The dawn unfolds gradually, and a golden horizon pops into view as the sun rises from the midst of dense, wispy clouds. The morning is cool and crisp, and every sense is heightened as one witnesses the dreamlike cascade of clouds billow like a river. The sun rises over the cleaving of two hills and soon you find yourself standing above a veritable abode of clouds, which float like sea waves would, under the influence. Soon, the mountain tops reveal themselves, leaving you to behold the canvas of a beautiful morning.
Rising 3,400 feet above Mean Sea Level (MSL), the Vanjangi hills unfold one of the most beautiful sunrises. They get their name from a village near Paderu in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, in Visakhapatnam district. The beautiful Vanjangi is attracting mountain lovers, and promises an experience to last a lifetime.
This newly discovered hill haven has already earned the moniker, Megha Samudram, or the ocean of clouds. And the naming seems quite appropriate, too, since never have tourists witnessed an assemblage of clouds at such an altitudes, every beautiful morning. The golden light tinting the cloud cover as it floats endlessly, is breathtaking.
The unmatched beauty of the Eastern Ghats, the magical dance of clouds and the cascading river of fog and mist will take your breath away. The natural event is best seen during the winter months from December to January. Between 5 am and 6 am when the sun rises, the scene is spectacular and magical as the sea of clouds slowly reveal the morning glory. The temperature during winter drops to 15 degrees Celsius, making it pleasant to be outdoor and experience nature’s beauty.
The majestic views from the Vanjangi hills was something unheard of until a few years ago. The place shot to fame after trekkers and nature lovers, ecstatic about their discovery, shared their experience on social media. And, now nature lovers are thronging the hill station.
The sparsely populated village suddenly saw an incredible increase in the numbers of trekkers and population that flock the hill point to view the resplendence of the clouds, which is something that might also become a concern in future and cause problems such as overcrowding and pollution, something that hill stations in India are already grappling with.
While uncontrolled footfall and little administrative control can often turn such beautiful destinations into plastic dumps left by irresponsible travellers, the locals are hopeful that government intervention will help with responsible tourism. This will help preserve the place as well as give employment to the locals.
Nevertheless, Vanjangi is fast coming up as a hot new tourist destination, a weekend getaway for Visakhapatnam residents.
Andhra Pradesh’s other beautiful places --- Vizag, Paderu and Araku -– are near Vanjangi hills. Araku is around 50 kms from Vanjangi and just 44 kms from Paderu. It takes about a three-hour drive from Visakhapatnam to reach the vantage point as it is around 100 kms from the city and 6 kms from Paderu village. Embark on a five-kilometre walk through the forest in the wee hours of the morning to reach the hilltop in time for sunrise.
The small town of Anakapalle is the nearest railway station, around 80 kms from Vanjangi. You will easily get Andhra Pradesh State Transport buses to Paderu, G. Madugula, and V. Madugula which all near Vanjangi. You can hire a car from any of these places and reach Vanjangi. Visakhapatnam railway station is the major rail network, which is connected to all major cities across India.
