Hampi, the capital of the erstwhile Vijayanagar empire, is located on the banks of Tungabhadra river, very close to Hosapete. It is a UNESCO heritage site and with a large number of ancient monuments, it is without doubt a must see place in Karnataka. The monuments in the village, located on a rocky terrain, are largely in ruins though few of them, like the Virupaksha temple, Elephant stables, and the Vittala temple, are still standing. But the grandeur can only be imagined.
I have travelled to Hampi twice over the years and apart from new hotels coming up, have not really noticed any significant change.
How to get to Hampi
By Road
Hampi is ~350kms from Bengaluru and the drive takes about 7.5 hours. I guess driving is the most convenient options as you can use the car to go around Hampi and also visit nearby places.
There are two possible routes – first is the Tumakuru road out of Bengaluru towards Chitradurga and then to Hosapete. The second is via Ananthpur and Bellary(there is a bypass at Bellary). The second route is marginally longer and will take little more time. Driving upto Chitradurga/Ananthpur will be a breeze but the road condition deteriorates as one gets closer to Bellary/Hosapete. There is also heavy traffic in these areas (meaning heavy trucks) and the travel speed does come down.
If you are staying in Hosapete/Hampi, better to take the Chitradurga road. If it is Hyatt Place, take the Ananthpur route.
By air
You can also fly to the Vidyanagar airport at Tornagallu, which is ~ 35 kms or ½ hour drive away from Hosapete/Hampi. Trujet operates one daily flight to Vidyanagar from Bengaluru and the flight takes about an hour.
By train or bus
Other options include train and bus to Hosapete, both of which are convenient as well and much cheaper.
The first time, I travelled by train to Hosapete and stayed in Hosapete. The second time, I drove via Ananthpur and stayed at Hyatt Place.
Restaurants on the way
Best ones are closer to Bengaluru. Beyond that, there are couple of good ones but you can always take a bit of deviation and get into Chiradurga/Anantpur for greater choice.
What to see and do in Hampi
Hampi is easy to navigate and there are maps available locally. There is nominal entry fee for some of the monuments.
Virupaksha temple –
This is generally the first stop for most tourists in Hampi. Built in 7th century CE, near Hampi bazaar, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Visit in the morning to see the inverted image of the Gopuram in an inside wall caused when the sun is behind the Gopuram and the sunlight passes through a small hole. I am not sure why the image is inverted though I sure there is a scientific reason.
The inverted image of the Gopuram, Hampi, Karnataka 
Virupaksha Temple interiors, Hampi, Karnataka
Vittala temple –
Amazing architecture. Some of the pillars emit sounds of various musical instruments when tapped and hence, are often called Saregama pillars. The stone chariot is a beauty. Normally the last stop for a tourist and it is about 10 kms away from Virupaksha temple by the main road.
The chariot at Vittala temple, Hampi, Karnataka 
The musical pillars at Vittala temple, Hampi, Karnataka
Sasivekalu Ganesha –
Made from one block of stone, the idol is about 8 ft tall. Interesting story. Lord Ganesha once had too much food and to prevent his stomach from bursting, tied a snake(visible on the photo) round his stomach. Both Sasivekalu and Kadalekalu Ganesha temples are located on Hemakuta hill.
Sasivekalu Ganesha, Hampi, Karnataka 
Kadalekalu Ganesha, Hampi, Karnataka
Achyuta Ram temple –
One of the last temples to be built before the decline of the Vijaynagara empire. Mostly in ruins.
Apart from the above, visit Hampi bazaar opposite Virupaksha temple, Matanga hill for a good view of Hampi(good for watching sunrise/sunset also), Zanana enclosure where royal women once lived, Lotus Mahal, Elephant stables(all 3 are located close by), Hazara Rama temple and Queen’s bath at the minimum. If you have more time, then see monolithic bull statue, Shivalinga, Hanuman temple(river crossing required), Lakshmi Narasimha temple and Stepped Tank. You will see many more monuments, mostly in ruins.
I have not been to the Museum but the reviews appear to be good.
Unless you are a keen historian, you will probably not spend more than an hour at any single monument.
Lotus Mahal, Hampi, Karnataka 
Hampi ruins near Tungabhadra river, Karnataka 
Hampi bazaar ruins, Karnataka
Coracle ride is enjoyable, if there is fair bit of water in the river.
For the more adventurous, there is the option of rock climbing.
Daroji bear sanctuary –
Daroji is worth visiting to watch sloth bears from vantage points. It is about 20kms away from Hampi, towards Tornagallu. There is a bit of a climb to get to the top of the tower. The bears are seen only in the evenings.
TB Dam –
Best to go in the evening, watch the sunset over the reservoir, see the lighting and spend some time in the park. On weekends/holidays, it can get crowded though, with lot of people from nearby areas visiting. Located about 25kms from Hampi.
TB dam at sunset, near Hosapete, Karnataka 
TB dam area, near Hosapete, Karnataka 
TB dam illuminated at night, near Hosapete, Karnataka
Where to stay
I like Hyatt Place located in the Vidyanagar township. Hampi is about 35 kms or 20 minutes away, which is not really much. Hospete too has few hotels such as Royal Orchid, Welcome Heritage and couple of decent 3 star properties such as Malligi and Hampi International. The cost per night will range from ~4,000 to over INR 10k, depending on the season. There are plenty of cheaper guest houses or homestays, including those at Hampi/Hippie Island.
There are couple of restaurants in Hampi where you can have lunch. Nothing fancy, no great ambience and ok food.
How many days for Hampi
2 full days is ideal and adequate. One evening for sloth bear sanctuary, and another evening for TB Dam. So overall 4 days, 3 nights if driving from Bengaluru. Vidyanagar township, created for those working at JSW steel plant, is also very nice township to go around and has couple of good restaurants.
But can you see the main sights in one day? Yes of course!
A car is best way to move around. You can also rent a cycle at Hampi though I must admit this is more for youngsters given the area to be covered. Autos are relatively expensive so do bargain. Buggies were also being operated though I have learnt most of them are under maintenance.
There will be fair bit of walking to be done, even if you have a vehicle at your disposal. So do wear comfortable shoes.
Best time to visit
Given the rocky terrain, it is best to visit Hampi in the winter months-November to February. But if you can bear the heat, anytime is ok. April and May are the hottest months. It does not rain that heavily so even monsoon season is ok. The good thing is that Hampi can be visited early in the mornings which means you can get back to the hotel by say 2pm and thus avoid the hot afternoons.
Is Hampi worth visiting
My answer is yes, even if you are not interested in history. For Bengalureans, it is a good 4 day outing if driving. I only wish little more effort is taken to keep the village clean and some money spent to improve infrastructure.
The annual Hampi festival is normally held in winter. There is no fixed time frame though. Can be November, can be January. It can get quite crowded during this period.
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