Papikondalu

Papikondalu, the Papi Hills, is the stretch where the Godavari cuts through a ridge of the Eastern Ghats. Above the Polavaram dam the river runs between steep, wooded slopes, and in places the hills close in on both banks. The name is often traced to papidi, Telugu for a parting, because the range seems to part the river. The hills fall in Polavaram and Eluru districts.

Much of the range lies within Papikonda National Park, which covers about 1,013 sq km. The usual way to see it is by boat. Day cruises leave the Gandi Pochamma temple boat point in Devipatnam mandal. They run upstream through the gorge and back, with a stop at Perantalapalli, a riverside village with an ashram and a Shiva shrine. Tickets usually include breakfast and lunch on board. Boats do not run when the river is high.