How to go to Bhadrachalam from Rajahmundry via Launch and then taxi?

Question

How to book Accommodation for 3 rooms for two days at Bhadrachalam. Matter urgent please.

Answer 1

Nice descriptive answer above on cruising the Godavari, a beautiful river.

Answer 2

From railway station of Rajahmundry up to Bhadrachalam hire a Luxary taxi full for four persons @ Rs. 1000/- (maximum) one way.  You will reach there in four hours.  

No need to book for rooms in advance.  You will get accommodation in govt. guest houses @ Rs 300/- for double bed room for one day any time (at present out of season).

Via Launchi - Go to Launch yard ( Revu). cruise through godavari for three hours @ Rs 150/- per head.  your will reach Bhadrachalam.

Answer 3

Firstly there are no steamers on the Godavari.

Neither Steam engines nor steam whatevers.

There are only Dieselers.

Now I wish some one could introduce some steamers.. can make things more interesting...

Any way steamers sounds(and looks) better so let me continue using it. I will use the term steamers for the regular transport that is used by the villagers to transport themselves and cargo @Rs100/-.

Cruise for the luxury boats, thats normally used by the town folk. ABout Rs500/head. They play loud, jarring music. Prefarable for folks used to comfort.

I prefer the steamers; prefarbally with good silencers; except wehn its too crowdy. this happens during long holidays, impt festival at Bhadrachalam(like Sri Ramanavami)

Secondly, there are no steamers/cruises that go all the way through.

There are pristine villages through this route and if you venture out into these villages you can come across different ancient tribes and if lucky see their traditional dances.

If you do some trekking(I have not done this) you could see some good waterfalls in the Papikonda ranges in the Monsoon.

But most probably you could just cruise through the river. Thats enthralling enough. All year round is cruising season. Except may be May month when steamers/cruises may stop temp due to low water depth/ steamer maintance.

The monsoon months are fine too UNLESS there are actual floods.

In the case of a flood, the steamers are used by the Govt to supply food and medicines to the affected villages. This is VERY

RARE.

During this season, the hills are green, the water red, gushing and full of mountainous minerals(perfectly drinkable even though it looks muddy) and if the rains are in season, you get a feeling of being in Kailash, with the clouds covering the tops of the hills. You may not do much/any swimming. You can see a couple of tiny waterfalls in the distance.

The winter months are cool, and the water crystal clear and sweet as nectar. You can swim around in some places which look more like sand beaches. DO check with the locals before venturing in to the river for there can be deep pools.

Summer time is exciting...the heat .. the sweat; if you can bear it.

The best part is when you jump of into the river for a holy, chilling dip.

Nothing more thrilling and enjoyable.

During the summer the Steamer(from Rajahmundry) stops much before its actual destination due to shortage in water. It stops near a tribal village called Koydha. The streamer is now empty except for the crew and starts back the next day morning. In the night it anchors in the middle of the river to avoid any wild animals boarding free :-)

There is nothing in this world like a night spent on the steamers roof top in the Summer after a long hot day and lazing off in the water and good hot spicy dinner either cooked by the crew(you give them a few bucks for the dinner) or eaten in the village.

Cool breeze wafts around, the water waves splash on the boat and(if you are there wehn the moon is full/nearfull) the river looks like running silver and ...well its literally an out of earth experience. I'am not a good enough poet/writer to describe it better.

There is not a hint of man made light. Only heavenly moonlight and the sounds of nature.. strange night birds singing away to glory..If you smoke, then smoke the Chutta(native cigar) which is much more satisfying in this scenario/condition. If you drink, Don't drink and spoil the natural feeling of bliss. Besides you will want to be in your senses.

DON'T play artificial music and shut out the divine music. Besides you wouldn't want to advertise yourself.

Soon you will doze off...

other places of stay if interested:

a) Kollur(at Kaigala Satyanarayana's place)

b) Parentapally(I heard that govt has constructed cottages.. need to verify)

c) APSTDC guest house at koruturu village just at the entrace of the Papikondalu.

There are two ways to travel. Upstream or downstream.

1. Rajamundry to Bhadrachalam(boat upto Kunnavaram):

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Either by steamers or cruises.

Steamers are bi-weekly. I think Monday and Thursday nights(in the good old times, they were by the hour every day).

They leave at about 2am(night) and reach Kunnavaram at about 4pm next day. From there it is 50kms(about 1.5 to 2 hrs) to the temple town of Bhadrachalam by Bus.

Charge: ~ Rs100/- including Lunch.

Cruises I think run everyday; either from Rajahmundry or Pollavaram(or even pattisema??). From Rajahmundry, they start at about 6am, go to Pattiseema, Papi kondalu and upto Parentapalli; halt for some time there and then get back by late evening. They stop for lunch at the APSTDC guest house at Koruturu.

Charge: ~ Rs500/-

2. KOnnavaram to Parentapalli..

Boats run from Kunnavaram to Parentapalli and back.

Refer to this:

http://khammam.ap.nic.in/html/touris...n...

The tourist 'houseboats' go from Dindi, near Narsapur (I went  there from Rajahmundry), they do 6-hour, 12-hour and 23-hour cruises around the Godavari river, the area is said to rival Kerala for natural beauty, so I'm very much looking forward to staying in the area.

It's good to know the houseboat tours have started, I've found it very difficult to get any info about them, the last I heard is that they would start the tours when an AP tourism guesthouse opened in Dindi, and that was expected to open in May.

The steamer from Bhadrachalam and the 'motor launches' from Kunavaram (both going to Rajahmundry) are ordinary everyday services as far as I'm aware.

"more information" is available on [phone].. cellphone