Belum Caves

Half dayBest: Oct–MarNatural Landscapes#caves#stalactites#underground

Longest caves in India

Why this weekend?

2.3km cavesSapta Svarala hallUnderground lake

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The day-by-day plan

Half day · The limestone hour
- Drive to the caves
- Guided gallery walk
- Sanyasi well
- Light shaft
- Museum, then Gandikota or return

Geography & terrain

Belum Caves open on the plateaus of Kurnool district's Banaganapalle country, 110 km from Kurnool town and 70 km from Gandikota — among the longest limestone caves of the subcontinent, with over three kilometres mapped and about one and a half open to walking visitors in lit galleries.

History & culture

Discovered for science in 1884 by the British surveyor H.B. Foote and opened to the public in 2002, the caverns carry centuries of older human trace — pottery and modest finds suggesting long habitation; the local name 'Belum' and the shrine corners within still keep the cave's village-past alive.

Where to stay

Budget

₹1,000–2,500/night

Mid-range

₹2,500–5,000/night

Comfort

₹5,000+/night

Things to do

Stalactite halls
Sanyasi well
Light shaft
Formation gardens
Museum

Eat & drink

Hyderabadi biryani
Gongura pachadi
Pesarattu with upma
Rayalaseema chicken curry
Pootharekulu sweets

Getting there

Fly: Visakhapatnam (VTZ) / Vijayawada (VGA)
Train: Vijayawada & Visakhapatnam junctions
Road from Hyderabad: varies by region — 250–600 km
Getting around: Auto-rickshaws, city buses, app taxis in cities

Budget snapshot

Total: ₹5,000–11,000 (2 days)
Per day · Stay: ₹1,000–5,000/night
Per day · Food: ₹600–1,000
Per day · Transport: ₹600–1,000
Per day · Activities: ₹700–1,100

Month by month

Jan · Best: 20–31°C · None rain
Feb · Best: 21–33°C · None rain
Mar · Hot: 23–35°C · None rain
Apr · Hot: 25–36°C · Moderate rain
May · Pre-monsoon: 26–35°C · Moderate rain
Jun · Monsoon: 24–32°C · Heavy rain
Jul · Monsoon: 23–31°C · Heavy rain
Aug · Monsoon: 23–31°C · Heavy rain
Sep · Monsoon tail: 24–32°C · Heavy rain
Oct · Good: 24–33°C · Moderate rain
Nov · Best: 22–32°C · Light rain
Dec · Best: 20–31°C · None rain

Practical info

Language: Telugu (English understood in tourist spots)
Best window: Oct–Mar
Connectivity: good 4G in towns
UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops

Practical tips

The walkways are wet and slick in places — grip-soled shoes matter
Guides run each batch; tipping a good one pays in stories
Combine with Gandikota for the paired wonder-day of caves and canyon

Frequently asked questions

How long is the visited section?

About 1.5 km of lit and walked galleries — the full mapped length runs past 3 km, mostly closed.

Is it suitable for families?

Yes — the paths are fixed metal walkways and the tour is guided, though the stairs and humidity ask for steady legs.

What is the Sanyasi well?

A deep, dark shaft chamber named for the ascetics who wintered in the cave's constant cool.