Horsley Hills
Horsley Hills is in Andhra Pradesh, a state in the South of India.
Get in
Horsley Hills is approximately 165 km from Bangalore and 274 km from Chennai.
By car
From Chennai, you need to catch the Poonthamalli High Road, Get onto NH4 and drive till Wallajah before Arcot from where you have to take the route to Chittoor. Stay on NH4 till Palamaner and turn right onto NH219. Stay on NH219 till Madanapalle. Take right onto NH205 and Horsley Hills is 16 km from here.
From Bangalore, one needs to drive on NH-4 starting from Krishnaraja Puram (get onto the cable stayed bridge and heads towards Hoskote) and going onto Hoskote and then Kolar. From Kolar take the road to Srinivaspur and onto Rayalpadu. Beyond Rayalpadu is Andhra Pradesh territory. From Rayalpadu get to Madanpalle and take the road towards Kadiri and Anantpur. Then a left deviation towards Horsley Hills.
Alternate route: Bangalore - Hoskote - Chintamani - Rayalpadu - Madanapalli - Horsley Hills (Fine double road; saves you more than 30 km)
Alternate route two: Bangalore - Hoskote - Chintamani - Gownipally - B.Kothakota - Horsley Hills (shortest and best among all)
Alternate route three: Bangalore - Hoskote - Kolar - Mulbagal - Palamaneru - Punganuru - Madanapalle - Horsley Hills (this route is approximately 195 km from Bangalore depending upon where in Bangalore you are located). This route is better because you drive on NH4 up to Palamneru and then NH219 and NH205 up to Madanpalli. The road is very nice to drive on although there is truck traffic on NH4.
Google maps suggests another route through Chikbalapur. This route is . This route is small village lanes suitable only for a big biker group perhaps but not at all suitable for 4 wheelers.
By rail
For people visiting the place from places further than Bangalore, a rail option is available. The place is connected to Hyderabad, Dharmavaram (on the Bangalore-Guntakal route) as well as Tirupati, which is equally well connected to all parts of the country. The nearest railhead to Horsely Hills is Madanapalle Road (27 km away), which is connected by the Dharmavaram-Tirupati passenger and the biweekly 12732 Secunderabad-Tirupati Express.
Get around
Many beautiful mountains around the hill top. Nearby Madanapalle is a small town, but it has supermarkets and lots of shops with Indian garment. It's a place to relax and walk around. Maybe take a small hike to the top of a nearby hill. Walking is the preferred option.
See
There is a very rare sight - two separate trees with parts of their trunk fused together. They have been planted in a park opposite the Punnami resort. There is also a very old Eucalyptus tree with a massive trunk (as Eucalyptus tree trunks go) in the same garden. Beautiful views of the plains. It is almost like flying. Next to the resort there is an old zoo. Try finding the crocodile there. A small note of warning for all couples: Try avoiding a trip to this place during new year. It becomes full of crazy-drunken people shouting and screaming. Other times would be an ideal vacation.
Lots of animals and plants on Horsley Hills and the idyllic surrounding area.
Do
Nothing much to do here but relax.
Eat
You can eat at AP Tourism's Punnami resort. Food there is nothing to write home about, though Idlis for breakfast are decent.
You can buy ingredients in the nearby city of Madannapalle (get there by auto rickshaw) and ask for Devdas at Hotel Horsley, the very little place next to the resort, to cook it for your. It doesn't cost much, but it tastes like heaven. He is an excellent cook.
Drink
AP Tourism's Punnami resort has a bar. Chilled beer is available. Brandy and whiskey too.
Sleep
- Haritha Resort, Horsley Hills Rd, ☏ +91 99516 11040. Owned by AP Tourism. Rooms can be reserved at the Governor's Bungalow, there is a nice viewpoint behind this building. The resort has a gymnasium and a swimming pool which is overkill for this small place. One can take a chance and not book in advance but this is not recommended on long weekends and holidays.
- 🌍 AP Forest Guest Houses. Contact the forest ranger office at Madanapalle before going to Horsley Hills. It's better and cheaper than Punnami Resorts.
Go next
Go to amazing Bangalore, if you need the big city for a while... great shopping, dining and disco-ing there. It's less than a 3 hour ride, and you can get cheap and nice accommodation there near majestic bus station.
There is a bus from Madanapalle to the beautiful temple in Tirupati. The bus goes through Arogyavaram, a little village in which lies the old tuberculosis sanatorium. Very beautiful place, but it is still a medical center, so you will have to contact the center if you wish to explore the area.
From Bangalore you can catch a train to most parts of southern India.Nice way to travel around in the south.
About ½ hour away from Horsley Hills lies Madannapalle.. You can do some shopping there, buy a Salwar kameez or sari. There is a nice little super market there, several Internet places and lots of small shops with dozens of stuff.