Road Trip to Hampi-Badami-Pattadakal-Aihole-Vijaypura (Bijapur) from Mumbai

S

shashant

Member
Hi Santanu,

Great travelogue.

Can you help me with few queries for my Hampi trip. I am planning to drive from pune on 6th and cover the place on 7th and 8th Feb.

1> Any recommendation for accommodation ard 3k per day. Hospet or kamlapur, which one would be better.
2> Places to cover on first and second day. I will be accompanied by my mother (72 yr old), so need to know which places where we dont have to walk too much.
3> Local guide needed or no?
 
santanu

santanu

Well-Known Member
shashant said:
Hi Santanu,

Great travelogue.

Can you help me with few queries for my Hampi trip. I am planning to drive from pune on 6th and cover the place on 7th and 8th Feb.

1> Any recommendation for accommodation ard 3k per day. Hospet or kamlapur, which one would be better.
2> Places to cover on first and second day. I will be accompanied by my mother (72 yr old), so need to know which places where we dont have to walk too much.
3> Local guide needed or no?
Click to expand...
Kamalpura is bang on archaeological sites. Therefore, properties will be a bit expensive compared to that of Hospet. But Hospet is only 10 km away. In fact, some attractions (those which I have included in day 1 of the itinerary) are more or less equidistant from Hospet and Kamalpura. On our trip, we stayed at the Hotel Maurya Vijaynagara TB dam at Hospet. It is a budget hotel of KSTDC. The rooms are big and the staffs are helpful. But the property is a bit rundown. KSTDC has a premium hotel at Kamalpura named Hotel Maurya Bhuvaneshwari Hampi. There are many private hotels at Hospet as well as Kamalpura too. Please check the prices and decide. As I said above, Hospet is only 10 km away from the archaeological sites and therefore, does not pose any challenge.

I will reply to Point No. 2 separately because that would be a bit longish reply.

Regarding Point No. 3, I would recommend taking a guide. They will give you the context of every attraction and finding the attractions would be easier.
 
santanu

santanu

Well-Known Member
santanu said:
Kamalpura is bang on archaeological sites. Therefore, properties will be a bit expensive compared to that of Hospet. But Hospet is only 10 km away. In fact, some attractions (those which I have included in day 1 of the itinerary) are more or less equidistant from Hospet and Kamalpura. On our trip, we stayed at the Hotel Maurya Vijaynagara TB dam at Hospet. It is a budget hotel of KSTDC. The rooms are big and the staffs are helpful. But the property is a bit rundown. KSTDC has a premium hotel at Kamalpura named Hotel Maurya Bhuvaneshwari Hampi. There are many private hotels at Hospet as well as Kamalpura too. Please check the prices and decide. As I said above, Hospet is only 10 km away from the archaeological sites and therefore, does not pose any challenge.

I will reply to Point No. 2 separately because that would be a bit longish reply.

Regarding Point No. 3, I would recommend taking a guide. They will give you the context of every attraction and finding the attractions would be easier.
Click to expand...
Please find the recommended itinerary. It has been prepared assuming that you will stay at Kamalapura and you will have a car at your disposal (Hampi is a vast place and therefore, seeing all the attractions without a car is nearly impossible).

Day 1:

Kamalapura - Day 1.png


  • If you want, you may skip Gaali Anjaneya temple
  • Just before reaching, Krishna Temple, on the right-hand side there is a place where there is a row of stone plates. That place was a dining hall of army garrison. Please tell the guide to show the place
  • Adjacent to Krishna temple, there are attractions like Lakshmi Narasimha idol (Ugra Narasimha idol), Badaviling temple Sasaivekalu (Muster Seed) Ganesha idol, Krishna Bazar, Krishna Pushkarini
  • Sasaivekalu (Muster Seed) Ganesha idol is at the base of Hemkutha Hill on the northern side. There is a walking path for reaching the top of the Hemkutha Hill starting from Sasaivekalu (Muster Seed) Ganesha idol. However, the Hemkutha hill temple complex is on the southern slope of the hill. Therefore, you may consider avoiding this hike until and unless you are keen to see the sunset from the top of Hemkutha Hill. Considering the fact that Aunty may face difficulty to walk uphill, I would suggest you avoid this.
  • Your next stop will be Kadalakelu Ganesha temple which is again at the foothill of Hemkutha temple at the eastern side. There is a walking path from the backside of the Kadalakelu Ganesha temple which goes towards the northern slope of Hemkutha hill. This is a stoned flat walking trail and therefore is easily walkable. This will lead to the main gate of Hemkutha hill complex. After that gate, the slope starts. So once reaching the gate, take a call whether you want to stroll on the slope. Even if you do not go for the walk, the view of the temple complex from the gate itself is quite majestic.
  • Then you go to Virupaksha temple. In front of Virupakha temple is Virupaksha bazar. At the other end of the bazar is the statue of a monolithic bull.
  • From the monolithic bull, trekking routes start for Achutya Raya temple complex and Matanga Hill. These two places cannot be accessed by car.
  • The next destination for the day is Kodandaram temple. Though, the google map shows it is accessible by road, our experience was a bit different. From the monolithic bull idol, the road takes left turn and after proceeding a few hundred meters, there is a parking lot. From there you have to walk up to Kodandarama temple. The road is a bit uneven but manageable.
  • After seeing Kodandarama temple, you may go for boating on Tungabhadra river.
  • Your last stop for the day is Chandikeshwara temple. If there is a paucity of time, you may include it in the next day’s itinerary. Please also see Uddana Birbhadra Temple which is adjacent to Chandikeshwara temple
  • If you are keen to see the sunset, comeback to Sasaivekalu (Muster Seed) Ganesha and walk up to the top of Hemkutha Hill.
Day 2:




Kamalapura - Day 2.png


  • Start the days with the Vijay Vitthala temple. First, you have to go to the parking lot of Vijay Vitthala temple which is a few hundred meters away from the temple. From the parking lot, you can reach the temple by walking or by trolley bus. Please also see Gejjala Mandapa which is very near to the parking lot. Further, while going to Vijay Vitthala temple, you will see Vijay Vitthala Bazar at the right-hand side and Kudure Gompe Mandapa at the left-hand side.
  • Your next destination is the Queen’s bath. There are other three attractions near Queen’s Bath namely Chandrasekhara temple, Saraswati temple, and Octagonal bath. Those are not exactly on the main road but few hundred meters walk from the main road.
  • After Queen’s bath, you will take a right turn leaving the main road for a gravel road which leads to the Royal Enclosure followed by Hajararama temple.
  • After Hajararama temple, the road bifurcates. Take the right prong for Zenana Enclosure. Zenana Enclosure houses Queen’s palace (only basement) and Lotus Mahal. Other adjacent attractions are Elephants’ stable, Guards quarter, Madhava (Ranga) temple and Jain temple (for this you have to walk a bit)
  • From there come to the junction and take the right turn. Immediately after taking the right turn, you will find the palace of Vir Harihara and mint on your left-hand side. This is basically adjacent to Hajararama temple, at its backside. This would be followed by an old mosque and watchtower.
  • Once you proceed further, the gravel road will again connect to the main road which you would have left at Queen’s Bath. At that junction is Prasanna Virupaksha temple
  • That would be the end of day 2. If you have some time left you can cover any of the attractions missed on day 1 or for a repeat visit
Note :

(a) If you stay at Hospet, then also follow the same itinerary. Just change the starting and ending point
(b) As mentioned in the beginning, a car is a must.
(c) None of the palaces have the superstructure. Those got destroyed. Only the base is available.

Please feel free to ask me if you need any more clarification. Have a nice trip and please post a travelogue. I will revisit Hampi through your travelogue.


 
S

shashant

Member
santanu said:
(a) If you stay at Hospet, then also follow the same itinerary. Just change the starting and ending point
(b) As mentioned in the beginning, a car is a must.
(c) None of the palaces have the superstructure. Those got destroyed. Only the base is available.

Please feel free to ask me if you need any more clarification. Have a nice trip and please post a travelogue. I will revisit Hampi through your travelogue.
Click to expand...
Hi Santanu,

Thank you very much for taking out time and penning the itinerary for me. I understand there is lot to be covered in Hampi, for which 2 days may not be enough.

Based on your inputs I have worked on the below itinerary

Day 1:
  • Reach Vijay Vitthala by 8:30 AM then on the way back explore
  • Queen's Bath
  • Royal Enclosure
  • Lotus Mahal
will break for Lunch near Kamalapur, and in second half explore
  • Krishna Temple
  • Laxmi Narayan Temple
  • Head for coracle ride at around 4 (Is it walk able distance from Parking for an elderly person?)
  • Come back and visit Hemkunta/Matunga hill for sunset.

Day 2:
  • Reach Virupaksha Temple at around 7 AM for morning aarti
  • Drop mother back to hotel
  • Take a ferry ride around 12 to Hippie island
  • Hire a scooter on the other side
  • Lunch at Laughing Buddha
  • Visit Anjaneya hill at around 4 PM
  • return back by 5:30 and go to Matunga/Hemkunta hill for sunset
  • Return back to Hotel

I will be driving from Pune on 6th. Haven't yet booked a hotel yet, KSDTC Hampi is sold out so need to look for other option in either Hospate or Kamalapur. Will talk to hotel staff to arrange a guide for us.

Do you think the above plan will work? Any suggestions welcome
 
R

rdp

Well-Known Member
A wonderful and fascinating detailed log and pleasant visuals for Hampi, Badami …..
Admire l
 
  • Like
Reactions: cat
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top