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The Vijayanagri empire
Planning before heading out
So hampi as you see in the map is majorly divided in 2 parts by river tungabhadra.
Afternoons are hot, even in the winter season – Dec, Jan, Feb. So keep your sunscreen handy.However, mornings and late evenings are pleasant.
3 days is enough for a satisfying visit to major attractions easily.
Nearest city is Hospete, Karnataka. Bus from Mumbai to hospete takes 13 hrs. There are options of train as well. Flights don’t go to hospete directly, nearest airport is Hubbali which is 5-6 hrs from Hampi.
U may take auto rickshaw from hospete. Take sharing else they will charge 150-200
You can stay on either side. North side of the river is called “hippie island”….u’ll readily get two wheeler n bicycle here. I recommend two wheeler as the temples n sites are located far off from the bank.
There are many cheap options available for a 2-3 person accommodation. You may pre book or go there and check out before booking. All depends on what season you are going. Best is to pre book for in season travel.
Major attractions are Anjanedri(Birth place of Lord Hanuman) & Durga temple with Sugreev Bali caves(a must see). All these are separated by distances of 3-4 km.
Anjanedri is a 575 step stair climber. Not tough though. Durga temple n caves are beautiful n u may take longer time here
U may also find non veg on the streets of hippie island on the streets while commuting from one site to the next.
On the south of the river is where major temples n hills r located.
In this region u will hardly find two wheeler. They r limited n unavailable usually. Best part is that u don’t need vehicles here. Major points can be covered on foot
If u feel adventurous you can climb mathanga hill near virupaksha ..it has rock cut steps n to my trail ….sunset is fantastic…there’s a temple on top of the hill n the view is awesome.
Other attractions are VIrupaksha, Vitthala, hemakutta hill- standing Ganpati(Sasivakelu Ganesh), Shankracharya mattha, Narsimha temple, museum
Special attraction includes Malyavanta hill with a Shiva temple on top….it’s very serene n a must see location…mind u it’s 8-9 km from Virupaksha so u may take auto rickshaw or maybe hire a moped for this. You have to strongly negotiate the prices for the auto rickshaw hire.
Another special attraction is the Royal Enclosure which is the entire kingdom. It’s a must…do watch out for the Noblemens’ quarters nearby, the colony, it’s also very serene
Places to eat : hippie island : don’t miss laughing Buddha. Virupaksha side: don’t miss mango tree. Have a mango tree special thali once at least.
One last thing regarding to n from from Virupaksha side to hippie island. There are motor boats n coracle boats available from 7-8am to 5-5:30pm. Both charge Rs.50 per person. Coracle is a different best, cross the river once at least in it.
Beyond 5:30 n u’ll be charged 400-500.So watch out for timing.
Overall, Hampi is a completely different experience of history and Indian mythology with mesmerising stony structures and piles all around. It’s a must travel location in India for any one.
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