We were still at Hampi, a hamlet in Kerala and, at present, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Dozens of people went down to the river bank for their morning routine - washing their clothes, bathing or performing their ritual prayer or ´puja'. We followed them but just to admire the boulder-strewn landscape, the temple flanked by the river and the many deities carved out in the stones. The scenery was postcard material. We met a few pilgrims and exchanged a few words about our lives and what brought us to Hampi.
Lakshmi, the temple elephant passed by us for his morning shower in the Tungabhadra river. Each day, at 7:30, the old pachyderm walk and dip in the water for the amusement of the tourists and locals. Not being fans of wild animal kept captive, we had mixed feelings about that ancestral practice.
We skipped the tour guide and rented a scooter to explore, at our own pace, the surroundings and the many temples scattered about the site.
We drove through the ruins and enjoyed the singular boulders landscape that makes Hampi so charming. We stopped to explore the most spectacular monuments like the famous Elephant Stables, the Lotus Mahal or the Queen's bath.
Going far East, we ended at the Vitthala Temple complex, the crown jewel of all the temples of the holy city and home of the famous stone chariot and of the hall of musical pillars.
Later that day, we hiked up Matanga Hill, the tallest point of the citadel and therefore the best place to enjoy the sunset. The hike wasn't so easy but worthy. We soaked up the scenery and admired the Hindu temples amongst millions of boulder heaps. There was no better way to end up the day.
Où séjourner àHampi?
A Hampi, vous pouvez trouver des logements à un prix raisonnable que ce soit à Hampi Bazaar ou de l'autre côté de la rivière dans l'une des habitations offrant une ambiance chaleureuse avec des vues splendides sur les champs de riz et la rivière.
Nous avons décidé de dormir au coeur d'Hampi Bazaar. C'était proche des temples principaux et nous ne dépendions pas du bateau pour traverser la rivière. Au coucher du soleil, les bateaux s'arrêtent et un trajet en taxi très couteuse semble alors la seule option pour atteindre l'autre rive.
Une option décente et bon marché est la Gopi Guest House mais souvenez-vous pas de viande et pas d'alcool n'est servi sur cette rive et n'espérez pas un luxueux air-conditionné, un bain ou un wifi rapide. En retour, vous aurez un bon lit, une douche chaude, une nourriture végétarienne bon marché et une terrasse sur le toit offrant une très belle vue sur les temples. Nous avons réservé par booking et nous avons eu le petit-déjeuner gratuit ainsi que le trajet de la gare vers le logement.
How much it cost to stay in Hampi (Bazaar side of the river)?
Double bedroom for one night with breakfast: Rs 1800
Bottle of 1 litre of water: Rs 25
330 ml of coke: Rs 25
Pizza: Rs 250
Pancakes: Rs 120
Chocolate lassi: Rs 100
Motorcycle for a day: Rs 250 plus Rs 100 per litre of petrol. We highly recommend buying 2 litres.
English guide for the whole day: Rs 1900
French guide for the whole day: Rs 3000
Temples and museums entry: Rs 500, Rs 30 for India folks.
Auto fare for the day: Rs 1000
Auto fare for transport from Hampi to Hospet: Rs 300. I would recommend to arrange it with your hotel to avoid to haggle down the price.