Hampi, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, was once the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, and if you are ever thinking of visiting this historical temple town, we’ve got you covered. Our comprehensive 48-hour Hampi guide will have you visiting all the famous temples, exploring your adventurous side with bouldering, trekking, and rock climbing, and hitting up the natural beauty. There are over 80 temples, sites, and monuments, and we’ve curated the absolute best that you must visit the first time around.

How To Get To Hampi

Hampi is about 345 kilometres or a six-hour drive from Bangalore. If you are looking for a train, then the best option is to take the Hampi Express, which leaves Yesvantpur Junction Railway Station every night at 10 PM and reaches Hospet at 7 AM the next day. From Hospet, you can always book an auto or a cab, and last we checked, after haggling, the price was around INR 400 for an auto. It’s about half an hour. You can also rent scooters, cycles, and bikes as well as autos to move around Hampi.

Places To Visit: Temples
Vitthala Temple

One of the most famous temples in Hampi, Vitthala Temple, dates back to the 18th century and was built during the reign of King Devaraya II. This is the temple where the Stone Chariot is located, and there’s also the Maha Mandapa. The mandapa is one of the oldest in Hampi and features carvings of deities, armies, and animals.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, open all days

Lakshmi Narasimha Temple

The temple is dedicated to Lakshmi Narasimha, and it has the largest monolith statue of Lord Narasimha, the famous half man half lion avatar of god Vishnu. The statue is about seven feet long and was built in the late 1500s AD.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, open all days

Kadalekalu Ganesha Temple

This temple also features a statue made from a single monolith. The statue is that of Lord Ganesha and at 15 feet, it’s one of the largest statues of the God in South India. The temple gets its name from the unique chiseled pattern on the belly that resembles kadalekalu or Bengal gram.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, open all days

Hazara Rama Temple

The temple is dedicated to Lord Ram, and it used to be the private temple of the royal family of Vijayanagara. Since the temple is dedicated to Ram, you will find that there’s an extensive depiction of the Ramayana mythology at the temple in the form of relics, panels, and carvings.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, open all days

Places To Visit: Adventure
Anjaneya Hill

The hill gets its name from the belief that Lord Hanuman was born here. You must visit the Hanuman Temple situated at the top. To get to the hill, you’ll need to take a boat and then trek up the hill station. It makes for a great spot for sunset and sunrise.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, open all days

Matanga Hill

Another popular hill in Hampi, Matange Hill offers a panoramic view of the city and the Tungabhadra River. The place is great for catching the sunrise or sunset. You can visit the Veerabhadra Temple on top. The trek uphill should take around 30 minutes for anyone who’s a moderate trekker.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, open all days

Coracle Ride

Virupaksha and Vittal Temples are the hotspots to enjoy some coracling on the Tungabhadra. The Virupaksha one is the shortest crossing to the other side. Head to the Vittala Temple for a more scenic route where you’ll go through Anegundi and catch all the temple and fort ruins.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, open all days

Bouldering

Both Hemakuta and Matanga Hill are great spots for bouldering. There are clubs and proper safety harnesses and equipment so that even if you are a beginner or a pro, you know you won’t get injured. You can also try your hand at the various monoliths, hills, and cliff edges across Hampi, but these are all subject to risk.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, open all days

Places To Visit: History
Queen’s Bath

An architectural marvel, this historic site is nearly six centuries old and was the private bath area for kings and queens. It features an Indo-Islamic style of architecture with arched corridors and balconies with stained glass windows.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, open all days

Riverside Ruins

These riverside ruins are near Kodandarama Temple, and you can spot various ruins. Some of the popular ruins that most tourists often spot are the 108 Shiva Lingas on a square rock and the 108 Shiva Lingas. There are other ruins, such as small shrines and statues.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, open all days

Elephant Stables

The Elephant Stables once housed the royal elephants of the Vijayanagara Empire. The largely intact structure is a major tourist spot in Hampi and an architectural marvel. It features eleven domed chambers that once accommodated two elephants. You can walk around the chambers and admire the structure that once housed the gentle giants.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, open all days

Lotus Palace

The Lotus Mahal, as it is also called, is one of those fine examples of an architectural marvel in Hampi. The palace has a lotus-like structure and this used to be the area where the royal women of the Vijayanagara Empire used to be. The palace has two storeys and features symmetrical towers.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, open all days