Travelling to Hampi - A Complete Travel Guide

Tripoto
8th Dec 2019
Photo of Travelling to Hampi - A Complete Travel Guide by Aishwarya Rao

Hampi was a last lap in our Road trip from Mumbai. After covering Bijapur-Aihole-Pattadakal -Badami and viewing the extremely beautiful monuments ,we were unprepared for the breath taking beauty of Hampi.

Photo of Travelling to Hampi - A Complete Travel Guide 1/3 by Aishwarya Rao

How to reach :

Air : Nearest airport is Belgaum . You can also fly to Bangalore airport and drive down to Hampi which is 300 kms

Trains : Nearest Train Junction is Hospet ( 12 kms)

Road : From Mumbai via Belgaum -Hubli & from Bangalore via Tumkur-Chitradurg

About Hampi : Hampi also called the Group of Monuments at Hampi is an UNESCO World Heritage site .It is an ancient village in Karnataka dotted with ruins and monuments from the Vijayanagara Empire dating back to the 7th century. It is nestled between boulders on all sides

How to explore Hampi : Hampi is divided into two parts. One is the main Hampi town where all the main attractions are situated and the other part is across the Tungabhadra River called the Virupapur Gaddi or Hippie Island .

Anegundi also believed to be kingdom of the Monkey king Sugriva in the epic Ramayana is on the Virupapur Gaddi side. We had stayed in the main Hampi town

I strongly recommend understanding the Map of Hampi before exploring . I found the map posted below very useful to explore Hampi. My personal experience was it is best to cover the Sacred Center ( Route 1) and the Royal Center ( Route 3) in one day. A day can be kept for the Hippie Island side of Hampi .

Photo of Travelling to Hampi - A Complete Travel Guide 2/3 by Aishwarya Rao

How to sightsee : There are rickshaws available who charge for a day's sightseeing in the main Hampi town . You can also take a coracle ride to visit Virupapur Gaddi from the ferry point near Virupaksha Temple. It's a 2 min ride but the experience is worth it. From there you can hire a rickshaw to see all the attractions on this side

Accomodation : There are many homestays in main Hampi as well as on the Hippie Island side . The KSTDC hotel Mayura Bhuvaneshwari is also located in the main town of Hampi. We stayed at Saanvi Homestay which was close to the main attractions

Food : There are many roadside stalls near Virupaksha Temple and also many restaurants on the Virupapur Gaddi side of Hampi

You can explore Hampi through my photo feature which is self explanatory

Photo of Travelling to Hampi - A Complete Travel Guide 3/3 by Aishwarya Rao
Our first glimpse of Hampi
Photo of Talarigatta Gate, Village Road, Nimbapura, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

The first glimpse of Vittala Temple with the Bazar outside the temple precincts

Photo of Vitthala Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Vittala Bazar used in the days of yore for trading activity

Photo of Vitthala Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

The gateway to the Vittala Temple

Photo of Vitthala Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Inside the Vittala Temple complex

Photo of Vitthala Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

The famous Stone Chariot which also features on our Rs 50/- note

Photo of Stone Chariot, Hampi, Nimbapura, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Stone Chariot, Hampi, Nimbapura, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

The famous Musical Pillars monument

Photo of Musical pillars Mantapa, Village Road, Nimbapura, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Musical pillars Mantapa, Village Road, Nimbapura, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Musical pillars Mantapa, Village Road, Nimbapura, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

The only gnarled tree in the temple complex

Photo of Musical pillars Mantapa, Village Road, Nimbapura, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

The Pushkarni ( Step Well ) of Vittala Temple

Photo of Musical pillars Mantapa, Village Road, Nimbapura, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Musical pillars Mantapa, Village Road, Nimbapura, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Kings Balance, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Two Storied Pavilion, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Kudure Gombe Mantapa, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Inscribed Vishnu Temple.vittala temple north side hampi., Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Octagonal Bath, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Matanga Hill, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

The steep climb up to the Matanga Hill

Photo of Travelling to Hampi - A Complete Travel Guide by Aishwarya Rao

Sunrise from atop Matanga Hill.. Virupaksha Temple in the background

Photo of Travelling to Hampi - A Complete Travel Guide by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Monolithic Bull, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

A view of Hampi town from the point to see the Achyutraya Temple

Photo of Monolithic Bull, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

The climb to see Achuyut Raya Temple Complex

Photo of Monolithic Bull, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Sunrise in Hampi -Achyut Raya temple in the background

Photo of Monolithic Bull, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Achyutraya Temple complex

Photo of Achyutaraya Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Achyutaraya Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Achyutaraya Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Sunrise in Hampi

Photo of Achyutaraya Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Hampi Bazaar Street, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Virupaksha Temple, Hampi, River Road, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Inside the Temple complex

Photo of Virupaksha Temple, Hampi, River Road, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Pushkarni or Step well of Virupaksha Temple

Photo of Virupaksha Temple, Hampi, River Road, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Virupaksha Temple, Hampi, River Road, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

The temple elephant Lakshmi

Photo of Virupaksha Temple, Hampi, River Road, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Virupaksha Temple, Hampi, River Road, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Hemakuta Hill Temple, Hampi, Karnataka by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Saasivekaalu Ganesha, Krishnapura, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Kadalekalu Ganesha, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Kadalekalu Ganesha, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Mahanavami(dasara) Dibba, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Pushkarani, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of King's Audience Hall, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Large stone trough inside the Mahanavami Dibba complex -to feed water to Royal horses

Photo of King's Audience Hall, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Stone Door used in the Vijayanagara era

Photo of King's Audience Hall, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Underground Siva temple

Photo of Prasanna Virupaksha Shiva Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Prasanna Virupaksha Shiva Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Mohammadan Watch tower, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Noblemen's Quaters, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Lotus mahal hampi, State Highway 131, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Elephant Stable .hampi, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Elephant Stable .hampi, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Guards quarters ..next to the Elephant Stable

Photo of Elephant Stable .hampi, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Zenana Enclosure, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Hazara Rama Temple, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Hazara Rama Temple, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Hazara Rama Temple, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Hazara Rama Temple, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Hazara Rama Temple, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Queen's bath place, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Queen's bath place, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Badavilinga Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Badavilinga Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Sri Krishna Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Sri Krishna Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Krishna Bazaar Hampi

Photo of Sri Krishna Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Bhima Gateway Hampi, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

The stone gate

Photo of Bhima Gateway Hampi, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

A stone slab with a carving of Bhima

Photo of Bhima Gateway Hampi, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Tungabhadra River, Karnataka by Aishwarya Rao

Coracle ride -Opp side is Virupupar Gaddi

Photo of Tungabhadra River, Karnataka by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Tungabhadra River, Karnataka by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Tungabhadra River, Karnataka by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Gagan Mahal, Anegundi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Ranganatha Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao
Photo of Ranganatha Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

A restaurant on Hippie Island

Photo of Ranganatha Temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India by Aishwarya Rao

Tips to visit Hampi :

1.It is best to visit Hampi from November to February. Later it gets quite hot 2. Ideally 3 days required if you intend to visit all the attractions in Hampi . 3. There are bikes on rent to explore the town or Rickshaws which charge per day to sightsee the major attractions. Sometimes the hotel owner also arranges transport for sightseeing.

Happy visiting Hampi ! Incredible India