Day 1- Hampi
630AM- Departure from Bangalore
1PM- Arrive in Hampi
We explore the monuments of Hampi post lunch. Badavi Linga is the biggest of all lingams in Hampi. It is made of black stone and rises 12 feet in height. A canal passes through it and hence it’s always in water.
You can find the biggest idol of Hampi, a few feet from Badavi Linga. Ugra Narasimha is 22 feet in height.
We will also visit Balakrishna temple and then visit Hemunta hill. This hill has many ancient temples and is also a good place for sunset.
7PM- We visit the magnificent Virupaksha temple It is from the Hoysala period and is the oldest temple in Hampi. The temple tower has eleven storeys and the river Tungabhadra flows inside.
Overnight in Hampi
Day 2- Hampi
Vijaya Vittala temple is probably the grandest masterpiece around. It is constructed on a polyhedron foundation. The musical pillars of the temple is one of the greatest work of art by mankind.
King’s Balance is the next destination. This is a huge stone frame east of Purandara Mantapa. A stone beam is placed on two pillars of stone. Legend has it that the generous Kings of Vijayanagara used to weigh them with gold and gems and distribute it among the poor.
We take a ride on a coracle on the Tungabhadra.
We will visit the Royal enclosures. Some of the memorable structures here are the Elephant stables, Queen’s bath and the Lotus Mahal.
Next on the itinerary is the Zanana enclosure , which was the place for the royal women.
Towards the evening we visit Anegundi village for the cave paintings. The paintings here date back to the Iron Age around 1500 BC.
Overnight in Hampi
Day 3- Badami, Aihole & Pattadakal
After breakfast in Hampi, we will drive for 3 hours to Aihole. There are more than a hundred stone temples from 5th century onwards to see. Legend says it is at Aihole that Lord Parashurama washed his axe after killing all the Kshatrayas.
After Aihole, we move to Pattadakal located 14 KMs away. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an epitome of the Visara style of architecture. The grandest of all temples here is that of Virupaksha, built in 8th Century by Queen Lokamahadevi.
We drive for half hour to the erstwhile capital of the Chalukya Kings, Badami. Located in a ravine at the foot of red sandstone hills Badami looks mesmerizing surrounded by the Agastya lake. The cave temples are made of made of red sandstone and feature a hall with numerous pillars and a square shaped sanctum. Paintings cover the ceiling.
Overnight in Badami.
Day 4- Bangalore
8AM- Depart from Badami
5PM- Tour ends in Bangalore