| lambasingi Valley | |
| Settlement Type: | Hill Station |
| Nickname: | Andhra Kashmir |
| Pushpin Map: | India Andhra Pradesh |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Coordinates: | 18.3333°N 82.8667°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Andhra Pradesh |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Alluri Sitharama Raju district |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Elevation M: | 910 |
| Population Total: | 56,674 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Telugu |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Postal Code Type: | PIN |
| Postal Code: | 531 149 |
| Area Code Type: | Telephone code |
| Area Code: | 08936 |
| Registration Plate Type: | Vehicle Registration |
| Registration Plate: | AP31 (Former) AP39 (from 30 January 2019)[1] |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Vidhan Sabha constituency |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | Araku Valley |
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | Lok Sabha constituency |
| Blank2 Info Sec1: | Araku |
Araku Valley is a hill station in Alluri Sitharama Raju district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, lying 111 km west of Visakhapatnam city. It is a valley in the Eastern Ghats inhabited by different tribes, mainly Araku Tribes.
Araku is located in the Eastern Ghats about from Visakhapatnam, close to the Odisha state border. The Anantagiri and Sunkarimetta Reserved Forest, which are part of Araku Valley, are rich in biodiversity and are mined for bauxite.[2] Galikonda hill rising to a height of 5000feet is amongst the highest peaks in Andhra Pradesh. The average rainfall is, the bulk of which is received during June–October.[3] The altitude is about 1300 m above the sea level. The valley spreads around 36 km. [4]
Coffee was introduced in Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh in 1898 by British in Pamuleru valley in East Godavari district. Subsequently, it spread over to Araku Valley in the early 19th century. After independence, the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department developed coffee plantations in the valley.[5] In 1956, Coffee Board appointed Andhra Pradesh Girijan Cooperative Corporation Limited (GCC) for promoting coffee plantations in the valley through local tribal farmers. In 1985, the plantations were handed to A.P. Forest Development Corporation and GCC promoted Girijan Coop. Plantation Development Corporation (GCPDC) exclusively to develop coffee plantations in tribal areas. All the plantations developed by GCC and GCPDC were handed over to the tribal farmers at two acres per family.[6] Apiculture farms have been widely spread in Araku, several types of flavoured honey is being made commercially.(Araku is famous for bamboo chicken)
Araku is connected through both rail and road to Visakhapatnam. Araku railway station is located on the Kothavalasa-Kirandul railway line of Visakhapatnam division of the East Coast Railway, on the Indian Railways network.RTC Buses to Visakhapatnam every half an hour.
Many Telugu films including Happy Days, Katha, Darling, Life Is Beautiful, Parugu[7] and RRR[8] were shot in Araku.