Ananthagiri Hills

About Ananthagiri Hills

Ananthagiri is the dense patch of forest above Vikarabad that feeds the streams running into Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar — which is to say, Hyderabad drinks what falls here. For the city it functions the way Nandi Hills does for Bengaluru: a two-hour drive, a morning trek under old-growth canopy, and back by lunch. The Anantha Padmanabha Swamy temple is carved into the hillside, and Kotepally reservoir nearby has become the go-to spot for kayaking day trips. **Getting there.** 80 km from Hyderabad via Vikarabad — under two hours, so day trips leave the city around 5 am. **Where to stay.** Haritha hill resort at Ananthagiri and farm stays around Vikarabad, though most groups go and return the same day.

Things to do

• • Forest trek under the canopy
• • Anantha Padmanabha Swamy temple
• • Kayaking at Kotepally reservoir
• • Cycling the Vikarabad loop
• • Sunrise point and coffee plantation
• • Bird watching in the reserve forest

Best time to visit

July to February — the forest is at its best right after the monsoon, and winter mornings are misty.

How to reach

80 km from Hyderabad via Vikarabad — under two hours, so day trips leave the city around 5 am.

Where to stay

Haritha hill resort at Ananthagiri and farm stays around Vikarabad, though most groups go and return the same day.

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