BACKPACKERS GUIDE TO HAMPI

If you’re a fan of adventure and history then HAMPI is the place to be.

Hampi, a small town in Karnataka, is known for its natural beauty, temples, spectacular viewpoints and ruins that one should definitely explore. Hampi, also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hampi also has a fascinating geology that will definitely leave you astonished. Visitors from all around the world have been charmed by the giant boulders that form hills, riverbeds, valleys and practically everything here.  Ride around on the empty roads in your scooter/cycle, see the natural beauty, lush green paddy fields and be mesmerized.

How to reach Hampi?

✈️ By Air

Hubli Airport, approximately 166 km away, is the closest domestic aerodrome to Hampi, operating regular flights from Bangalore. The Belgaum Airport is another major domestic airport, located around 270 km away from Hampi, having regular SpiceJet flights for Bangalore, Chennai, Jabalpur and Mumbai. Tourists can easily get a cab or taxi from outside the airport to reach the lovely village of Hampi.

?️ By Road

Hampi is well connected with major cities and towns of Karnataka by bus services. Besides Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), a number of private and tourist buses ply regularly from neighbouring cities and towns. Then there are a few interstate bus services too connecting Hampi with various cities in Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. One can also drive to Hampi taking NH 13 route from Hyderabad (380 km), Bangalore (345 km) and Hubli (165 km). Bangalore to Hampi buses are cheap and take less than 8 hours.

? By Train

Hospet Junction is the nearest railway station to Hampi (13 km away), which is well linked with rest of country via an extensive network of trains. There are regular trains for Hospet from prime Indian cities and towns, including Bangalore, Hyderabad and Goa. Hampi Express, Amaravathi Express and Haripriya Express are some of the prominent trains. After reaching the railway station, one can hire a taxi or cab to reach Hampi. The destination is extremely classy and historic and has a number of interesting places to visit!

Apart from exploring the glorious ancient history that this pristine, quiet town has to offer there are other places that you can explore and activities that you can indulge in if you want to have a blast:

Virupaksha Temple

Visit the temples (Virupaksha Temple) and ruins of Hampi.  Hampi is known as ‘a forgotten empire’ and the ruins of this town are declared as a UNESCO world heritage site that you should visit and explore at least once. 

Tungabhadra River

Tungabhadra river is also known as Hampi’s red river with statues on the rock. So, take a ferry boat or opt for a coracle ride in case you are planning to visit Hippie Island and experience the calm that surrounds this river.

Hippie Island

Stay in a hut on ‘Hippie Island’ ,Hippie Island is a nickname for a small island known as Virupapura Gadde. This island is mostly visited by bag packers and by those who want some quite time away from the city.

Climb Matanga Hill

Climb Matanga Hill which lies at the center of Hampi if you want a stunning view of the entire area. You can also visit and explore the ancient Veerabhadra Temple that is located on top of Matanga Hill. 

Hampi Bazaar

Hampi Bazaar, the main travellers’ ghetto has traditionally been Hampi Bazaar, a village crammed with budget lodges, shops and restaurants, and towered over by the majestic Virupaksha Temple.

Cliff Jumping

Cliff Jumping, if you want to go cliff jumping, visit Sanapur Lake which has a cliff jumping point. You’ll come across groups of people laying around near the main cliff and enjoying some cliff jumping. 

One thought on “BACKPACKERS GUIDE TO HAMPI

  1. Thanks for some other fantastic article. Where else may anybody get that kind of info in such an ideal means of writing? I have a presentation subsequent week, and I am on the search for such info.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.