Tour package for nature lovers

The Visakhapatnam division of the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Limited is introducing an innovative eco-tourism package for nature lovers. The package includes 5-6 km trekking and one-night stay in the thick forest here.

P Jeevan Prasad, APTDC divisional manager, said the package was designed keeping in view the nature lovers.

The tour will start every Saturday morning at Visakhapatnam and reach the Maredumilli (East Godavari agency area) jungle camp in the evening.

Tourists will return to Visakhapatnam from Maredumilli by 9 pm on Sunday via Rajahmundry and Annavaram after trekking. "We have set up 13 tent houses in the Maredumilli forest area to accommodate about 35-39 tourists," he added.

A visit to Annavaram temple, 650-acre nursery for conservation of medicinal plants and river cruise by houseboat at Rajahmundry are also included in the tour package, according to Prasad.

The Visakhapatnam division of APTDC, which conducts nine package tours, earned about Rs 4 crore revenue during the last fiscal and is expecting more than Rs 4.5 crore through package tours during the current year, he said.