Telangana Tourism has been on an overdrive to add more diversity to its tourism assets. Endowed with several water bodies, lakes and rivers, the state tourism department of India’s youngest state has been eyeing several related projects to cultivate new segments of interest for the discerning traveller. One of such projects, expected to attract tourists, was launched recently. The Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam cruise trip has been formally thrown open. The move comes after Nagarjunasagar received heavy inflows in the past few months. The newly launched trip spans across 110 kilometres in the Krishna river and will cover the picturesque Nallamalla forest area.
The two-day sojourn would commence in Hyderabad on Wednesdays and Saturdays, also allowing devotees to visit the famed Srisailam temple. Tourists would then be taken to Nagarjunasagar, where they would board the cruise and visit the Nagajunakonda Museum. After lunch arrangements, tourists would be accommodated in the state guesthouse. The following day itinerary includes darshan at the Mallikarjunaswamy temple and the journey back to Hyderabad. While the entire package is expected to cost INR 3,800 per person, tourists would have the option of opting for cruise only packages.
Cruise and River tourism has gained significance in the past few years, as the larger industry has been eager to tap India’s water resources that are yet unharnessed. The Draft Tourism Policy also has enlisted several progressive measures pertaining to coastal regulation. Telangana tourism’s efforts must be lauded and other states rife with water bodies and similar potential must emulate these measures in the right earnest.