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Our introduction to Hampi begins on the first day watching a stunning sunset over the landscape of Hampi. In the evening we will be hosted by a local family for dinner at their simple village home. This home cooked vegetarian meal with locally sourced ingredients will be the best food you will have in Hampi.
On day two we will engage in a full-day heritage tour that will take us through all the important sights within the UNESCO world heritage site of Hampi. We will learn about the History & Architecture of the medieval city of Vijayanagara, we will hear stories of origin, victory, celebrations and defeat.
On our third and last day we embark on an adventure exploring the stunning landscape of Hampi in fun & engaging ways. We start with early morning hike to catch the sunrise from the tallest hill in the area. We discover hidden relief sculptures amongst the boulders on the riverside. We take a coracle boat ride on the river or lake. We explore the rural countryside on scooters or mopeds. We make pit stops along the way for for some local breakfast & coconut water.
For more details please refer to the detailed itinerary section. Transportation & Accommodation are included in the itinerary by default but you can opt-out of these if you wish to.
04:00 PM to 06:00 PM – Hemakuta & Virupaksha Temple
As per the local tradition, we will start out visit of Hampi with a visit to the monolith of Sasivekalu Ganesha. We then climb our way to the entrance of Hemakuta Hill. Hemakuta hill was a fortified hill where the founders of Vijayanagara first set up their residence before moving it few kilometers to the south. On this hill we find several shrines ranging from 8th to 16th centuries with distinct architectural styles.
We then head to the Virupaksha temple complex. Within the Sacred area of Vijayanagara, there are 4 Major temple complexes, of which Virupaksha is the oldest and only surviving one. The much older shrines of Pampa Devi, Bhoodevi & Durga dating to 6th & 8th centuries are incorporated into the current temple complex. Here we will learn about the origin of the name Hampi & story of how Vijayanagara was founded.
Monuments Covered: Sasivekalu Ganesha, Double Stories Mantapa, Moola Virupaksha, Manmata Kunda, Virupaksha Temple & Hampi Bazaar.
07:00 PM: Return to Hotel/Resort in Hampi
Overnight stay at Hotel/Resort
09:00 AM to 12:00 PM: Sacred Area of Hampi
Sacred Center as the name suggests is the religion center of Hampi, a number of ancient temples and structures are in this area. The sacred area is spread over in a South West – North East direction along the southern bank of Tungabhadra river. We already covered some sites within the Sacred area yesterday, we will continue from where we left of today.
The lifeline of Hampi is the mighty river Tungabhadra. She is the basis and origin of everything in Hampi. She has witnessed the boulders hills form over millions of years, she has seen early humans settle on her banks, she has seen many a sages and mystics, she has seen the rise and fall of one of the greatest empires in India. On this tour get a glimpse into thousands of years of History as it unfolded on banks of this mighty river. Learn about the rituals, festivals celebrated along the river. Learn about the birth of carnatic music and Haridasa movement. Visit the most beautiful and intricate of all temples in Hampi – Vijaya Vittala Temple & Stone Chariot.
Monuments Covered: Kampa Bhoopa Marga, Kodanda Rama Temple, Surya Mantapa, Purandara Dasa Mantapa, Kings Balance, Vittala Temple (Ranga Mantapa Musical Columns, Stone Chariot, Kalyana mantapa), Pushkarnini, Narasimha Monolith.
02:00 PM to 04:30 PM: Urban Core of Hampi
After lunch break we continue our exploration with the Urban Core area. This area was the Citadel of the Vijayanagara kings, it encompasses courtly and military structures of the core zone.
Here we have basements of palaces, administrative buildings, underground chambers, aqueducts, military structures etc. We will learn about social lives of people in the city through art, we will learn about festivals celebrated, irrigation and sanitation plans of the city.
Monuments Covered: Queens Bath, Mahanavami Dibba, Aqueduct, Secret chambers, Stepwell tank, Audience Hall, Public Bath, Hazara Rama Temple, Lotus Mahal, Elephant Stables, Underground Shiva Temple, Nobleman’s Quarters.
05:00 PM: Return to Hotel/Resort in Hampi
Overnight stay at Hotel/Resort
5:30 AM to 9:30 AM: Mythical Landscape Tour
Come away on a magical journey that will unfold the beauty of Hampi to you from the best vantage points, even as the rising sun spreads its warmth on the blessed lands. This tour is all about enjoying and exploring the awe-inspiring landscape of Hampi in fun and engaging ways! This is a tour for all adventure lovers.
First thing one notices when arriving to Hampi is its awe-inspiring landscape with stunning boulder strewn hills, lush green valleys, network of rivers, lakes and canals. This is a birders paradise with over 300 species of birds and a variety of other animals. We will explore this landscape in interesting ways and witness most stunning scenery Hampi has to offer.
Sunrise Hike to Matunga Hill – We start early while it is still dark at the bottom of the Matunga Hill, so that we can make it to the top before the sunrises. Once at the top we will spend some time enjoying the sunrise peacefully. Understand the geology of this landscape and hear stories from local folklore.
Riverside Walk & Coracle Boat Ride – We will descend from Matunga Hill from a different side and make our way through Achyutaraya Temple complex to the river side of Tungabhadra. This is a birders paradise, if you have a keen eye you’ll be able to spot yellow throated bulbuls, plum headed parakeet, rose ringed parakeet and other rare species from the avian world.
At the riverside we will explore hidden sculptures and carvings. Most visitors to Hampi miss this completely. We then will take a coracle boat to cross over to the northern bank of tungabhadra river. Floating on a coracle boat down the tungabhadra river in itself is an experience. It gives you an unmatched visual perspective of Hampi.
Moped Ride & Local Breakfast – Once on the other side we will walk on few islands before crossing over to the northern bank at Hanumanahalli village. Here we will mount our mopeds for a joyride through the countryside. More details about mopeds in the “INFORMATION” tab. Mopeds are the most fun ways of exploring the stunning countryside near Hampi. We will pass by and make several stops where your tour leader will narrate stories and familiarize you with flora, fauna & geology of the region. We will make a important pitstop for south indian breakfast at a village shack. On menu will be simple vegetarian items like idly, dosa, paddu, chutney, bhajji, coffee/tea. The food will be delicious, that’s a promise!
10:30 AM: Drop back to Hotel
INCLUSIONS
EXCLUSION
