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I’ve complained in the past that there aren’t many places that you can visit around Hyderabad for a short road trip. While I do stand by this, compared to Pune and Bangalore there aren’t places around Hyderabad for short road trips. However, ever since I got my Tata Punch, I’ve been going on road trips almost every weekend.
Srisailam dam was on my list for a long time now, however, I was unsure whether a 1 day Hyderabad to Srisailam road trip was possible or not. And to verify that, I finally went on a Hyderabad to Srisailam road trip last week. And if I can say, you can very well do a 1 day road trip from Hyderabad to Srisailam, if you plan to visit the dam only.
So here’s all you need to know about traveling from Hyderabad to Srisailam dam via road.
Hyderabad to Srisailam Route
Srisailam is a small town in Nandyal district in Andhra Pradesh, very close to the Telangana border. It’s located about 200kms from Hyderabad. Luckily the route is pretty straightforward. When traveling from Hyderabad, you need to take the Nehru Outer Ring Road and exit at Tukkuguda, exit 14. From there, get on the national highway 765 until Kalwakurthy. This is the same route that I took when I spent a weekend at Bliss Farm Stay.
There are ample boards on the route, so you need to worry about getting lost. From there you’ll hop on to state highway 5 till Srisailam. On the way, you’ll pass small towns like Amangal, Dindi & Munnanaur.
Hyderabad to Srisailam Road Conditions
One of the main concerns that anyone has while doing a road trip is the road conditions. I too had the same concerns before I started. However, the roads are pretty good till the Srisailam dam viewpoint. Since most of it is a national highway, roads are in good condition.
It’s a 4 lane road almost till Kulwakarthy and a little beyond that. From then on, you’ll get on to a single-lane road till Srisailam. Further, as you reach Munnanaur, you enter the Amrabad Tiger Reserve. From then you’ll have a single-lane road that passes through the forest. Though it’s single lane, the road condition is pretty good.
The last stretch closer to the Srisailam dam viewpoint has some potholes and you’ll be greeted with heavy traffic as people tend to park their cars on the road and walk to the viewpoint. Lastly, there are ample petrol pumps along the way except for the forest reserve stretch. So make sure you fuel up before you enter the forest as it’s a ~100kms drive from there till the Srisailam dam viewpoint.
Toll Charges from Hyderabad to Srisailam
When the road conditions are good, you know that there would be tolls on the road. Well, there are a couple of them on this one. There’s a toll plaza at Kadthal, which is on NH 765 to Kulwakarthy, and another one at Konetipuram. Below is the breakup of toll charges from Hyderabad to Srisailam.
| Toll Plaza Name | Toll Charges |
| Kadhtal | Rs 45 + Rs 20 (same day return) |
| Konetipuram | Rs 25 + Rs 15 (same day return) |
| Total Toll | Rs 105 |
Further, you’ll be charged Rs 50 EACH WAY when you enter the Amnabad Tiger reserve. So the total toll charges from Hyderabad to Srisailam is Rs 205
Hyderabad to Srisailam Food Stops
And the most important thing for any road trip is food stops. You’ll be passing through many small towns along the route with a lot of small eateries. In terms of something that is more like a proper place with parking, cleanliness, and Dhaba style, there are quite a few of them. Below is the list of food stops from Hyderabad to Srisailam.
- Atithi Food Land, Amangal – Good, clean place with indoor/outdoor seating, clean washroom, and parking. We had breakfast here – Idli Sambhar, Masala Dosa, and Onion Uttapam, all of which were tasty.
- Haritha Restaurant, Dindi – It’s Telangana Tourism’s outlet, ample parking with clean washrooms, and a play area. The restaurant isn’t clean or managed well and not many items to try especially when you’re here during non-lunch hours.
- Mrugavi Resort, Srisailam – So the Haritha, Eegalapenta is managed by Mrugavi & they have a restaurant just before the Srisailam viewpoint. It’s a clean property with clean washrooms. Small restaurant with limited items. However, the taste was unexpectedly pretty good. Had Dal, Roti, and Rice. They also have a vegetarian buffet priced at Rs 250. Get extremely crowded during lunch hours and service is hence slow.
Drive Experience from Hyderabad to Srisailam
We left at 07:30 in the morning and took the service road towards Tukkuguda. Then took our first stop at Atithi Food Land for breakfast. The place was extremely crowded so the wait time was a little high, but the food was pretty good. Would want to drive here again someday just for a random lunch. The road as mentioned earlier is pretty good and I was cruising at 70-80kmph all along the route. While there were morons honking even when I was at 80 (God help them) I took a stop on the way at Dindi reservoir and that again is a popular stop in the journey.
The last bit of the journey was fun as we passed through the forest. Though it was a single-lane road, the condition was pretty good. There was greenery on both sides of the road which made the ride much more enjoyable. Upon nearing the Srisailam Dam viewpoint, the ghat section started and I switched to city mode on my Tata Punch. Without breaking a sweat, Punch was able to tackle a steep climb with AC on and 3 members in the car. Yes, I had to downshift at times, but not a major concern.
We reached the viewpoint around 1 PM and it was extremely crowded. Though I wanted to see the dam from the other viewpoint, I decided against that as there was too much rush and I had to get home the same day. And guess what, 6 gates of the Srisailam dam were open and it was a treat to the eyes! I’ve never seen a dam with opened gates and it was surreal. Though I’ve never been to Niagra falls, this did look a little like it! It was almost raining there because of the sheer force and amount of water that I didn’t get out of my car. Took photos, and videos from inside and continued driving.
We had a small break at Mrugavi resort for lunch before starting our return journey. We stopped at Amangal to buy some Punugullu and veggies before driving home. We were at home at sharp 7 PM. As per the MID, the total trip was 380.5 km with an average of 19.4kmpl. Which I’d say is not bad at all.
That’s about it for my Hyderabad to Srisailam dam road trip. I’d visit the place again and go to the other side & also visit the temple. But for now, all I can say is that a 1-day road trip from Hyderabad to Srisailam is possible. Let me know your thoughts about this blog post in the comments below. Tweet to me at @Atulmaharaj, DM on Instagram, or Get In Touch.
That’s a beautiful read, Atul..
Just a small correction.. It’s just Punugulu with single ‘l’ 🙈
I think,I too need to plan one..
Have you been to Yadagiri Gutta( Yadadri)..
Thanks Krishna, I have crossed Yadadri but never went to town? I know there’s a famous temple there.