Hyderabad, Sept. 15 -- Ask most Hyderabadis for a quick lakeside drive, and they will point you straight toward Osman Sagar or the busy banks of Durgam Cheruvu. But if you are willing to drive just a little further down the Nagarjuna Sagar Highway, Nalgonda holds a well-kept secret. Tucked quietly off the main thoroughfares, Akkampally Balancing Reservoir offers the kind of untouched stillness that is becoming increasingly hard to find near the capital. For offbeat road-trippers and weekend wanderers, this sprawling reservoir proves that the best escapes are often the ones left off popular travel maps.

Akkampally Balancing Reservoir: A tranquil alternative near Hyderabad

Unlike popular commercialised destinations, Akkampally is complete...