Belum Caves
Andhra Pradesh · 281 km from Bangalore
- Distance
- 281 km
- Ideal duration
- 2 days
- Best season
- Oct–Feb
- Avg cost
- ₹4,400
About Belum Caves
Belum is a limestone cave system running 3.2 km beneath flat farmland in Nandyal district — the longest cave open to visitors in India. About 1.5 km is lit and walkable, dropping 46 m to the point known as Pathala Ganga where an underground stream disappears into the rock. It is almost always visited with Gandikota, two hours west, or with the strange banyan-and-cave temple at Yaganti, which makes for a solid two-day Rayalaseema loop from either Bengaluru or Hyderabad. **Getting there.** About 280 km from Bengaluru and 320 km from Hyderabad — roughly 5–6 hours from either, which is why weekend loops run from both. **Where to stay.** Basic hotels at Tadipatri and Banaganapalle; most groups stay at the Gandikota camps instead.
Things to do
- • The lit 1.5 km cave walk
- • Pathala Ganga underground stream
- • Meditation hall and Thousand Hoods chamber
- • Yaganti temple and its caves
- • Gandikota gorge combination
- • Ahobilam temple detour
Best time to visit
October to February. The caves stay warm and humid inside year-round, so avoid the summer surface heat.
How to reach
About 280 km from Bengaluru and 320 km from Hyderabad — roughly 5–6 hours from either, which is why weekend loops run from both.
Where to stay
Basic hotels at Tadipatri and Banaganapalle; most groups stay at the Gandikota camps instead.