Gandikota is a beautiful small hamlet located in the Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the top places to visit in the state majorly because of the spectacular gorge that’s formed by the Penna river. This natural wonder is famously known as the Hidden Grand Canyon of India. But this is not the only thing that makes this small village one of the most visited spots in Andhra, there are more to it which we have discussed in other articles. If you’re looking forward to spending a fabulous vacation here, read through the article to know about the options to get here. Busses or cars are the best options to reach Gandikota, whereas flights are the fastest but also the costliest mode of transportation.

Sadly, Gandikota has limited direct connectivity through the railway. There are no direct trains from Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, or Chennai that lead you to this town. The nearest railway station is Jammalamadugu that is located 18 km from Gandikota. If you plan to come by train to Jammalamadugu, catching a train from Vijayawada Junction is a good option as it has direct connectivity. Vijayawada has one of the best rail connectivity with the rest of the country so this a good option. However, From Vijayawada Junction, there is just one direct train to Jammalamadugu. From Vijayawada, Jammalamadugu is at 380 km and the train (number 17215) runs daily from Vijayawada. So this option can be tried. Another option is to get down at Tirupati and take a cab or bus and reach Jammalamadugu. The distance between Tirupati and Jammalamadugu is 220 km, so decide accordingly.

Reaching Jammalamadugu by road is probably the easiest way to get here. Gandikota has excellent road connectivity with major cities such as Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Vizag, Vijayawada through the NH 7. Moreover, the bus ride can be comfortable owing to the smooth and well-maintained roads. Many state government-managed buses run regularly from the cities that we just mentioned to Gandikota. Almost all types of buses can be booked easily from online bus service agencies. A lot of tourists prefer to self-drive to this village from the neighboring regions such as Kadapa, Bengaluru, or Tirupati. Some also prefer a bike ride to get here. So roadways offer several options and you can pick any of the options that suit best to your requirements.

Gandikota doesn’t have a dedicated airport. So you will have to get to the nearest airport if you are planning to travel by flight. Bengaluru International Airport at Bangalore and Tirupati Airport at Renigunta are the nearest airports to Gandikota. Bengaluru International Airport is at a distance of 345 km and the Tirupati airport is at a distance of 225 km. This means 6 and 5 hours drive respectively. Many air service providers such as GoAir, Air India, SpiceJet run regular flights from Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and other prominent cities in India to Bengaluru and Tirupati. So you can take a flight to either of them and cover the remaining distance to Gandikota by a private cab or bus. Check online for flight details and book your tickets accordingly.

Getting around in Gandikota can be best experienced by private vehicles; either a cab or auto-rickshaw. It also depends on the location of your stay. There’re two options for staying in Gandikota. The first is the village itself. The second option is to stay at Jammalamadugu. Although there are local buses available that can help you reach various spots in Gandikota from Jammalamadugu, it can a little tedious. So hire a private cab or a rickshaw and roam around the places of interest freely. However, it is important to negotiate the price before you get into one of those. They generally charge more to visitors but if you’re good at negotiating, you can crack a good deal.