Cold Spell Turns ASR Hills Into Tourist Hotspot

Visakhapatnam: As temperatures plunge to near-freezing levels, with Araku Valley recording 3.2°C, tourist hotspots in the Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district are seeing a rush of visitors, with hotels in Araku Valley and Lambasingi sold out till December 31.

ASR district tourism officer G. Dasu said all accommodation facilities are running at full capacity and the rush is expected to continue till Sankranti. “APTDC has 208 rooms across Ananthagiri, Tyda Jingle Bells and areas near Borra Caves, while private hotels account for around 100 rooms. In Lambasingi, APTDC has 15 cottages and nearly 50 private resorts,” he said.

Tourists unable to find rooms are returning the same day, while some are spending the night around bonfires to catch the early-morning view of the famed ‘Valley of Clouds’ in Lambasingi. “We arrived at 7.30 pm but couldn’t find accommodation. We decided to stay near the bonfire till dawn to see the clouds,” said Karra Jhansi, a visitor from the city.

According to the tourism department, the district has recorded the highest tourist footfall of the season. Borra Caves manager Gowri Shankar said about 6,500 visitors were recorded till 7 pm on Saturday alone, with numbers expected to rise on Sunday.

However, taxi operators cautioned that dense fog, poor visibility on ghat roads and extreme cold could deter some visitors. Tourists continue to flock to Araku Valley, Lambasingi (popularly called the Valley of Snow), Borra Caves, Katika and Kothapalli waterfalls, Vanjangi, and cultural attractions such as the Araku Tribal Museum.