The journey to Hyderabad from Bangalore is around 10 hrs by bus and by train it would be around 14 hrs. We left here on a cool and breezy Saturday night. Our tight budget allowed us to choose a govt owned Airavat -Sleep like a baby bus with multi-axle. The advantage of this bus over the regular airavat is that it has an extension as the foot rest(rather a thigh rest) there by which you feel like a sleeping baby in the mom's cuddle.
The bus reached at 8 AM in the MG bus stand. We did not have a clear idea as to where to take the suite for stay - which made things worse. We were attacked by a big no. of auto drivers on descent from the bus asking various questions like where do we go, where we came from, if we required hotel, lodges, eateries etc. The driver of the bus had suggested there is a certain Nandini hotel nearby. We thought of walking until Nandini but then ditched the idea and took an auto. Nandini Deluxe was full and auto driver waited for us to return so that he can take us to hotels where he gets money in return. I have written in my previous posts about my husband's affinity to Udupi hotel and hence we rejected a few of the hotels shown by the driver and took one in Nampally - Shalimar Gardens.
The hotel guy arranged for our trip to Ramoji and other sight seeing places. When the tickets were delivered to our room, only then we realized how big a supply chain management it is. First the auto driver, then the Hotel guy, then the travel agent who arranges trips, then the bus owners, drivers, guides all linked one to other.
Well, Never bother about how people suck your money out. You like it or not, they manage to keep you spending.
Our first day began with Ranoji Rao film city. This is situated on Kurnool road after the ring road junction. You have to go to Ring road that connects the Hayathnagar to the main city. By bus, it may take around an hour and the timing is 10 AM to 8 PM When we reached, there was no much crowd and we collected our tickets(which our hotel guy+tour agent) had already booked. We were mesmerized by the enormity of the site. Inside the film city, there was a gate opening ceremony at 10. We enjoyed the celebration of the cultural dances and the Jai Hind at the end. Then we took a red bus that takes us around the film city showing the studios, the sets and the artificial gardens. The bus had a guide who showed us the card board set houses, airport, ramayan/mahabharat studio, fake cities and gardens, railway station that were used to shoot in the movies. This particular tour was an eye opener to changed the way I would watch movies from now on. Then we watched the stunt show which showed how the fights were fought for real in movies. There is a show on how the movie is made using Sholay and Basanti. Also we get to see a lot of nice gardens. Dil Se is a good restaurant to hand out. All in all, the day ended with exhaustion and some good memories of the lively Ramoji Rao Film City.
The second day, again our hotel guy had arranged for a city tour which in fact we ditched by mid afternoon.
First he took us to Birla Mandir and then to Nizam's museum which housed the Nizam's gifts. Then we went to Salar Jung Museum. This is one of the treasures of Hyderabad and also a must see. If you are a history lover, then obviously it requires 3 days to visit all the places in the museum. We also saw Chow Moholla palace and headed for lunch after which we stopped touring and napped until evening. In the evening, we went to iMax and watched "English Vinglish" and dined at Palace Biryani. This is the best place in Hyderbad where you get yum Hyderabadi biryani.
On the third day, we started on our own to Char Minar. It is a beautiful monument though dirtied now a days by ignorant tourists. In front of it is Mecca Masjid. One thing I liked about is the pigeons and photographing them. We then shopped in the Chudi Bazaar and headed to Golkonda fort. Golkonda is a beauty in its own. Its too vast and there are around 200 steps to reach the top of the palace. There are a no. of guides available at the site, but I prefer you buy a book on Golkonda for 10 Rs and read it on your own. It was too sunny when we started our climb. But managed to be there in just 20 min. There is also a temple on the top. We saw the shooting site of pokiri/Wanted movie on our descent. After returning from Golkonda, we headed to NTR gardens where we saw NTR's grave. We also saw Hussain Sagar. What a pity it is for the Buddha standing a midst the dirty waters of Hussain Sagar? We reached Snow world and experienced snow in Hyderabad and headed to Sukh Sagar, dined, went straight to our suite, vacated it and took back sleeper bus to Bangalore.
How to Reach:
By Bus: Almost all private bus operators, KSRTC and APSRTC buses available during 7PM to 11PM in the night - Takes around 10 hrs
By Train: Check out the Indian Railways portal - Takes around 14 hrs
By Flight : bookings can be made from online flight websites - Takes around 1 hr
Places for site seeing:
1. Ramoji Rao Film City
2. Golkonda fort
3. Char Minar
4. Mecca Masjid
5. Salar Jung Museum
6. Nizam's museum
7. Chow Mohalla place
8. Hussain Sagar lake
9. Birla Temple and Birla Planetorium
10. NTR garden
11. Lumbini Garden(optional as Hussain Sagar water is dirty)
12.Nehru Zoological Park
13.State Archaeological Museum.
Best time to visit: Avoid summer to visit Hyderabad as summers are unbearably hot in Hyderabad
The bus reached at 8 AM in the MG bus stand. We did not have a clear idea as to where to take the suite for stay - which made things worse. We were attacked by a big no. of auto drivers on descent from the bus asking various questions like where do we go, where we came from, if we required hotel, lodges, eateries etc. The driver of the bus had suggested there is a certain Nandini hotel nearby. We thought of walking until Nandini but then ditched the idea and took an auto. Nandini Deluxe was full and auto driver waited for us to return so that he can take us to hotels where he gets money in return. I have written in my previous posts about my husband's affinity to Udupi hotel and hence we rejected a few of the hotels shown by the driver and took one in Nampally - Shalimar Gardens.
The hotel guy arranged for our trip to Ramoji and other sight seeing places. When the tickets were delivered to our room, only then we realized how big a supply chain management it is. First the auto driver, then the Hotel guy, then the travel agent who arranges trips, then the bus owners, drivers, guides all linked one to other.
Well, Never bother about how people suck your money out. You like it or not, they manage to keep you spending.
Our first day began with Ranoji Rao film city. This is situated on Kurnool road after the ring road junction. You have to go to Ring road that connects the Hayathnagar to the main city. By bus, it may take around an hour and the timing is 10 AM to 8 PM When we reached, there was no much crowd and we collected our tickets(which our hotel guy+tour agent) had already booked. We were mesmerized by the enormity of the site. Inside the film city, there was a gate opening ceremony at 10. We enjoyed the celebration of the cultural dances and the Jai Hind at the end. Then we took a red bus that takes us around the film city showing the studios, the sets and the artificial gardens. The bus had a guide who showed us the card board set houses, airport, ramayan/mahabharat studio, fake cities and gardens, railway station that were used to shoot in the movies. This particular tour was an eye opener to changed the way I would watch movies from now on. Then we watched the stunt show which showed how the fights were fought for real in movies. There is a show on how the movie is made using Sholay and Basanti. Also we get to see a lot of nice gardens. Dil Se is a good restaurant to hand out. All in all, the day ended with exhaustion and some good memories of the lively Ramoji Rao Film City.
The second day, again our hotel guy had arranged for a city tour which in fact we ditched by mid afternoon.
First he took us to Birla Mandir and then to Nizam's museum which housed the Nizam's gifts. Then we went to Salar Jung Museum. This is one of the treasures of Hyderabad and also a must see. If you are a history lover, then obviously it requires 3 days to visit all the places in the museum. We also saw Chow Moholla palace and headed for lunch after which we stopped touring and napped until evening. In the evening, we went to iMax and watched "English Vinglish" and dined at Palace Biryani. This is the best place in Hyderbad where you get yum Hyderabadi biryani.
On the third day, we started on our own to Char Minar. It is a beautiful monument though dirtied now a days by ignorant tourists. In front of it is Mecca Masjid. One thing I liked about is the pigeons and photographing them. We then shopped in the Chudi Bazaar and headed to Golkonda fort. Golkonda is a beauty in its own. Its too vast and there are around 200 steps to reach the top of the palace. There are a no. of guides available at the site, but I prefer you buy a book on Golkonda for 10 Rs and read it on your own. It was too sunny when we started our climb. But managed to be there in just 20 min. There is also a temple on the top. We saw the shooting site of pokiri/Wanted movie on our descent. After returning from Golkonda, we headed to NTR gardens where we saw NTR's grave. We also saw Hussain Sagar. What a pity it is for the Buddha standing a midst the dirty waters of Hussain Sagar? We reached Snow world and experienced snow in Hyderabad and headed to Sukh Sagar, dined, went straight to our suite, vacated it and took back sleeper bus to Bangalore.
How to Reach:
By Bus: Almost all private bus operators, KSRTC and APSRTC buses available during 7PM to 11PM in the night - Takes around 10 hrs
By Train: Check out the Indian Railways portal - Takes around 14 hrs
By Flight : bookings can be made from online flight websites - Takes around 1 hr
Places for site seeing:
1. Ramoji Rao Film City
2. Golkonda fort
3. Char Minar
4. Mecca Masjid
5. Salar Jung Museum
6. Nizam's museum
7. Chow Mohalla place
8. Hussain Sagar lake
9. Birla Temple and Birla Planetorium
10. NTR garden
11. Lumbini Garden(optional as Hussain Sagar water is dirty)
12.Nehru Zoological Park
13.State Archaeological Museum.
Best time to visit: Avoid summer to visit Hyderabad as summers are unbearably hot in Hyderabad
