Papikondalu, Medak

Papikondalu or the Papi Hills in Andhra Pradesh is supposedly equivalent in its natural beauty to Kashmir. Papikondalu lies very close to the Medak town and is also part of the Khammam, East Godavari and West Godavari districts. The mountain range was initially known as Papidi Kondalu, which in Telugu means partition.

The range was thus named because of the partition it makes in the river Godavari. Some people believe that the range was thus named because its aerial view resembles the partition that a woman creates in her hair.

The hills are very famous for the beautiful waterfalls at Munivaatam. This is essentially a tribal belt with calm and serene atmosphere. Many people come to the waterfalls to become one with nature. The tribal groups at the place are peaceful people and do not cause any sort of harm to the visiting tourists.

The most sought out way to reach Papikondalu is by boat through Bhadrachalam or Rajahmundry. Papikondalu has a variety of fauna and flora. The Papikondalu Wildlife Sanctuary is home not only to a variety of birds but a wide range of animals like tigers, panthers, antelopes, hyenas, jackals and spotted deer as well.