Kurnool Travel Essentials

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Ideal duration: 1-2 days

Best Time: December to February Read More

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"The Gateway of Rayalaseema"

Kurnool Tourism

A place of much historical value with beautiful surrounding areas, Kurnool, is a small town in Andhra Pradesh where much of history left its imprints. The city also is known as The Gateway of Rayalaseema.

Kurnool has in its domain remains of the palace of Gopal Raju (the last Hindu king), ruins of a medieval fort built by Vijaynagar Empire having ancient Persian and Arabic inscriptions and the summer palace built by Kurnool rulers during the 16th century.

Kurnool is derived from the names Kandanavōlu or Kandanōlu, which used to be a crossing across Tungabadra river where the caravans were believed to have greased the tires. The Belum Caves have historical importance in the city as well as the Ketavaram rock paintings which are dated back to the Paleolithic era.

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History of Kurnool

Kurnool is an ancient city that was in existence for almost 2000 years. According to historians, it was during the 11th century that the Odderas were transporting stones in carts for the construction of a temple in Alampur and they halted at Kurnool. It was here that the locals supplied grease for the carts and the place came to be known as Kandenavolu (Town of Grease) and eventually Kurnool. 
Kurnool
Kondareddy Burz
Paintings dating back 30,000 to 40,000 years, and as far back as from the Paleolithic era, have been discovered in Kurnool. The town was annexed by the British in 1839. Nawaz Dawood Khan was the heir to the kingdom during India’s partition in 1947, following which he emigrated to Pakistan and some of his descendants famously fought in the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971.

Etymology

Kurnool has an interesting anecdote associated with its name. It is derived from the word Kandanavolu, which is a combination of Kandana meaning grease, and Volu.
Etymology of Belum Caves
Belum Caves - Ancient Caves in Kurnool
In the ancient times, when bullock carts were used as a means of transportation by the people, they used to stop at the river Tungabhadra, and apply grease to the wheels of their bullock carts before crossing the river. This gave rise to the name Kandanavolu.

Restaurants and Local Food in Kurnool

Local cuisine with sumptuous taste and varieties of sweet dishes with traditional South-Indian flavors are a must try here. When in this area, you should try out the local dishes like Laskora Undalu or Raskora Undalu (coconut laddu), Sunnundallu - Laddu made from with roasted Urad Dal (Minapappu) and Jaggery (Bellam), Nellore Chicken Biriyani, Pachadi - typically made of vegetables, greens and roasted green or red chilies, Pappu Koora (Lentil based dish) boiled vegetables stir-fried with a small amount of half-cooked lentils (dal), Vepudu (Fry) crispy fried vegetables, typically including okra (bendakaya), ivy gourd (dondakaya), potato (bangaladumpa), colocasia and several regional vegetables but prepared separately for different days., Garelu (A type of Vada), Dosa, Sambhar and more.
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Suggested Itinerary for Kurnool

Day 1- Arrive, check-in and rest. Then visit Oravakallu Rock Garden, Mahanadi Temple, Ahobilam Temple and Belum Caves.
Day 2- Visit Navabhrama Temples, Kondareddy Bruz, Shivaji Spoorthy Kendra, Nava Narsimha Temple and Sakshi Ganpati Temple.

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How to Reach Kurnool

How to Reach Overview

Hyderabad is the closest major city at a distance of 210 km. Kurnool is also well connected by roads and rail. Cabs an also be hailed at cheap prices from hyderabad.

How to reach Kurnool by flight

Nearest airport to Kurnool is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport located in Hyderabad. From there, you could take a car or bus to Kurnool.

How to reach Kurnool by road

Buses are available from most nearby cities and towns to Kurnool.

How to reach Kurnool by train

The Kurnool Railway Station is in Kurnool and is connected to most nearby cities.

Local transport in Kurnool

Hourly cabs are available for internal travelling within the city.

Most frequently searched routes to Kurnool

Route Name Distance Time
Hyderabad to Kurnool 213 km 3 hours 23 mins
Chennai to Kurnool 459 km 8 hours 57 mins
Bangalore to Kurnool 359 km 4 hours 57 mins
Pune to Kurnool 663 km 11 hours 11 mins
Mumbai to Kurnool 810 km 13 hours 43 mins

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Kurnool Photos

Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh
Belum Caves - The Largest and Longest Cave in India
Inside View of Belum Caves
Oravakal Rock Garden - 1000 Acre Rock Garden in Kurnool

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FAQs on Kurnool

What is famous about Kurnool?

Scenic beauty. Historic settlement.

What is not so good about Kurnool?

Difficult to reach.

Who should visit Kurnool?

Kurnool is a great place for nature lovers and history buffs.

What is the best time to visit Kurnool?

The best time to visit resides between December - February as you can enjoy a relatively cooler climate. The summers tend to be too hot and should preferably be avoided, while anyone travelling in the monsoons should be prepared for heavy showers, Kurnool being more blessed in rainfall as compared to the rest of the state.
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What is the local food in Kurnool?

Local cuisine with sumptuous taste and varieties of sweet dishes with traditional South-Indian flavors are a must try here. When in this area, you should try out the local dishes like Laskora Undalu or Raskora Undalu (coconut laddu), Sunnundallu - Laddu made from with roasted Urad Dal (Minapappu) and Jaggery (Bellam), Nellore Chicken Biriyani, Pachadi - typically made of vegetables, greens and roasted green or red chilies, Pappu Koora (Lentil based dish) boiled vegetables stir-fried with a small amount of half-cooked lentils (dal), Vepudu (Fry) crispy fried vegetables, typically including okra (bendakaya), ivy gourd (dondakaya), potato (bangaladumpa), colocasia and several regional vegetables but prepared separately for different days., Garelu (A type of Vada), Dosa, Sambhar and more.
Read More

What is the best way to reach Kurnool?

Hyderabad is the closest major city at a distance of 210 km. Kurnool is also well connected by roads and rail. Cabs an also be hailed at cheap prices from hyderabad.
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What are the things to do in Kurnool?

The top things to do in Kurnool are Yaganti, Belum Caves, Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary, Konda Reddy Fort Or Kondareddy Buruju, Venugoplaswami Temple, Mantralayam. You can see all the places to visit in Kurnool here

What are the places near Kurnool?

The top places near to Kurnool are Hampi which is 177 km from Kurnool, Mantralayam which is located 66 km from Kurnool, Hyderabad which is located 179 km from Kurnool, Srisailam which is located 93 km from Kurnool, Nagarjunakonda which is located 149 km from Kurnool

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Rohit Shroff

5 years ago
- Travelers are advised to be well prepared for the monsoon if they are travelling during the monsoon season as kurnoor is expected to have heavy rainfall.
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