The Borra Caves are a set of million-year-old limestone caverns in the Ananthagiri hills of the Araku Valley, in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh. They sit about 705 metres (2,313 feet) above sea level and drop roughly 80 metres underground, which makes them among the deepest and largest caves in India. A single scenic railway runs almost directly over their roof, and lit walkways lead visitors past tall stalactites, squat stalagmites and one formation that local people worship as a Shiva-lingam.
Borra Caves is a karst limestone cave system in the Ananthagiri hills of the Araku Valley, in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh, about 90 km from Visakhapatnam. It lies near 705 m above sea level, descends about 80 m, and is reached by road or the scenic Kirandul railway line. The best window to visit is October to February.
Key takeaways
- Borra Caves sit at about 705 m above sea level in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh, and descend roughly 80 m underground, which ranks them among India’s deepest caves.
- The caves were carved into limestone by the Gosthani river and its seeping groundwater; the surrounding limestone is estimated by the district administration at over 150 million years old.
- Reach the caves from Visakhapatnam, about 90 km away, by road in roughly 3 hours, or ride the Visakhapatnam–Araku AC Tourist Passenger, which crosses a line with 58 tunnels and runs over the cave roof.
- The best season is October to February; the caves can flood or stay slippery during the June–September monsoon.
- Caves open around 10 am to 5 pm daily; entry and camera charges are modest but vary, so treat any quoted figure as indicative and confirm at the counter.
- A natural stalagmite inside is worshipped as a Shiva-lingam, drawing pilgrims especially around Maha Shivaratri.
About Borra Caves: quick facts
Borra Caves is a natural limestone cave in the Ananthagiri hills of the Araku Valley, in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh. The caves lie about 90 km inland from Visakhapatnam, high in the Eastern Ghats, and are a fixed stop on almost every Araku circuit. Do not confuse them with the Belum Caves in Nandyal district, which are a separate and longer cave system in Andhra Pradesh.
The entrance opens into a large chamber. According to a 2007 study in Current Science by Baskar and colleagues, the cave reaches a height of about 12 m and stretches roughly 200 m inside. The Incredible India portal describes the caves as covering about 2 sq km and calls them the largest caves in India. Below is a snapshot of the numbers to orient you.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Ananthagiri hills, Araku Valley, Alluri Sitharama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh |
| Elevation | About 705 m (2,313 ft) above sea level |
| Depth below ground | About 80 m (260 ft) |
| Rock type | Limestone (karst); surrounding rocks are khondalite-suite gneisses of Archaean age |
| Formed by | The Gosthani river and percolating groundwater |
| Distance from Visakhapatnam | About 88–90 km |
| Nearest airport | Visakhapatnam International Airport (VTZ) |
| Typical timings | About 10 am–5 pm daily (reconfirm locally) |
| Best season | October to February |
How the caves formed: karst, the Gosthani and the formations
Borra Caves formed when the Gosthani river and slow-moving groundwater dissolved soft limestone over a very long span, a textbook example of karst action. According to the Wikipedia summary of research by Baskar and colleagues, water percolating through the cave roof dissolved calcium carbonate in the rock; the dripping, mineral-rich water then deposited stalactites that hang from the ceiling and stalagmites that build up from the floor. Small hill streams still feed the Gosthani below the caves, so the system keeps changing.
The age often quoted for the caves is large and should be read carefully. The Alluri Sitharama Raju district administration estimates the limestone here at over 150 million years old. Other popular write-ups call the formations roughly a million years old. These describe different things: the 150-million-year figure refers to the host limestone, while the speleothems (the stalactite and stalagmite formations) are far younger. Treat the big number as the age of the rock, not of the caves themselves.
Inside, water chemistry sculpts shapes that guides point out by name. The district administration notes that visitors and guides read figures resembling a human brain, a crocodile and a Shiva-Parvati form in the rock. A 2007 study recorded stalactites from 0.1 m to 3.5 m long and stalagmites up to about 1.2 m. The caves also hold Paleolithic-era artefacts, and researchers have described a tiny crustacean, Habrobathynella borraensis, found only here.
| Feature | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Stalactites | Hang from the roof; recorded between 0.1 m and 3.5 m long (Baskar et al., 2007) |
| Stalagmites | Rise from the floor; recorded up to about 1.2 m (Baskar et al., 2007) |
| Shiva-lingam | A natural stalagmite worshipped as a lingam (local belief, per district administration) |
| Named shapes | Guides identify a brain, a crocodile and a Shiva-Parvati form (district administration) |
| Wildlife | Fulvous fruit bats and golden geckos are the main residents (research sources) |
Best time to visit Borra Caves
The best time to visit Borra Caves is October to February, when the Araku hills are cool and dry and the drive up is comfortable. The caves can take on water and the steps stay slippery during the heavy June–September monsoon, so plan around it. March to May is warmer on the plains but the hills remain milder than Visakhapatnam city. The Incredible India portal lists local temperatures ranging from roughly 14–32°C in January to 24–41°C in May.
Inside the caves the temperature is steady and humid year-round, so the season mostly affects the journey and the surrounding valley rather than the chamber itself. If you want the Araku landscape at its greenest, come soon after the monsoon in October or November.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Winter (best) | October–February | Cool, dry, clear; easiest drive and the most pleasant cave visit |
| Summer | March–May | Warm on the plains; hills stay milder; fewer crowds on weekdays |
| Monsoon | June–September | Heavy rain; slippery steps, possible seepage; green valley but harder access |
How to reach Borra Caves
Reach Borra Caves from Visakhapatnam, about 88–90 km away, by road in roughly 3 hours or by the scenic Araku railway. The caves sit on the Visakhapatnam–Araku route, so most travellers base themselves in Visakhapatnam city and make a day or overnight trip up into the hills. For city logistics, airport transfers and where to stock up before the climb, see our Visakhapatnam travel guide.
By air: The nearest airport is Visakhapatnam International Airport (VTZ), with domestic flights and limited international links. From the airport it is a road journey of about 3 hours up to the caves.
By train: The Visakhapatnam–Araku AC Tourist Passenger (train numbers 00501/00502) runs daily over the Kothavalasa–Kirandul (KK) line, covering 129 km in just under 4 hours. This line is an engineering feat: the district administration records 58 tunnels and 84 major bridges on the Ananthagiri–Araku section, and the track runs almost directly over the cave roof near Borra Guhalu station. The train’s Vistadome coach has a glass roof and rotating seats; a seat on the right-hand side gives the best valley views on the way up.
By road: Taxis, APSRTC buses and APTDC package tours climb from Visakhapatnam through Tyda and Ananthagiri. The ghat road is winding but surfaced. Many visitors take the train one way and return by road to see both the tunnels and the coffee-covered slopes. If you are approaching from the state’s other hubs, our Vijayawada travel guide helps you plan the longer onward leg to Visakhapatnam.
| From | Distance | Mode and time |
|---|---|---|
| Visakhapatnam city | About 88–90 km | Road, about 3 hours; or train to Borra Guhalu |
| Visakhapatnam airport (VTZ) | About 95 km | Road, about 3 hours |
| Araku Valley town | About 35 km | Road, about 1 hour |
| Tyda (nature camp) | About 35 km | Road, under 1 hour |
Inside the caves: lighting, walkways and the Shiva-lingam
Inside, concrete steps and railed walkways lead you down through chambers lit by coloured lamps, past the cave’s best-known formations. The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has installed multicoloured LED lighting that picks out the stalactites and stalagmites; earlier accounts mention mercury, sodium-vapour and halogen lamps serving the same purpose. The lighting makes the formations easy to see, though colours can make photography tricky.
The descent is steep. You climb down roughly 80 m over a series of steps, so allow 45 minutes to over an hour to go down, walk through and climb back up. The single marked path keeps you oriented; there is no deep off-trail exploration for general visitors.
The formation people most want to see is the one worshipped as a Shiva-lingam. According to local belief recorded by the district administration, a cow once fell through an opening into the cave; the cowherd who searched for it found a stalagmite shaped like a lingam and the community began to worship it. A small temple stands near the cave, and pilgrims come especially around Maha Shivaratri. This is a devotional tradition, not a historical record, so treat it as local belief.
Entry fee, camera charges and timings
Borra Caves are generally open about 10 am to 5 pm daily, with a modest entry ticket and a separate charge for cameras. The Incredible India portal lists the 10 am–5 pm window. No single official fee is published on the state tourism portal, and third-party listings disagree, so the figures below are planning estimates to reconfirm at the counter, not fixed prices.
Buy tickets at the entrance; there is usually a car-parking charge at the lower lot, from where you walk to the mouth. Allow extra for a guide if you want the formations explained, and carry small cash since mobile coverage near the caves is patchy.
| Item | Indicative figure | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Opening hours | About 10 am–5 pm, daily | Per Incredible India; confirm locally |
| Adult entry | Around ₹60 (reported range ₹40–₹60) | No official portal figure found; reconfirm at counter |
| Child entry | Around ₹25–₹40 | Varies by listing; reconfirm |
| Still camera | Around ₹25 and up | Separate charge; reconfirm |
| Parking | Small per-vehicle charge | Paid at the lot; reconfirm |
A suggested Araku and Borra itinerary
Two days is enough to pair Borra Caves with the wider Araku circuit without rushing the ghat road. A single long day works if you take the morning train up and return by road the same evening, but it is tiring. Here is a comfortable plan.
- Day 1: Take the morning Visakhapatnam–Araku Vistadome train for the tunnels and valley views. Break the drive or ride at Borra Caves for the chamber and the Shiva-lingam. Continue to Araku town; visit the Tribal Museum and a coffee plantation; stay overnight in Araku.
- Day 2: See Katiki or Chaparai waterfalls near Araku in the morning, stop at Ananthagiri for coffee and viewpoints, and drive back to Visakhapatnam by evening via Tyda for a short nature-camp break.
If you only have one day, prioritise the train leg up and the caves, then return by taxi, skipping the far waterfalls.
Where to stay
Stay either in Araku Valley town, about 35 km from the caves, for an early start in the hills, or in Visakhapatnam city if you prefer more choice and a sea view. Araku has a small cluster of government and private options plus tribal homestays; Visakhapatnam has the full range from budget lodges to beach resorts. Book ahead for weekends and the October–February peak, when Araku rooms sell out.
| Type | Indicative price band | Where and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Budget / homestay | ₹1,000–₹2,500 | Araku lodges and tribal homestays; book early in peak season |
| Mid-range | ₹2,500–₹5,500 | APTDC Haritha-style hotels in Araku; business hotels in Visakhapatnam |
| Upper / resort | ₹6,000 and up | Beach and premium resorts in Visakhapatnam; limited premium stays in Araku |
Government-run hotels (the APTDC Haritha brand) are a safe, central choice in Araku and can be booked through the state tourism corporation. For city stays and transport before you head up, the Visakhapatnam travel guide lists neighbourhoods and getting-around tips.
Budget breakdown
A two-day Araku trip with Borra Caves costs roughly ₹5,500–₹9,000 per person for a mid-range plan, excluding long-distance travel to Visakhapatnam. The biggest variables are how you cover the ghat road (shared package versus private taxi) and your room standard. The table assumes two people sharing, winter travel, and mid-range choices.
| Item | Indicative cost |
|---|---|
| Train (Vistadome) one way + taxi return share | ₹1,500–₹3,000 |
| One night’s stay (share of a mid-range room) | ₹1,500–₹2,800 |
| Meals, coffee and snacks (2 days) | ₹800–₹1,500 |
| Cave entry, camera, parking and guide | ₹150–₹400 |
| Waterfalls, museum and local entries | ₹300–₹700 |
| Approximate total | ₹4,250–₹8,400 |
Rules, safety and practical tips
The main risks at Borra Caves are slippery steps and the steep 80 m descent, so wear shoes with grip and use the handrails. The stone is damp year-round and worse during and after the monsoon. Visitors with knee trouble, heart conditions or vertigo should judge the climb carefully, as you must walk back up the same steps you came down.
- Permits: No special permit or Inner Line Permit is needed to visit Borra Caves; it is open to all Indian and foreign visitors.
- Photography: Still cameras are allowed with a separate ticket; tripods and commercial shoots may need permission. There is no published drone clearance here, so do not fly one without checking.
- Eco rules: Carry out your litter and avoid single-use plastic; do not touch or break formations, which take centuries to grow.
- Connectivity and cash: Mobile signal is weak in and around the caves. Carry cash; ATMs and reliable UPI are easier in Araku town and Visakhapatnam than at the caves.
- Health: The nearest full hospitals are in Visakhapatnam; Araku has smaller facilities. Carry any regular medicines with you.
- Solo and women travellers: The caves are a busy, staffed tourist site by day; the usual care applies on the quieter ghat road after dark, so travel the hill section in daylight.
- Packing: In winter carry a light jacket for early mornings; in any season bring water, grippy footwear and a torch as a backup.
Nearby places
Borra Caves pairs naturally with the rest of the Araku circuit, from coffee slopes to waterfalls, all within a short drive. Combine two or three of the spots below to fill out a day around the caves.
| Place | Distance from caves | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Araku Valley town | About 35 km | Hill-station base, Tribal Museum, coffee culture |
| Ananthagiri | About 25 km | Coffee plantations and Eastern Ghats viewpoints |
| Katiki waterfalls | About 40 km | Short trek to a fed-by-Gosthani-tributary fall near Araku |
| Chaparai water cascade | About 45 km | Flat rocky stream bed, popular family stop near Araku |
| Tyda (nature camp) | About 35 km | Forest camp, trekking and birdwatching on the Vizag side |
Frequently asked questions
Where are the Borra Caves located?
Borra Caves are in the Ananthagiri hills of the Araku Valley, in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh. They lie about 88–90 km inland from Visakhapatnam, high in the Eastern Ghats, at roughly 705 m above sea level. The caves are a standard stop on the Visakhapatnam–Araku tourist circuit by road or rail.
How deep are the Borra Caves and how old are they?
Borra Caves descend about 80 m (260 ft) below ground, which ranks them among India’s deepest caves. The host limestone is estimated by the district administration at over 150 million years old, while the stalactite and stalagmite formations inside are far younger. The caves are natural karst, carved by the Gosthani river and groundwater.
How do I reach Borra Caves from Visakhapatnam?
Reach Borra Caves from Visakhapatnam, about 90 km away, by road in roughly 3 hours or by the daily Visakhapatnam–Araku AC Tourist Passenger train. The railway crosses the Kothavalasa–Kirandul line with 58 tunnels and runs over the cave roof near Borra Guhalu station. Many travellers ride up by train and return by taxi.
What is the entry fee and timing for Borra Caves?
Borra Caves are generally open about 10 am to 5 pm daily, with a modest entry ticket plus a separate camera charge and parking fee. No single official fee is published on the state tourism portal, and listings vary, so treat any quoted figure as indicative and confirm the current rate at the ticket counter before you enter.
What is the best time to visit Borra Caves?
The best time to visit Borra Caves is October to February, when the Araku hills are cool, dry and clear and the ghat drive is comfortable. Avoid the heavy June–September monsoon, when the steps turn slippery and seepage is common. Inside, the cave stays humid and warm throughout the year regardless of season.
Is the Shiva-lingam inside Borra Caves real?
The Shiva-lingam in Borra Caves is a natural stalagmite that local people worship, not a carved idol. According to local belief recorded by the district administration, a cowherd searching for a fallen cow found the lingam-shaped stone, and the community began to worship it. A small temple stands nearby and pilgrims visit, especially around Maha Shivaratri.
Last updated and sources
Borra Caves suit anyone drawn to geology, easy adventure and the Araku hills, from families to curious first-time visitors. Come between October and February, pair the caves with the train ride and the valley, and you will see the best of the circuit in a day or two.
Last updated: 17 October 2026. Fees, timings and permits change — reconfirm with official sources before you travel.
Sources: Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism — Borra Caves; Alluri Sitharama Raju district administration — Borra Caves and engineering tourism (K-K line); Wikipedia summary of research including Baskar, Baskar and Kaushik, “Evidence for microbial involvement in speleothem genesis,” Current Science (2007) — Borra Caves; Wikipedia — Visakhapatnam–Araku AC Tourist Passenger. Accessed October 2026.
