Best Season to Visit - Oct - March

Suggested Itinerary (This is an indicative itinerary, Sequence of the activities may vary and depend on prevailing weather condition)

Day 1: Arrive at Belgaum and transfer to Hospet (210 kms from Belgaum Airport). Alternatively take a train from Vasco or Madgaon or Bangalore and arrive at Hospet.
Day 2 : Take a Day trip to various temples around Hampi Area as listed below.
Day 3 : Transfer to Badami (180 kms - 5 hours) and do local sightseeing in the evening. 
Day 4:: Do a day visit to Bijapur (120 kms). (Stay overnight at Bijapur if you are ending the itinerary at Kolhapur - 160 kms from Bijapur) 
Day 5 : From Badami Transfer Back to Hospet (To take a train to Goa / Bangalore) or Transfer to Goa Via Hubli or Transfer to Belgaum

Accommodation options - Hospet / Badami / Bijapur

DESTINATION INFORMATION

Hampi (State: Karnataka, Category : Heritage)

Hampi is a world renowned heritage site and although in ruins today, it once boasted riches known far beyond the shores of India . The ruins of Hampi of the 14th Century lies scattered in about 26 sq. km area, amidst giant boulders and vegetation. Protected by the tempestuous river Tungabhadra in the north and rocky granite ridges on the other three sides, the ruins silently narrate the story of grandeur splendor and fabulous wealth. The splendid remains of palaces and gateways of the broken city tells a tale of men infinite talent and power of creativity together with his capacity for senseless destruction.

Local Sightseeing

• Three kms down the road, on a commanding site, stands the temple of Malyavanta Raghunathaswamy. It is built in the Dravidian style. Strange-looking fishes and marine monsters carved along its outer walls are worth noticing.

• The Hampi Bazaar, 35 yards wide and nearly 800 yards long was known to be a "very beautiful street with very beautiful houses".

• The Virupaksha Temple rises majestically at the western end of the famous Hampi Bazaar. The temple has a 120 feet tall tower on its eastern entrance.

• The temple contains the shrines of Shiva, Pampa and Bhuvaneswari.Parts of this temple are older than the Vijayanagar kingdom itself. The work of this style dates back to the 11th or 12th century. 

• Nearby is the 6.7m tall monolith of Ugra Narasimha. An inscription nearby states that it was hewn from a single boulder in 1528 during the reign of Krishnadeva Raya.

• Vithala Temple Complex : The most splendid monument of Hampi is undoubtedly the Vithala Temple Complex with its 56 musical pillars.

• To the east of the hall is the famous Stone Chariot with stone wheels that actually revolve. In front of the shrine stands the great mantapa. Resting on a richly sculpted basement, its roof is supported by huge pillars of granite, about 15 feet in height, each consisting of a central pillar surrounded by detached shafts, all cut from one single rock.

• House of Victory - It was built when Krishnadeva Raya came back from his victorious expedition against the King of Orissa.

• Westwards from the House of Victory, leading through two ruined gates, the path leads to the Hazara ramaswamy temple.

• Kings Balance where kings were weighed against grain, gold or money which was then distributed to the poor, the Queen's Bath a swimming pool, 50 ft.long and 6 ft.deep, with its arched corridors, projecting balconies and lotus-shaped fountains that once sprouted perfumed water, the two-storeyed

• Lotus Mahal : shaped like a lotus flower from top, this two-story structure has beautiful arc ways set in geometric regularity. It was an air-cooled summer palace of the queen.

• Elephant Stables : This huge stable, a beautiful example of Hindu-Muslim style of architecture, housed about 11 elephants in separate compartments.

• Mahanavami Dibba : The foundation of a lion story wooden structure from which the royalty viewed Hampi with pomp, colour and revelry during the Mahanadu festival. This platform has beautiful carvings.

• Mustard Ganesh : This is a 9 feet tall single stone statue which is also known as Sasivikalu Ganesha.

• Nobleman's Palace : This place was recently discovered and they suspect this was for aristocrats and high-ranking officials.

Badami (State: Karnataka, Category : Heritage)

Badami, the one time capital of the Chalukyas , is noted several temples, some structural & other rock-cut, of the 6th & 7th Centuries. The foundations of Badami, or Vatapi as it was called, were laid by Pulakeshi I (535 - 566 AD.).

Places of Interest at Badami

 Surrounding Places of Interest

Bijapur : (State: Karnataka, Category : Heritage)

Bijapur, the capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty. Bijapur is close to Belgaum. 

Local sightseeing 

• Gol Gumbaz : The tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah, boasts of the second-largest tomb in the world. 44 m in diameter.

• The Gol Gombaz or Gola Gummata : The dome is the second largest in the world, 124 feet in diameter. 

• Jumma Masjid : Jumma Masjid still used for worship, has been called one of the first mosques in India. 

• The Malik-e-Maiden : The largest medieval cannon in the world, is 14 ft long, weighing 55 tons. 

• Also worth visit are the Mehtar Mahal , the Jod Gumbaz, Afzal Khan's Cenotaph, Asar Mahal, Anand Mahal, Ark-Killa, etc. 

• The Ibrahim Roza : Further to the edge of the city is the Ibrahim Roza, a beautiful tomb with artistically laid out corridors and interconnecting buildings with richly decorated walls and perforated stone windows. 

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Please email to kar02@nivalink.com with dates of travel for further details and a quote (Estimated hotel cost and transportation) for the above itinerary or any other itinerary (Extended or truncated) or call us