7 Things to Do in Gandikota, India's Grand Canyon

Gandikota, a small village in Andhra Pradesh's Kadapa district, has earned the nickname the Grand Canyon of India for the gorge the Pennar River has cut through the Erramala hills alongside it. It is a far smaller and softer landscape than its American namesake, but the comparison has done its job in drawing attention to a fort-and-gorge combination that stayed largely off the tourist map until recently. Here are seven ways to spend time there.

1. Watch the sunrise or sunset from the gorge viewpoint

A short walk from the village leads to a viewpoint directly above the Pennar Gorge, where the river narrows between red-rock cliffs; it is the single most photographed spot in Gandikota and best visited near sunrise or sunset, when the light picks out the layered rock.

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2. Walk the ramparts of Gandikota Fort

Built in red sandstone during the 13th century, Gandikota Fort still holds a roughly five-mile perimeter wall along with palace ruins, granaries and stepped wells, and a walk along its ramparts gives sweeping views over both the village and the gorge below.

3. See the Madhavaraya Temple inside the fort

Within the fort walls, the Madhavaraya Temple is carved with detailed pillar work typical of the region's temple architecture, and its relatively good state of preservation makes it one of the fort complex's more rewarding stops.

4. Visit the Jamia Masjid

Close to the temple, the fort's Jamia Masjid dates to the same era of Gandikota's fortification and reflects the mixed Hindu and Islamic rule the site passed through over its history, from local chieftains to the Qutb Shahis.

5. Try rock climbing or rappelling above the gorge

Gandikota's cliffs have made it a small but growing base for adventure operators offering rock climbing and rappelling, generally arranged through campsites in the village rather than booked independently.

6. Kayak on the Pennar River

Below the gorge, calmer stretches of the Pennar are used for kayaking trips that give a different vantage point on the cliffs than the viewpoints above, typically run by the same local camps that organise climbing.

7. Camp overnight under a dark sky

With little surrounding light pollution, an overnight stay at one of Gandikota's campsites is as much about the night sky as the gorge, and most camps combine a stay with a guided walk to the sunrise viewpoint.

Traveller tips

• The nearest railway station is Jammalamadugu, with Kadapa and Tadipatri also used as access points; Gandikota itself has limited public transport, so hired transport is advisable.
• The best months to visit are September to February, avoiding the region's very hot summer.
• Basic guesthouses and tented camps are available in the village; Kadapa town has more formal hotel options.
• Carry water and sun protection; there is little shade around the fort and gorge viewpoints.