Erstwhile capital of the mighty Vijayanagara Empire, Hampi – once home to half a million people – lies in ruins today. However, the beauty of these ruins have enthralled archaeologists and travelers for centuries now. The old city, around 25 sq km in area, has hundreds of temples, shrines, palaces, fortifications, magnificent examples of city planning, bazaars and even aqueducts. Such is the beauty and importance of the royal city of Hampi that it has been included in the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. If the man made structures were not enough, Hampi has millions of unique geological formations surrounding it, known simply as the ‘Hampi boulders’.
To know what can be expected in Hampi, what better way than to know it through photographs ..
To Do in Hampi
A visit to Hampi will include a lot of walking, hiking, climbing over stone steps and rock boulders, boating, bathing in the river and anything else which you can imagine. For convenience, am listing a few of them here.
- Climb the Matanga Hill in the morning; and morning means early morning, before sunrise. You will not only see a 360 degree panoramic view of Hampi and surrounding mountains, but this will also warm you up for the rest of the trip.
- Visit the Hampi Bazaar, Pan Supari Bazaar, Virupaksha Temple, Achutaraya Temple, Balakrishna Temple and the surroundings.
- Take a coracle to Vitthala temple. Have the time of your life while your boat navigates through the Tungabhadra river flowing between rocky mountains.
- Go on a bicycle / moped trip to the Royal enclosures.
- Take a hike to the Hemakuta hill in the evening and stand at the Sunset point marveling at the scenery.
- Walk aimlessly. Imagine you are an explorer set out to discover the mysteries of the past. There are chances that you might stumble upon something hidden previously.
- Shop for small souvenirs at the Hampi bazaar. Bargain like there was no tomorrow.
- Have a relaxed lunch at the Mango Tree. It is really wonderful.
