Saturday, 8 October 2016

Horsley Hills





Horesly Hills is a picturesque hamlet in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Situated at an altitude of 4,100 ft this serene hill station is named after W.D. Horsley, the collector of Cuddapah district. It is located at a distance of 144 Km from Tirupati and is an ideal summer resort for spending a fascinating vacation. The scenic drive to this mesmerizing hamlet is extremely panoramic and scenic and has thick vegetation of trees lining on both sides of the road. The other major draw for the travelers is the relaxing climate of the Horsley Hills which ranges from 20°C to 32°C even in summers. The hill is lush with dense forest and thick greenness and has a wide variety of trees like Gulmohar, Allamanda, Reeta, Amla, Beedi leaves, Blue Gum, Eucalyptus and Sandalwood.

Best Time To Visit

A trip to the mesmerizing Horsley Hills can be planned any time during the year as there are no major temperature disparities in its climate. Horsley Hills have a pleasing climate that is cool and pleasant during summers and cold in winters. The beautiful hills of Horsley experience a substantial amount of rain during the monsoon season. The summer season commences from the March and ends till May. During summer season, constant cold breezes blow from the mountains. The monsoon season is from June to September during this season many small streams and falls can be seen in the mountains. The winter season is from December to February and predominantly winter is cold and a good time to visit. Since Horsley Hills remain cool throughout the year, one may plan their tour of Horsley Hills any time of the year.

Location

The hill resort of Horsley Hills stands at an altitude of 1,265 meters above sea level on the southwest border of Andhra Pradesh. Madanapalle is the closest town near the hills. This beautiful hill station is situated at a distance of 150  Km from the city of Bangalore and 274 Km from Chennai.

Tourists Attractions

The prime tourist attractions to visit in Hoursley Hills include Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary, Environment Park and Mallama Temple.

Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary

The Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is home to hundreds of species of birds and animals. It is a must visit for all the wildlife lovers and shelter animals like wild dogs, jungle fowl, bears, sambas and panthers. Visiting this sanctuary gives the travelers a chance to visit them from close quarters in their natural surroundings. Another attraction of this Wildlife Sanctuary is Bird watching. The sanctuary is also popular amongst the visitors for its exotic flora. In these wild life sanctuary one may find a wide variety of flowers ranging from Amla, Beedi leaves, Red sanders, Reeta, Shikakai, Bay leaves, Sandalwood, Blue gum, Mahogany to Bamboo.

Environment Park

The Environment Park is built by Venkata Subba Rao who is a famous environmentalist of Hyderabad and made great contribution to the ecosystem and simultaneously educated people about the importance of environment.

Mallama Temple

The majestic temple of Mallama is dedicated to a lady named Mallama Who used to heal the tribal people. One day she suddenly disappeared. Since the native started believing she was a goddess and built a temple in her name. The temple is built to thanks her and is a great pilgrim spot featuring a fascinating architecture.
Another added attraction to this place is the sight of Pungannur cows which the Chenchu tribe who inhabits the Horsley Hills keeps. These cows are popular for their milk yielding capacity and low appetite.

Places Around Horsley Hills

The place to visit around the Horsely hills include Galiband, View Point and the Gangotri Lake. While being in this enchanting hill station pay visit to the famous Shiva temple located at a distance of 15 Km from the road towards the village of Manapalle. The temple attracts many visitors and is visited many devotees residing in the nearby areas. The Gangotri Lake is situated in the midst of beautiful surroundings and offer panoramic views. The lake is a must visit for all nature lovers and offers an enjoyable boating experience to its visitors.



How To Reach

By Air - Bangalore and the Tirupati airport is the next door airport to reach Horsley hills. Situated at a distance of 160 Km and 165 Km respectively these airports cater to the air travel needs to reach Horsley Hills
By Rail - The nearest railhead to reach Horsley Hills is located in Manapalle. The railway station is situated at a distance of 43 Km from the town. It is most advisable to arrange for transport through the hotels and resorts as the local transport system of this tiny town is not that reliable.
By Road -  Horsley Hills is well connected to the other parts of the state by the state transport buses of Andhra Pradesh. Regular buses are available from Manapalle and Tirupathi. These government buses are regular and inexpensive though they may be crowded and not a good option while travelling with luggage.