Hampi,the UNESCO World Heritage Site is situated in Central Karnataka. It's a perfect weekend getaway from Bangalore, Chennai etc. There are many trip organisers with readymade itinerary and you can go about on your own too. I took this trip with Plan the Unplanned.
We departed from Bangalore on Friday night and headed straight to Ballary. On arrival, we walked to the campsite to freshen up and set for Day1.We were served a local delight for breakfast, A dish made of puffed rice and deep fried chilly fritters.
The First day included exploring the local natural beauty and adventure sports. Followed by Day2, when we explored the Heritage site and impeccable Sandstone Architecture of the place.
We hired Mopeds from the sanapur river bank. Our's were organised by the trip lead, but you may rent mopeds for a price ranging from INR 250 to INR 500 based on the kind of vehicle chosen, and the season you visit Hampi in.
The mopeds are to ride around in the "Gypsy Island", that is what the localites and tourists refer to Sanapur side of the river as. After we dibbed on our mopeds, we drove off to a rocky site. This is where we experienced the adventure-sport Bouldering. We had to hire a Bouldering expert to train us for the same. He supplied us with bouldering shoes ( Super tight, curved shoes, which help you maintain a grip on the boulders you climb) and chalk powder( this helps you avoid slipping and keeps sweaty hands dry. It's completely safe as they place landing mattresses in case you happen to fall.
After bouldering, we were a little exhausted, and headed for lunch to fuel up. We ordered a variety of cuisines from Italian, chinese and Indian. The mocktails(I had a Lemon-Nana) were exactly what we needed that time. Food was delicious. My favorite on the platter was lasagna, available in both veg and non veg versions.
Then, we rode our Mopeds through breezy paddy fields and coconut groves. The fresh air, and smell of raw soil in the air is all the rejuvenation one needs. A 20 minutes drive to Sanapur lake/reservoir and we were surprised at the beautiful location hiding between rocky hills. We had crossed that road several times already, but no one would guess that a 5 minutes drive from that road will take you to this paradise. We took a coracle ride to the opposite bank of the reservoir and dived straight into the lake for a dip.
Then we rode to Hampi waterfalls, where our trek lead walked in with a couple of life-jackets. I had no clue why. We were to try Cliff-Diving then. It brought a shiver down my spine, I backed away, though most of my friends were daring enough to try it out and attempt it. This filled in the missing adrenaline rush that we hadn't experienced till now.
A day full of adventure, gypsy-vibes, and fun. We retreated to our campsite to rest for the next day. All through night we gathered around a campfire, playing group games like antakshari, dumb-charades and mafia. Local delicacies were served for dinner. and after dinner all of us gossiped away on haunted stories and life experiences under the starry sky. Hampi campsite was the best place for experiencing eco-tourism.
Following day, we were to move on to the heritage side of Hampi. Before departing from our campsite, we explored the area around the campsite and discovered a beautiful hidden view point.
We took a ferry ride across the river to Hampi Island. It costs you INR 10 to INR 50 based on time of the day and season again.
Last meal before setting off to Bangalore again. This restaurant serves you scrumptious local food. I tried the Meal combo and Mango Lassi. They also serve you continental, chinese and north Indian delicacies.