Today’s blog is about the best places to visit and include in your 5-day Tirupati road trip guide.

I recently travelled to Tirupati and followed this itinerary. This 5-day Tirupati road trip guide is from Pune to Tirupati. However, if you’re coming to Tirupati via train or flight or are taking a road trip to Tirupati from cities other than Pune, you might need 2-3 days or more.

For instance, those travelling by flight can reach Tirupati within a few hours. They then have the entire day (in case you’re on the morning flight) to explore the city.

NOTE:- Refer to the itinerary from Day 2 onwards if you’re arriving in Tirupati by train or flight.

My 5-day Tirupati road trip guide includes travel days and time to explore Tirupati and Tirumala.

ROAD FROM PUNE TO TIRUPATI

I travelled from Pune to Tirupati. If you’re coming from another city, the route, distance and travel time might vary.

Pune is 1,119 kms from Tirupati, and it takes 20 hours to reach by road. I spent Rs. 3,200 on tolls for the round trip.

I left Pune at 3:30 a.m. and, at 7 p.m., decided to stop at Chittoor, 70 km from Tirupati. Due to the early start, I was able to reach as close to Tirupati as possible.

If you don’t want to start so early and aren’t willing to drive such long distances in one day, you can stop at Vijapur or Chitradurga. The highway passes from the outskirts of Bengaluru, so there are no hotels there. If you forgo staying at Chitradurga, the next city with good hotels is Chittoor.

The route:

Pune – Yavat – Bhigwan – Indapur – Tembhurni – Solapur bypass – Vijayapura – Almatti – Ilkal – Hospete – Chitradurga – Sira – Tumakuru – Dobbaspet – Hoskote – Kolar – Chittoor – Tirupati

The road conditions are excellent from Pune to Tirupati. Up to the Solapur bypass, the highways are bordered by towns on both sides, meaning traffic. You won’t encounter traffic if you pass through here before 9 a.m.

Pune to Tirupati is a 1½ day drive. It is a long route, but it is scenic.

5-DAY PUNE TO TIRUPATI ITINERARY

DAY 1

You’ll be spending the first day on the road. The goal is to cover as much distance between Pune and Tirupati as possible. So, get a head start by leaving early.

I began my journey from Pune to Tirupati at 3:30 a.m. The early hours mean less traffic. So you can cover the populated areas without delay.

I know! 3:30 a.m. is too early for most people, so I recommend getting on the road at your convenience. But try not to leave later than 6 a.m. Otherwise, you will get stuck in the traffic at Bhigwan and Solapur bypass.

TRAVEL TIP:- The only downside of starting early in the morning is that no restaurants are open. So, carry lots of snacks and water.

I stopped for breakfast in Almatti at 8:30 a.m. Restaurants were closed, so I had breakfast at a roadside stall. The owners were friendly and hospitable and served freshly prepared idlis, dosa, Puri bhaji and tea.

TRAVEL TIP:- There are no family-friendly restaurants beyond Vijayapura. However, there are plenty of dhabas along the route.

As you take the Chitradurga bypass, you’ll find plenty of restaurants for lunch. I stopped at “Hotel Sai Grand”. It was a pure vegetarian restaurant. The food was tasty, the premises were clean, and the service was quick.

The drive was long but scenic. My favourite part was the hills made of boulders. They remind me of an old Bollywood movie. The boulders portray nature’s artistic creativity.

After a long day of driving, I decided to stop at Chittoor. As a rule, my father doesn’t drive after 7 p.m. when travelling with family (for safety reasons), especially in an unknown area.

Your night stay will vary depending on how much distance you cover on the first day. Try to reach the big cities, namely Vijayapura, Ilkal, Chitradurga, or Chittoor.

DAY 2

After a hearty South Indian breakfast, it’s time to get on the road.

If you’ve covered a lot of distance the previous day, you can have a late start today.

I was in Chittoor, 76 km from Tirupati. So, I left the hotel late at 9 a.m. and reached Tirupati by 11:00 a.m.

Upon arriving in Tirupati, head to Sri Padmavati Ammavari temple because darshan takes 2-2½ hours.

That’s what I, too, did. It was 1:30 p.m. by the time I returned to the car.

After darshan, check in to your hotel. Then, head to lunch. A2B, Balaji restaurant and Green Meridian are good veg restaurants near Kapileswara Swamy temple.

The next temple on today’s agenda is Kapileswara Swamy temple. Head here after lunch because the temple closes at 4 p.m. and reopens at 4:30 p.m.

This beautiful temple is home to numerous shrines, including those of Lord Shiva, Vishnu and his wife Laxmi. Inside the temple is a kund where devotees bathe and swim.

Later, drive to Guddimallam temple, 23 km away. This temple is known to the locals and a few visitors. Therefore, there are little to no people here.

Guddimallam temple is a Shiva temple, unlike any other. The linga resembles erect male genitals.

After a quick darshan, it’s time to head to Sri Kalahasti temple, 29 km away.

The road from Guddimallam temple to Kalahasti is a beautiful single-lane road running through fields. However, I wouldn’t recommend it after dark.

Upon arriving at Kalahasti temple, quickly head to the darshan because evening darshan takes 1-2 hours.

After darshan, have dinner near the temple or back in Tirupati.

I’m sure you’re tired after all the exploring. So, after dinner, head to bed early.

DAY 3

Wake up early and head to Tirumala. It is a 30-minute drive to the top from the Sapthagiri Checkpoint.

NOTE:- Wondering how the darshan for Venkateswara Swamy (Balaji) temple works? Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Here’s my complete Balaji darshan guide.

After reaching Tirumala, you have two options. You can head directly to the Venkateswara Swamy temple for darshan or explore Tirumala first.

I had a Rs.300 darshan ticket, and my darshan was at 4 p.m. So, I had the entire day to explore.

Upon reaching Tirumala, have breakfast (if you haven’t yet). Several vendors and stalls sell freshly prepared idlis and dosas.

Next, head to Aakash Ganga. Park your vehicles on the roadside and walk down 50-60 steps.

Aakash Ganga comprises a small temple dedicated to Balandeva Swamy and Anjaneya Devi. Next to the temple is a small stream. Devotees crowd here to drink water from the holy stream.

Next, continue towards Papavinasam Teertha, 2.1 km away. Park your vehicles in the jungle and walk for 5 minutes to the temple.

Papanasavisam Teertha, as the name suggests, is where people wash off their sins. In the olden days, temple priests carried water from Papavinasam to Aakash Ganga for ritual purposes.

Devotees bathe in the water and then pray at the adjacent Ganga Devi Ammavaru temple.

While returning from Papavinasam Teertha, stop at the Venugopal Swamy temple.

This 14th-century temple built by Saint Ramanujarcharya worships Lord Vishnu and is home to the shrines of Rukmini Devi and Satyabhama.

There is an Rs.5 entry fee at Venugopala Swamy temple. Unfortunately, I couldn’t visit the temple because the darshan queue was long, and it was time for my Venkateswara Swamy temple darshan.

After Venugopal Swamy temple, it’s time for lunch.

“Royal Sarangee” is a veg restaurant near one of the entrances to Venkateswara Swamy temple. So, after lunch, you can immediately head for darshan.

Follow the signs for the free and Rs.300 darshan.

The Venkateswara Swamy temple darshan takes 3-4 hours or more.

It was 7:30 p.m. when I exited the temple. Buying Prasad and collecting my phone took another hour.

After darshan, head to dinner. Restaurants in Tirumala are open till late due to the late darshan.

Later, return to Tirupati or stay in Tirumala (if you have reserved a cottage or room). You must be tired from all the temple-hopping, so head to bed early.

DAY 4

That brings our time in Tirupati to an end. Now, it’s time to head home.

I hate returning home after a great road trip and always want to keep delaying returning.

If you feel the same, take a detour to Hampi from Hosapete. Spend a few days exploring the temples and ruins of Hampi before heading home.

But, if you can’t, that’s ok too. You can visit Hampi next time.

On the fourth day, begin the return journey. I’m sure all the temple-hopping must have tired you out. So, sleep in(but not too late).

I recommend trying to reach Chitradurga or Ilkal by night.

I was supposed to leave Tirupati at 8 a.m., but due to issues with the hotel billing, I left at 9 a.m. Therefore, I had to stop for the night at Ilkal.

Fortunately, I found a great hotel to stay the night. Otherwise, I would have to keep driving to Vijayapura.

DAY 5

Today’s the last day of the road trip.

If you took a detour to Hampi, you have a few more days before heading home.

But for those returning home, don’t be disheartened. You can stop by the Gol Gumbaz in Vijayapura. It is a short drive from Ilkal.

Gol Gumbaz opens early at 8 a.m. It takes 1-1½ hours to explore the monument. So, plan accordingly.

CONCLUSION

That brings us to the end of the 5-day Tirupati road trip guide.

The 5-day Tirupati road trip guide is from Pune to Tirupati.

Spend the first day driving and reaching as close to Tirupati as possible. On the second day, arrive in Tirupati and begin exploring. Visit the Padmavati Ammavari, Kapileswara Swamy, Guddimallam and Sri Kalahasti temples. Then, on the third day, visit Tirumala for Venkateswara Swamy darshan. Before or after darshan, explore Tirumala and visit Aakash Ganga, Papavinasam and Venugopala Swamy temples. Begin the return journey on the fourth day. While returning, you can take the detour to Hampi or keep driving home. If you decide to return home, stop by the Gol Gumbaz in Vijayapura while returning home. On the fifth day, reach home.

I hope the 5-day Tirupati road trip guide was helpful. If you have any queries, let me know in the comments.

I hope this ignites your wanderlust because

Sometimes the best therapy is a long drive with good music.

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