Araku is a hill station in Visakhapatnam. It is a beautiful valley in the Eastern Ghats inhabited by different types of tribes and is one of the less commercialized tourist destinations in South India. Valley is located 114 km from Vishakhapatnam, close to the Orissa state border. The Anantagiri and Sunkarimetta Reserved Forest which are part of Araku Valley are rich in biodiversity, surrounded by mountains like Galikonda, Raktakonda, Sunkarimetta and Chitamogondi. The Borra Caves are situated 29kms from the Araku, near Vishakhapatnam and are acknowledged for their highly beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations. In 1807, William King George discovered the Borra Caves and assumed them to be a million years old. The Borra Caves are noticeably exhibit a variety of impressive stalactites and stalagmites, in different irregular shapes. Apart from historical value, the caves have religious significance as well. Padmapuram Gardens is a tourist attraction in the Araku valley in as these gardens have a good collection of appealing plants and flowers.
