ARAKU VALLEY
ARAKU VALLEY Easily accessible from Visakhapatnam by both road and rail, this silent valley of red soil, dense forests of Pine and Eucalyptus and moderate weather on the Eastern Ghats at an altitude of 1,165 meters is crisscrossed by small streams and deep gorges and dotted with a number of caves and waterfalls. The place is also resided by some of the oldest tribes of India like the Gond, Muria, Bonda and Maris. Visiting the valley by the famous Kirandul-Koraput Railway is an adventure in itself. Completed in 1966, this highest broad-gauge railway line of the country is an engineering masterpiece traversing through 75 tunnels and over 100 bridges and viaducts. It passes through a number hills and gorges, past small and big waterfalls, touching the clouds and at times, looping back almost on itself as it progresses. The quiet hamlet of Anantgiri near the Colba River and the Boraguhalu Limestone Caves of stalactites and stalagmites dating back to prehistoric times falls on the way. ...