A weekend in the Chelama Wilderness – Stay at the Nallamalai Jungle Camps – Pacherla Resort – 21st and 22nd August - 2021
Prologue
A few days back, during a casual conversation with my parents, they expressed an interest of heading out the city for a quick weekend getaway. Ever since the pandemic broke out, their movements out of the city had been restricted, and they were really looking for a quick weekend getaway from the city to get a break from the dreading monotony. Nallamalai Jungle Camps in an Eco-tourism initiative by the Forest Department of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, and in order to elicit local support for wildlife and to spread awareness of conservation amongst the visitors, the forest department has opened the camps at three places viz Bairlutipuram, Pacherla and Tummalabailu, in Andhra Pradesh.
A friend of mine who shares common interests that include rail fanning and driving, had, way back in 2017 been to the Nallamalai Jungle camps, and had stayed at their
Bairluty accommodation, and had given a very positive review of the entire experience. Ever since that time, I wanted to take out the family to these camps, however the Covid-19 pandemic played spoilsport, and I had to shelve the plans.
Planning
When my parents broached the topic of a weekend getaway, the friend and his experience came into recollection, and I checked up the Nallamalai Jungle Camps website and was happy to note that the
Pacherla camp site was open to online booking from 5th August 2021 onward. I checked up accommodation availability and was relieved to note that all the 4 cottages and 2 tents were available for booking on the weekend of 21st and 22nd August 2021. I quickly went ahead and booked two cottages (Blue Jay and Woodpecker) at Rs 5000/- per cottage. We are actually a family of 6 that includes myself, spouse, two kids above the age of 10, and my parents. The accommodation per cottage is 2 people (INR 4000/-, inclusive of food and a Jungle Safari), and another person can be accommodated on the payment of an additional INR 1000. Hence the amount came to Rs 5000/- per cottage. Depending on the mode of payment you use (Debit card/Credit Card/Online Booking), there will be an additional charge of 1 %/1.2% and INR 9 respectively on the transaction).
**NOTES**- Do not expect any automated email in your inbox on the confirmation of the accommodation. You would need to login to the Nallamalai Jungle Camps website, go to My Account, and there you will find your ticket and you need to take a printout.
- Make sure you carry Identity Proofs of all the members traveling with you and staying in the accommodation. In our case, when we reached the venue, the camp staff took 4 of our AADHAR Cards and scanned them for record keeping purposes.
- In the printout of the accommodation confirmation, the contact number if wrongly mentioned as 7731011410 (Mr. Sankar). This number is actually that of the Bairluty camp. The correct number of Pacherla Camp supervisor is 6300518581. The chances of connecting thru to this number are slim. On the day of the journey, when we were mid-way, I did receive a call from the 6300... number confirming whether we were on our way, and the number of people who would be having food at the canteen for lunch.
Transportation (Self Drive Or Cab?) Self Drive
Since we are a family of six, and we don’t have an MUV in our garage, I started exploring options of hiring a self-drive MUV/SUV vis-à-vis hiring an MUV with a driver from a known contact. I download the apps of Self rental agencies, ZoomCar, MyChoize and Revv onto my smartphone and ran a comparison on the various options available. The cheapest option without fuel was a Mahindra Scorpio at around Rs 11943 for 2 days – Saturday – 0600 hours to Sunday 1900 hours. Add in around INR 4000 to 5000 for fuel and the amount would be around
INR 16943 for a self-drive vehicle.
Cab (Innova)
We had, on an earlier occasion hired an INNOVA from a know contact from a neighborhood travel agency, so I approached him again and got the following breakup:
- Mileage at Rs 15/- Per Kilometer
- Driver Batta at Rs 400/- per day
- Tolls extra and had to be paid by us
Now, I did a quick math:
- One way distance to the camp from our place in Hyderabad – around 332 Kms
- Up and down distance – 664 Kms – add 26 Kms for any additional/nearby places to see – the total distance to be covered was around 700 Kms
- Cost of vehicle = 700*15 = INR 10500
- Driver Batta for 2 days = Rs 800
- Total Estimated Cost of Vehicle Hire = INR 11300
- Tolls – 6 Toll Gates each way at Rs 430/- for one way – so total toll charges would be 860/-
- Total Cost of vehicle hire PLUS Tolls = INR 12160 for a hired INNOVA
Cost Difference:- Self-Drive Vehicle with Tolls – INR 17803
- Hired INNOVA Cab with Fuel, Driver Allowance and Tolls – INR 12160
- Difference – AROUND INR 5643
As much as I would have loved to hire a SCORPIO and drive, the amount of Rs 5643 was quite substantial for me to overlook. PLUS, I hated the Sunday post noon drive back to the city where every driver would be possessed by the Ghosts of Formula 1 drivers, and would drive in a maniacal fashion on the smooth NH 44. I didn’t want to get involved in that madness, especially after a tiring itinerary at the camps, hence chose to let someone else drive, so it was a no brainer that we chose the INNOVA. I made a token payment of INR 1000 to the cab driver and asked him to report at 0600 hours at our place on the Saturday morning.
Preparation for the trip
The
Varalakshmi Vratham, an important religious ceremony for us happened to fall on Friday August 20th, one day before the trip. We knew that packing for the trip on the Friday was going to be hectic, hence we completed around 90 % of our packing on Thursday itself. We made sure that my father (aged at 78 Years, and having a few health related challenges) was carrying all his medications and was adequately rested prior to the trip. We packed in a few dry snacks and an ample amount of water, and were all set for the drive.
The Drive
On Saturday, by 0600 hours, all of us were ready for the ride ahead. The driver was slightly behind schedule in arriving, and he came in by 0615 hours with an INNOVA that was around 7 to 8 years old and already had around 2 LAKHS Plus kilometers on the ODO. We filled in the boot with our luggage, and settled in for the ride. My father had the front passenger seat reserved for him throughout the journey and he was to have a comfortable journey throughout the rest of the trip. We started making continuous progress on the smooth NH 44 towards Kurnool. En route, near Boothpur, we pulled over at
UDUPI Shri Krishna Pure Veg Restaurant for a hot and sumptuous breakfast. This place has clean toilets, and provides tasty food, so I would recommend this place for a pit stop on the Bangalore/Kurnool Highway.
We resumed our journey and as we approached Kurnool, the progress became slow thanks to the renovation work going on – the NHAI is building flyovers at various places on the highway as it passes through Kurnool city. The fall over adjacent roads were in a terrible shape, so that kind of slowed down the progress.
Post Kurnool, we left NH 44 and joined NH 40 towards Nandyala. We crossed the entrance to the newly opened Oravakallu Airport (Kurnool Airport) to our left, and the
ORAVAKALLU Rock Gardens to our right, this part of the countryside, especially when you take off from NH 44 and make a gradual ascent on NH 40, is really picturesque. We halted again at a restaurant for a bio break and a quick hot cup of Tea. We resumed our journey and as we approached Nandyala town, we had to slow down, as the left half (2 lanes of the Highway was closed for repairs), hence all the up and down traffic had to share the right half (one land each) of the highway.
We exited NH 40, took left to the outskirts of Nandyala town and joined the Nandyala to Ongole Highway on our last leg of the journey. We soon left the plains and were in the Nallamala hills, with the road taking various twists and turns.
It was a smooth road, with very less undulations and bad patches, and we enjoyed the last leg of the drive.
After paying the necessary forest entry charges at Ayyalur (INR 50 for Light Vehicles), we finally pulled up at the Nallamalai Jungle Camp at Pacherla village, off the main road at around 1230 PM.
To sum up the ride experience overall so far, the drive in the INNOVA was good, with the driver maintaining sedate speeds in the vicinity of 90 to 100 KMPH. I spent a majority of the time in the last bench, and while it was cramped, with my knees facing upwards, it wasn’t too bad either, and all of us weren’t that tired, when we reached Pacherla.
Camp Reception 
At the Chief Conservator office Camp Site at Pacherla, which doubles up as the reception office of the camp site, we showed our reservation confirmation slip to one of the staffers Ashok, who checked up the details, took four AADHAR cards, and scanned them to complete the preliminary check in formalities.
He then walked along the gravel path from the camp office into the common hangout area, which also doubled up as the drop-off and pick-up spot for visitors and staff alike.
As I alighted, I could see the 4 cottages lined up along the pathway, ahead of us, with a stream flowing a parallel course to the left. Our cottages were at number 3 and 4 and we went ahead and split ourselves in the two cottages with the parents taking the cottage 3, and we choosing the last cottage 4.
Accommodation 
The cottages (we were in Woodpecker cottage, which was the last cottage as you approach from the parking area) had a small sit-out in the front. The cottage has a single bedroom, an attached ante-room for storage and could also double up as a dress changing room – there is a curtain separating these two rooms, for privacy, and an attached bathroom.
The bathroom and the overall condition of the cottage was good. For the additional person in the room, there was a mattress kept neatly stacked up to the side. For communication between cottages and tents, the dining area and the main reception area, there was phone facility available, with each cottage, tent, camp office and dining area getting a dedicated number.
The bedroom is air conditioned, however the quality of cooling is a big miss (At least in Woodpecker cottage where we stayed and our adjacent cottage where my parents stayed). Towards the evening, when the weather started getting humid, we so longed for a cool room, however the cooling was very pedestrian and ineffective. We did bring up this point multiple times with the staff, however, the staff could not resolve the issue. It was a saving grace that the weather was not that unpleasant and we were able to live with a less than effective A/C. Make sure to check the effectiveness of the A/C, when you check-in to your cottage/tent.
**NOTE** -- Mobile Connectivity - There is absolutely no mobile connectivity in the resort, no JIO, No Airtel, No BSNL, no Vodafone IDEA nothing. It could be both a PLUS POINT (no disturbance from the outside world) and a MINUS POINT (you can be totally unreachable during the course of the stay, and cannot be contacted in case of emergency). In case you anticipate an emergency situation, the nearest point for you to get connected to the outside world is a temple around 4 to 5 Kms away on the main road, towards Nandyala side from where you can get mobile connectivity.
- Proximity to Civilization and amenities Nandyala and Giddalur are the nearest towns to this place and both are equidistant at 30 Kms away. Should you need to get something, Nandyala town is the place to head to. Factor in around 90 minutes of to & from travel time to Nandyala and back, from the camp.
- SIMIANS - They abound by the heaps and droves, and never ever get a food packet and sit out on the chairs in the verandah. You will immediately attract attention and the monkeys will come out in droves up close and personal and try to snatch the food from you by hook or crook. So be watchful of the monkeys around you.
- Food and Accommodation for DRIVERS – If you have hired a cab or have a driver with you, accommodation is available for drivers near the reception area. For an extra payment of Rs 500/-, food (Lunch, evening snacks and tea, night dinner, next day morning coffee and breakfast) will be arranged for the driver.
Camp Environs
Situated in verdant greenery, the camp environs are really beautiful and you eventually feel a sense of peace and calm, once you are inside the camp, as you immerse in the silence and the take in the fresh mountain air.
There is a steam called Dunnapotula Vaagu (Vaagu means ‘Stream’ in Telugu), that flows through the camp, and in order to cross over from the cottages and tents (on one side of the stream) into the dining area (on the other side of the stream), you would need to walk across the stream on a suspension bridge.
Walking over the bridge itself is an experience, and the bridge tends to sway especially if you walk fast, or have additional people as company on the bridge.
Apart from the bridge which comes to your left as you walk down the pathway, to your right, you also have a huge peepul tree with a sitting platform constructed around it, for spending quite moments of reflection. You also have a small ‘adventure zone’ in front of the tree, where kids/adults young at heart can walk across the rope bridge, slide down the slide, and well, be kids again.
As we watched the kids enjoying themselves in the play area, Ashok got us our welcome drink (Mosambi Juice). It was around 1230 PM, and he mentioned that lunch will be ready by around 01:30 PM. We spent the time till 01:30 PM checking out the rest of the camp site. We crossed the bridge, went past the dining area,
and clambered down a path that took us to a small lake, we crossed that and again climbed up the path, that led us to the archery spot and back to the main reception area of the camp
that led us to the archery spot and back to the main reception area of the camp. Back at the camp, Ashok came up and offered to get us a bottle of fresh local brewed honey for Rs 700/-. We accepted his offer, and soon enough, he got a bottle of fresh honey for us.
After spending sometime exploring the camp, we headed back to the dining room/cafeteria that had around 4 dining tables (4 dining chairs per table), lined up in two rows, with two dining tables per row.
The cafeteria had an adjacent kitchen and a serving area from where the staff would serve food to the guests. From the cafeteria, a small path sloped down to the wash area, consisting of 3 washbasins, and a couple of rest rooms. Monkeys as usual were present around the cafeteria, so all the doors in the cafeteria were locked from inside, and only opened when someone either entered or exited the cafeteria.
For lunch, we had yellow rice followed by white rice, Brinjal Curry, Dal, Sambar, curd and a sweet. The lunch was served hot and the taste was spot on, and we liked the food. After having a sumptuous meal, we headed back to the cottage after crossing the stream on the suspension bridge. Ashok came and informed us that we would head out on the Jungle Safari by 14:30 Hours.
Jungle Safari
By around 14:45 hours we got ready and walked to the common pick-up area where a green colored TATA YODHA pick up was waiting for us. After making sure that the 6 of us and another family of 3 were seated comfortably on the seats, ASHOK took up position at the rear of the vehicle and we started off for the Jungle Safari.
After heading a few kilometers on the road towards Nandyala, we took a right turn underneath and arch and started making our way over a non-tarred road, headed into the interior. The road and the entrance arch brought back old memories of a trip that I had made, to this area in 2016 January with a couple of friends, and I quickly checked with Ashok if we were headed to the Chelama Railway station, and he replied in the affirmative. Soon, the railway track appeared on top of an embankment, and we ran a parallel course, and soon reached the tiny tribal village of Chelama and its small Railway Station.
Chelama, and its adjoining stations, Gazulapalli (towards Nandyala) and Diguvametta (towards Giddalur) were remote in existence especially during the yesteryear, when the erstwhile Metre Gauge line traversed an altogether different alignment from the current alignment of the broad Gauge line. These places (Giddalur, Basavapuram, Chelama and Diguvametta) form the backdrop of the operation to capture the man-eating tiger of Diguvametta by the hunter Kenneth Anderson in the late 1940s. More information about the entire operation can be found in this useful
blog post.
We left the small Chenchu hamlet of Chelama and the railway station and continued our way up the bouncy forest road. Soon, the path dipped into a puddle of water, and after crossing it slowly, we reached the railway under-bridge and went underneath it. After crossing the bridge, the forest road takes a sharp right and runs parallel to the railway track for a few hundred metres, before
veering left again, into the jungle, while the railway continues on a much straighter alignment towards Diguvametta.
As we continued on the forest path gradually gaining elevation in the process, on a straight stretch of the trail, we came across a gigantic peepul tree, and a small lake below it. According to Ashok, this peepul tree was more than 200 years old, and the small lake is called ‘Dongala Cheruvu’ (Lake of the thieves). Back in the days, bandits used to hide their spoils inside this lake, far away from the prying eyes of the police, hence the name ‘Dongala Cheruvu’ (Dongalu = Thieves and Cheruvu = Lake in Telugu).
After some time, as the YODHA picked up speed, I realized that the forest path was relatively free of undulations or sharp bumps, and was also pretty straight and the curves were much gentler. I was beginning to suspect that this might have been the old MG alignment, and just then Ashok announced that we were indeed on the erstwhile Metre Gauge Alignment.
The rail fan in me was delighted and it was indeed a moment of extreme happiness, when I realized that I was traveling on the alignment of a very old railway line, that was prior to 1900, the only connection from Vijayawada to Madras and down south. You may want to look at this picture from the same blog spot that I quoted above to get an idea of the difference between the old MG (Metre Gauge) railway alignment marked in yellow and red and the new BG (Broad Gauge) alignment marked in green:
The drive along the old MG alignment with its thick foliage all around and deep cutting invoked a pure sense of joy. For my father who was traveling with us, it was a homecoming of sorts. As a hosteler studying at Wanaparthy Polytechnic institute way back in the 60s, whenever the college was closed for vacations, dad used to catch an MG train that used to run on the very same path on its journey to Guntur and onward to Vijayawada, where my grandparents used to stay.
This drive along the abandoned MG alignment was to be the highlight of the safari, and each one of us on the YODHA enjoyed it to the bits. The cloudy atmosphere, interspersed with intermittent rain drops, fresh and clean air to breath and thick and dense foliage all around, this was as close to utopia as one could get!
As the Yodha progressed on the alignment, we spotted a wooden machan in the distance to our left and came to a halt there. We got down, went down a couple of metres to the steps of the machan or platform, and ascended the steps to the platform that overlooks a lake deep below. This lake serves a very big watering hole for the animals in the forests. There was a piped water supply arrangement run by Solar power to quench the thirst of animals especially in the dry season. Ashok also mentioned that a few of the scenes from the Telugu Film ‘Bobbili Raja’ were shot in the vicinity of this water body.
This wooden platform overlooking the lake below was another highlight which we enjoyed quite a lot, and we made the best use of it clicking away pictures of each other.
Soon we resumed our journey and after around 10 minutes, we reached the motor able dead end of the forest trail near the remains of an abandoned MG station with a name that I cannot recollect now. Further ahead, i could see that the trail had reduced to a foot path and had disappeared into the thick foliage ahead, and Ashok remarked that the trail ahead was not motor able. We took a U turn and came back on the same trail back to the Nandyala Giddalur road, and by around 1700 hours we were back at the camp, thus ending a very enjoyable Jungle Safari.
Twilight and Dinner
Tired but very happy after an enjoyable safari, we headed back to the cottages for a quick refresh and then to the dining area for a hot cup of team and piping hot Merapakayi Bajjis (Chilies fried with gram flour). For Dinner, we had the option of Rotis, Vegetable Curry, Rice and Curd, however on can also order egg-based food items on an extra cost. I ordered a plate of Egg Burji.
The rest of the evening was spent in the camp area, around the peepul tree. As the kids made full use of the adventure area, we caught up with another family from Hyderabad, and who stay pretty close to our place as well, and engaged in general banter. This family had also accompanied us on the Jungle Safari. I utilized the twilight and the night time to try out a few night shorts with my Canon REBEL XS DSLR
We wrapped up the evening with a very tasty dinner, and called it a day by around 2100 hours. We were 3 to a cottage, and I utilized the extra mattress to sleep on the floor.
For those staying 3 per room, and especially for the person sleeping on the floor, you would be advised to carry an extra blanket with you, as I didn’t feel that comfortable with the blanket provided.
Day 2 - Trek to the Viaduct and the BOGADA Tunnel
Day 2 dawned, and I was up by 0600 hours, and spent a lazy half an hour in the front verandah taking in the early morning sights and sounds, and all the freshness of the air around that we so miss in the crowded city environs. That feeling and experience is what makes getaways like these so much worth full. Presently another staffer came along with a cup of hot coffee. Well, you can get tea as well, however you need to inform the same upfront to the staff.
The previous afternoon, when we had completed the check in, Ashok had sounded us on the Trek that was to happen the next day morning. He mentioned that the trek would cost Rs 500 for us, and we would be taken to the trek drop-off point in the TATA YODHA vehicles, and we could commence the journey from the camp by around 0700 hours.
The camp had 3 TATA Yodha vehicles for Jungle safaris, out of which only 2 were operational.Due to an unanticipated turn of events, both the TATA YODHA vehicles had set out for the Jungle safari with another group, so we had to take our respective vehicles to the trek. The other family and Ashok went ahead in their Honda city, while the four of us (Parents stayed back at the cottage, trekking is not for them) followed behind in our Innova.
A few kilometers ahead on the road towards Giddalur, we came across the imposing piers of the [now missing] bridge on which the erstwhile Metre Gauge line used to run.
If you want to see the actual bridge, see it in a blink-and-you-miss-it shot from the Telugu Film 'Bobbili Raja' (
) Watch at 02:27:20.
From the road, these piers looming up ahead in the distance look very striking. We crossed the piers, gained elevation, as the road climbed up, and pulled over at a spot, where we were at the same level as the top of the piers.
To our left the road towards Nandyala curved away into the distance and disappeared under the railway bridge. Presently we heard the sound of a locomotive and soon enough a train appeared on the horizon, headed towards Giddalur. A close look at the green and yellow coaches, and my knowledge of trains on this section, indicated that this was the weekly Yeshwantpur to Puri Garib Rath express. We quickly snapped up photos and videos as the train passed by us and headed its way underneath the BOGADA tunnel, way down below and that was where we would be heading to in a short while.
After spending a few more minutes enjoying the scenery we descended onto the road, crossed it, and stepped onto a small pathway that took a deep descent amidst the thick shrubbery. We were headed downhill for around a kilometer, to the railway track and the Bogada tunnel deep below. After around a 15-minute walk, we came across the railway track and looking to our left we found the imposing BOGADA tunnel up ahead.
We found a railway gang man seated on a sleeper bed adjacent to the track and checked with him if any train movements were expected. Of course, this was a single line section and the Puri Garib Rath had passed just 15 minutes back, and till it occupies the block section between Chelama and Diguvametta stations, no other trains would be allowed into the section, but nevertheless, we checked anyways, and the gang man replied that there was no traffic expected for at least an hour.
We then spent time near the railway track admiring the scenery all around and taking a few photographs. I stuck up a casual conversation with the Gang man who was from Odisha, and he reported that during his track patrols in this section he had spotted a tiger at least 5 times.
After spending some more time, we headed our way up the hill along the same path, and after huffing and puffing our way up, we reached the road, boarded our respective vehicles, and drove back to the camp.
Day 2 - Breakfast and Checkout
At the Archery centre, near the camp office, my wife and the kids tried their hands at archery with wooden bows and very realistic and razor-sharp iron arrows that had been procured from the Chenchu tribals, who were located in the area, and were into active hunting and gathering till the very recent past.
We headed back to the cafeteria to have breakfast consisting of a hot scoop of Upma and hot and piping Vadas, served with chutney and hot sambar. The breakfast was really tasty, and we soon washed it down with a piping hot cup of tea.
Coming back to the room, we completed the rest of the morning ablutions, and started packing up all our luggage. BY around 10:45, we vacated our cottages, cleared off all the pending bills, tipped Ashok and the other staffers, bade goodbye to the other family who had accompanied us on the jungle trek, and boarded the Innova. I walked to the camp office along with Ashok, collected my receipt for Rs 10,000/- left behind my comments in the visitors’ book, bade goodbye to Ashok, and boarded the Innova.
The Return Journey
Instead of heading back to Kurnool via the direct route via Nandyala, we decided to take a detour, visit the famous Mahanandi temple, that was relatively close by and then head on to Nandyala. We had a blissful darshan of the Shiva Lingam at the Mahanandi temple, and headed on to Nandyala and Kurnool. Compared to yesterday where the weather was cloudy and very conducive, this day was very hot and even though the car AC was at full blast, we could still feel the heat. I was exhausted after the hectic activities in the camp, and dozed off for around half an hour.
By around 1300 hours, we reached Kurnool and pulled over at a convention centre for lunch, that was arranged by one of my mother’s acquaintances in Kurnool. After spending an hour and a half at Kurnool, we got back to the Highway and made steady progress towards Hyderabad. We stopped again at Udupi Sree Krishna Restaurant near Boothpur for a bio and tea break, and continued our way towards Hyderabad.
As I had accurately anticipated, the road to Hyderabad was full of weekend warriors, and squids driving about in an aggressive manner. I for one, was very happy to be seated in the last row, listening to music on my earphones, not having to get all worked up by the maniacs on the road.
We finally reached Hyderabad, and our home by around 1845 hours. We unpacked our stuff, paid off the remaining amount due to the Driver, and sat back to relax and unwind after a hectic journey.
Conclusion
All of us enjoyed the trip with the elders getting a very welcome respite from the drudgery of staying at home for all these days. For the Kids and I who remain glued to screens, this was a very welcome break from all things electronic, and a chance to reconnect with nature and experience the fresh Oxygen. At Rs 4000/- per cottage (Food and Jungle Safari for 2 people), I felt the cost to be pretty reasonable. The Andhra Pradesh Government has done a wonderful job with the maintenance of the camp, and the staff were very polite and courteous. The only fly in this entire experience was the lack of effective air conditioning in our cottage. I would definitely recommend this camp to anyone looking for a quick weekend getaway. I would like to conclude by sharing the Pacherla camp catalog provided by the camp authorities:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z9M1QyFuzydW1Do38
26th August 2021, 00:32
(22)
Thanks
