Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, and Bijapur

Date: 25-Sep-15 to 27-Sep-15

A long weekend is always an invitation to travel, and with three consecutive holidays beginning on 25th September, staying at home was never really an option for us. When we discussed the idea with my in-laws, they were immediately interested in joining. With the travel companions finalized, the next challenge was choosing a destination. After exploring several possibilities, one name kept returning to our minds, Badami, the historic heartland of the Chalukyan Empire.

As the planning progressed, another fascinating destination entered the conversation: Bijapur. The combination of ancient cave temples, remarkable architecture, and grand monuments made the itinerary irresistible. Soon, our long weekend transformed into a heritage trail across some of Karnataka’s most historically significant destinations.

Crafting the perfect long-weekend itinerary

Our initial idea was to combine Badami with Hampi. However, Hampi deserves several days of exploration, and squeezing it into a three-day itinerary would have meant doing justice to neither destination. Reluctantly, we dropped Hampi from the plan.

The search for another nearby historical destination naturally led us to Bijapur. Once we started reading about its magnificent monuments and rich history, the choice became obvious. The final itinerary included: Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, and Bijapur.

With the destinations finalized, we prepared a detailed schedule.

• Day 1: Start early in the morning, reach Badami by afternoon, and explore Badami and nearby attractions before evening.
• Day 2: Visit Aihole and Pattadakal in the morning, proceed to Bijapur after lunch, and explore one major attraction in Bijapur during the evening.
• Day 3: Cover the important monuments of Bijapur before lunch and begin the return journey to Bangalore in the afternoon.

At first glance, the itinerary appeared manageable. In reality, it was packed to the brim. Each destination had numerous historical monuments worth exploring, and our schedule left almost no room for delays or extended breaks. Even a small setback at one location had the potential to affect the entire plan. Yet that challenge made the trip even more exciting.

Choosing where to stay

Since the trip involved overnight stays in two different towns, we needed accommodation in both Badami and Bijapur.

Almost every travel blog we referred to recommended Hotel Mayura Chalukya, the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) property. Given its popularity and convenient location, we decided to book our stay there.

For Bijapur, we selected Hotel Pleasant Stay, which seemed like a comfortable option for a one-night halt. With accommodations confirmed, the next major decision was the route.

The route dilemma

There are two commonly used routes from Bangalore to Badami.

Route 1: Bangalore → Tumkur → Davanagere → Hubli-Dharwad → Gadag → Badami

• Approximate distance: 524 km
• Mostly well-maintained highways
• Considered the safer and more predictable option

Route 2: Bangalore → Chitradurga → Hospet → Kushtagi → Badami

• Approximate distance: 478 km
• Around 60 km shorter
• Includes several stretches of single-lane roads
• Road conditions were uncertain in some sections, particularly between Chitradurga and Hospet, and beyond Kushtagi

Although the first route offered better highways, we were tempted by the shorter distance of the second route. As always, curiosity won. We chose the Chitradurga–Hospet route for the onward journey and planned to decide the return route based on our experience with the road conditions.

Travel snapshot

What made this trip special was not just the destinations themselves but the incredible variety packed into three days. From the rock-cut caves of Badami and the architectural masterpieces of Aihole and Pattadakal to the grand Islamic monuments of Bijapur, the journey promised a fascinating glimpse into different eras of Karnataka’s history.

Every destination represented a different chapter of the region’s rich cultural heritage, making this one of the most diverse historical trips we had planned until then. The itinerary was ambitious, the driving distances were long, and the schedule left little room for rest, but that was precisely what made the adventure exciting.

• Route travelled: Onward: BTM Layout > Tumkur > Hiriyur > Chitradurga > Hospet > Kushtagi > Gajendragad > Badami
  Return: Bijapur > Kudala Sangama > Hungund > Hospet > Chitradurga > Tumkur > Nelamangala > BTM Layout
• Total distance (To & Fro): 1269 km
• Mileage (Car): 20 km/l
• Fuel expense: 4097 Rs
• Total expense: 11421 Rs

The complete day-wise travel experiences of this trip are covered in the following posts:

• En route to Badami
• Day 1 – Badami and Mahakoota
• Day 2 – Aihole, Pattadakal, and Alamatti
• Day 3 – Bijapur and Kudala Sangama