Start early from Kothrud around 6:00 AM to beat traffic and make the most of daylight; grab a hearty breakfast at Vaishali (FC Road) or a takeaway tiffin from your favourite local keystone before leaving Pune. The drive north-east will take you along NH65 — enjoy the changing landscape as you pass through Ahmednagar and take a short stretch break at a reliable highway plaza (petrol, chai, restrooms) to stretch legs and refuel both car and travellers.
Arrive in Kurudpur by early afternoon; check into your guesthouse or homestay and freshen up, then head out to explore nearby village sights and the local market — sample homemade fresh buttermilk and regional snacks. Visit any local temple or a small rural viewpoint for panoramic photos, and if time permits, take a short countryside walk to experience farming life and meet local vendors selling seasonal produce.
As evening falls, return to your accommodation for a relaxed meal — ask your host for a traditional Maharashtrian/Mixed-Regional dinner (dal, bhakri or rotis, and a vegetable preparation) to unwind after the drive. Finish the day with a leisurely stroll through Kurudpur’s quiet lanes or sit by a patio with a cup of chai, plan tomorrow’s early transit to Srisailam, and get a good night’s rest for the longer day ahead.
Wake to the rural rhythm of Kurudpur and enjoy a homemade Maharashtrian breakfast at your homestay — try pav bhaji or poha with fresh buttermilk — then take a short guided walk to the nearby farmers’ fields and the village temple to photograph morning rituals and meet locals selling seasonal produce. Depart by 9:00-9:30 AM for the drive toward Srisailam along NH44, stopping at a comfortable highway dhaba near Parbhani or Nanded for chai and to stretch; use this break to check road conditions and plan the remaining driving legs.
Continue the scenic drive through Telangana, pausing at a recommended roadside eatery for a hearty thali lunch featuring regional specialties like gongura pachadi and millet rotis, then visit the reservoir viewpoints or a small shrine on the outskirts of Srisailam to get your first sightlines of the Nallamala hills. Aim to arrive at your Srisailam-area guesthouse or lodge by late afternoon, check in and freshen up, and if time permits take a brief riverside walk toward the Krishna river ghats to watch the changing light on the hills.
As evening settles, sample local Telugu/Deccan cuisine at your lodge or a nearby eatery — try a spicy Chicken Curry or Tamarind-based vegetable stew with steamed rice — then prepare for an early temple day tomorrow by confirming darshan timings and ferry/ropeway availability. Wind down with a quiet cup of tea on the terrace, reviewing tomorrow’s Srisailam temple schedule and getting a good night’s rest after the long transit.
Start before dawn to join the morning darshan at Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, soak in the temple’s chanting and watch the priests’ ancient rituals near the sanctum; afterwards, stroll down to the Krishna river ghats for a quiet moment and photographs of the sun rising over the Nallamala hills. Before leaving Srisailam, pick up prasadam and drive to a nearby local eatery for a simple, energising breakfast of idli-dosa or pesarattu with a steaming filter coffee to fuel the long drive ahead.
Begin the return journey along NH44, planning a substantial lunch stop at a reputable highway restaurant near Kurnool or Anantapur where you can savour a hearty Andhra meals thali with gongura and pappu, and top up petrol and rest; use this break to stretch and check estimated arrival time into Pune. As you cross back into Maharashtra, enjoy the changing landscape conversation—swap travel highlights and photos, and keep a late-afternoon tea stop at a trusted highway dhaba to recharge before the final leg.
Arrive back in Pune (Kothrud) in the late evening; unwind at home or your Pune accommodation with the prasadam you brought and a comforting Maharashtrian dinner if still hungry, reflecting on the pilgrimage and rural villages visited. Finish the night by sorting photos, thanking any homestay hosts via message, and getting a good rest after the three-day road trip, already planning your next relaxed escape.