Tirupati

Best time to visit

September to February

Tirupati's climate is generally hot and dry during the summer months, with temperatures soaring high, while the monsoon season brings moderate rainfall from July to September, making the winters mild and pleasant.

Getting there & around

• Air — Tirupati has a railway station and an airport at Renigunta. From Tirupati to Tirumala: bus or taxi by the ghat road, or on foot by the Alipiri Mettu or Srivari Mettu footpaths. Walking up entitles you to Divya Darshan, which is the shortest free queue - so the slowest way to arrive gives the fastest way in.

Before you go

• Decide your darshan class BEFORE booking travel - it determines whether you need three months' notice or three hours. Collect SSD tokens in Tirupati before going up
• they are not issued at Tirumala. Book only through the official portal. And if you intend to tonsure, do it before you queue, not after.

Emergency numbers