Araku Pinery draws record crowds as new pottery and adventure options launch

Visitor Growth

Araku Pinery in the Araku Valley logged 179,000 visitors in 2025‑26, an 80% jump from the previous year, and generated ₹1.06 crore in revenue. The Andhra Pradesh Forest Department says the site attracted 65,000 guests in the last six months and expects about 5,000 visitors each day in October, according to manager M Sekhar. The 27‑acre pine plantation recorded a steady rise in footfall as the tourist season peaks.

New Offerings

The retreat has added a pottery studio where tourists shape clay into cups and keepsakes. Camping tents, wooden decks, a tree deck, seasonal gardens and a strawberry patch are already operating, and two ATVs will start running from the second week of October. Thirty‑five tents will be ready from October 12, and plans are under way for mud‑house tenders, rope bridges and wooden bridges. A six‑acre niger flower field will bloom yellow in November‑December, and a half‑acre strawberry plot will produce fruit from November to February.

Community Impact

The Van Sanrakshan Samiti of Shanti Nagar village manages the site, employing 15 VSS members, a 26‑person Dhimsa cultural team and eight local shop workers, directly benefiting 49 families. The Forest Department will channel 40% of future revenue to village development. Plastic bottles are collected with a ₹20 refundable deposit to encourage waste‑free visits. The Pinery earned the Swachha Andhra Award for cleanliness and recorded 1,846 wedding shoots and five film shoots in 2025‑26, adding extra income.

Context

Community‑led eco‑tourism projects like Araku Pinery aim to turn forest land into sustainable livelihood hubs while preserving natural scenery. Such initiatives often combine visitor fees with local employment and environmental safeguards.