Hampi Simplified
Bike Ride to Hampi from Hyderabad.
We started off from Hyderabad at around 7:00 in the morning. We took the most obvious route via Raichur to get to Hampi. So here are all the details of the trip:
Road Condition:
The road condition is pretty good right from the outskirts of Hyderabad up until Hampi. A stretch of around 10 kms is a bit beaten up in certain parts as there is some road laying work going on. Other than that the road is fine without any major problems. At Raichur, make sure to take the diversion which directly takes you to the highway towards Hampi. It prevents you from entering into the city and encountering traffic. The surroundings of the road is also green and pleases the eye.
Facilities along the Highway:
There is no shortage of anything on this route. From multiple options for food to numerous Petrol pumps, you have it all. There is no need to worry about any amenities you may need. We had our breakfast at 'Hill park' near Jadcherla and the food was tasty, but, a bit on the costlier side. However, you keep passing through the outskirts of many small towns and villages so you can find something to eat almost as instantly as you wish to.
Hampi:
This is the ruins of the Vijayanagar empire, ruled by King Krishnadevaraya. It is a treat to all the history and architecture buffs. For others it might not be too attractive but no harm caused as there a couple of small climbs which lead you to viewpoints. Some of them are Matangi hill and Anjani Betta- this is believed to be the place was Lord Hanuman was born. To explore the core of Hampi, one needs to head to a place called Kamlapur, where majority of these monuments are present. The river Tungabhadra passes through here making it that bit better.
Some top places to visit in Hampi:
- Virupaksha Temple
- Vijay Vitthala Temple
- Lotus Mahal
- Matangi Hill
- Anjani Betta
- Sanapur Lake.
Places to stay:
There are a lot places with different prices and different offerings in and around Hampi. People who intend to let their hair down should to 'Hippie Island' locally called Virpapur Gaddi. You can find a lot of people from different countries with similar liking who connect very easily. You can get almost everything here, you just need to be a bit friendly. Small cottages are lined along the beaten up road, You can find a room for as low as 600 INR in the off season. But, during the season you would be lucky to get the same room for less than 1500 INR. The best time to stay here is the weekends as it is filled with people. For more family friendly environments, you can stay at 2 places which are nearest to Hampi- Hospete and Gangavati. There are also good resorts at these places which may cost you around 2000 INR. There are also normal hotels at these places which cost you around 1000 INR. For people who crave for luxury, there are 5 star resorts as well.
Reaching there:
The nearest Railway station is Hospete which is around 13-15 kms away. If you intend to take a bus then you can think about Gangavati as well. The nearest airport is Hubli-It is around 150 kms away. After alighting at one of these places you can get a taxi or a tuk-tuk to head into Hampi.
Getting Around:
We personally did not face a problem as we had taken our own bikes. But, if you not much of a bike guy and prefer to travel by bus or train then there is no need to worry as there are a lot of people who provide you taxi services. Besides, you can also rent a bike there. You can get one without a license as well, again the friendly attitude works. You get bikes like Honda Navi and XL Heavy Duty in the wink of an eye. You can also explore the place on cycles as they are also available for rent.
You can find all sorts of continental food here. But, if you are an Indian then i would suggest you tell them before hand to make the food a bit spicy. This is because the cooks there have got accustomed to cook for foreigners who usually don't eat spicy food. The weather in Hampi is one of the downsides. It gets very hot in summers and the winters don't feel like winters at all. When we had ridden, there was a bit of a drizzle. But, it is not something one need to worry about when heading to Hampi.
Bikes used: KTM Duke 390 2017 version, Yamaha FZ25, Bajaj Avenger 220 Cruise. Non of the bikes had any serious problems during this trip. We maintained an average of 90-100 kph and it did not bother any of the bikes.
For any further queries feel free to comment.
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