From Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Andhra Pradesh, Araku Valley is the nearer choice for a short trip. Koraput, Odisha, is farther away. It may suit families with more days to spend.
- Koraput from Vizag
- 199 km, about 4 h 55 min
- Araku from Vizag
- 117 km, about 3 h 10 min
- Shared rail line
- Kothavalasa–Kirandul
- Best season, both
- November to February
Araku Valley is 117 km from Vizag by road, about 3 hours 10 minutes. Koraput is 199 km, about 4 hours 55 minutes. Koraput's big draws are Deomali, Odisha's highest peak, Duduma Waterfall and the Gupteswar cave temple.
We are Ananta Tours & Travels. We run Koraput sightseeing trips from our base in Semiliguda, Koraput district, Odisha, using our own 17-seater AC Force Traveller, with a local driver and a support contact on WhatsApp for the whole trip. Lines marked Our view are our opinion.
Koraput vs Araku Valley at a glance
| Koraput, Odisha | Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from Visakhapatnam | 199 km by road | 117 km by road |
| Railway station | Koraput station, with trains to Visakhapatnam, Rayagada, Bhubaneswar, Howrah and other cities | Araku station, on the Kothavalasa–Kirandul line |
| Best time to visit | October to March | November to February |
| Main sights | Deomali, Duduma Waterfall, Gupteswar cave temple, coffee plantations | Borra Caves, Katiki Waterfalls, Tribal Museum, Dhimsa dance shows |
| Tourist set-up | Still developing its tourism infrastructure | An established tourist destination, with a ready-made road-trip route |
How far is Araku Valley from Koraput?
Araku Valley is 96 km from Koraput town by road, about 2 hours 30 minutes. Distances and drive times on this page are from Google Maps. The Koraput distance chart has more.
When you ask for a quote, we send the route and timings for your trip.
For pickups in Visakhapatnam, the road via Araku takes about five hours, more with stops. See our Traveller page for details. We plan long hill drives for daylight. Sunrise starts work well, but we avoid late-night driving on hill roads.
Getting there: train, road and flight
Train. Koraput railway station connects Koraput with Visakhapatnam, Rayagada, Berhampur, Jagdalpur, Howrah, Bhubaneswar, Rourkela and Raipur. Araku railway station sits on the Kothavalasa–Kirandul line.
- The 58501 passenger leaves Visakhapatnam at 7:00 am every day. It reaches Araku at 11:00 am and Koraput at 1:20 pm.
- The passenger train carries Vistadome coaches: AC coaches with glass roofs and wide windows.
- The 18515 Visakhapatnam–Kirandul Express leaves Visakhapatnam at 9:10 pm every day. It reaches Araku at 12:23 am and Koraput at 2:20 am.
Every train and its times: Koraput train timings.
Road. Koraput is 199 km from Visakhapatnam by road and 513 km from Bhubaneswar, Odisha. A road-trip itinerary called “Into the Eastern Ghats” runs from Visakhapatnam via Borra Caves and Katiki Falls to Araku Valley. Koraput is not one of its stops.
Air. We pick up at Visakhapatnam airport and at Jeypore Airport. Every flight: Koraput flight timings.
Where we pick up and drop:
- Visakhapatnam airport and Visakhapatnam railway station
- Koraput Junction, Damanjodi, Jeypore, Araku and Rayagada railway stations
- Koraput bus stand or your hotel in Koraput
- Jeypore town, bus stand or Jeypore Airport
- Semiliguda, our base
Pickups in Vizianagaram are on request. The day before your trip, we confirm the meeting point and the driver's number. If your train or flight runs late, message the driver and we wait. Our owner rechecks this transport information every month.
What each place offers families
Koraput, Odisha
Koraput sits at an average height of about 870 metres.
- Deomali, Koraput, Odisha: Odisha's highest peak, at 1,672 metres above sea level. It is 53 km from Koraput town, about 1 hour 45 minutes. The hills turn orange, pink and even purple at sunrise and sunset.
- Duduma Waterfall: 175 m high and 68 km from Koraput town, about 1 hour 40 minutes. Its locomotive ride is not open to tourists.
- Gupteswar cave temple: 76 km from Koraput town, about 2 hours. About 200,000 devotees visit at Shivratri. Expect a climb of about 200 steps.
- Tribal heritage: Koraput is home to over 60 indigenous tribes. Each has its own dialect and customs.
- Coffee: coffee tourism is growing in Koraput. Its climate and tree canopy, the cover above the coffee plants, could help it match Araku's success.
- Tourism push: Odisha has planned at least Rs 160 crore for tourism in Koraput district.
- The feel: Koraput isn't for those looking for luxury or nightlife.
Ask us about other stops in Koraput and which ones fit your days.
Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh
Araku Valley is a hill station in the Alluri Sitharama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh.
- Sights: Borra Caves, Katiki Waterfalls and the Tribal Museum, which covers the tribal culture of Andhra Pradesh.
- Dhimsa dance: this tribal dance is a unique feature of Araku's tribes. Shows are held for tourists every Saturday and Sunday night.
- Tourist set-up: Araku Valley is an established tourist destination. Koraput's tourism infrastructure is still developing.
Best time to visit Koraput or Araku
- November to February suits both. Koraput's best season runs October to March. Araku's best season is November to February.
- March still suits Koraput, but not Araku.
- Pack warm clothes for both in winter. Koraput nights drop to 3 °C, and Araku often drops to about 4 °C after December.
- Rain: Araku's average rainfall is about 1,700 mm, mostly from June to October. Koraput's wettest month is July, with about 437 mm.
- Deomali: the colours on the hills come at sunrise and sunset. Sunrise starts are fine with us.
- Waterfalls: come in the monsoon, June to September, when Duduma is loud and large.
1 to 4 days: which place fits your trip?
Our view: what fits into a day depends on your pickup point, start time, group and stops. Your quote sets out the route and timings.
- A day or two, starting from Vizag: Our view: Araku is the nearer choice.
- A longer stay: Our view: Koraput may suit you better. Deomali, Duduma and Gupteswar are each 53 to 76 km from Koraput town. Tell us which ones matter most, and we plan the days around them.
- Starting near Koraput: tell us the sight your family cares about most. We will tell you what fits your day.
- Elders and small children: Gupteswar has a climb of about 200 steps. Ask us about walking at other stops.
- Car-sick travellers: tell us when you book. We offer front-row and window seats to anyone who gets car-sick on hill roads.
Can you cover Koraput and Araku Valley in one trip?
Our view: it can work if you have enough days. The two places share a railway line. The road from Visakhapatnam to Koraput can also run via Araku.
By train:
- Two trains a day link Araku and Koraput directly, each way.
- By day: the 58501 leaves Araku at 11:05 am and reaches Koraput at 1:20 pm. The 58502 leaves Koraput at 1:25 pm and reaches Araku at 3:30 pm.
- By night: the 18515 leaves Araku at 12:25 am and reaches Koraput at 2:20 am. The 18516 leaves Koraput at 9:30 pm and reaches Araku at 11:13 pm.
By road with us:
- We pick up and drop at Araku railway station. We also pick up in Visakhapatnam, at the airport or railway station.
- Araku is in Andhra Pradesh. Our Traveller holds a valid all-India permit.
- The road from Visakhapatnam via Araku takes about five hours, more with stops.
- Want time in Araku? Say so when you share your dates, group size and route. We send a written price on WhatsApp the same day.
- We plan long hill drives for daylight. A longer route may need a night halt. A night halt away from Semiliguda is charged at the rate quoted with the itinerary.
- If you add a stop on the day, we price it before we drive there, never after.
Our view: with only one or two days, pick one place. Seeing both means more hours in the vehicle.
Vehicle, price and booking
- Vehicle: one 17-seater AC Force Traveller, delivered new on 4 September 2026. It ran its first trip on 14 September 2026. All 17 passenger seats are for your group; the driver doesn't use them. Suitcases go on the roof luggage carrier and small bags on the overhead rack, so all 17 of you can bring big luggage. Seventeen is a legal limit; no child can ride on a lap to go past it. Groups over 17 can sometimes travel in two vehicles with partner operators. If that isn't possible, we say so plainly. See the Traveller
- Price: we have no rate card. A Deomali day and a Duduma day cost differently. You get one written price for the whole vehicle, per trip, for the agreed route and days. It is not charged per kilometre. It depends on your dates, group size, pickup point, days, route and luggage. It includes the Traveller, the driver, fuel, and tolls, parking and permits on the agreed route. You pay separately for hotels, meals, entry and camera tickets, and train or air tickets. Guide fees are extra where a site has its own guides.
- Booking: an enquiry costs nothing. A booking advance of ₹3,000 per day of the trip, paid by UPI, holds your dates once it reaches us. The trip price is confirmed in writing on WhatsApp; the advance counts towards it, and the balance is due at the end of the trip. Book a date or read the terms.
- Cancellation: cancelling any time before the trip starts is free, and the advance is refunded in full. Changing your dates is free too, to any dates the Traveller is still open. If we cancel, for any reason, we refund everything you paid. Cancellation and refunds
