Hampi

Getting to Hampi

The closest airport is Vidyanagar Airport (VDY IATA also known as Jindal Vijaynagar Airport), about 35 km to the east, near the village of Toranagallu. Bengaluru is the nearest international airport, 350 km away from Hampi. Private taxis cost more than ₹6000 for Bengaluru to Hampi. The nearest railway station is Hosapete Junction (code: HPT), 13 km away.

Worth seeing

Hampi is a visual delight, especially due to its stark contrast from most other places. Rocks are all you see whichever direction you look. Vegetation is visible in the wet months; but again it never dominates the landscape. It is an ideal spot for people who are interested in history and/or nature. There are many sites of interest in and around Hampi.

1. 01
   Hemakuta Hill
2. 02
   Virupaksha Temple
3. 03
   Monolith Bull
4. 04
   Matanga Hill

   From where you can see the most beautiful sunsets.

5. 05
   Achyutaraya

   Built in 1534, it was the last temple executed in the city, before the fall of the fall of Vijayanagara Empire at the Battle of Talikota in the early 1565.

6. 06
   Vithala Temple

   Dedicated to Vithoba, an avatar (incarnation) of the gods Vishnu and Krishna.

Things to do

Since more than 30 years, rock climbers from all over flock to Hampi to scale the boulders and can often be seen around with their crash pads. Since bouldering was banned in Hampi proper, the scene is now gathered on the Virupapura Gadde side of the river and meets in Hanumanahalli (Golden Boulders & Wanderlust) and Sangapur (Goan Corner New).

1. 01
   Golden Boulders Climbing & Adventure Shop

   Main meeting point for climbers and boulderers.

Where to eat

There are lots of places in Hampi Bazaar where you get satisfying and inexpensive food, though be prepared for a long wait at most places as the chefs are typically family members who prepares food to order. However, they are good at their jobs and can offer a wide range of different cuisines. Restaurants: All Tribes Coffee Shop, near Funky Monkey. Great, cheap and open hangout place for travellers and backpackers.

Getting around Hampi the local way

Trains and sleeper buses land you at Hosapete 13 km away; from there it is a ₹18 government bus or an auto, and inside Hampi you move by hired auto-rickshaw, bicycle, foot, and a flat-bottomed boat across the Tungabhadra to the north bank.

1. 01
   Hampi Bazaar – Virupapura Gaddi river ferryboat

   Ghat below Virupaksha Temple, Hampi Bazaar, across the Tungabhadra to Virupapura Gaddi, Hanumanahalli and the Sanapur side

   Where

   Walk north past Virupaksha Temple to the ghat at the end of Hampi Bazaar; on Google Maps it is tagged Hampi–Kishkinda ferry. A concrete slipway with ramps lets bicycles and two-wheelers roll on.

   When

   No timetable. The boat goes when it is full, roughly 14 people, or when the boatman has collected enough fares; waits run from 5 to 40 minutes

   Fare (2026)

   ₹50 per person per crossing is the figure quoted on Wikivoyage and in 2026 tourism pages, which give ₹50–100 depending on demand; one traveller paid ₹20 on foot and ₹50 with a bicycle

   Takes

   Under 5 minutes on the water

   Season

   Roughly 06:00–18:00, with the first boat about 07:30 and the last about 17:30; hours shrink with the water level. When the Tungabhadra dam gates open in heavy rain the river rises and crossings stop, which can strand you on the north bank

   Booking

   None. Pay the boatman at the slipway in cash

   Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · flashpackingkerala.com (2023-08) · hampitourism.co.in (2026-01) · confidence high

2. 02
   Coracle crossings to Anegundicanoe

   Three points: the ghat by Virupaksha Temple, the Kodandarama Temple ghat in the riverside ruins, and the Talarigatta point below Vittala Temple crossing to Anegundi

   Where

   Follow the riverside path east from Hampi Bazaar toward Vittala Temple; the coracle men sit on the bank and gather passengers. They start paddling once five or six people are waiting.

   When

   On demand, daylight only, once a handful of passengers have gathered

   Fare (2026)

   Not reliably documented. The only published per-head coracle fares are long out of date; 2026 tourism pages lump coracle and ferry together at ₹50–100 per person. Agree the price before you get in

   Takes

   A few minutes across; the Talarigatta crossing saves the 40 km road detour to Anegundi

   Season

   Stops when the river is high after dam releases or heavy monsoon rain

   Booking

   None

   Sources: hampi.in (2024-01) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence medium

3. 03
   Hosapete Junction station auto-rickshawtuk tuk

   Hosapete (Hospet) Junction railway station to Hampi Bazaar, Kamalapura, or the north-bank villages by road via Gangavathi

   Where

   Drivers wait outside the station exit day and night and will board the train before you are off it. Agree the fare before you sit down; walk 50 m out to the road for a better price.

   When

   Always available, including for the 02:55 and 07:50 arrivals

   Fare (2025)

   ₹200–300 to Hampi Bazaar in May 2025. For the north bank by road, ₹800–1,000 in 2025, and Wikivoyage's older figure is ₹1,200

   Takes

   25–30 minutes to Hampi Bazaar over 13 km; about 1 hour and 30–40 km to Virupapura Gaddi or Sanapur by road

   Season

   Year-round

   Booking

   None; some guesthouses will send a driver if you message ahead

   Sources: realtalktravel.com (2025-05) · hampi.in (2024-01) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence high

4. 04
   Hosapete – Hampi government busminibus

   Hosapete new bus terminal to Hampi Bazaar via Kamalapura, where half the ruins are

   Where

   The bus stand is about 1.5–2 km from Hosapete Junction: turn out of the station and walk 15–20 minutes, or take an auto for a few rupees. Buses for Hampi leave from the terminal bays; ask for Hampi and conductors will point you. Auto drivers will tell you no bus exists.

   When

   Every 15–20 minutes through the day, roughly every 20 minutes reported in May 2025

   Fare (2025)

   ₹18 in 2025; ₹17 recorded in April 2023

   Takes

   20–25 minutes over about 12 km

   Season

   Year-round

   Booking

   None, pay the conductor on board

   Sources: realtalktravel.com (2025-05) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence high

5. 05
   Full-day auto-rickshaw hire around the ruinstuk tuk

   A loop of the monuments: Virupaksha, Hemakuta, the Royal Enclosure, Lotus Mahal, Elephant Stables and Vittala Temple, with a river crossing added for Anjanadri on the north bank

   Where

   Drivers gather at Hampi bus stand and along the bazaar and approach you as soon as you appear. Fix the price and the exact list of stops before starting. The Karnataka tourist office nearby has licensed guides at set rates if you want commentary.

   When

   On demand from early morning; sunrise starts around 05:00 are common

   Fare (2023)

   ₹1,500–2,000 for a full day depending on how you bargain, recorded November 2023; older guidance of ₹400–500 no longer holds. North-bank days cost more. Official guides: ₹500 for 4 hours, ₹800 for 8 hours

   Takes

   A full day, typically 09:00 or 10:00 to sunset

   Season

   Year-round; rates fall in the April–September off season

   Booking

   Walk up, or WhatsApp a driver in advance

   Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2023-11) · hampitrips.com (2025-06) · confidence high

6. 06
   Bicycle, moped and scooter hirescooter hire

   Local use around Hampi Bazaar, Kamalapura and the south-bank ruins, or on the north bank around Sanapur and Anegundi

   Where

   Shops line Hampi Bazaar, with more in Kamalapura, Kadirampura, Sanapur and Hosapete. They keep a photocopy of your passport plus your hotel address as security; do not hand over the passport itself. Petrol pumps are at Kamalapura in the south and Anegundi in the north.

   When

   Daily hire, shops open from early morning

   Fare (2024)

   Non-geared bicycles ₹50–150 a day, geared bikes ₹150–250; scooters ₹400–600 on weekdays and ₹700–1,000 at peak. Petrol bought at the rental shop carries a 40–50% premium

   Takes

   Per day

   Season

   Year-round

   Booking

   Walk in with ID

   Sources: hampi.in (2024-01) · en.wikivoyage.org (2023-11) · confidence medium

7. 07
   Overnight sleeper buses from Bengaluru, Goa and Gokarnabus

   Bengaluru Majestic to Hampi bus stand via Hospet; Panaji and other Goa points to Hampi or Hospet; Gokarna to Hospet

   Where

   The KSRTC Pallakki non-AC sleeper 2259BNGHMP leaves Majestic bus station in Bengaluru at 22:59 nightly, calling at Yeshwantpur, Goraguntepalya, Jalahalli Cross and Nelamangala, reaching Hospet at 06:00 and Hampi at about 06:30. The return, 2001HMPBNG, leaves Hampi bus stand at 20:00 and Hospet at 20:30 for Majestic at about 04:30. KSRTC also runs a daily Panaji – Hampi service that starts and ends at Hampi bus station. Private operators such as Paulo Travels, Sea Bird and Advaith run Goa and Gokarna overnights, mostly boarding and dropping at Hospet rather than Hampi.

   When

   KSRTC Bengaluru–Hampi daily each way; Goa–Hampi roughly nightly with departures from about 20:00. Gokarna services board at Hospet rather than Hampi; their times and fares are sold through agents and aggregators that could not be opened, so ask a travel agent in Hampi Bazaar

   Fare (2026)

   KSRTC Pallakki sleeper ₹832 in 2026; Goa–Hampi from about ₹1,000. No fare for the Gokarna service could be confirmed against a page that opened

   Takes

   Bengaluru–Hampi about 7 hours 30 minutes; Goa–Hampi around 10 hours 30 minutes; Hospet–Gokarna about 7 hours

   Season

   Year-round

   Booking

   KSRTC at ksrtc.in; private buses on redBus, AbhiBus, Goibibo or through travel agents in Hampi Bazaar

   Sources: newsable.asianetnews.com (2026-05) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence high

8. 08
   KSTDC coach tour and driver-guide day packagestour package

   KSTDC one-day Hampi sightseeing from Tungabhadra Dam; private auto tours covering south Hampi, north Hampi and Anegundi, or a day trip to Badami and Pattadakal

   Where

   The KSTDC coach leaves at 07:30 from Hotel Mayura Vijayanagara at T.B. Dam near Hosapete and returns about 20:00 after the dam musical fountain. Private driver-guides meet you at Hosapete station or Hampi bus stand and are booked by phone or WhatsApp.

   When

   KSTDC daily, subject to a minimum of 15 bookings; private tours on demand

   Fare (2026)

   KSTDC does not publish the fare on its tour page; call 08394259270 or email reserve@karnatakaholidays.net. Private auto operators quote on request rather than listing prices

   Takes

   KSTDC 07:30 to 20:00; private north Hampi tour 10:00 to 18:30

   Season

   Year-round

   Booking

   KSTDC by phone or email; private drivers by WhatsApp

   Sources: kstdc.co (2026-02) · hampitrips.com (2025-06) · confidence medium

Not yet confirmed: No published timetable exists for the river ferry. Hours quoted range from 06:00–18:00 to 07:30–17:30 and the true last boat shifts with the water level and the season. Ask at your guesthouse the evening before.; Coracle per-head fares are not documented anywhere current. The figures on hampi.in are clearly decades old and 2026 pages only give a ₹50–100 band shared with the motor ferry.; Whether motorcycle hire in south Hampi has reopened since the November 2023 stoppage is unconfirmed. Booking aggregators list Hampi scooters, but these may be Hosapete-based or north-bank vehicles. Confirm the plate colour and which bank you may ride on before paying.; Guesthouses on Virupapura Gaddi were demolished after a Supreme Court order and the island is now described as open for bouldering but without accommodation, so ferry demand and last-boat times may have changed. Reported by UKClimbing and Deccan Herald; not verified on the ground.; redBus blocks automated requests, so the Hampi–Gokarna overnight fare band and its boarding points could not be checked against the live listing and are not claimed here. The route itself is corroborated by Wikivoyage's note that private buses run from Hampi/Hospet. Ask an agent in Hampi Bazaar.; Shared autos between Hosapete and Kamalapura are mentioned at around ₹20 a head but only on one undated page; treat as unconfirmed.; Hitching around Hampi is not covered by any source found. Tractor and goods-vehicle lifts on the Kamalapura and Anegundi roads are plausible but undocumented.; No source found on whether the road bridge at Bukkasagara now carries through traffic between Hampi and Anegundi, or whether the 40 km detour via Gangavathi is still the only road route..

The field note on Hampi reads this entry in full, one option at a time, with every source beside it.