Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana, a 16th-century Qutb Shahi city of pearls, palaces, and biryani that is now also one of India's biggest technology and film-making hubs. Charminar and the Laad Bazaar bangle lanes, Golconda Fort, and the Nizams' Chowmahalla Palace sit within a short ride of the glass towers of Hitech City.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Ramoji Film City
A sprawling studio and theme-park complex east of Hyderabad with film sets, gardens, stage shows and rides, listed as one of the world's largest integrated film studio sites.
Highlights: Tour bus loop through the working film sets and replica streets · Stage shows and live performances scheduled through the day · Landscaped gardens and themed zones across the complex · Rides and attractions suited to families and children
Bhongir Fort
An 11th-century Chalukyan hill fort built on a single egg-shaped granite monolith about 610 metres high, with a climb of several hundred steps and views over the Deccan plain.
Highlights: Climb the several hundred steps up a 610-metre egg-shaped granite monolith · 11th-century Chalukyan fort gateways, tanks and fortifications · Panoramic summit views across the Deccan plain and Bhongir town · Easy add-on with the Yadagirigutta temple nearby
Yadagirigutta (Yadadri) Temple
The main Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple of Telangana, rebuilt in black granite in 2022 on a hill with a large complex of shrines, gardens and an approach road.
Highlights: Rebuilt black granite Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, reopened in 2022 · Carved pillars and sculpted panels across the hilltop shrine complex · Free general darshan or paid special darshan for shorter waits · Hill gardens and viewpoints around the temple
Medak Cathedral and Fort
Home to one of Asia's largest churches, the 1924 CSI Medak Cathedral with a 100-foot-wide vault and stained glass, and the 12th-century Kakatiya hill fort above the town.
Highlights: 1924 CSI Medak Cathedral with a 100-foot-wide vault and stained glass · 12th-century Kakatiya hill fort with gateways and ramparts · Views over the town and the surrounding plain from the fort · Green country lanes on the drive during the monsoon
Ananthagiri Hills, Vikarabad
A forested hill range and the source of the Musi river, with a Vishnu temple, short jungle trails and viewpoints that make it Hyderabad's favourite quick nature break.
Highlights: Forested hill range regarded as the source of the Musi river · Sri Ananthapadmanabha Swamy Vishnu temple with free entry · Short jungle trails leading to forest viewpoints · Green landscapes during the monsoon and cool season
Warangal and Ramappa Temple
The Kakatiya capital with a ruined fort of ornate stone gateways, the 12th-century Thousand Pillar Temple and, nearby, the Ramappa Temple with its floating bricks and dancer sculptures.
Highlights: Warangal Fort's Kakatiya arches and ornate stone gateways · 12th-century Thousand Pillar Temple at Hanamkonda · Ramappa Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021 · Floating bricks and dancer sculptures at Ramappa
Bidar Fort and Bahmani Tombs
A walled Bahmani-era fortress city with a triple moat, Persian tiled palaces and grand royal tombs, known for Bidri metalwork and one of the least-visited great forts of the Deccan.
Highlights: Bidar Fort with its triple moat, Rangin Mahal and Solah Khamba Mosque · Tarkash Mahal and Persian-style tiled palace remains · Bahmani Tombs at Ashtur, grand domed royal tombs · Madrasa Mahmud Gawan and local Bidri metalwork workshops
Nagarjuna Sagar and Nagarjunakonda
One of the world's largest masonry dams on the Krishna river, with the Buddhist Nagarjunakonda island museum and lakeside views south of Hyderabad.
Highlights: One of the world's largest masonry dams on the Krishna river · Launch ride to Nagarjunakonda island across the reservoir · Buddhist museum with sculptures and reconstructed ruins · Gates releasing water after the monsoon
Srisailam Mallikarjuna Temple
A Jyotirlinga and Shakti Peetha hill shrine on the Krishna river in the Nallamala forest, with the dam and reservoir below.
Highlights: Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga and Bhramaramba Shakti Peetha shrine complex · Drive through the Nallamala forest and Amrabad Tiger Reserve · Srisailam dam viewpoint over the Krishna reservoir · Pathala Ganga ropeway towards the river
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Telangana Tourism and private operators sell day tours to Ramoji Film City, Nagarjuna Sagar and Warangal, typically from ₹1,000-2,500 (~$10-26) per person for shared coach trips; Telangana Tourism books at tourism.telangana.gov.in.
- Private
- A car with driver costs about ₹2,500-3,500 (~$26-36) for a half-day run, ₹5,500-9,000 (~$57-94) for a full day to Warangal, Bidar or Nagarjuna Sagar, and ₹8,000-11,000 (~$83-115) for a Srisailam run. Tolls and driver allowance are usually extra.
- Public
- TGSRTC buses from MGBS, Jubilee Bus Station and Uppal reach every destination on this list. Fast trains from Secunderabad and Kacheguda serve Warangal, Bhongir and Bidar.
- Rental
- Self-drive rentals start around ₹2,000 (~$21) per day plus fuel. Traffic leaving Hyderabad is heavy on the Vijayawada and Warangal highways, and Bidar and Srisailam cross state lines.
Multi-day tours from Hyderabad
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from HyderabadWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Leave the city before 7am on weekends to avoid the heaviest traffic on the Vijayawada and Warangal highways
Book reserved trains on IRCTC as soon as bookings open; Warangal expresses fill on weekends
Yadagirigutta and Srisailam have long temple queues on weekends and festival days
Srisailam and Bidar are best as long or overnight trips
October to February is the practical season for every trip; summer highs can reach 42 degrees Celsius
Carry photo ID for train travel and monument ticket counters
Bidar and Srisailam lie outside Telangana, so rental cars need the correct interstate permit