Horsley Hills is a little hill station above Madanapalle, named after W.D. Horsley, the British collector who built a summer home here around 1870. It is cooler and greener than the dry country around it, and the whole top can be walked in a short time: the Gali Bandalu wind rocks, the viewpoint behind the Governor's Bungalow, the forest environmental park with the Kalyani eucalyptus. The APTDC Haritha resort is the main place to stay. From Bengaluru it is a bus to Madanapalle and a short ride up; one night is enough, two if you add the Sompalle temple or Kaundinya.
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When to go
Travel guides give November to May as the best time, with February to May the peak, when people escape the 40°C plains below. On top, winter runs about 15-28°C and summer about 22-35°C. The monsoon brings mist and green slopes but little else to do outdoors. Weekends from Bengaluru are busiest.
Horsley Hills right now and the next 7 days
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Horsley Hills on the map
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The area
Getting there
Places to see
Day trips
Horsley Hills · Open in Google Maps ↗
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Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
Change anything and the numbers update. Every price is what the bus, room or ticket itself costs. We take no commission and sell no packages, so this is what you pay booking each piece yourself.
Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Prices last updated 27 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book. Spot a wrong price? Tell us and we fix it.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Horsley Hills in 3 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Environmental Centre: park, small zoo and the Kalyani eucalyptus1 h 30 m · ₹10 each · Built round the forest resthouse; the Kalyani tree is about 40 m tall and around 150 years old. Entry was ₹10 per adult in 2017 (Outlook); another guide gives the zoo as ₹20, 10 am-5 pm. Check at the gate.
- 13:00Lunch break
- 14:00Viewpoint behind the Governor's Bungalow1 h · free · Benches on a rocky slope; the sunset spot.
- 05:45Gali Bandalu (wind rocks)1 h · free · A windy granite slope with long views over the valley. Go for sunrise or sunset.
- 08:00Adventure activities (zip line, rappelling, archery)2 h · price to check · Run on the hilltop; reported at ₹100-500 per activity in 2017. Zorbing needs a day's notice and a group. Check current prices.
- 10:30Birdwatching walk2 h · free · More than 133 bird species are recorded here, including the yellow-throated bulbul. Early morning on the forest edges.
- 13:00Lunch break
- 08:00Day trip: Gangotri lakeHalf day · price to check · Taxi, on the way up or down (On the Madanapalle road)
- 13:00Lunch break
How to get to Horsley Hills
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Bus
₹173APSRTC non-AC from about ₹173 (AbhiBus listing). Several private AC sleepers run at night from ₹500-900. Book on the APSRTC site or at the stand.
AC bus
₹279APSRTC Indra AC seater listed from ₹279, a 9 am departure in the AbhiBus listing. Check the current timetable.
Bus Cheapest
₹169About 100 km. APSRTC from about ₹169-200 (ixigo and AbhiBus listings); buses from about 4:15 am to near midnight. The route if you combine the trip with Tirupati.
Bus or taxi Last leg
Check fareUp a ghat road. Direct buses leave from Madanapalle bus stand; ask there for times and fare. Taxis and jeeps wait in town; agree the price first. No confirmed fare found.
Getting around once you're there
On foot
FreeThe hilltop is small. The viewpoint is about 200 m from the bus stand and the Mallamma temple about 350 m.
Taxi or jeep from Madanapalle
Check priceNeeded for Gangotri lake, Sompalle or Kaigal falls. Local residents work as jeep drivers for tourists; fix the price before you go.
APSRTC bus
Check priceBetween Madanapalle and the hilltop. Cheap but infrequent; check the last bus down.
Where to stay in Horsley Hills
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Budget lodge in town
₹1,000/nightTravelTriangle lists Hotel Bhavani Residency from ₹1,000 (Sept 2024). Cheapest option, but you commute up and down the hill.
State resort, basic room
₹2,016/night₹1,800 + 12% GST = ₹2,016 per room on a reseller's copy of the APTDC tariff (undated). Weekends cost more. Book on tourism.ap.gov.in.
State resort, mid room
₹2,464/night₹2,200 + GST on the same reseller tariff. Four-bed Wind Fall rooms (₹3,696) suit families and groups.
Heritage bungalow room
₹4,704/night₹4,200 + GST for a deluxe AC room in the old Governor's Bungalow (reseller tariff, undated). The WD Horsley suite is ₹8,008.
What to eat, and what it costs
Andhra vegetarian meals in Madanapalle
₹200New Gongura Restaurant (pure veg) is listed at about ₹400 for two (TravelTriangle, Nov 2024).
Andhra family restaurant, veg or non-veg
₹400Andhra Spice and Nagarjuna in Madanapalle are listed at ₹400-800 for two.
Haritha restaurant on the hilltop
Check priceOn the hill this is often the only option outside weekends and high season. Prices not published; eat or buy snacks in Madanapalle if you are on a tight budget.
Things to do in Horsley Hills
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Gali Bandalu (wind rocks)
FreeA windy granite slope with long views over the valley. Go for sunrise or sunset.
Environmental Centre: park, small zoo and the Kalyani eucalyptus
₹10Built round the forest resthouse; the Kalyani tree is about 40 m tall and around 150 years old. Entry was ₹10 per adult in 2017 (Outlook); another guide gives the zoo as ₹20, 10 am-5 pm. Check at the gate.
Viewpoint behind the Governor's Bungalow
FreeBenches on a rocky slope; the sunset spot.
Adventure activities (zip line, rappelling, archery)
Check priceRun on the hilltop; reported at ₹100-500 per activity in 2017. Zorbing needs a day's notice and a group. Check current prices.
Birdwatching walk
FreeMore than 133 bird species are recorded here, including the yellow-throated bulbul. Early morning on the forest edges.
Day trips and next stops
Gangotri lake
Check fareTaxi, on the way up or down
Chennakesava Temple, Sompalle (ASI)
Check fareTaxi
Kaigal (Dumukurallu) falls
Check fareTaxi
Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary (elephants)
Check fareTaxi towards Palamaner
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- Weekend crowds from Bengaluru fill the resort. Book ahead for Friday and Saturday nights, or go midweek.
- On the hill the Haritha restaurant is often the only place to eat. Arrive with snacks and water if you come late.
- Resort and entry prices here come from resellers and old guides. Check the live APTDC tariff and the gate fees before you go.
Ways to spend less
- Take the APSRTC bus from Bengaluru (from about ₹173), not a cab, and pick up a local jeep in Madanapalle.
- Sleep on the hill, not in Madanapalle, so you are at Gali Bandalu for sunrise without a dawn ghat drive.
- The non-AC rooms are fine: the hilltop is cool year-round, and they cost less than half the Governor's Bungalow rooms.
Say it in Telugu
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Hindi and English work in towns.
The pronunciation is a simple guide, not a native recording. Spot a mistake? Tell us.
Before-you-go checklist
Horsley Hills in pictures
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Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Horsley Hills?
Jan–Feb, Nov–Dec is the best time. Travel guides give November to May as the best time, with February to May the peak, when people escape the 40°C plains below. On top, winter runs about 15-28°C and summer about 22-35°C. The monsoon brings mist and green slopes but little else to do outdoors. Weekends from Bengaluru are busiest.
How do I reach Horsley Hills?
Bus: Bengaluru → Madanapalle (APSRTC non-AC), About 4 h, about ₹173 one way. AC bus: Bengaluru → Madanapalle (APSRTC Indra AC), About 3 h 45 m, about ₹279 one way. Bus: Tirupati → Madanapalle (APSRTC), 2 h 30 m - 4 h, about ₹169 one way.
How much does a 3-day trip to Horsley Hills cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹3,300 on a shoestring, ₹4,800 mid-range or ₹10,500 in comfort over 3 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is bus (Tirupati → Madanapalle (APSRTC)) at about ₹169 each way.
How many days do you need in Horsley Hills?
3 days is right for most people. That covers Environmental Centre: park, small zoo and the Kalyani eucalyptus, Viewpoint behind the Governor's Bungalow, Gali Bandalu (wind rocks), Adventure activities (zip line, rappelling, archery) without rushing.
Is Horsley Hills good for families or solo travellers?
Horsley Hills works best for couples, groups, families.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Horsley Hills?
Easy. Andhra meals are rice, dal, sambar, vegetables and pickles, and Madanapalle has pure-vegetarian restaurants. Vegan is workable if you skip ghee and curd.
Will my phone and cards work in Horsley Hills?
Internet is poor on the hill. Download maps and tickets before you go up. The Haritha resort books and pays online through APTDC. Carry cash from Madanapalle. There is little to spend it on at the top, but small stalls and jeeps take cash or UPI.
Sources and last check
Checked 25 October 2026. Fees, hours and rules change, so confirm on the official site before you pay.
- gov.uk OfficialNo FCDO advice against travel for Andhra Pradesh
- en.wikipedia.orgMadanapalle taluka, Annamayya district; about 1,265-1,290 m; named after W.D. Horsley (~1870); 15-30°C; Gali Bandalu, viewpoint, Kalyani eucalyptus ~40 m; 133+ bird species incl. yellow-throated bulbul; locals work as jeep drivers
- trawell.in1,265 m; Madanapalle 27 km, Tirupati 128 km, Bangalore 166 km, BLR airport ~144 km, Madanapalle Road 27 km; best Nov-May, peak Feb-May; summer 22-35°C, winter 15-28°C; zoo ₹20 10 am-5 pm; Kalyani tree ~150 years; Sompalle 40 km, Kaundinya 106 km, Kaigal 92 km; direct buses from Madanapalle; poor internet
- trawell.inViewpoint 200 m from the bus stand
- outlookindia.comEnvironmental Centre ₹10 adults (children under 7 free); pool ₹100/h; adventure ₹100-500; Haritha restaurant often the only option (Feb 2017)
- ocean6holidays.comReseller copy of Haritha Horsley Hills tariff: Wind Knock non-AC ₹1,800+₹216, Whisper Winds ₹2,200+₹264, Wind Fall 4-bed ₹3,300+₹396, Governor Bungalow Deluxe AC ₹4,200+₹504, WD Horsley suite ₹7,150+₹858 (undated)
- aptourismhotels.inAPTDC partner site: Horsley Hills Haritha ₹1,400-5,600 per room; room blocks Governor Bungalow, Windfall, Whisper Winds, cottages
- traveltriangle.comHotel Bhavani Residency, opposite RTC stand, from ₹1,000; Sri Rama Residency ₹1,200 (updated Sept 2024)
- traveltriangle.comNew Gongura (pure veg) about ₹400 for two; Andhra Spice and Nagarjuna ₹400-800 for two (updated Nov 2024)
- abhibus.comAPSRTC Bangalore-Madanapalli non-AC from ~₹173; APSRTC Indra AC 09:00 dep ₹279+ (via search snippet; page 403 on fetch)
- abhibus.comPrivate AC sleepers Bangalore-Madanapalli from ₹500-1,190, night departures
- ixigo.comTirupati-Madanapalli fares from ₹169; 3-4 h (via search snippet)
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Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we sell nothing, take no commission, and every booking link goes straight to the provider. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 27 October 2026 · Photo: Shyamal · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · Photo: rajaraman sundaram · CC BY 3.0 · source · Photo: PJeganathan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: PJeganathan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: PJeganathan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
