Kambalakonda Eco Tourism Park
Kambalakonda Park provides the ideal setting to experience both nature and adventure sports. There are trekking trails and boating activities available here.
From Visakhapatnam, buses, auto rickshaws, and private cabs can reach the sanctuary at minimal costs. Entry fees also remain reasonable.
Trekking Trails
Kambalakonda Eco Tourism Park has seen renewed activity this summer following its reopening and pandemic-induced closure last fall. Situated close to Vizianagaram on National Highway 5, just opposite Indira Gandhi Zoological Park on National Highway 5, this part of Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary.
The forest department recently gave the reserve forest in South Island, New Zealand, a facelift, with newly opened trekking trails in the park to offer visitors the thrill of wild adventure. They’ve also introduced boating facilities so visitors can experience boating rides along scenic reservoir views while admiring wildlife such as deer, sambars, and emus that frequent this paradise for nature lovers and birdwatchers.
Trekking through dense green forests and encountering wildlife in their natural environments is an unforgettable experience for any tourist. Hiring a local guide who knows where the animals reside is strongly suggested, as this can ensure you see everything possible.
The Wildlife Park has three trekking tracks, including a newly developed 3-kilometer route. Forest authorities have taken great strides to improve these paths for tourists’ comfort by adding bamboo frames at selfie spots, canteen services, ropewalk, zipliner, and Burma bridge facilities.
Trekkers will find well-kept trekking trails that offer a safe environment in which to trek. While hiking along these paths, you may see plants and animals such as chals, sambars, and anteaters. In addition, reptile species such as Russell’s viper, Indian cobra, and chameleon reside here – plus over 100 bird species make the forest home!
Adventure Sports
Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary is an idyllic destination that offers adventure sports activities for visitors near Visakhapatnam. Home to numerous animal and plant species, this park is the perfect environment for Zoology and Botany students, researchers, and tourists looking to experience nature for themselves. Furthermore, this park provides tourists with an exciting wildlife park experience and provides them with some time alone in nature.
Kambalakonda offers many activities for visitors to enjoy, such as trekking trails and boating. The wildlife park also serves as an excellent spot for bird watching; it is home to deer, peacocks, leopards, paintball, archery, and camping facilities available inside its borders. Private operators are available within Kambalakonda to offer such services to guests.
Redevelopment efforts of the park are being conducted under three principles: non-compromise on the unique ecosystem, sustainable operations for community use rather than profiteering, and identification of features that can be enhanced without altering the forest ecosystem. Redevelopment work is being completed using a grant of Rs 12 crore from the World Bank.
Redevelopment works are expected to be complete by March 2020, and authorities have set an ambitious target of welcoming 4 lakh visitors by then. The renovated park will offer more adventure sports and other attractions to its guests, including herbal gardens, wetland rejuvenation projects, training center renovation, and clearing away invasive Acacia auriculiformis plants that have overtaken native species, adding diversity to the park itself.
Bird Watching
Kambalakonda offers visitors an excellent opportunity for bird-watching. The reserve forest hosts abundant species and has a well-maintained nature trail for easy spotting of rarer ones. Furthermore, there is also a wildlife sanctuary on-site, offering panoramic views.
This sanctuary is known for its wide variety of flora, which features tropical dry deciduous forests and rolling hills with teak, sandalwood, eucalyptus, and cashew plants, as well as several saline water bodies that serve as breeding grounds for marine organisms.
Bird-watching aside, this park also offers many other attractions for visitors. These include ropewalks, zip lines, Burma bridges, and canteens for their enjoyment. Furthermore, it houses an environmental education center that educates people on conservation and preservation and hosts environmental camps for kids and adults.
The Kambalakonda Eco Tourism Park is at Q8CR+MH9 in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 531173, India, only 3.89 kilometers from Siripuram railway station. APSRTC buses, autorickshaws, and private cabs provide easy transportation access.
Early morning in the park is an ideal spot for bird-watching, with birdsong soothing your soul and helping to relax you. The reserve forest contains various bird species, including hornbills, peafowls, and woodpeckers. There’s even a beautiful water tank (reservoir) in the middle that adds beauty and charm – take a boat ride through it to experience its serenity!
Boating
Vizag City boasts an exquisite park as an excellent outdoor venue for nature enthusiasts and family outings. Nestled amid abundant migratory birds and boasting a beautiful reservoir, Vizag Park makes an ideal spot for restful and serene getaways for nature enthusiasts and family outings.
One of the best places in the city for spending an enjoyable and peaceful day away from city hustle and bustle, this park provides activities like trekking, boating (post-monsoon season only), zip lining, etc, as well as having a cafeteria with food options available for purchase.
The Sanctuary is home to various animals, such as spotted deer and sambar deer. Additionally, birdwatchers flock here yearly; over 130 species visit annually!
To meet the needs of tourists, park authorities have developed various viewpoints, boating facilities, picnic spots, wooden machans, and three pagodas as elevated platforms to enable visitors to truly appreciate this sanctuary’s sublime beauty.
Park visitors can enjoy boating on the small lake at a nominal fee while getting close to wildlife as they move through its waters.
The park is open daily from 6 AM to 4 PM and charges Rs 150 per person in groups of 10. Each group’s guide is also included to accompany them while inside the sanctuary.
Kambalakonda Eco Tourism Park can be found at Q8CR+MH9, Visakhapatnam, AP – 531173. It is located 3.89 kilometers from Siripuram railway station and has earned an average rating of 4.20 out of 5 based on 34 visitor reviews. Vizag Airport is approximately 14km away and may offer flights connecting directly with Kambalakonda Eco Tourism Park.
Burma Bridge
The Burma Bridge is a landmark attraction across India and can be seen on trekking expeditions, adding excitement and adrenaline. Additionally, it is used by the Indian Army as part of military training exercises, helping develop coordination, interaction, trust between participants, and teamwork skills. Furthermore, corporate team-building practices often utilize this site.
The Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary, conveniently situated close to the city, provides nature enthusiasts with an ideal place to enjoy nature. The forest here boasts an abundance of flora and fauna – rare species have even been discovered! Visitors to this area can explore it further by hiking trails through its forest or boating across its lake in the sanctuary.
Tourists visiting this park can engage in many adventure sports such as rappelling and ziplining, hiking trails used by mountain climbers, bird watching (you might spot rare and exotic species like deer and sambar), bird photography and bird spotting (it may even be possible to spot rare and exotic birds here!). Also available here are bird-feeding facilities.
Visitors to the Park near the River Kwai can travel by train from Kanchanaburi or Nam Tok, visiting its iconic Bridge on the River Kwai and Hellfire Pass and Wampo viaduct, two key landmarks that continue to serve trains today. Each November, during World War II’s bombing campaign, this bridge explodes in a sound and light show commemorating its destruction.