GIT India

Although there are more popular tourist destinations in India than Hampi there are few that can match it in terms of what there is to see. It is the ruins of a large city and it is spread over quite a large area. The result is that you can spend days at the site and still not come close to seeing all that it has to offer.

Hampi is located in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is the ruins of the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire of the fourteenth century. Although not well remembered today it was at one point the most powerful empire in India. The main attractions of the ruins are the temples, some of which are still actively used as places of worship to this day.

The actual ruins of Hampi take up quite a large area, this is something that you need to remember if you are planning to visit. There can be quite a distance to travel from one ruin to next and you should expect to do a great deal of walking. Also keep in mind that it is almost always hot so keep that in mind. In fact the area is quite arid although the ruins themselves are located in an oasis. This is in fact one of the things that makes it such a popular tourist attraction. The ruins themselves are surrounded by boulders which seem to be there for no reason at all.

There is lots to see at Hampi so it is well worth investing at least a couple of days just to see it all. The most popular attractions are the temples which are located near to where the bus drops people off. This saves a great deal of walking and allows you to avoid having to cross the river. However if you really want to explore the site you are going to have to go a little bit further afield.

Getting to Hampi is fairly easy although the closest airport is over a hundred kilometers away. Most people will stay in the town of Hospet which is about thirteen kilometers away. There are however guest houses available at Hampi if you prefer. Getting to Hospet is fairly easy, most people will take the bus from one of the major cities but the train is actually far more comfortable. It is also a fairly easy drive if you prefer.

In order to get from Hospet to Hampi you have a few options the first is to take the bus. This is the cheapest option but not really the best because of the size of the site. The most popular choice is a bicycle or a motorcycle which will allow you to ride around the site fairly easily. It is also very easy to drive to the site as most of the attractions are connected by roads that you can drive on.