Undavalli Caves in Vijayawada - History, Timings and Attractions

Undavalli Caves are ancient four-story rock-cut caves dating back to the 4th and 5th century AD located in Undavalli village of Guntur District in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Undavalli Caves

Undavalli Caves Info:

Location	Penumaka - Vijayawada Rd, Near Prakasam Barrage
Date Built	4th to 5th A.D.
Architecture	Indian Rock-cut
Attraction	Lord Vishnu as Padmanabha in reclining position
Timings	Daily: Morning 9:00 AM to Evening 5:30 PM
Pincode	522501

These caves are located just 10 km south-west of Vijayawada, near Prakasam Barrage, which connects Krishna and Guntur districts. These caves are located on the banks of Krishna River.

These ancient rock-cut cave temples are carved out of a hill of sandstone and are located at a distance of 35 km from the city of Guntur.

These protected cave monuments are associated with Vishnukundina kings and were once used by the Buddhist monks as their resting places.

Also Read: Vijayawada Kanaka Durga Temple

This is an ideal place to go with kids, hangout with family members and friends.

Official language spoken at Undavalli is Telugu. Archaeological Survey of India is managing these caves.

About Undavalli Caves:

Undavalli Caves are a good example of monolithic rock-cut architecture of the Buddhists in India.

These four-story rocky caves were dedicated to Anantha Padmanabha (Lord Vishnu) and Narasimha Swamy.

The first floor abode resembles the Jain-style architecture with a carved Vihara and contains the Buddhist artworks.

On this same floor are the sculptures of Trimurti Gods - Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma.

On the second floor you will find the 20 foot long Lord Vishnu statue in the reclining position resting on a serpent, also called Ananta is sculpted out of a single granite block.

This idol is very similar to Padmanabhaswamy from Thiruvananthapuram and visitors offer prayer to this idol.

The elephant statue on the walls is the main attraction on this floor.

Many sculptures on these floor walls show Vaishnava deities and contain the carved sculptures of Lord Shiva and Vaishnava Alvars.

The third floor houses the statues of saints whose identity is unknown.

You can view the Krishna River, lush green surroundings and beautiful hills as you reach the top of the caves on the last floor.

During the descent a nice walkway is present which leads to another small cave. Downward steps are present from here to reach the entrance garden where you can sit and take some rest.

Chairs are placed in many places, which is very useful for older people to take some rest while climbing the caves.

Brief History of Undavalli Caves:

These caves were once used by the Buddhist monks as their resting place during the monsoon season and are associated with Vishnukundina dynasty kings ruling from 420-620 AD.

Later, these caves were converted into Hindu temples.

Entrance Fee:

There is an entrance fee that you have to take at the booking counter. There is no fee for the children of 15 years age and below.

The price varies over the time and there is a separate fee for foreign visitors.

You can carry mobile phones for free, but digital cameras are being charged.

There is an entrance fee for this caves. The price varies over time and there is a separate fee for foreign visitors.

You have to pay some money if you want to use your digital cameras, but there are no costs for smartphones.

Best Time to Visit:

Best time to visit Undavalli caves is between October and February, when the climate is cool and pleasant.

Nearby Cave Attractions in Vijayawada:

1. 🌻 Moghalrajpuram Caves
2. 🌼 Akkanna Madanna Caves
3. 🌻 Sitanagaram Caves

Nearby Attractions:

1. 🔆 Bhavani Island
2. 🔆 Kondapalli Fort
3. 🔆 Prakasam Barrage
4. 🔆 Amaravathi Temple
5. 🔆 Gandhi Hill, Vijayawada
6. 🔆 Bapu Museum (Formerly: Victoria Jubilee Museum)
7. 🔆 Kanaka Durga Temple
8. 🔆 Mangalagiri
9. 🔆 Sri Subrahmanya Swami Temple, Vijayawada

Undavalli Caves Timings:

Morning 9:00 AM to Evening 5:30 PM on all weekdays.

How to Reach:

By Road: 🚌

The best way to reach Undavalli caves is by road and APSRTC offers frequent buses from Guntur, Vijayawada and Amaravathi.

Undavalli village is connected to Vijayawada via Vijayawada-Amaravati road.

By Rail: 🚂

Vijayawada Junction station (station code: BZA) is the nearby train station to reach the Undavalli caves at a distance of about 6.8 km.

By Air: ✈️

Airport Vijayawada (IATA: VGA, ICAO: VOBZ) at Gannavaram is the nearby airport at a distance of about 27 km from the Undavalli caves.

Facilities at Undavalli Caves:

There is drinking water facility available at the booking counter and toilet facilities available at south side of booking counter.

There is no separate parking available, but you can safely park your vehicles on the side of the road at the entrance to the caves.

Undavalli Caves Route Map:

Undavalli Caves Video:

Author Note:

Don't miss visiting Undavalli Caves when you are in either Vijayawada or Guntur.

After visiting Undavalli caves, you can take a boat ride through the Krishna River from the nearby Prakasam Barrage operated by APCRDA.