans. The Araku Balloon Festival is organised during the first week of January every year.
What is unique about the Araku Balloon Festival?
Ans. The Araku Balloon Festival offers a stunning and scenic view of the Araku Valley, along with featuring an immersive experience of the vibrant culture and tribal tradition of the region.
What is the timing of the balloon festival?
Ans. The official timing may change, but the general timing of the Araku Balloon Festival is from 6 AM to 11 AM and from 4 PM to 10 PM, for hot air balloon rides.
What are the main activities of the Araku Balloon Festivals?
Ans. The main activities available in the Araku Balloon Festival are Para-motoring displays, camping nights, rappelling, zorbing, aero modelling, and various Tribal cultural shows.
Are there some specific rules for participating in the festival?
Ans. For participating in the Araku Balloon Festival, the minimum age is 5 years, and the weight of the participants must be below 95 kilograms.
