Horsley Hills. Andhrapradesh. ~150 km from Bangalore. 1265 m above sea level. Cool and pleasant.

We went to Horsley Hills again on a weekend. So I thought I should be adding more to this entry.

This time, we were three families – 3 adults and 5 children. So, age group range: 3 months to 34 yrs.

And Horsley Hills? Moist. Flowery. More beautiful.

A Summer Morning. Photo by Deepak.

We started around 3.15 PM from Marathahalli, Bangalore in two cars. Lots of things to eat and intermittent rains. Good start.

Because we went by bus last time, we took the bus route again. The route was Bangalore – Hoskote – Chintamani – Madanapalle – Horsley Hills. It is just a straight road through Hoskote with only a couple of decisive turning points. You cannot be lost very easily. We took the Double road and stopped at M G Road, Chintamani. The roads were getting laid and it was a horrible drive. Little did we know we could have completely avoided Chintamani in our route.

Again a stop at a forked road for tea.

Then it was a straight drive and we reached Andhra Pradesh. You can actually feel the difference without reading the milestones. Just look for the difference in the road.

AP - Karnataka Border. Photo by Sanjeev

By the time we reached Madanapalle, it started raining heavily. Luckily by the time we took the hairpin bends, rains stopped. My brother drove his first set of hairpins! And here we were, in Horsley Hills APTDC resort by 7.30 PM. They have changed the name to Haritha from our last visit.

I opened the car door and cool whiff of mist greeted me. Looked around and I could not see more than a feet distance. What a summer it is! Surely none of us had brought enough wools with us.

We checked into the cottages we had already booked from Bangalore APTDC office [near Race Course]. The rates are quite reasonable: Rs. 600 for single and Rs.1000 for double. The cottages are not too extravagant, but decent. If you want plush rooms, they can provide Governor’s Bunglow with a view of the hills or if you want more economical ones, even dormitories are available. Some of us had a quick drink and all moved on to dinner.

Next day morning the men folk went for a misty morning walk and they say the whole trip was worth just that walk.

Deepak and my brother walking through the mist. Or cloud? Photo by Sanjeev.

I had a nice sleep under the warm blanket.

There aren’t many things here apart from the Andhra Pradesh Tourism resort, Forest department zoo and guest house and BSNL towers. There aren’t many tourists either. Only on the Saturday there was a busful of people landed there. So, in a nutshell: the best place to get cut off, relax, breathe clean air and laze around doing nothing. In fact I found the blog entry apt in describing: Doing nothing @ Horsley Hills.

You can be at the resort and enjoy the swimming pool or massage. But it was raining on and off so we could not take out our swim suits and caps. Though the children were waiting for the swimming session, there were enough things to distract them. Me, Neethu and Deepak tried the new adventure sports the resort has newly developed. Slightly expensive for Rs.75, but we enjoyed a lot.

Deepak on Burma Bridge. Photo By Sanjeev

Or you can opt to walk and treck around the thick hilly forest. The forest is dense and green, but not impenetrable. They say there are bears and panthers in it, but we didn’t go deep down, just walked on the periphery.

And all that we found on our last visit, is a deer, very friendly and tame.

Nisa feeding deer on our last visit. Photo Smrti.

Food is not too exceptional. The usual South Indian items as buffet and other things ordered separately. The costs are not very reasonalbe when you compare with Bangalore darshinies. Many people then visit the small Devadas shop run by Devdas. He prepares food as per your order. Good food. Try it, if you are going there. We ordered pepper chicken and sat down there to polish off more than a dozen mirchi bajis. Last time I had made friends with an old lady running a smaller shop there. She was not to be seen. Devdas said she moved out. Missed her.

My brother and me at Devdas Shop. Photo Sanjeev.

We played cards in the room, when rains didn’t allow us to go out. Otherwise we went down a couple of kilometers to show the kids what forest is. We couldn’t go trekking inside the forest.

Then we went around the place. Good landscape. Fresh Air.

Then we had to return. Bid farewell to the hills and the forest and the friendly staff of the resort. Sun was trying to come out of the clouds by then.

On our way, we stopped near a few pottery shops. They make pottery and sell there. It is quite reasonable and you get most of the items you get anywhere else.

If you are looking for a getaway place, and this one suits you, ask me more. I might be able to offer a tip or two. Like – carry enough cash with you, there is no ATM in the vicinity and nobody accepts cards over there.

There are more pictures here