About Us

The Explore Hampi Story

Our Story

We believe that travel experiences can be transformational. It can breaks preconceived notions we have, teach us values like empathy, allow us to appreciate uniqueness of cultures and often push us out of our comfort zones, creating opportunities for personal growth. 

We wanted to create a community based tourism venture that would curate these kinds of travel experiences. So in 2013 we founded Explore Hampi, with a vision to serve not just the visitors coming to Hampi but also the local communities who are important stakeholders in its development.  We started off by curating well researched tours focussed on the History, Architecture & Cultural Heritage of Hampi. Since then every year we have introduced new tours focussing on different aspect of Hampi as a destination such as Mythological Connections of Hampi, Wildlife & Birding, Prehistory of Hampi. 

In 2016 we introduced our first 4 day educational experience – The Young Archaeologist Program. This was designed to sow seeds of curiosity and a sense of wonder for the past, amongst the young participants.  All of our educational experiences are curated to achieve specific learning outcomes and are designed to supplement the academic curriculum. 

Since the very first day of our operation, we have strived to create travel experiences that have meaningful impact.  As we make strides into the future this will continue to shape everything we do.   

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Years of Experience in heritage tourism

At the heart of Explore Hampi are its two founding members – Basava & Arjun. Basava is a native of Hampi, his strong connections to the community lends us credibility and local expertise.  Arjun is a heritage tourism professional with experience of curating tours all over South India. Both of them have worked in heritage tourism separately for many years before joining hands together to start Explore Hampi. 

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locals get livelihood opportunities

Through our work we bring the benefits of tourism to the local community by providing direct livelihood opportunities. Everyone from our expert tour leads, operations team to home cooks that prepare food for our guests come from the local community. We employ farmers, shepherds, labour, folk artists, craftswomen, musicians, dancers, all from the local community. 

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of users give us 5 star reviews

All our guiding & service staff have been trained to tailor the programs to specific needs of the travellers. We also provide timely and professional service. Which is why an overwhelming majority of our customers rate us highly on Tripadvisor & other independent review sites.

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waste generated on our tours

All our tours generate zero waste since 2019. No usage of single use plastics on our tours, everything else we recycle and reuse. All our vendors and partners follow these. We think it is important for travellers to have an option that minimises negative impacts of travel on the local population and ecosystems. 

Flexible tours available throughout the year. Suitable for families or small groups travelling together

Join other travellers on shared experience. Group size limited to 10 and covid protocols strictly followed.

Our experts plan every last details of your trip based on your interests and needs.

Immersive experiences that spark an interest in heritage, conservation, sustainability, livelihoods & nature.

Arjun Bhat

Storyteller, Educator, Tedx Speaker, Cycling Enthusiast & Student of History

He is our leader and the chief storyteller. He brings his vast experience and industry connections to the table. Every single experience offered by us has his signature on it. He leads all of our educational tours, virtual tours, and some specialized events. Our social media, website, online marketing, business development is handled by him. 

Hampi Basava

Storyteller, Ground Operations Wiz & Biker

He is the heart and soul of our little organization. Born & brought up in Hampi, his passion for heritage conservation and the welfare of locals is infectious. He curates and leads most of our offbeat tours at Hampi. His local connect with various communities and organisations is a huge advantage in running field operations at Hampi & Beyond. 

Lidin

Operations Specialist, Wildlife Photography, Birding & Hiking

He is the guy that keeps everything running in the background. He manages communication, sales, vendor management, payments, and accounting. He brings with him experience and a work ethic that is at the core of our operations. Without him to problem solve, we’d be so completely lost. 

Our Clients