Hampi

The ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire's capital scattered among boulder-strewn hills: the stone chariot, Virupaksha Temple and riverside sunsets – a backpacker must.

Hampi lies on the south bank of the Tungabhadra River in central Karnataka, southern India. It is the site of the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire (14th–16th centuries), which at its peak is thought to have been one of the largest and richest cities in the world; it was sacked and abandoned after the Battle of Talikota in 1565. The “Group of Monuments at Hampi” was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, and its hundreds of temples, palaces and waterworks are scattered among hills of piled-up reddish-brown boulders, banana plantations and rice paddies – a landscape like no other. The site divides roughly into four areas: in the north, the “Sacred Centre” around Hampi Bazaar, Virupaksha Temple and Hemakuta Hill, which is also where most accommodation and restaurants are; heading east along the river, Vittala Temple and the stone chariot; to the south near Kamalapura, the “Royal Centre” (Lotus Mahal, Elephant Stables, Mahanavami Dibba, Queen's Bath); and across the river, the old village of Anegundi, Anjanadri Hill and Sanapur Lake. The best season is October to February, with daytime temperatures around 25–30°C; Mar–May is scorching, reaching 40°C; in the rainy season (Jun–Sep) the boulder landscape turns lush green, but the river rises and the ferries often stop. Getting there: the nearest railway station is Hosapete (about 13 km), with overnight trains and buses from Bengaluru taking about 7–9 hours; the nearest airport is Jindal Vijayanagar Airport (about 35 km), with limited flights. The sites are spread out, so most people rent a bicycle or scooter, or hire a tuk-tuk for the day. Allow 2–3 days: one for the Sacred Centre and riverside, one for the Royal Centre, and half a day to a full day across the river for Anegundi and the sunset. Note: Vittala Temple, Lotus Mahal and the Elephant Stables share a single Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) ticket, valid for the day; remove your shoes and dress modestly in temples; alcohol and meat are generally not sold in Hampi village; guard against the heat in summer, and it's best to hike up for sunrise or sunset with company.

Top sights

• Virupaksha Temple – A Shiva temple in Hampi still in active use. Its 50-metre eastern gateway tower is a landmark of the ruins, and worship has continued for a…
• Vittala Temple & Stone Chariot – Hampi's most magnificent temple complex. The stone Garuda chariot in its courtyard is printed on the back of the 50-rupee note.
• Matanga Hill – The highest point in Hampi. At sunrise the boulders, temples and the Tungabhadra River light up one by one through the morning mist.
• Royal Enclosure: Mahanavami Dibba & Stepped Tank – The giant stone platform where the king watched festivals, and the geometrically symmetrical black-stone stepped tank, are the most photoge…
• Lotus Mahal – A two-story pavilion in the Zenana Enclosure blending Indian and Islamic styles, its tiers of pointed arches resembling a blooming lotus.
• Elephant Stables – A long row of eleven domed chambers that once housed royal elephants, and one of Hampi's most intact secular buildings.
• Anjanadri Hill (Hanuman Temple) – Said to be the birthplace of Hanuman, the divine monkey; climb more than 570 white steps to watch the sunset over the boulder landscape.
• Hemakuta Hill Temples – A gently sloping boulder hill just south of Virupaksha Temple, scattered with early Shiva shrines; Hampi's most convenient sunset viewpoint.
• Sasivekalu & Kadalekalu Ganesha – Two giant elephant-headed Ganeshas carved from boulders on the south slope of Hemakuta Hill, one seated in an open stone pavilion and the o…
• Lakshmi Narasimha Statue & Badavilinga – The largest monolithic sculpture in Hampi: a roughly 6.7 m man-lion seated beneath a seven-headed serpent canopy, beside a giant lingam in…
• Hazara Rama Temple – A royal temple at the heart of the Royal Centre, its outer walls carved with scenes from the Ramayana and festival processions.
• Queen's Bath – A plain square exterior that hides a large bath lined with pointed-arch cloisters and small balconies, ringed by a moat; a royal place for…
• Achyutaraya Temple – A secluded large temple complex at the foot of Matanga Hill, with a long ruined colonnade known as the Courtesans' Bazaar in front.
• Hampi Bazaar – A roughly 750 m ancient market street in front of Virupaksha Temple, lined with colonnades, with a giant stone Nandi bull at its eastern en…
• Krishna Temple, Hampi – Built in 1513 to commemorate a military victory, facing a long ruined market street dedicated to Krishna.
• Underground Shiva Temple – A sunken royal temple several metres below ground level, its inner halls often flooded, with pillars mirrored in the still water for an eer…
• Archaeological Museum, Kamalapura – The Archaeological Survey of India museum in Kamalapura, displaying sculptures excavated from the site and a scale model of the entire Hamp…
• Malyavanta Raghunatha Temple – The Raghunatha Temple, built on boulders atop Malyavanta Hill east of the Royal Enclosure, where the gateway and rocks blend together and t…
• Pattabhirama Temple – A large Rama temple near Kamalapura, with a hall of a hundred pillars and a towering gateway in excellent condition, and very few visitors.
• King's Balance – A stone balance frame about 5 metres high, where on festival days the king was weighed and gave gold, silver and jewels of equal weight to…
• Tungabhadra River Coracle Ride – Drifting through the river bends between boulder gorges in a bamboo coracle is Hampi's most iconic traditional experience.
• Pampa Sarovar – A sacred lake from the Ramayana, its surface covered in lotuses, with a Lakshmi temple on its shore and boulders around it creating a seren…
• Anegundi – An ancient royal town on the north bank of the river, older than Hampi, where rice paddies, mud-walled houses and workshops making banana-f…
• Sanapur Lake – A reservoir lake ringed by boulders, where you can take a coracle ride, and the most popular laid-back spot for backpackers on the north ba…
• Tungabhadra Dam – A large reservoir dam beside Hosapete, where the crest and viewpoints offer sunset views and a Japanese-style garden is nearby.
• Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary – A sloth bear sanctuary in the boulder hills south of Hampi, where you can watch the bears foraging among the rocks from a watchtower.

Where to eat

• Mango Tree Restaurant – Hampi's best-known vegetarian restaurant, now relocated to Kamalapur, famous for its banana-leaf South Indian thali.
• Gopi Roof Restaurant – A rooftop restaurant in the Janatha area with views of Virupaksha Temple and the river, known for its thalis and banana…
• Taste of Brahmins – A family-run breakfast spot beside the temple that opens only in the morning, known for dosas, paddu and idlis; cheap a…
• Ravi's Rose Roof Restaurant – A small rooftop restaurant in the Janatha area with temple sunset views; owner Ravi is warm, and the thalis and curries…
• Old Chill Out Ganesh Restaurant – A long-standing backpacker spot by the market, with low floor seating, hummus and falafel platters, pasta and budget-fr…
• Chillout Bamboo Restaurant – A second-floor restaurant with a bamboo roof and floor-cushion seating in the Janatha area; famous for its pizza and fa…

Itineraries

• Karnataka Dynasty Heritage Trail – Travel south to north to see Mysuru, Hoysala temples, Hampi, Badami, and Vijayapura.
• Goa, Hampi & Badami Loop – Take a train from Goa up to the Deccan Plateau, spend three days in Hampi, and visit Chalukya caves.