Tracing Ancient Splendors: A Road Trip Through Hampi, Badami, Aihole, and Pattadakkal.
The open road, the charm of ancient landscapes, and the joy of exploring new places with loved ones—this road trip through Karnataka’s historical heartland was everything I had hoped for. Accompanied by my husband and our adventurous pet, Sophie, we set off to discover the marvels of Badami, Aihole, Pattadakkal, and Hampi, soaking in centuries of history along the way.
| Click on the links below to read blogs on the next days of this trip: | Before lunch | After lunch |
| Day 1: Pune to Badami | Journey from Pune to Badami. | Journey from Pune to Badami. |
| Day 2: Badami, Aihole, Pattadakkal | Badami Fort, Temples around Agastya lake. | Local sight seeing in Pattadakkal and Aihole |
| Day 3: Badami to Hampi | Journey from Badami to Hampi. | Gagan Mahal in Anegundi. |
| Day 4: Hampi sight seeing | Virupaksha temple, temples on Hemakuta hill. | Vijay Vitthala temple, Coracle ride in Sanapur lake. |
| Day 5: Hampi sight seeing | Hazara Ram temple, Lotus Mahal, Elephants stable, Queen’s bath. | Journey from Hampi to Belagavi. |
| Day 6: Belagavi to Pune | Kamal Basadi, Belagavi. | Journey from Belagavi to Pune. |
Day 1: Journey to Badami
Our journey began early, leaving Pune at 6:30 AM and making a few key stops along the way. A hearty breakfast at Hotel Sadguru in Wadhe and a delicious lunch at AMAR Only Veg recharged us for the road ahead.
Our next stop was Amar Only Veg in Nipani. We stopped here for lunch. This hotel is not pet friendly. We requested him to arrange a table for us in the lawn.
Post lunch, we continued the journey from Nipani to Badami in a Tata Nexon, cruising along scenic highways and winding rural roads. The route offered a mix of smooth NH roads and charming countryside stretches, with occasional views of sugarcane fields and rocky hills. The journey was comfortable and picturesque, perfect for a relaxed road trip through northern Karnataka.
After an 11-hour drive, we reached our destination, Hotel Badami Court, at sunset. There is a petrol pump just across the Hotel. This Hotel is almost on the end of the main street of Badami. So this area is not crowded at all and the streets were perfect for talking Sophie for a walk. The Hotel offers mesmerizing views of the golden colored mountain range. The day ended with a relaxed dinner at the hotel, and the anticipation of exploring Badami’s ancient rock-cut temples the next day filled our dreams. We watched some documentaries about Badami caves on Youtube before sleeping.
Image source: Hotel Badami Court
Image source: Hotel Badami Court
To read the next blog on Hampi-Badami Day-2 click here
Where did we eat ?
Hotel Sadguru pure veg, Wadhe, Pune-Satara road
Amar Only veg, Karnataka
Sri Veerabhadreshwar Lingayat Khanavali
Special Tea & Coffee, Hampi
Hampi Paradise, Hampi
A1 Hotel Raj, Hubballi
Udupi Grand Family restaurant, Nipani
Hotel Sadguru, Satara
Where did we stay ?
Hotel Badami Court
Goan corner / Zostel Gangavathi
Orchard Resort, Belagavi
