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Travel to North East India - Meghalaya

Itinerary, tips, what to shop for, where to eat and things to know before you go for a 10 day trip to North East India including the states of Meghalaya, West Bengal and Sikkim.

After many debates, discussions and online searches later, we finalized our 2019 vacation destination as North East India. It was a vacation I had done ten years ago with my parents and chose to repeat the same with Raj.

The North East has been blessed with natural beauty - the towering Himalayas, the clear rivers, white waterfalls, varied wildlife, diverse fauna, clear blue skies, fresh hilly air, and clouds. Ever since my first visit in 2009, I had been craving to take Raj there. And finally, we made it this year. And we have some more trips planned based on our current experience.

This travel post (like all my travel posts) is divided into 3 parts so that I can detail out our itinerary, the sights to see, places to eat perhaps, our plans and misses, and how I would replan it for the future.

Our overall itinerary:

Day 1 - Travel from Bangalore to Guwahati by flight. Then drive down to Shillong.

Day 2 - Sohra (Cherrapunji) sightseeing

Day 3 - Mawlyngong and Dawki

Day 4 - Drive back to Guwahati. Fly to Bagdogra. Hire a cab to Darjeeling.

Day 5 - Kalimpong sightseeing

Day 6 - Darjeeling sightseeing

Day 7 - Take a cab to Gangtok.

Day 8 - Nathu La Pass

Day 9 - Gangtok sightseeing

Day 10 - Take a cab to Bagdogra. Fly back to Bangalore.

This post details our travel and stay in the state of Meghalaya.

Meghalaya

Meghalaya means the abode of clouds. And true to its name, that is exactly what it was. You can love it or hate it, but you just cannot ignore the clouds. Sometimes we were mesmerized by them, sometimes we wished they would all go away, just for a day. It has often been referred to as the Scotland of the East.

The state of Meghalaya was carved out of Assam in the year 1972. Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya. Meghalaya is flanked by Bangladesh on its west and south. It is also home to the wettest places on Earth - Sohra (Cherrapunji) and Mawsynram.

Our Journey: Day 1: Shillong

We took an early morning direct flight to Guwahati, Assam from Bangalore. Shillong has an airport too, however, it doesn't have a direct flight from Bangalore and we would need to hop flight at Kolkata. Guwahati worked in our favour as we were able to rent a self-drive vehicle from there, something that is still not available in Shillong.

Our original plan was to reach Guwahati early, pick up our Zoomcar (self-drive), visit the famous shakti peetha - Kamakhya in Guwahati and then proceed to Shillong, which is a 2.5 hour drive. And if there was still daylight, we planned to see a few places in Shillong. But things went wrong from the moment we landed in Guwahati. The location provided by the Zoomcar app took us to a drain 27kms away from the airport. We had booked a car from a location closest to the airport (4.5kms) as we did not get an airport pickup. Their customer service center kept telling us they had technical issues so they could not help us. We finally managed to get a vehicle from them even further away from the Airport (30kms) and that too 3 hours later. This meant we had to forego visiting Kamakhya as that had already closed for the afternoon and also, we had no daylight when we reached Shillong.

Zoomcar

We had a very harrowing experience that I have not detailed here. To avoid something similar, I suggest booking a car well in advance and to only take an airport pickup in an unknown city. Otherwise, you may be better off just hiring a cab instead of taking unnecessary stress like we did. Also, it isn't as easy as it sounds. There is a lot of process to gain access to the car that they have for security reasons, but sometimes that plays out negatively. The car we got couldn't be locked/unlocked by the app and we had to call up their call center, who in turn had to get the owner of the car to unlock it for us. The only positive was, the car was decent and Zoomcar reimbursed all our uber receipts for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, we lost a lot of time and also missed out on visiting places that we had planned.

If everything had gone right, this is what we would have accomplished on day 1:

Pickup car at 11am.
Reach Kamakhya temple by 12pm. The temple is closed between 1pm to 2.30pm.
Have lunch and start for Shillong by 2pm.
Reach Shillong by 5pm. See Umiam lake on the way.
Explore the local markets and cuisine.

We managed to see the Umiam lake but skipped the temple. Umiam Lake or Barapani Lake is a huge man-made lake on the outskirts of Shillong. Since it is almost 15kms away from the city, it makes sense to cover it on the way in or out of the city, unless one plans on enjoying the water sports available there. There are several viewpoints near the lake which offer picturesque views, make sure to stop at one. There are small shops near these viewpoints that sell you tea, pakodas, aloo chops, maggi and cane knick-knacks. We tried the aloo chops at one of these and they were heavenly. We also picked up some cane vases and cups as souvenirs.

We had booked Hotel M Crown, bang in the middle of Police Bazaar. I could play devil's advocate for the location of the hotel - it was right next to the market, but that made it a nightmare to reach it. Read my review of the hotel on TripAdvisor. We reached Shillong by 6pm and it was already pretty dark, but Police Bazaar was alive with its hawkers and shops. We managed to battle our way through the crowd and take a glimpse of the market. We also managed to eat momos on the street and rich Bengali sweets from Delhi Mistan Bhandar. We also finished our souvenir shopping of cane goods and fridge magnets.

Sights to see in Shillong:

Umiam Lake - We visited this on our way to Shillong on Day 1.
Elephant Falls - Elephant falls is on the way to Sohra/Cherrapunji. It is a 3 level water fall. We visited this on Day 2
Shillong Peak - Highest point in Shillong from where one can view the entire city. We planned for it but it was closed by the time we reached there. It is open from 9am to 3.30pm.
Ward's Lake - A large lake in the middle of the city with a small garden on the side. You can do boating here. We visited this on Day 2
Lady Hydari Park with a small zoo
Museums - There are a few museums in the city related to air force, military and local culture.
Churches, Temples and Mosques

Umiam Lake

Elephant Falls

Ward's Lake

Day 2: Sohra/Cherrapunji

We started early for Sohra or Cherrapunji. Sohra is the local name and Cherrapunji is a British corruption of it. Locals prefer it being called Sohra, so Sohra it is. We started at 6.30am from the hotel towards Sohra. Sunrise happens early here, around 5am, so it was bright daylight when we started. If breakfast is included in your hotel stay, ask for a boxed breakfast the night before, most hotels will keep it ready for you. If you eat eggs, then head to police bazaar for a quick egg and roti breakfast. Else, you can eat at Nongkhlaw Cafeteria on the way. We got some aloo paratha and puri bhaji there along with some really good ginger tea.

We then continued our sightseeing in the following order:

Duwan Sing Syiem View Point - Dress up in local Khasi clothes here for Rs.100 per person and take photographs. View the lush green valleys from the viewpoint.
NohKaLiKai Waterfall - This is the part where we hated clouds. Fog like clouds covered the falls and we barely got a glimpse after a good 30-minute wait. We bought some cinnamon here and a local snack of sweet almonds - tasted like some sweet flour coated peanuts.
Seven Sisters Waterfalls - Again, clouds covered these and it was a test of patience as we waited in the hope that it would clear. They finally did clear and the sight was breathtaking.
Ecopark - This park is located at the origin of the Seven Sisters Waterfalls. Worth the visit.
Wah-Kaba Falls - You can stand near a waterfall here, hence, we loved it.
We also returned to Shillong by 4pm so we covered Elephant falls and Ward's Lake in Shillong too.
Shillong Peak closes at 3.30. If you are not hampered by clouds in Sohra, you can manage to cover this on the same day as well.

Other sights to see in Sohra:

Mawsmai Caves - Dimly lit limestone caves. I visited this in 2009 and didn't personally find it special, hence skipped it. There are sections in the caves that are narrow and you may need to squeeze through. Also, be aware that the caves have a strong odor due to the natural mineral deposits.
Double Decker Root Bridges - Definitely a must-go if you are physically fit. The trek to go here involves going down 3500 stairs to see the bridges and climbing back up the same stairs to get back to your car. If you plan to visit these, it is better to halt at Sohra for the night and go here early as this may take a good 2-3 hours to visit.
Rainbow falls - A short trek from the double decker route bridges. If you visit the bridge, then plan for this too.

Wei Sawdong Waterfalls - View 3 levels of waterfalls if you have the courage to bear the bad roads. We planned it and skipped it after traveling a few kilometers off the main highway. The bumpy ride wasn't for us.

Duwan Sing Syiem View Point

Khasi Dress

NohKaLiKai Waterfall

Seven Sisters Waterfalls

Ecopark

Wah Kaba Falls

Day 3 - Living Root Bridge, Mawlynngong and Dawki:

We had a scrumptious breakfast at the hotel and started day 3 around 8am. Personally, I'd say start earlier as the roads are not good and they slow you down. We wanted to cover three places on our trip in the following order:

Living Root Bridge - If you skipped the double decker root bridge like us, you can visit this one. This is a short 15-minute walk from the parking. It does involve stairs, but much fewer than 3500. The point where the road deviates from the highway is narrow, surrounded by thick foliage, has no cell reception in most places and is full of pot holes. It is a bumpy ride of 13kms that easily took us upwards of 45 minutes. But the sound of the river is calming and the feat of engineering is humbling.
Mawlynngong - Declared the cleanest village in Asia in 2003, it is only 2kms from the Living Root Bridge. The villagers are extremely conscious about cleanliness and the tourists are also expected to be so. There is a nice bamboo tree top viewpoint, which was under maintenance when we went, but appears to be nice if functional. We ate lunch at the village square and it was a simple yet good meal.
Dawki - If the time is right, the waters are clear. Dawki is located on the India - Bangladesh border and is famous for the illusion of boats floating in the air when the water is clear. The time to witness this is from November to April. The water was green when we went and we didn't mind it at all. The water turns muddy brown during monsoons and is not recommended at that time. There are several boating locations as you near and you will find agents pouncing on your car asking if you want to go boating. We went to the absolute end near the border and chose to go boating from there. It cost us Rs.700 for one boat. Life jackets are provided. The rowboat is taken until a small island where the water is clear and you are given time to take photographs and to soak your feet in the clear and cold water. As per Raj, this was the highlight of the entire trip for him, so I guess something went right here. You can also see the plains of Bangladesh from here.

The drive back was slightly scary as night had fallen by the time we were negotiating the hills and it turned all foggy and cloudy. The visibility was near zero and the rain didn't help much either.

Living Root Bridge

Mawlynngong

Dawki

Zero Point - India Bangladesh Border at Dawki

If we were to replan:

Number of days - 2 days is definitely not enough to absorb the beauty of Meghalaya. If we were to replan, we'd add in at least 3 more days to the trip and include a visit to Kaziranga National Park in Assam. It is 4 hours from Guwahati. Kaziranga is closed for the general public from May to October every year.
Time of travel - We definitely want to see the clear waters of Dawki, and would hence plan this during November or December. I would not recommend closer to the summer as the waterfalls may dry up.
We would stay at Sohra for the night and cover the double decker root bridges for sure.

What to buy:

Chillies - North East India is famous for its extremely spicy chillies. Buy them at the market at Police Bazaar. This may be seasonal.
Apples - We got some amazing crisp apples here. It may be seasonal though.
Pickles - Loads of local pickles on sale here in various quantities - chillies, local fruit, bamboo and fish. Take your pick.
Cane products - Bamboo grows in abundance here and hence, they have a lot of cane ware for sale - bowls, vases, baskets.
Long lemons and other local vegetables - I loved the lemons and bought home a few. They are served in all restaurants and they tasted different to me. I also saw a lot of different vegetables that I would buy if I were heading home straight from Shillong.
Spices - The shops in Sohra sell spices, I picked up some fragrant cinnamon.
Shawls and Jackets

Chillies for sale at Police Bazaar

Shop for pickles and spices at Nohkalikai Falls

Where to eat:

Red Rice Restaurant - If you want to try local Khasi cuisine, head here. We tried our luck on two days and managed to get a vegetarian thali on day 2. It was a simple fare, but delicious.
Delhi Mistan Bhandaar - If you love sweets, you have to go here!! I loved their sweets. It may be one of the best sweet shops I've ever visited. Try their special sweet, you won't regret it. Skip the nimkis (too salty for my liking).
Trattoria - A small hole in the wall in the market that serves local food and is frequented by locals too. It closes at 8pm and I'm not sure it serves veg food. Ask before settling it. Vouched for by most people online for non-vegetarian food.
We also tried Lamee and the restaurant in M Crown Hotel, and preferred the latter. The service in Lamee was slow and the food was average.
Momos on the street were average, you can try it once though.
Police Bazaar circle offers a lot of variety in non-vegetarian food - there is biryani, jadoh, momo, kebabs, chops, fried goodies etc. Judging by the looks of it, these are extremely popular with locals, so it must taste good. Try if you are adventurous and non-vegetarian.
The same circle offers roti and masala boiled eggs in the morning. You can give that a try too.
Wahrisaw restaurant- We ate a simple thali lunch here when at Sohra and it was good.
Dapbiang Restaurant - Again, we ate a thali here when were at Mawlyngong. The salsa that accompanied our meal was spicy and full of flavor.
Tea near the boating counter at Dawki - This has to be the best tea I've had in a restaurant. Absolutely loved it.
Berries from Bangladesh - Give it a try at Dawki if you are feeling adventurous. I did not really like them, but you may.
Ja and Cha shops - There are several Ja cha shops all along the highway. Ja means rice and Cha means tea. A simple ja meal is rice, dal, one vegetable (usually okra/bhindi) and one boiled egg if you want. If you want to eat like locals, pop into one of them.

Clockwise from L-R - 1) Sweets at Delhi Mistan Bhandar, Meal at Mawlynngong, Meal at Sohra, Manchow soup at Lamee, Aloo Paratha at Nongkhlaw Cafeteria

1) Tea at Dawki 2) Khasi meal at Red Rice, 3) Long lemon 4) Sweets at Delhi Mistan Bhandar 5) Sweet almonds

Things to know before you go:

Sunset happens very early in Meghalaya. Expect it around 4-5pm in the winter months.
Restaurants close early - 8pm to 10pm. Head for an early dinner.
Language is not a problem at all. English is the official language of the state and almost everyone speaks Hindi.
Street food is mostly non-vegetarian. Ask before you eat.
Shillong has a lot of one-ways and Google maps isn't accurate. Ask the locals for directions. Do NOT rely on Google maps.
Be aware that Shillong has a lot of traffic jams. It may easily take you 1 hour to cover 4kms in the evenings.
The highway is prone to landslides during monsoons. Be cautious.
The city has extremely narrow roads, drive carefully.
The state is proud of its cleanliness, there are a lot of dustbins all over the tourist places as well as restrooms (they are well maintained mostly). Use them and do not litter on the streets.
All major festivals are celebrated in Meghalaya, so it is better to avoid visiting during Durga Puja, Diwali and Christmas unless you love crowds.
Most of the sights in Shillong are closed on Sundays. Ward's lake is closed on Tuesdays. Plan accordingly.

Useful links:

Meghalaya Tourism Official Website - http://megtourism.gov.in/
Kaziranga National Park Official Website - https://www.kaziranga-national-park.com/
Our favorite website to compare flights - https://www.cleartrip.com/
Our favorite website to book hotel - https://www.agoda.com/
For details on Kamakhya temple - https://www.maakamakhya.org/

North Karnataka Heritage Trail - Day 4 & 5 - Bijapur & Back

A five day car trip across North Karnataka exploring the ancient architectural wonders of Hampi, Badami, Patadkal, Aihole and Bijapur.

If you are an architecture and history buff, then this is the trip for you!!

We traveled across North Karnataka on a heritage trail end of last year in a 5 day trip including driving to and from Bangalore. Karnataka has been ruled by several powerful empires and each of these empires has left a mark on the architectural landscape of the state. From the intricate carving of 5th century temples to the giant domes of 17th century, North Karnataka has a lot to offer. So these holidays instead of visiting the tourist favorites of Bangalore-Mysore, take some time out to go see these ancient beauties.

In our 5 day trip, we covered Hampi, Badami, Pattadakal, Aihole and Bijapur.

This trip is divided across 3 posts, so keep reading. Our itinerary was as follows:

Day 1 - Travel from Bangalore to Hosapete. Visit Anegundi.

Day 2 - Visit Hampi and TB Dam. Travel to Badami.

Day 3 - Visit Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole

Day 4 - Visit Bijapur

Day 5 - Travel back to Bangalore.

This post, details the Day 4&5

Read about Days 1 and 2 in Hampi here and Day 3 in Badami, Patadkal and Aihole, here.

Day 4

We set out for Bijapur or Vijayapura, as it is known today on Day 4 of our journey. After touring Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole, we halted at Bagalkot. We set out for Bijapur early next morning after having our breakfast at the hotel. The distance between the two cities is around 84 km and can be covered in 2 hours.

While my first two post were all about Hindu and Jain temples, this one is different. Bijapur or Vijayapura has an Islamic past. It was ruled for over a century by the Adil Shahi dynasty and then passed on to the hands of other Islamic dynasties. So the architecture here is very different from the other places mentioned in my North Karnataka Heritage Trail.

Bijapur is an important town in Karnataka, and hence has several hotels, restaurants and markets. It even has a mall now. The place can get busy in peak seasons, so book your hotel in advance. Most of the monuments are open from 6am to 6pm. In peak seasons, we suggest you start early to cover the main ones.

Gol Gumbaz

No visit to Bijapur can be complete without visiting the Gol Gumbaz. Gol Gumbaz is the mausoleum of King Mohammad Adil Shah. This mighty monument is famous for its echoes and the whispering alley. To enjoy the monument, we suggest you beat the crowd and be there early, preferably before 8am. Unfortunately, we visited the monument when there were several school children on trip and the echoing of their screaming and shouting made us feel we were in a swarming bee hive. The security guard informed us that schools usually visit by 9am, hence we suggest being here as early as possible. You will need to purchase a ticket to visit the monument. There is parking available at the monument.

Upli Burz

This is a small, but famous watchtower with two canons on the top. You don't need to buy any ticket to visit it. The steps, though few in number are very steep, so climb carefully.

Ibrahim Roza

This is a 17th century monument that houses the tomb of Ibrahim Adil Shah II . It has 2 structures, one with the tomb and one mosque. The domes are beautiful and it rises from a lotus petal base. The complex is open from 6am to 6pm and requires you to buy a ticket to visit.

Bara Kaman

This is an unfinished mausoleum of one of the Adil Shahi Kings's. It was supposed to have 12 arches, but we counted less. The place requires no ticket to visit and has no parking available close by. Park near the road and walk inside.

Jod Gumbaz

This is a set of two mosques located close to the KSRTC bus stand. Both mosques are still being used for worship. No ticket required here. You can park on the road outside.

Other places to see in Bijapur, if you have time:

Gagan Mahal
Taj Bawdi
Shivgiri Temple
Torvi Narasimha Temple
Malik-i-Maidan
Jumma Masjid
Mithari Mahal
Asar Mahal

After we finished our history filled day, we started towards Bangalore the same night. We started from Bijapur around 6pm and halted at Hosapete for the night. We reached Hosapete around 9.30 pm.

On Day 5 we continued our journey towards Bangalore from Hosapete.

Tips:

You can hire autos or horse driven tangas in the city that will take you to all the monuments at a nominal price.
You are not allowed to carry large bags inside Gol Gumbaz complex. You can either keep them in the car or in the cloak room near the ticket counter.
Buy local terracotta vessels for cooking on the road between the KSRTC bus stand and Jod Gumbaz. They are very reasonably priced.
Eat Joladda Rotti Oota near the KSRTC bus stand if you can tolerate spicy food.
S Hypermart on the outskirts of the city is a huge super market that is open till 11 pm.

North Karnataka Heritage Trail - Day 3 - Badami, Pattadakal, Aihole

A five day car trip across North Karnataka exploring the ancient architectural wonders of Hampi, Badami, Patadkal, Aihole and Bijapur.

Day 1 - Travel from Bangalore to Hosapete. Visit Anegundi.

Day 2 - Visit Hampi and TB Dam. Travel to Badami.

Day 3 - Visit Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole

Day 4 - Visit Bijapur

Day 5 - Travel back to Bangalore.

This post, details the Day 3.

Read about Days 1 and 2 in Hampi here.

Day 3:

After we covered the world famous ruins of Hampi, we moved on to visit the even older temples of the 4-8th century at Badami, Patadkal and Aihole. These temples are ancient and still so beautiful. I was as mesmerized as I was when we visited the Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

After completing our site seeing in Hampi on Day 2, we proceeded towards Bagalkot in the evening. We had a late check-in at a hotel, but this ensured we could start day 3 early. We stayed in Bagalkot city as we couldn't find accommodation in Badami. We started out at around 8am from Bagalkot and had our breakfast in Badami. There are several Udupi restaurants in Badami that are open for breakfast.

Badami

Badami is a small town in North Karnataka famous for the set of cave temples. Four caves are carved out of the sandstone hill that surrounds lake Agastya. Badami Caves open at 9am and close at 6pm. The parking is pretty much a nightmare, as it involves going through a single lane road that is being operated as a two lane (for entering and exiting). During peak seasons, the parking gets full pretty fast, so we suggest reaching the caves as early as possible. You need to purchase a ticket for entry and for parking. Guides speaking Kannada and Hindi are available around the entrance to the caves. There was no bargaining with the price (we thought it was slightly steep), but we still hired a guide. The guide showed us some unique carvings and puzzles on the pillars that we may have missed, had we chosen not to hire him. You can combine groups on your own and share the price too.

Cave 1:

The first cave is dedicated to Lord Shiva. On the outside of the cave you will see a Nataraja Statue. On the inside, there is a carving of Ardhanarishvara and Harihara on the right and left sides on the cave respectively. There is a Shiva Linga in the temple, however, it is not worshiped as of today.

Cave 2 and 3:

The second and third caves are dedicated to Lord Vishnu. There is no deity in the temple, but the carvings in the cave indicate there was once a statue of Lord Vishnu. The third cave is the largest in the complex with several carvings and paintings. These two caves depict various scenes from mythology and show the different avatars of Lord Vishnu. There are carvings on the ceiling too.

Cave 4:

Probably the simplest of the 4 caves, this cave is dedicated to Jainism. It has the statues of Bahubali Mahavira and Parshvanatha.

Apart from the caves, you can also visit the Archaelogical Museum (closes at 5pm) on the other side of the lake. There are also two Bhootnath Temples along the lake, while the Yellamma temple is closer to the parking.

Tips:

Be very careful of monkeys, they can snatch your food.
Parking is a nightmare, reach early to get a good parking. Caves open at 9am.
English and Hindi speaking guides are available near the entrance to the caves.
Plan to spend around 1-1.5 hours at the caves.

Pattadakal

Pattadakal is temple town with 7th and 8th century architecture. It is 23 km from Badami and it houses a huge temple complex with 9 Hindu temples and 1 Jain Temple. The Hindu temples are close by and the Jain temple is 1 km away towards Badami. The temples depict scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and other epics. The Virupaksha Temple in the complex is still worshiped till date while the others are not.

The Pattadakal temples are open from 6am-6pm. You need to purchase a ticket to enter the temple complex. Parking is available outside the temple complex.

Tips:

Eat Joladda Rotti Oota or the local thali that has jowar rotis and curries just outside the temple complex.
You can hire a guide at the entrance.
Plan to spend 1.5-2 hours here including time for lunch.

Aihole

Aihole is around 10 km from Pattadakal and is the oldest temple town of the three. Aihole has several temple complexes spread out over the village. The village has more than 100 monuments. The temples in Aihole show that the architects tried different styles. There are temples which you cannot circumambulate (pradakshina) and some where you can. There are temples with gopuras and temples with a second storey. Some temples also have North Indian influences.

There is parking outside the monument and you need to buy a ticket to visit the monuments. The temples are open from 6am to 6pm.

Tips:

There are lots of monuments beside the main Durga temple complex. If you have time, walk through them.
Aihole is a village and there are not many places to eat, so carry your own food.
You can hire a guide at the entrance.

North Karnataka Heritage Trail Day 1 & 2 - Hampi

A five day car trip across North Karnataka exploring the ancient architectural wonders of Hampi, Badami, Patadkal, Aihole and Bijapur.

Day 1 - Travel from Bangalore to Hosapete. Visit Anegundi.

Day 2 - Visit Hampi and TB Dam. Travel to Badami.

Day 3 - Visit Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole

Day 4 - Visit Bijapur

Day 5 - Travel back to Bangalore.

This post, details the first 2 days.

Of all the heritage places in North Karnataka, the most famous one is Hampi. Mythologically, Hampi is also known as Kishkinda, the place in Ramayana where Lord Rama met Lord Hanuman and Sugriva and asked for their help to rescue Sita. Historically it is famous for the group of monuments built during the reign of the Vijayanagar Empire in the 14th Century. Hampi is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is so much to see in Hampi, there are a total of 85 places listed down at Hampi. There are several large and small temples spread across a large area. It will take you a good 2-3 days if you want to explore every little nook and corner of Hampi, but if you are only looking for the main attractions, then you can cover it in one day. But it will be one tiring day. This post is laid out as follows:

What to See in Hampi:

1) Virupaksha Temple:

One of the temples in the entire complex that is worshiped till date. There is the main god and several more smaller enclosures with other shrines. There is a ticket counter at the entrance that sells tickets if you want a closer view of the god. If the temple is not crowded, you can first enter the temple and then decide if you want to buy the ticket. We did not buy the ticket and we didn't feel we missed anything.

2) Hemakuta Group of Monuments:

On the left of the Virupaksha Temple is a hill that is full of temple ruins. There is no deity in any of these structures. You can sit on the giant granite rock and relax, if the day is cool. You can lose sense of time while exploring this area. If you are in Hampi for only one day, we suggest you time yourself at this place, else you may miss out other sites.

3) Kadalekalu Ganesha:

The Kadalekalu Ganesha is a 4.5m tall status of Lord Ganesha with a stomach shaped like a chickpea, hence the name Kadalekalu. The status is in a sanctum surrounded by carved pillars. This is right next to the Hemakuta monuments.

4) Sasivekalu Ganesha:

Sasivekalu is Kannada for mustard seed. But this Lord Ganesha statue is nowhere near as small as a mustard seed. It is very huge and the details are very clearly visible even today. There is a car parking right near this monument. Also, if you are hungry, the parking lot has small shops that sell very nice Dosa and Goli Soda. If you are sensitive about the water you drink, avoid these shops. We ate and drank here and no one fell sick. They mostly use RO purified water as the water purification plant is close by.

5) Nandi or Monolithic Bull:

This statue of Nandi Bull is carved out of a single boulder. It is massive! This is a short walk from the Virupaksha temple that goes through the Hampi Bazaar Street.

6) Yanthrodharaka Anjeneya Temple:

In between the Virupaksha temple and the Nandi Statue, is a road along the river that leads to this unique Hanuman temple. This is apparently one of the only temples of Hanuman where he is carved sitting down rather than standing upright. This deity is worshiped till date.

7) Kodandarama Temple, Surya Narayana Temple, Ranganatha Temple, Vishnu Temple, Pushkarani, Achyutharaya Temple, Varaha Temple

All these temples and sites are around the Yanthrodharaka Anjeneya Temple. While a few of them are worshipped, the others are ruins. You can visit them if you like. At this point, make a decision to either walk ahead until the Vijaya Vittala Temple or return to your mode of transport and reach the other monuments from the Gejjala Mantapa side of the main road through an electric buggy.

8) Sugriva Cave, Purandaradasa Mantapa:

A cave where Sugriva lived apparently. It is not really a cave but a small space between boulders, and can be skipped. It is accessible if you decide to walk to the Vijaya Vittala Temple. A short walk from here leads to an open space where you have a few stalls of sugarcane juice, ice cream, and some North Karnataka snacks. Purandaradasa Mantapa is located along the river right here.

9) Kings Balance:

If you are walking, you will reach this immediately after the short snacks stop. If you are coming from the Gejjala Mantapa side, you will find this after the Vijaya Vittala Temple. It is supposed to be a place where scales were hung to weigh the king against gold aka "Tulabhara". You can give it a miss.

10) Vijaya Vittala Temple:

This is the most famous complex in Hampi. You need to buy a ticket to visit this monument. The ticker is valid for a few more sites, so don't throw it away just yet. The Vijaya Vittala Temple can be reached either by walking from the Virupaksha temple along the river. It is around a 2 Km walk. Or you can take the bus to Gejjala Mantapa and take an electric buggy from there. Vehicles are not allowed around this monument as pollution was damaging it. The Vijaya Vittala temple complex houses the Stone Chariot that is the most photographed structure of Hampi and also found printed on the new Rs.50 currency note. Everyone wants a photo with the chariot, so you may need to wait a while to get the perfect click. The complex also houses the famous musical pillars, access to which is now blocked. You can see them, but are now allowed to play them anymore for the risk of damaging the structure. The complex has several other structures and also a Frangipani tree which some guides claim to be 100-150 years old. If you reached here walking, it is time to get back to your car/auto to see the other monuments.

The route we took:

We parked the car near Sasivekalu Ganesha and walked. Google only allows me to add 10 destinations, so Sasivekalu Ganesha is missed.

11) Ugra Narasimha Temple

This is a damaged status of Narasimha with Goddess Lakshmi sitting in his lap. The Lakshmi sculpture is no more there, only one hand is visible. The Narasimha is also partially damaged but definitely worth the visit. This temple is 350m from the Sasivekaalu Ganesha.

We visited it on our way back while exiting Hampi.

12) Underground Shiva Temple

This temple is called underground because it is below the current ground level. During monsoons or immediately after, the main temple may be filled with water and be inaccessible. It was accessible when we went. There is a Shiva Linga in the temple but the sanctum is dark and houses bats, so be careful not to disturb them. On the way from Ugra Narasimha Temple to this temple there are some more temples and 2 boulders called Sister Stones that can be visited.

13) Public Bath and Queen's Bath

These are structures with sunken baths, one for the public and one for royalty. Aqueducts and canals apparently filled these baths with water. We did not visit these as we were tired, but they are on the way out/in of Hampi and you don't have to go out of the way to visit them.

14) Lotus Mahal

This is a beautiful palace situated inside the Zanana Enclosure. The architecture is very different from what you find around Hampi. While entry inside the Lotus Mahal was allowed up to 10 years ago, it is currently not allowed to protect the monument. You need to buy a ticket to enter this complex if visiting it first, else, the ticket purchased at Vijaya Vittala Temple works here. The complex also has several other structures like the Elephant stables, Watch towers and a few temples towards the back.

15) Hazara Rama Temple

This is right opposite to the Lotus Temple. It is small temple dedicated to Lord Rama. We were very tired by this time, so skipped visiting the temple.

There are several other ruins and structures around these areas that you can visit. I have listed down all that we visited.

Route we took:

If you have another few hours, you can also visit the following:

1) Anegundi

This is a small village across the river Tungabhadra. You can drive across the river to reach it. It is almost 20Km and takes around 45 minutes to reach. Anegundi houses the Anjanadri Hills, known as the birthplace of Lord Hanuman. You have to climb 570 steps to reach the top. The sunset from this point is very beautiful. You get a birds eye view of Hampi from up here. Apart from this, Anegundi also houses the Nava Brindavana, a shrine to 9 Hindu Madhva saints.

We visited this on the day we arrived in Hosapete and had only a few hours before sunset.

2) TB Dam

Tungabhadra Dam is the largest Dam in Karnataka. The Dam is located on the outskirts of Hosapete. While you are not allowed on the dam bridge, you can go up to the reservoir and to the gardens. There are shuttles available for Rs.20 at the parking lot that will take you to the reservoir and up the hill and back. We visited this on the day of our exit from Hosapete.

How to Reach Hampi:

Hosapete is the closest city to Hampi and is well connected by road and by train. There are regular trains and buses from Bangalore to Hosapete. You can also drive down to Hosapete from Bangalore, the roads are mostly good and the drive may take you around 5.5-7 hours. If you are driving on a long weekend or during peak season, be prepared for long queues at toll booths, the highway has several tolls. Very soon the Bangalore-Sholapur highway will be complete and make driving even better.

There are local buses from Hosapete to Hampi. The distance is 13Km and the fares are very cheap.

We drove from Bangalore to Hosapete.

Travelling in Hampi:

There is ample parking at Hampi, in case you are driving. You can park your vehicle right at Virupaksha temple or at any of the parking spaces just before the temple.

Once you reach Hampi, you can either take an auto rickshaw, that will take you to several places giving you time at each of the popular monuments. Auto rickshaws are available around the parking space and you don't need to worry about finding them, they will find you.

You can rent also a bicycle and move around on your own. Bicycles can be rented near the Virupaksha Temple. However, keep in mind that some places can only be visited while walking as there is no motor-able track near them.

An electric buggy/van will also take you from the main road to the Vijaya Vittala Temple.

We drove from Hosapete to Hampi and walked the spots 1-9 marked above.

Where to stay:

Hosapete is the best place to stay. It has hotels for everyone - budget, luxury, family, couples etc. Make sure you book the stay well in advance as Hampi is a popular tourist destination and hotels get full fast. Especially in peak seasons like year end and school holidays. We stayed in Ananya Comforts and loved the place. The hotel has good service and a new restaurant with good South Indian food. There is a small tea/coffee shop outside that we felt was the best tea we found in our entire North Karnataka tour.

Hampi, itself has quite a few resorts that have cropped up in recent times. You can choose to stay here. But keep in mind that Hampi may get pretty lonely after dark.

When to visit:

Hampi has a hot and dry climate most of the year. The weather is most pleasant in December-January. But try to avoid the last week of December as Hampi can get very crowded. Also, a lot of school children are brought on trips around this time and they can overwhelm you with numbers.

Hampi celebrates "Hampi Utsav" usually in November. The festivities include music, dance, puppet shows and processions. It basically showcases the culture of the region. While the festivities are mesmerizing, be prepared to battle crowds.

Unfortunately we visited in December and it was extremely crowded, but the weather was pleasant.

Where to eat:

Hosapete also has several restaurants and eateries catering to all sorts of crowd. Hampi has a lot of small eateries to the right of Virupaksha temple. The South Indian food there is cheap and delicious and there is relaxed seating.

We ate in several restaurants around Hosapete - Naivedyam, Ananya Comforts, Shanbhag Hotel etc and most places will give you decent South Indian food. Also, we ate Dosa in Hampi and it was delicious.

We filled up on goli soda, sugar cane juice, salted fried peas and sunflower seeds, mirchi bhajji, mandakki, buttermilk, ice creams, and bhoochakra gadde while we walked around in Hampi.

Some pointers...

Hampi is open to public from 6am to 6pm. Plan to start the day early to beat the crowds and the sun. Breakfast is available in restaurants around the Virupaksha temple in Hampi from 7-7.30 am.
There are lot of monkeys around Hampi, be careful around them. Hang on tightly to your belongings.
You can hire guides at Hampi, but we did not feel the need. Just read up on the monuments before going or purchase a book near the Virupaksha temple.
The government tourism counter (KSTDC) is located around the Hampi Bazaar area. Approach them for any help.