Gandikota & Belum Caves Trek

Gandikota has great significance in terms of geology (quartzite stone in sedimentary form & Gorge), archaeology, architecture (Vijayanagara and Quli qutb style), sculpture, irrigation (earthen pipes connecting several water bodies - built 500 years ago), culture, language ...etc.



Taking advantage of the gorge on three sides fort wall was constructed on other sides......it was almost unconquerable. First layer of construction was... in 12th century.. exact date was..... Jan 9th, 1123 AD by Architects Gurikandlu and Arikandlu of certain cheif Kakaraja.

After 12th century many kings and their reigns showed interest towards the place right from Western Chalukyans to Vijayanagara kings (Sri Krishna deva raya) to Hyderabadi muslim rulers (Quli qutbs) to Tippu sultan to British. The reasons for not knowing this could be attributed to the remote location and Gandikota was never a primary capital, it was most of the time a secondary or a tertiary one.



The entire fort wall has a perimeter of five miles (makes it one of the largest forts in India) and the length of the gorge is about 4km and depth upto 700 feet at certain locations. Few villagers have ancestral links to the original occupiers of the fort. The language, dialect and the kind of dresses they wear bear the original footprint of the place. Villagers have a very distinctive style of sports and games (typical to Rayalaseema) which can be witnessed during annual ritual happens after Ugadi every year. The names to the several places within the fort (Veerabhadra banam, Rama banam, Soodigundu) give an idea about linguistics development in the region.

Along with two big temples and masjid, there are many structures unexplored on the site. There are few secret paths to the valley through caves, one of them can be observed near the western edge of the fort. There were many interesting ways in which the people used to catch leopards and other animals moving around. You could even see now, some of those traps built with stones.

Another village Kottalapalle, southwest to Gandikota offers a breathtaking view of the fort and the surroundings. The banks of Penna in the environs of Gandikota were excavated long ago by Britishers and ASI, only to find out that there was human habitation in the region even during Paleolithic ages. There is definitely some mystic about the place in terms of the positioning of structures and the silent valley. There is still a lot to unearth about the place. 1960's Telugu movie title "Gandikota Rahasyam" reinforces this belief..



Belum Caves is the second largest cave in Indian subcontinent and the longest caves in plains of Indian Subcontinent, known for its stalactite and stalagmite formations. Belum Caves have long passages, spacious chambers, fresh water galleries and siphons. The caves reach its deepest point (120 feet from entrance level) at the point known as Pataalaganga. Belum Caves derives its name from "Bilum" Sanskrit word for caves. In Telugu language, it is called Belum Guhalu. Belum Caves has a length of 3229 meters, making it the second largest natural caves in Indian Subcontinent.



Originally discovered in 1884 by a British surveyor Robert Bruce Foote, later in 1982-84, a team of German speleologists headed by H Daniel Gebauer conducted a detailed exploration of the caves. Thereafter in 1988, the state government declared them protected, and Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) developed the caves as a tourist attraction in February 2002. Today, 3.5 km of the cave has been successfully explored, though only 1.5 km is open to tourists.

Program Schedule:
Start from Vijayawada by bus at 6pm on 25th of June.

Reach jammalamadugu at 2am on 26th
Stay at APTDC Guest House.
Early morning enjoy the sunrise from Gandikota Fort.

Breakfast

Trek to the place surrounded by a deep valley and impassable hills at banks of Pennar.

Lunch

The Belum caves

Return back to Vijayawada

Aprox: 1500/- per person
Contact: Vishnu 8008986000

Penumaka Trek

Near Undavalli

Adventure Trek

The trek is located in Ambavaram Kothapalli village, CS Puram mandal of Prakasam district, 120 km from Ongole. It borders Nellore and Kadapa districts. Thousands of people from the three districts visit the place to witness the spectacle and also to take a bath in the waterfalls and worship Lord Siva and his consort on the auspicious day.

Ancient temples carved in a hill at Bhairavakona.

Set amidst a vast expanse of lush greenery and surrounded by hills and waterfalls, the holy place of Bhairava Kona is a perfect getaway for the discerning traveller.

The water from the falls flows down from 200 mtrs above and flows about 3 ft. below through the Durga Devi temple. The moon light that falls on the water reflects on Durga Devi on Karthika Pournami day.

Breathtaking scenery all around, the jaw dropping waterfalls, chirping of the birds and the wild life all around all add to the glory of this place.

On Saturday Night by 4wheeler(expenses will be shared)

Must Have - Back Pack consisting of
* Good Shoes, Sun Cap & Towel(cotton)
* Fruits, Snacks & 2 Ltrs of Water

Contact details
Mr.Ramdas 9490877839
Mr.Vishnu 8008986000

Strict Rules: No Smoking, Alcohol Consumption, playing cards & Disposal of Plastic in the surroundings. Those who does not follow them will be left out for their own risk & further events.

* Please confirm by tomorrow as we have to plan the transportation

Kondapalli Trek on the eve of World Forestry Day

On the eve of World Forestry Day

Start Time : 5:00am
End Time : 9:30am

Starting Point: Police Control Room

Must Have -
* Good Shoes
* Back Pack consisting of 2 Litres of Water

Energy Snack (i.e Fruits, Nuts and Seeds, Sweet Potato, Curd Rice, Rolled Oats (or) Flattened
Rice Atukulu, sprouts)

Kondapalli 140310

Kondapalli Trek

Time : 5:00am

Starting Point: Police Control Room

Must Have -
* Good Shoes
* Back Pack consisting of 2 Litres of Water

Energy Snack (i.e Lentil Soup Toor or Blackgram or Masoor Dal, Fruits,
Nuts and Seeds, Sweet Potato, Curd Rice, Rolled Oats (or) Flattened
Rice Atukulu, Whole-wheat Pasta or Chapathi, sprouts)

* Daily Physical Exercise is compulsary

Bird Watching

Date: 28th Feb'2010 (Sunday)

Time : 6:00am

Starting Point: Varadhi

Must Have -
* Binoculars

About Uppalapadu
http://vijayawadatrekkers.blogspot.com/2010/02/mvp-uppalapadu.html

Gangineni Trek

Date: 21st Feb'2010 (Sunday)

Time : 7:55am

Starting Point: Railway Station

Must Have -
* Good Shoes
* Back Pack consisting of 3 Litres of Water

Energy Snack (i.e Lentil Soup Toor or Blackgram or Masoor Dal, Fruits,
Nuts and Seeds, Sweet Potato, Curd Rice, Rolled Oats (or) Flattened
Rice Atukulu, Whole-wheat Pasta or Chapathi, ...sprouts)

* Daily Physical Exercise

Route: Catch Bhadhrachlam Road Passenger at 7:55am on Platform No.:8 with Rs.5/- Ticket and board on the last compartment along with the co-trekkers and get down at gangineni.

The trek starts from there.

MVP: Uppalapadu

Uppalapadu is a village near Guntur City, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It is also a reputed bird. It is one of the only three places in India where Spot-Billed Pelicans nest, while they reside at other places too.

Painted Storks, Spot-billed Pelicans and other birds migrate from various countries such as Siberia, Australia and use the sanctuary. The water tanks in the village are unique as they provide refuge to many species birds including endangered Spot-Billed Pelicans and Painted Storks. The bird population in these tanks used to be around 12,000 previously, however lately only about 7000 birds roost in this dwindling habitat through the year. But some initiatives have taken place such as adding artificial trees, local awareness, proper water supply to the ponds etc. The artificial trees are added in the pond on which the birds can perch in addition to the natural trees. During the visit to the sanctuary on 16 February, 2008, the author could found only about 1500 spotted bill grey pelican(pelecanus philippensis) and a slightly less number of Painted Stork(mycteria leucocephala). Besides this 6 pintail ducks a few cormorant 5 red crested pochard(rhodonesa rufina), common coot, common teal, black-headed ibises, 2 stilts were also sighted.

Spot-billed Pelicans Pelecanus philippensis in Uppalapadu, Andhra Pradesh, India. The ever increasing demand of land both for building and cultivation by the villagers, location of a Zilla Parishad High School within the pelicnary and denudation of Kikar tree( Botanical Name: Prosopis velutina) which is the main stay of the pelican and stork colony, are imminent threat to this sanctuary. Instead of erecting wire mesh artificial-trees the forest department should plant more Prosopis velutina tree in and around this swamp. The ibises and painted stork were found scavenging on the left over rotten fish droppings of pelican along with jungle crow. The main diet being fed to the chicks was both fresh and sea water fish. Some of the fish, particularly LabeoRohita (Carp) and other sea fish, which had dropped from the nests, were fresh and about 0.8 kg in weight. They must have been brought from nearest river and sea which is about 20-30 km away from the site since the pelicans were not found fishing from nearby ponds. A recent visit on 2nd. February 2009 has confirmed that the large wire mesh tree which were provided by the Forest department are being used for nest making by the pelican, although it was not done so in the initial years. This pelicanary has completed ten years operation in 2009. Some pelicans have now opted another pond at Ramchandrapalem which is about 4 km from this site towards Guntur.

Karnataka, Kerala-TN Border are the other two places where these large winged creatures nest. Some nesting grounds of Burma, Malaysia and Vietnam got destroyed or were deserted for various reasons leading to increase in numbers at Uppalapadu. In practice these Pelicans and Painted Storks have found a new tank at Garapadu a little over 4 k.m. from Uppalapadu, for nesting and for the past several months this panchayat tank is being inhabited by about 500 pelicans and 50 painted storks due to shortage of space at Uppalapadu.A Zilla Parishad School is housed in a small island inside the tank on a 2.5 acre site and there is sufficient water around the school, but due to regular visit of human beings, these birds have not nested on some of the trees that are most suitable for their purpose. If the Gram Panchayat agrees and gets an alternative land with the help of Zilla Parishad and District Administration for the School Building, this could become country’s largest nesting ground for Pelicans.At Uppalapadu first half of February is the best time for visitors see young chicks making efforts to fly out and by June-July a new species of birds -- Open Bill Storks and White Ibis will takeover the space and fly out some time in October.

Route: From Guntur City this place is 10 Kms away and nearer to N.T.R Manasa Sarovaram on N.H-5.

* MVP is Must Visit Places (a place worth to Visit)

View Larger Map

Kondapalli 070210

Trek to Gangineni

Date: 7th Feb'2010 (Sunday)

Time : 7:55am

Starting Point: Railway Station

Must Have -
* Good Shoes
* Back Pack consisting of 3 Litres of Water

Energy Snack (i.e Lentil Soup Toor or Blackgram or Masoor Dal, Fruits,Nuts and Seeds, Sweet Potato, Curd Rice, Rolled Oats (or) Flattened Rice Atukulu, Whole-wheat Pasta or Chapathi, Atukulu, sprouts)

Route: Catch Bhadhrachlam Road Passenger at 7:55am on Platform No.:8 with Rs.5/- Ticket and board on the last compartment along with the co-trekkers and get down at gangineni.

The trek starts from there, out Co-trekker Mr.Ratna Prasad will guide you through.

Contact: Mr.Ratna Prasad 9440137694

Seshachalam 2010

Kondapalli

Kondapalli Trek

Kondapalli Trek on the eve of World Diabetes Day

Sunday, November 15th at 6:00AM

Brisk Walk / Trek

Shoes & Backpack with 2litre minimum Water are Compulsary

Note: For Diabetics transportation can be arranged if informed before.

Contact:
Nani: 9440137694
Rahul: 9948794488

Kondapalli Trek

On Sunday 20th Sep2009

Starting Point: Police Control Room (Reach there by 6am)

Come with Energy Food and plenty of Water

Team Leader: Gopi (9966056666)

Trek at Ganginenipalem

Date: 9th August 2009 (Sunday)
Time : 7:55am
Starting Point: Railway Station
Must Have -
* Good Shoes
* Back Pack consisting of 3 Litres of Water
Energy Snack (i.e Lentil Soup Toor or Blackgram or Masoor Dal, Fruits, Nuts and Seeds, Sweet Potato, Curd Rice, Rolled Oats (or) Flattened Rice Atukulu, Whole-wheat Pasta or Chapathi, Atukulu, sprouts)
* Daily Physical Exercise
Route: Catch Bhadhrachlam Road Passenger at 7:55am on Platform No.:8 with Rs.5/- Ticket and board on the last compartment along with the co-trekkers and get down at gangineni. The trek starts from there, out Co-trekker Mr.Ramdas will guide your through.
Contact: Mr.Ramdas 9490877839

The Trekking Pole Advantage

Beginner's are often unsure of the advantages of using trekking poles. In fact, many trekkers never feel the need for poles until they first use them. Few avid hikers, and especially backpackers, leave home without them--and for good reason. Trekking poles help reduce leg strain, help establish pace and help maintain balance.
Reduce Leg Strain

A good beginner set of trekking poles
Trekking poles reduce the stress on your legs and especially your knees. If you have a previous knee injury or are prone to stiff knees, trekking poles can save you from discomfort since they reduce the weight and impact to your knees during a hike or backpacking trip. You will find poles especially helpful during inclines and declines. While hiking uphill, trekking poles give you added strength to push up the hill. Your arms absorb some of the strain to assist your legs when climbing. On downhill trails, you can use trekking poles to reduce the impact on your knee joints as you descend. If you suffer from knee pain, you'll agree that downhill is harder on your knees than uphill. Trekking poles help reduce this strain. By distributing the weight, you are less likely to injure or strain your knees and legs.

Establish Pace
Using trekking poles helps you more readily establish a pace during your hike or backpacking trip. The rhythm of using the poles in coordination with your stride helps your whole body get into a set pace. Your breathing also becomes steady and controlled as you settle into a steady pace. Many people find they can hike much longer times or distances when using trekking poles than they would without them. If you have struggled with walking, hiking, or backpacking at a steady pace, give trekking poles a try. You will subconsciously settle into a pace when you coordinate your poles and stride. If you are new to trekking poles, you might notice a slight adjustment period, but before long you will establish a pace without even thinking about it.

Maintain Balance
Trekking poles help maintain balance for water crossings
Trekking poles give you four points of contact instead of just two. When traversing rugged terrain, water crossings, or slick surfaces, trekking poles help you maintain your balance and prevent slips, trips and falls. If you are hiking a trail with water crossings, poles can help you walk safely across the water without falling. You can use the poles to test the stability of rocks before you step onto them. If you are carrying a backpack, trekking poles are particularly helpful to keep your balance. Your heavy pack can shift your center of weight back, but trekking poles reestablish your center of gravity forward, to a more balanced and comfortable position.

Endless Miscellaneous Uses
Trekking poles can be used for an endless number of additional purposes, including protection from animals, erecting a temporary shelter, hanging clothes or shoes to dry on, fishing pole, and just about anything else you can dream up. When hiking with a dog, you can use trekking poles to gently prod your dog forward if he stops to sniff a little too long. Trekking poles can be used to make sure no critters, like snakes, are hiding under rocks or in a pile of leaves before getting too close.

Get Trekking Poles a Try
Huge selection of styles and prices.
Trekking poles don't have to cost you a fortune. If you are unsure of the benefits of trekking poles, try out a less expensive set before deciding if you want to upgrade your poles. A decent first pair of trekking poles can cost less than Rs.1500. If you decide to upgrade your trekking poles later, you might chose a great set that costs closer to Rs.5000, though you can spend more if you choose to do so. Trekking poles make a great addition to your outdoor gear, whether you are on a day hike or a week long backpacking trip.

Best is the bamboo stick to start with which is in the nature, that costs you nothing.

Signaling Techniques for Wilderness Survival

Few things are more frightening than the possibility of being lost in the wilderness with no means of communication. Whether trapped in a dense forest or barren dessert, it is often difficult for rescue teams to locate people who are lost without some sort of sign. Knowing your options for signaling techniques for wilderness survival may mean the difference between life and death.

Fire
The most common signaling device is fire. Smoke and fire can be seen for miles, making this a highly useful tool. Fire and smoke are also useful in nearly any terrain. This makes lighters and matches a pivotal part of any adventurer's arsenal. To get a fire started, use your surroundings. Use any brush, extra clothing or other flammable materials you can find. At night focus on building three fires either in a triangle or in a row about 25 meters apart. This is an international distress signal. During the day focus more on the smoke. If your car is nearby, remove a tire and light it on fire. The black billowing smoke can be seen very well from a distance, and the fire can last for hours upon hours. If there is no car, try throwing some moist elements onto your fire without squelching it. This will create a lighter smoke but should still attract attention.

Mirrors
When an air rescue has been dispersed, mirrors can be an excellent tool. Consider packing a compact mirror in your gear bag. If you do not have a small mirror and are stranded with your car nearby, break off one of the car mirrors. Once you have a mirror, it is a waiting game. When a low-flying plane flies near, angle the mirror to catch the sunlight and reflect it up toward the cockpit of the plane. Move the mirror around slightly to avoid blinding the pilot. Ideally, this will alert the pilot to your position.

Lights
At night there are few things more telling than a flash of light to let people know where you are If possible, always carry a flashlight with extra batteries. Other signaling devices include flares, tracer gun ammunition and strobe lights. These tools work well when lost at night but can also be used during the day when an airplane approaches. However, flares and ammunition should never be fired directly at a plane.

Messages
One of the most traditional signaling techniques for wilderness survival involves creating large messages that allow a plane to see that you are in danger. Whether in the desert, snow or dense forest it is almost always possible to work your way toward a large empty area where you can make your message. Use colors that contrast with the terrain to spell out S.O.S., or create a geometric shape that is likely to attract attention. Use dark twigs, light brush or extra clothing to create the desired effect. Try to make your message several times bigger than yourself to ensure it is easily seen.

Audio Signals
When a ground rescue is under way or other people may be nearby, it is important to carry a whistle or other audio signaling device such as a gun or bell. In lush forest or when taking cover this can be particularly important. These loud signals can carry much farther than a human voice. These signaling techniques for wilderness survival enable people to find you more quickly with less effort.

A Good Workout Plan to build Muscle

No matter what type of athletic activities you enjoy, chances are you'll perform them better after using a combination of aerobic fitness, flexibility and muscular strength. Building muscular strength doesn't have to involve complicated training plans on expensive equipment, but you will need to pay attention to all of the major muscles groups that include the chest, shoulders, lower back and abdomen. Here's how to get started.

Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate

Step 1
Things You'll Need: Variety of free weights
Design a total fitness program that includes aerobic exercise, flexibility and muscular strength. Assuming that you are walking or jogging five days a week, devote two to three days on strength training. Strength training can take many different forms. You can build muscle strength using your own body resistance and things you have around the home. It can also mean performing a routine of exercises at the house or with free weights.

Step 2
Divide your body into three general areas and work on one area each day--the upper body and extremities, lower body and extremities and your core (abdominals and lower back). Each session should take between 15 to 30 minutes, or until the area is fatigued. It helps to write the three areas on a calendar so that you don't lose track of what area needs work on a specific day.

Step 3
Start with exercises that use the resistance of your body. Perform three sets of 10 repetitions of push-ups, pull-ups and tricep dips to build strength in your shoulders, chest and arms. Building upper body strength will help when carrying heavy loads in a backpack. If you would like to take your workout into the gym, focus on weight machines or free weights to build strength in the same areas, using more resistance. Increase the weight approximately 10 percent each week and chart your progress in a journal or day planner.

Step 4
Complete three to five sets of 15 to 25 repetitions of sit-ups. Use your body weight as resistance in the beginning. As your abdominal muscles get stronger, try holding a 2 or 4 kg free weight against your chest for more resistance. Alternate abdominal muscle exercises with lower back strengthening exercises. Begin by lying on the floor with your hands clasped behind your neck. Slowly lift your chest off of the floor and hold for 10 seconds. Complete three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.

Step 5
Climb stairs or a series of short steps to begin strengthening the quadriceps in your legs. Begin by taking one step at at time, then increase it to two or three steps, each stride. Climbing stairs is a great way to build muscular strength and endurance. When you reach the top of the stairs, turn around and walk down, slowly bending your knees. By walking down stairs, you build "negative" muscle strength that is important for many types of outdoor activities like snow skiing and trekking. For more of a challenge, try wearing ankle weights or holding 500g to 2 kg hand weights in each hand.

Step 6
Spend at least 10 minutes cooling down and re-hydrating after each workout. Alternate strength training workout days with aerobic fitness days.

Tips & Warnings
Devote at least three days a week to strength training. Let your body rest at least one day a week.
Be careful not to increase resistance until your body is ready. Avoid securing your feet while doing sit-ups.

Choose a Water Bottle

Carrying an appropriate amount of water when you exercise is a healthy practice that everyone should do. While you could simply purchase bottled water, and never worry about having your own water bottle, this creates unnecessary waste and costs more money. Purchasing a water bottle is a low-impact, inexpensive solution.

Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate

Step 1
Get the right size. Remember that the main purpose of buying a water bottle is to carry enough water to keep you hydrated during work-outs. If you have a water source nearby, such as in the home or at a gym, the size of the bottle isn't as big of a concern. However, if you're walking, running or hiking where you won't be able to fill your water bottle, you'll want to get a large enough bottle. Decide the size bottle you need based on the length and intensity of your average workout. Water bottles come in a variety of sizes including 1, 2, 5 and 10 Litres.

Step 2
Consider whether you prefer a squeezable water bottle or a rigid bottle. Squeezable bottles are good for activities like running and biking where you might prefer to squeeze the water into your mouth, but they can add a bit of taste to the water. They are durable when it comes to drops and the only worry is a potential puncture. Rigid bottles tend to add less taste to the water; however, they may dent or crack when dropped.

Step 3
Choose the right material. Rigid water bottles come in a number of different materials including aluminum, stainless steel, high density polyethylene (semi-rigid) and copolyester (Tritan). Avoid bottles composed of polycarbonate, which contains the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) i.e the Cool drink pet bottles. Some companies now label their bottles BPA-Free, so there's no mistaking them. Metal bottles are the most durable option but these can transfer the cold temperature of your water to your hand more than plastic bottles.

Step 4
Purchase a bottle that will be easy to carry. Whether you're using a backpack or carrying the bottle by hand, make sure that the shape and size of the water bottle make it convenient to carry.

Step 5
Consider if you'll want to pack the bottle with ice. If so, you'll want to make sure that the neck is large enough to fit ice cubes through. If not, you'll need to use crushed ice or forego ice altogether.

Step 6
Consider the drinking valve. A good, strong valve that securely locks will help prevent any leakage. Make sure the valve is wide enough and provides optimal flow. A bite valve is another option that is easy to get open on-the-fly. However, bite valves may experience leaking issues after time, if they don't include a locking mechanism.

Step 7
Check for any additional details. Having measurements on the side of your water bottle can be a handy way of tracking your water intake and measuring the water for other purposes like campground cooking.

Tips & Warnings
For longer hikes or trips where you'd need to carry a very large water bottle or risk running out of water, consider purchasing a hydration pack. Hydration packs generally carry much more water than bottles (as much as 25 Litre) and are easy to carry and use. Consider purchasing a backpack or belt pack with mesh water bottle holder(s) for easy carrying.