6 Days of Hampi, Badami, Aihole & Pattadakal — Self-Launched
6 days · Karnataka, India
TTI Tours charges £555
No-markup version: ~£268 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of TTI Tours' 6-day Ancient Wonders circuit through Karnataka: Bangalore → Chitradurga → Hampi → Badami/Pattadakal/Aihole → Bijapur → Hubballi. The operator runs this as a private, fully guided car-and-driver tour from US$705 (~£555) per person. Doing it yourself is entirely feasible using Karnataka's excellent state buses (KSRTC Airavat), trains, and local auto-rickshaws, staying in Hampi's riverside guesthouses and budget hotels in Badami and Bijapur. You'll see the same temples, cave shrines and Vijayanagara ruins — with the freedom to linger at Hampi's Vittala Temple or catch sunrise at Matanga Hill. Costs are approximate backpacker rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive Bangalore & city highlights
Bangalore
Land at Kempegowda International Airport and take the Vayu Vajra airport bus (KIA-9 or similar) into the city centre — around ₹250 (~£2.50) versus a ₹900+ taxi. Check into a budget hotel or hostel in the MG Road / Brigade Road area. Spend the afternoon exploring on foot and by metro (Namma Metro, ~₹25 per ride): Cubbon Park, Vidhana Soudha (viewed from outside), Lalbagh Botanical Gardens (₹30 entry) and the Bull Temple in Basavanagudi. Round off with a thali dinner at a local veg restaurant (~£3).
🚌Airport bus (~£2.50) + metro/auto-rickshaw (~£4)
🛏Budget hotel/hostel near MG Road (₹900–1,400, ~£9–14)
- →Cubbon Park (free)
- →Lalbagh Botanical Gardens (£0.30)
- →Vidhana Soudha exterior (free)
- →Bull Temple (free)
- →ISKCON Temple (free, optional)
Bangalore to Hospet via Chitradurga Fort
Hospet / Hampi
Take an early KSRTC Airavat Club Class bus from Bangalore's Kempegowda bus station (Majestic) toward Hospet — roughly 7–8 hours, ~₹700–900 (~£7–9). Break the journey at Chitradurga (about 4 hours in): hop off, leave your bag at the bus stand cloakroom, and walk up to Chitradurga Fort with its seven concentric ramparts and boulder-strewn hillsides (~₹25 entry, allow 2–3 hours). Catch a later local bus or shared jeep onward to Hospet. Settle into a guesthouse in Hampi Bazaar or across the river in Virupapur Gaddi.
🚌KSRTC bus Bangalore–Chitradurga (~£5) + local bus Chitradurga–Hospet (~£3)
🛏Hampi riverside guesthouse (₹700–1,200, ~£7–12)
- →Chitradurga Fort hike (£0.25)
- →Hospet bazaar wander
Full day exploring Hampi's Vijayanagara ruins
Hampi
The big one. Hire a bicycle or scooter in Hampi Bazaar (scooter ~₹400–500/day, bicycle ~₹100/day) or use a local guide for the day (~₹1,200 split). Start at Virupaksha Temple (still active, free-ish donation), then the Krishna Temple, Lakshmi Narasimha statue and Badavi Linga. Cross to the Royal Enclosure for the Lotus Mahal, Elephant Stables and Queen's Bath. Save the highlight for late afternoon: Vijaya Vittala Temple and its iconic Stone Chariot (₹40 entry). Climb Matanga Hill at sunset if you have legs left. Catch a coracle or ferry back across the Tungabhadra (~₹50).
🚌Scooter/bicycle hire (~£5) + ferry (~£0.60)
🛏Hampi riverside guesthouse (₹700–1,200, ~£7–12)
- →Virupaksha Temple
- →Krishna Temple
- →Lakshmi Narasimha & Badavi Linga
- →Lotus Mahal & Elephant Stables
- →Queen's Bath
- →Vijaya Vittala Temple & Stone Chariot (£0.45)
- →Matanga Hill sunset
Hospet to Badami — caves, Pattadakal, Aihole & Mahakuta
Badami
Long travel day. Take a morning KSRTC bus from Hospet to Badami (~5–6 hours with a change at Koppal or Gadag, ~₹250–350). Drop bags at a guesthouse near Badami's tank. In the afternoon use a hired auto-rickshaw for a half-day loop (negotiate ~₹1,200–1,500 for the vehicle, splittable): Badami Cave Temples carved into the sandstone cliffs (₹25), then Mahakuta temple complex (15 min away), Pattadakal's UNESCO-listed Chalukyan temples including the Virupaksha Temple (₹40), and Aihole's temple cluster with the Durga Temple (₹25). Back in Badami for sunset over Agastya Lake.
🚌KSRTC bus Hospet–Badami (~£3.50) + shared auto-rickshaw loop (~£7)
🛏Budget guesthouse in Badami (₹800–1,300, ~£8–13)
- →Badami Cave Temples (£0.25)
- →Mahakuta temples
- →Pattadakal UNESCO temples (£0.45)
- →Aihole temples (£0.25)
- →Agastya Lake sunset
Badami to Bijapur — Gol Gumbaz & Adil Shahi monuments
Bijapur (Vijayapura)
Morning KSRTC bus from Badami to Bijapur (~3.5–4.5 hours, ~₹200–300). Check into a budget lodge near the bus stand. Spend the afternoon ticking off the Adil Shahi dynasty's finest: Gol Gumbaz with its whispering gallery and colossal dome (₹25), the Jumma Masjid, Ibrahim Rauza tomb (arguably more beautiful than the Gol Gumbaz itself) and the Malik-i-Maidan cannon. Add the Archaeological Museum if time allows. Finish with dinner — try Kannada-style jolada rotti and ennegai.
🚌KSRTC bus Badami–Bijapur (~£3) + local autos (~£2.50)
🛏Budget lodge in Bijapur (₹700–1,200, ~£7–12)
- →Gol Gumbaz (£0.25)
- →Jumma Masjid
- →Ibrahim Rauza Tomb
- →Malik-i-Maidan
- →Archaeological Museum (£0.20)
Bijapur to Hubballi & departure
Hubballi
Final morning: a relaxed stroll around Bijapur's old town, perhaps a second visit to Ibrahim Rauza in soft light. Then catch an afternoon bus or train to Hubballi/Hubli — buses run frequently (~3.5–4 hours, ~₹200–280), or check Indian Railways for the Bijapur–Hubballi passenger service (~₹100–150). If you have time before your flight, visit the Chandramouleshwara Temple or the Unkal Lake viewpoint. Hubli Airport (HBX) is about 8 km from town — local bus or auto ~₹150–250.
🚌Bus/train Bijapur–Hubballi (~£2.50) + airport transfer (~£2)
🛏N/A (departure day)
- →Bijapur old town walk
- →Chandramouleshwara Temple (optional)
- →Unkal Lake (optional)
Self-launched vs. TTI Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | TTI Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£268 | £555 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £287 per person (52%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more TTI Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£268
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does 6 Days of Hampi, Badami, Aihole & Pattadakal — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £268 per person for 6 days in Karnataka, India. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with TTI Tours?+
Yes — TTI Tours charges around £555 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £268 — a saving of roughly £287 (52%) per person.
How long is the Karnataka, India trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Karnataka, India.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, backpacker, budget trip through Karnataka, India, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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