Sri Venkateswara National Park, Tirupati: History, highlights and visitor guide

History and context

The story behind Sri Venkateswara National Park

The area was declared a national park in September 1989 and covers about 353 square kilometres across the Seshachalam hills. In 2010 the Government of India designated the Seshachalam hills a biosphere reserve, and the national park forms part of it.

Elephants returned to the area in 1984, and a herd entered the Chamala valley in 1993. The park is managed by the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department.

Useful facts

Sri Venkateswara National Park facts at a glance

Location

Seshachalam hills, Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh

Experience type

Forest and waterfall day outing

Known for

Talakona, Gundalakona and Gunjana waterfalls

Established

September 1989; area about 353 sq km

Elevation

About 150 to 1,130 metres

Visitor note

Fees, hours and safari status are not firmly published; confirm locally

Why it matters

Why Sri Venkateswara National Park is worth your time

The park protects one of the better-preserved patches of Eastern Ghats forest in southern Andhra Pradesh. It was established in September 1989 and the Seshachalam hills were declared a biosphere reserve in 2010. About 1,500 flowering plant species have been recorded, including red sanders, sandalwood and the endemic cycad Cycas beddomei, and the white-backed vulture is among the birds recorded here.

For a visitor it also gives context to Tirupati. The temples sit on a forested range that is under pressure from quarrying, construction, forest fires and road building, so the park is as much about water and hill ecology as about scenery. A morning here balances the temple schedule with something quiet.

Highlights

What not to miss

1. 01

   Talakona waterfall

   The best-known spot: a tall cascade near the Siddheswara Swamy temple, strongest after the monsoon.

2. 02

   Forest drive

   Dry deciduous forest and valleys give a cooler, greener contrast to the temple town.

3. 03

   Birds and small wildlife

   Over 170 bird species are recorded, and monkeys, squirrels and deer are the usual sightings.

Plan your visit

How to experience it

Treat the park as a forest outing with one or two fixed stops. Most visitors head to Talakona, a waterfall of roughly 270 feet near the Siddheswara Swamy temple, reached through a checkpoint a few kilometres before the falls where fees are collected. Hire a car and driver from Tirupati, leave by mid-morning and plan to be back before dark.

The habitat is mostly dry deciduous forest with moister patches in the valleys, ranging from about 150 to 1,130 metres. The park supports leopard, sloth bear, sambar, spotted deer and a small elephant population, plus around 178 bird species, but visitors on the standard routes see monkeys, squirrels and birds far more often than large mammals. Do not leave marked paths, feed animals or swim where signs forbid it.

Water levels change a great deal through the year, so ask your hotel or the forest staff whether Talakona is flowing before you commit a full day. The Tirumala hills belong to the same Seshachalam range, so you will also see this forest from the roads up to the temple.

Know before you go

Timing, access and comfort

Area

Seshachalam hills; Talakona falls inside the park are roughly 55 to 65 km by road from Tirupati

Time needed

Half to full day including travel

Best time

After the monsoon, roughly October to February; waterfalls are weakest in the dry summer

Walking level

Moderate

Senior comfort

The drive is long and the forest tracks and waterfall paths involve uneven ground and some steps. Shade and seating are limited, and facilities are basic, so older travellers should keep to the easier viewpoints and carry water.

Tickets and access

Entry at the park checkpoints is charged, but current fees and hours are not published; ask the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department or the Tirupati district tourism office. Wildlife safaris at Talakona were reported as discontinued, so do not plan around one.

Plan it with

FAQs