Horsley Hills

Horsley Hills is a mountain summit in Andhra Pradesh rising to 1290 meters and covered with dense eucalyptus forest alongside slopes where deer peacocks and monkeys move between the trees while mist often fills the valleys especially in the morning when moisture rises from the woodland and the air stays cool despite the southern location because winds pass through the ranges keeping temperatures moderate.

W.D. Horsley a British collector came here in 1870 and built his house on these hills to escape the summer heat creating a retreat for British colonial officials that later became a popular destination after India gained independence and the Andhra Pradesh government began building facilities for visitors.

The local name Yenugulla Mallamma Konda derives from stories of a woman healer who lived on the hills with elephants as companions.

Temperatures stay between 15 and 30 degrees Celsius throughout the year with the coolest months from December to February when the air is comfortable and the mist clears each morning while the paths through the forest are less slippery than during the rainy season when moisture covers the slopes.

A giant eucalyptus tree called Kalyani stands here reaching 40 meters in height with a circumference of 4.7 meters making it one of the largest specimens in the region while its shade casts a wide circle on the ground that visitors often use to rest during warm afternoons when the sun filters through the leaves.