Golkonda Fort

• Golconda Fort is a major attraction of Hyderabad. Trek to the top on an October morning is heavenly. The whole city is visible.
• Take as little baggage as possible. Take water and some food. The top of fort is a huge terrace where one can sit and relax for hours.
• A digression from main path will take you to one of the edges from where view of the city is uninterrupted. Steep fall below and chill air with the landscape in front is a view to behold.

We visited Golkonda Fort first thing in the morning. Still it was 11. Thanks to the incessant rainfall for last four days, the air will chilly and there was ample greenry around. In front of us was the grand Golkonda, famous for its sound system.

Golkonda Fort

So many cities in India are built around forts - Gwalior, Delhi, Jaisalmer - each more charming that the previous one. Golkonda, at the heart of Hyderabad, is in the same league. It is less commercialised and more organised than others. Wooden elevated path is built to help during rainy season. The trek is not that long which adds to the charm.

View from the base, Golkonda Fort

We started quickly and reached the top in half hour thanks to awesome weather. The view of city was supplemented by bright sky and lush green surroundings. We bought a bottle of water and climbed the final stairs to the terrace. The terrace at the top is huge. We sat and enjoyed the cool breeze and a steady flow of tourists.

View from top, Golkonda Fort

There is another route to come down and we took it. This path is closer to the city and is wider. There are several paths that unofficially go to the edge of the fort for a better and uninterrupted view of Hyderabad. In no time we were back at the base of fort. At the gates we enjoyed a flock of pigeons being fed on the lush green grass maintained by the fort management.

At the gates, Golkonda Fort

We took a cab for Salar Jung Museum from here. The museum boasts of artwork on ivory and a huge collection of paintings from pre-independence era. Our plan was to take of tour and then settle for a famous restaurant for late lunch before starting for airport.