When & How
Hampi, Karnataka
The terrain of Hampi is such that it’s almost always hot during the day. The sun beats mercilessly upon the rocks and boulders and only the ruins of the temples provide respite from it. Keeping this in mind, the best time to pay a visit to Hampi would be in the cooler months from November to January.
For the more adventurous (and those who don’t mind getting a bit wet), the rainy months of July and August would be ideal: the Tungabhadra, swollen with rain, flows swiftly, and the landscape appears washed in colour.
Since Hampi is a popular tourist destination, various cultural and religious festivals are held here every year. The most important religious festival in Hampi is the Virupaksha Festival, which is held every year in March or April. A decorated wooden chariot, carrying idols of the resident deities Shiva and Pampa, is led down the colourful street next to Hampi Bazaar; the festival is intended as a celebration of their union.
How to get there
Hampi does not have an airport or a railway station of its own, but is easily accessible from Hospet, about 13 kms away. Hospet is connected by both rail and road to many cities.
By air:
The closest airport to Hampi is actually Bellary (64 kms), about two hours away from Hampi. But since this is a domestic airport, connections to other cities are limited.
Bangalore (342 kms) is the closest major airport to Hampi which is connected to most other major cities in India. If you are travelling to Hampi from Bangalore then you will have to either take an overnight train or a bus to Hospet.
By rail:
The closest railway station to Hampi is Hospet (13 kms).
Hospet is connected to a lot of cities, including major hubs like Chennai, Bangalore, Goa, Hyderabad and Kolkata. From here, Hampi is twenty minutes away, and you can either hop on a bus or take an auto. Autos are easy to find outside the railway station but will try and rip you off, so make sure you haggle over the price
By bus:
Hospet is also the closest bus station to Hampi. KSRTC (operated by Karnataka Roadways) has several buses which terminate at Hospet.
Getting around
The most convenient way of getting around Hampi without getting lost is by using the local autos. These are easily found near Hampi Bazaar, and the drivers know all the important destinations and the quickest way to get there.
If you feel like going out exploring on your own, it would be a good idea to rent a bicycle. Rental shops can again be found in Hampi Bazaar.
For trips across the river you can either take a motor boat, which charges 10 to 20 INR per person, or a coracle, which can charge up to 50 INR per person.