Best Time to visit hampi and must see places

by travelmynation
boating in hampi

Where is Hampi?

350kms away from Bangalore is a small hamlet called Hampi, which was once the base of The Vijaynagar Dynasty founded by the elder son Harihara from Sangama Family. A small Indian town, Hampi is now a UNESCO world heritage site as the ruins of the mighty dynasty lie there in the form of rocks and boulders.  And the boulders emit crazy amounts of heat and that’s winters are the best time to visit Hampi!

 

I have thought a lot about this place and wondered that there must be so many stories unheard, so many stories untold. Well, this is how magnificent the place is. The mysterious land of Hampi. Its magnificent ruins are enchanting and take you back centuries into ancient times. Such is the aura of the place, the people, heritage, and the history of Hampi. Keep reading for Hampi travel tips for your next visit there!

Hampi paddy fields

Our Experience in Hampi

You walk through the paddy field into the open-air restaurants for lunch. Cuisines range from Indian to Chinese to Italian, ask for the Chef’s special as well. Post your scrumptious lunch in the homestay, you wouldn’t be able to resist the comfortable wooden swing in front of your balcony. You can lie down and relax with your favorite book and a cold one. 

 

Lots of points of interest in Hampi but this was our favourite one. In the evening this place literally changes its ambiance and color! As the sun goes down the clear blue sky turns orange and you feel so lucky to experience it and live the moment. An amazing sunset awaits you! 

 

As the night falls and the birds are gone, all you hear are the crickets doing mating calls all over the fields. It’s dark and quiet and the cool breeze has continued throughout the day. It’s the perfect time to pull out your guitar, switch on some tunes or head to the bar with your favorite drink and some good food! This is the time for you to unwind, relax and forget about work, your challenges and focus on just being in the moment. Hampi helps you soak in its beauty and you take away memories for a lifetime!

Where to stay in Hampi?

Hampi Homestay

You will find lots of hotels and resorts in Hampi that cater to everybody. Homestays in Hampi can be found in Hampi village, backpacker huts in Virupapur Gadde. If you are looking for hotels, then you will find them in Kamalapura. But we decided to go for a homestay and experience some rustic living!

Situated by the banks of a long mighty river, there was this small guest house. It is surrounded by lush green paddy fields, and you will find a melting pot of people from various nationalities, mingling around. For as low as Rs.1000/-  OR 67$ (approx) per night, you can book a shack by the river. 

These small shacks have a comfortable double bed covered with a mosquito net, wooden almirahs, and a washroom with running hot water to offer. Due to a boom in tourism in Hampi, there are a plethora of hotels in Hampi. But we chose to stay with the local home-stays. You can check out some of these hotels here.

In 2018, we got a chance to stay in the more upscale, Heritage Resorts Hampi and had a fantastic time there. You can read more about them here.

Things to do in Hampi

Virupaksha temple hampi

Plenty of things to see in Hampi and the main tourist spots in Hampi are the Hampi Bazaar area and the Royal center. The 15th-century Virupaksha Temple is located in the Hampi Bazaar area and is one of the oldest structures in the city. The top of the temple rises 50 m from the ground.

The main shrine is dedicated to Virupaksha, an avatar of Lord Shiva. Two kilometers east of Hampi Bazaar, you can see the World Heritage Vittal temple that was constructed in the 16th century.

The royal center is located between Hampi Bazaar and Kamalapuram and it is just a 2-minute walk from the Hampi Bazaar. You can visit The Lotus Mahal which is an intricately designed pavilion inside a walled compound, known as the Zenana Enclosure. Hampi is also famous for The Queen’s Bath, the Underground Virupaksha temple, the Archeological Museum at Kamalapuramand, and Anegondi. This is a fortified area north of Hampi Bazaar across the Tungabhadra River and has several temples in and around it.

coracle ride in hampi

What are the best places to see in Hampi?

The best places to see in Hampi are

•    Archaeological Museum

•    Monkey Temple (Hanuman Temple)

•    Vijaya Vittala Temple

•    Riverside Ruins

•    Queen’s Bath

•    Hampi Bazaar

•    Royal Enclosure

•    Virupaksha Temple

•    Underground Temple

•    Krishna Temple

•    Matanga Hill

•    Daroji Bear Sanctuary

•    Sasivekalu Ganesha

•    Hemakuta Hill Temples

•    Old Palace (Gagan Mahal)

What is the best time to visit Hampi?

Hands down, the best time to be in Hampi is during the winters, from the end of October to early February. Although Hampi doesn’t experience cold weather during these months it’s pleasant to walk around without the sun beating down too hard on you! 


Summers are harsh and it isn’t advisable to venture out during the hot summer days. It is suggested to avoid visiting Hampi in May and June as the weather is scorching and dry, owing to the geography of the area. 

 

Monsoons get average but inconsistent rainfall, keeping the temperatures a little low but humid. Those looking forward to some adventure activity such as rock climbing, should avoid this season and hence the best time to visit Hampi is only during the year-end.

If you still need more information on Hampi, you can leave a comment for us or DM us on Instagram. And if you are looking for a beach holiday, then check out our top picks for beaches in South India!

Traveling through Karnataka?

Explore the most stunning beaches in Udupi or travel to the heart of coffee cultivation in Coorg. Karnataka is the ultimate travel destination for backpackers, luxury seekrs, wildlife lovers, bikers and it beckons for you to explore it


Liked this article? Don’t forget to leave your comment below and share it with your friends! If you would like to travel the way we do, then join us on our tours through our boutique travel company, Moto Overlanders.  

We also recommend our section on FoodReviews, and International destinations in our blog. If you like our pictures, do check out our Instagram and Facebook page as well.


This article and the pictures in it belong to Travelmynation and usage without prior permission is prohibited. If you would like to use any of our content, pls feel free to reach out to us.

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24 comments

Suparna Bora June 25, 2018 - 10:52 AM

Amazing road trip with you guys. I must say…II hav been fortunate to see some of these beautiful destinations only with your help. Looking forward to more travel stories with you guys!

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travelmynation June 25, 2018 - 11:25 AM

Lots more to come in the coming weeks!!

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Gautam Raj July 14, 2020 - 11:13 AM

I have read a lot about Hampi back in school time in History books and while I worked at a travel organization as content writer, there too I wrote a lot about it. Hampi, Aizole, etc. are in my list.
Thanks for this valuable information.

Reply
travelmynation July 14, 2020 - 11:30 AM

Same here. Our history books made me so curious about Hampi. And when I visited I loved the place

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PRIYANKA SENGAR July 14, 2020 - 6:13 PM

I liked the serene and and pristine description of Hampi in this post.

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Nidhi Gupta July 14, 2020 - 10:21 PM

You guys are an ideal example of travel couple… Hampi has been on my wishlist and so saving the post

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travelmynation July 17, 2020 - 3:47 PM

aww thats nice of you for the kind words

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wandertocapture July 15, 2020 - 9:59 AM

Completely love the pictures and the writeup. Waiting for the day to arrive, when i can pack my bags again.

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travelmynation July 17, 2020 - 3:48 PM

same here….cant wait to get back to Hampi

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Afreen Ansari July 15, 2020 - 10:55 AM

The blog detailing and pictures are so good.. Hampi has always been my fav.. Love how you have mentioned everything

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travelmynation July 17, 2020 - 3:49 PM

Thank you Afreen…..glad that you liked it

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Raksha Nagaraj July 15, 2020 - 5:01 PM

Hampi is definitely one of my most favourite places in Karnataka. I have been there only once and would love to visit it again.

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Ramya July 15, 2020 - 5:14 PM

The article is good and detailed, I want to visit Hampi and got a fair picture.

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yogeshmankani July 15, 2020 - 10:27 PM

Such a beautiful blog and we were actually looking for Hampi blogs. We will be planning for this place from quite a time. Lets hope this Covid fiasco ends soon and we will visit this beautiful place.

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travelmynation July 17, 2020 - 3:49 PM

oh great..ping us if you need any help

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pamela July 16, 2020 - 12:23 AM

From long time hampi is in my bucket list, even this year I had plan for the place but not happens due to this pandemic. I’m marking this post as bookmark. Thanks for the guide.

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Sandy N Vyjay July 16, 2020 - 12:19 PM

Hampi is our eternal favourite. We have been there so many times, but we always discover something new on each visit. On our last visit we explored Anegundi, which was the capital of the Vijayanagara empire before Hampi. Hampi is a symphony in stone of the heritage of India.

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Sundeep July 16, 2020 - 1:20 PM

Thank you for such an elaborate blog. We are planning to visit Hampi, and your blog will help us to plan our trip to a great extent. Thanks for sharing detailed information about the place

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travelmynation July 17, 2020 - 3:46 PM

Hampi is a must visit….go in the winters to escape the scorching heat

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Lancelot Quadras July 16, 2020 - 4:55 PM

I totally agree with you. Karnataka can be harsh during monsoons and summers. Winters is one good option for people to visit and enjoy this architectural marvel.

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Heena Dhedhi July 16, 2020 - 11:54 PM

These pictures are absolutely breathtaking and awakens the traveller in me.

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travelmynation July 17, 2020 - 3:46 PM

Thank you Heena. Glad you liked the pics

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avantikachaturvedi July 18, 2020 - 1:36 PM

Ah Hampi is my one true love! This post took me back to my carefree days under the sun earlier this year! It’s a pity that most homestays and cafes are no more on the Hippie island side.

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travelmynation July 20, 2020 - 10:39 AM

Yes that’s sad. But good for Hampi as how the tourism will be regulated. Better for the environment told

Reply

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