Are you looking for weekend getaways from Hyderabad? Are you looking for cheap thrills aka budget trip? Warangal is one of the underrated weekend getaways that I explored with a budget of just INR 1288 per head in a group of 3. Hyderabad is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in all of India being a new-age IT hub. We often feel the need for a break in the city that is always moving at a high pace. Due to the geographical location of Hyderabad, we tend to believe its far from the Coastlines, the Ghats and usually ends up muttering how we can’t plan a short trip. So here I am sharing my experience, itinerary and details of the budget spent on my One Day Trip to Warangal to help you plan yours. These are some must-visit places of Warangal in 1-day. If you have more than 1 day then you can update your itinerary with some destinations mentioned at the end. Let’s begin.

How to reach?

We started at 4:15 from our place that is Hitech City.

• Took Ola auto to reach Hitech City MMTS station. INR 100.
• Took MMTS for Hitech City to Secunderabad. INR 15. Reached Secunderabad by 05:15 Hrs. You can check out MMTS timings on their official website MMTS Time Table

                We had a South Indian breakfast from a restaurant outside Secunderabad Station. INR 95.

• Krishna Exp 17406 from Secunderabad(Departure: 6:05 Hrs) to Warangal(Arrival: 08:32 Hrs). INR 225.

The train was delayed by about half an hour. Reached Warangal by 09:10 Hrs. 

 

Places to Visit in Warangal

After exiting Warangal railway station, We bargained with an autorickshaw driver to take us to 3 places – Warangal Fort, Bhadrakali Temple, and Thousand Pillar Temple in that order and drop us back to the local bus stand. INR 500.

Warangal Fort  

Warangal Fort said to be built in the 12th century by Kakatiyas is an architectural masterpiece. The fort was destroyed by invaders but its beauty can still be witnessed through its rustic remnants. Look for details in the architecture present and you will wonder about the artisans of the 12th century. There is no big structure to which you can refer to as fort it is just ruins of Fort. It feels like an open exhibition in a field so better you choose your time to visit it wisely. It opens from 9 AM to 8 PM. Try to avoid peak sun hours. When there you can also visit the public hall, which goes by the name Kush Mahal. You can go to its terrace and witness a mesmerizing view. You can also observe the boundary of the fort and one wonder how big the fort was once.  

Bhadrakali Temple

Bhadrakal Temple is one of the oldest temples for Goddess Bhadrakali. The temple is believed to be built in 625 A.D. It is a must-visit for its picturesque beauty of natural rock formation and the vast lake that creates an undeniable spiritual serenity about the place. You can go for Boating as well. There is also a small park beside the temple.  

Thousand Pillar Temple

Thousand Pillar Temple is among one of the finest specimens of Kakatiya architecture. It is believed to be built in 1163 A.D. by Rudra Deva. Also known as Rudreshwara Swamy Temple, this is an ancient Hindu temple, and is one of the most important places to visit here in and around Warangal. The temple that is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu, and Surya, is added to the tentative list of World Heritage Sites.

Lunch

After these, as discussed with our Auto Rikshaw driver earlier he dropped us at a local bus stand. Time was around 12:30 PM and we were really hungry. Despite being a budget trip there was no compromise on food though. We had a good large meal at Dominos for ?870 for 3 people and spent a good 2 hours there in AC as that was a relief from the scorching heat.

Laknavaram Lake

After that, we head backs to the local bus stand and took a bus for Laknavaram lake. The bus driver dropped as in a village and asked us to took an auto from there to Lake. The bus ticket was around ?60 per head and Auto took 400 for 3 people to and fro to the Laknavaram lake from that village bus stop. Lake has ?10 entry ticket. There is also Jungle Safari available around the lake. When we reached there were groups of school kids and some kitty party gangs were there too. There was also 1 pre-wedding photoshoot happening there. It was a very happening place there is also ferry ride and motorboat which are charged separately. If you want to stay overnight book it in advance. There are also options to do night camping on the island. Laknavaram lake is nestled among the hills so it gives a picturesque view. Lake has 13 mini islands. All in all, it is a great place to visit with family and friends. The best time to visit is in Winters.     

Back to Hyderabad

We spend the evening at the lake enjoying the beautiful sunset. And when it got dark we called our Auto again and he dropped us at the bus stop. We got a bus to Warangal Bus stand again for around ?60 again. We got our Dinner and some snacks packed at Bus stand(for ?70 per head). Then we boarded a bus for Hyderabad for ?185 per head and it took us around 3-4 hours to reach Hyderabad. The bus dropped us at MGBS and we took an OLA to Hitech city from there for ?220 for 3.

Points to note

We planned this trip in the month of December. The weather was good. Except for peak afternoon, you can comfortably explore places. You can also visit Ramappa temple and Ramappa lake. Also if you have more than 1 day time and you are going just after raining season you can go and explore Bogatha waterfall. PS This was not a luxurious trip. We traveled in local transports and thus were able to do this budget trip successfully. If you have a bug to explore you will enjoy this itinerary for sure.