Hampi is a beautiful historical city situated on the banks of the River Tungabhadra and located in the state of Karnataka, India. It is known for its ancient temples and ruins, which are a testament to the former glory of King Krishnadevaraya’s Vijayanagar Empire.
Vijayanagar Empire was one of the most richest empires of its time and traders from across the world used to come here to buy and sell their products mainly gold, diamonds, spices, silk, etc.
To travel to Hampi, one can first reach the city of Bangalore and then take a bus or train to Hospet, which is the nearest town to Hampi. From Hospet, one can take a local bus or hire a taxi to reach Hampi.
Once in Hampi, there are several places to explore such as the Virupaksha Temple, the Hampi Bazaar, the Royal Enclosure, and the famous Vittala Temple. One can also go on a boat ride on the Tungabhadra River, which offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
There are also several adventure activities such as rock climbing and trekking available in Hampi. It is recommended to hire a local guide to explore the city and its surrounding areas.
We visited Hampi on a weekend road trip from Chennai in November 2022 and it was our second time to Hampi. You can book hotels before reaching there or you have to check with multiple hotels for room availability.
We didn’t book beforehand so had to search a lot to book room since most of the hotels were fully booked and few were out of our budget. There are many hotels with a budget starting from Rs.1000 – Rs.15000 per day. Based on your budget you can book your accommodation.
We started our visit from Vittal Temple which was dedicated to God Vittal who is one form of Shri Vishu, one of the supreme gods of Hindus. Now there is no deity, so there is no worship happening in this temple. It is open to all tourists to experience the grandeur of the architecture.
There is an entry ticket of Rs.40 per person(Indians and SAARC) and Rs.500 for foreigners. If you are visiting Hampi for the first time, I would advise taking the services of a guide so that you can learn the importance and glorious history of this temple.
This massive entry gate of Vittal Temple will welcome you and as you step inside the temple you will experience that you have time-traveled to the past and experiencing the history with your naked eyes.
By the time you are fascinated by the surroundings, the world-famous Stone Chariot will be there in front of you with its 10 layers of construction. It is dedicated to the mount(Vahan) of Shri Vishnu i.e, Garuda. The giant wheels are very beautiful and are a stationary part of the chariot i.e this Chariot never moved from its place.
Do you know that this Stone Chariot is used on the Rs.50 note of Indian currency which you can see in the below photo? We wish to visit all the places which are used on our currency notes.
You can spend 2-3 hours in this temple and there are many stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata, the historical epics of ancient Bharat carved on the walls and pillars of this temple.
After this, you can visit the largest statue in Hampi which is the Ugra Narasimha statue which is just a few 100 meters away from Virupaksha Temple. You can see the furious face of God Narasimha who was the 4th Avatar of Shri Vishnu. The statue was too damaged and deformed by invaders and looters who looted Hampi.
Next to the Ugra Narasimha statue, you can see Badavilinga Temple which has the largest Shivlinga of Mahadev. It is locked and you can not enter the sanctum. You can see that there is water filled on the floor of the sanctum.
Finally, we came to another amazing place in Hampi which is Virupaksha Temple and it is dedicated to the God of Gods i.e, Mahadev. We had a divine darshan of Mahadev in the temple and praised the beautiful architecture of the temple.
After getting our darshan, we climbed to the Hemkuta group of temples where you will get 30 temples that are now restored by the Archeological Survey of India. This is the place from where you will get the most beautiful 360° view of Hampi.
Places to Visit in Hampi
- Virupaksha Temple – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the main temple in Hampi, dedicated to Lord Shiva.
- Hampi Bazaar – a vibrant market area with shops and stalls selling souvenirs, handicrafts, and local produce.
- Vittala Temple – a beautiful temple complex with ornate carvings and a stone chariot, considered one of the finest examples of Hampi’s architecture.
- Hampi Temple – a massive temple complex with towering gopurams (temple towers) and intricate sculptures.
- Yantrodharaka Hanuman Temple – a temple dedicated to God Hanuman and on top of the Anjaneya hill.
- Hazara Rama Temple – a temple dedicated to God Rama where you can see the whole of Ramayana on the walls.
- Hampi Uddhana – a rocky outcropping with stunning views of the surrounding landscape and the Tungabhadra River.
- The Elephant Stables – a historical site with stone structures that were once used to house the royal elephants.
- Lotus Mahal – a beautiful palace with a unique architectural style, said to have been used by the queen and her courtesans.
- Queens Bath – a large rectangular pool surrounded by elegant arches and pillars, believed to have been used by the royal women for bathing.
- Hemakuta Hill Temples – a hilltop complex with several ancient temples and shrines, offering panoramic views of Hampi.
- Daroji Bear Sanctuary – a protected area home to the Indian sloth bear, where you can spot these majestic animals in their natural habitat.
It was a lifetime opportunity to travel to Hampi which gave us countless memories. Overall, a trip to Hampi is a must for anyone interested in history and culture.
There are many places that are still left in Hampi to be covered and we will visit Hampi again sometime in near future but our travel and road trips won’t stop since travel is like oxygen for us. Do support us!
Best Time to Hampi?
You can visit Hampi throughout the year but the best time to visit is after August because the monsoon will be over and the temperature will be pleasing to travel. There will be a lot of trekking to visit all the historic places at Hampi.
How to Reach Hampi?
You can reach Hampi from any type of travel mode:
- By Flight/Air: You can take a flight from any major city to Bangalore Airport. You can then take a taxi, traveler etc to travel to tourist places in Hampi and other nearby places.
- By Road: Hampi is well connected with good roads by any part of the country. You can take bus services from nearby major cities and by car from any part of India. We love to do road trips and travel mostly by road.
- By Train: You can take the most convenient mode of travel i.e Train. The nearest train station is Hospet which is 13 KM from Hampi and from here you can book a taxi or Auto rickshaw which will help you to visit all places in Hampi.
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