Papikondalu
A 130 km river gorge where the Godavari narrows between forested hills. Reached only by boat, and the booking is more confusing than the trip.
- Altitude
- 60 m
- Terrain
- River gorge through forested hills
- Best months
- Oct–Feb
- Region
- Andhra Pradesh, India
Papikondalu is the stretch where the Godavari, one of the widest rivers in India, is squeezed between the hills of Papikonda National Park. There is no road along it. You see it from a boat or you do not see it, which is the whole appeal.
A typical day trip runs from around 7 in the morning to early evening, stopping at the Gandipochamma temple, at Perantapalli, and at the bamboo hut settlements around Kolluru where you can stay overnight and pick up a boat the following afternoon.
The confusion is the booking, not the journey. Andhra Pradesh Tourism runs services under the Punnami brand, but a large number of private operators sell similar trips, several using domain names containing the word aptourism without being the state body. Fares, departure points and inclusions differ between them. Establish who you are actually paying before you pay.
It is a river cruise rather than an adventure. There is no walking to speak of beyond the temple steps, no altitude, and the boats are basic but covered. This is a good trip for mixed ages, which is unusual for anything in this catalogue.
Highlights
- The gorge itself, best in the first hours of light
- Gandipochamma temple, up a long flight of steps from the water
- Perantapalli, a small settlement reachable only by river
- Overnight bamboo huts at Kolluru, if you want the gorge without the day crowd
Common questions
How do you get to Papikondalu?
Only by boat. Rajahmundry is the usual base, and services also run from Polavaram and Bhadrachalam. There is no road along the gorge, which is why the boat journey is the destination rather than the transport.
When is the best time to visit Papikondalu?
October to February. The river is high and services frequently suspended during the monsoon, and by April the gorge is very hot. October and November give the greenest hills.
Who officially runs the Papikondalu boats?
Andhra Pradesh Tourism operates services under the Punnami brand, alongside many private operators. Several private booking sites use aptourism in their domain name without being the government body, so confirm who you are paying and what the fare includes before booking.