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Bangalore -> Lepakshi -> Chitradurga -> Hampi -> Anegundi -> Badami -> Bijapur -> Gulbarga -> Bidar -> Hyderabad Activities
heritage walks, craft workshops, trekking, culinary trails, music trails, cycling, home stays, organic farming, performing arts
About the itinerary
Like in the song, 'Starry Starry Night' where colours changed hues from Van Gogh's brush, Karnataka brings you many pictures using different colours with one brush - travel!
This holiday takes you to the depths of Karnataka and as you climb upwards you'll experience the colours changing hues - from sarees to food to dialects to the colour of soil.
The hidden and forgotten village of Lepakshi awaits you to discover artefacts made of natural pigments and ancient mural arts. This remarkable storehouse of skills is on the verge of extinction. You can take back a lepakshi motif back with you.
The road filled with wind mills along the highway to Chitradurga gets you started on collecting memories all the way. Enjoy the unique treks on the hills of chitradurga.
After being overwhelmed by the ruins of Hampi, the trip will take you further to a quaint village of Anegundi. A cultural heritage trail is never complete without a visit to the stunning architecture of temples at Aihole and Pattadakal.
Hardly explored, this holiday takes you to Gulbarga and Bidar to find something you have never seen or heard before. The Azaan and Quawwali in the Dargas of Gulbarga will always echo in your mind. The food in North Karantaka is a cuisine of sorts that caters to almost anyone. Bidar, a faraway city is not so far after all. TBY takes you to the houses of the Bidri Artists who will teach you the magical craft of Bidri. Rich as Ebony and Ivory, these artists use their skill and soil! A self taught science. Walking in and out of the pillars of time, this trip is like a message in a bottle- rare, precious, ancient and yours!
Itinerary:
Day 1 Bangalore:
Arrive into Bangalore. Transfer to Hotel. Relax at the hotel.
Overnight in Bangalore
Day 2Chitradurga:
Leave early morning to Lepakshi. Explore the art village and ancient temples. Leave for Chitradurga.
Overrnight in Chitradurga.(Bangalore-Lepakshi-105kms/2hrs; Lepakshi-Chitradurga-195kms/4hrs)
Day 3 Chitradurga :
Trek and bird watch along the central plains of the Deccan Plateau. Visit the Chitradurga Fort.
Overnight in Chitradurga.
Day 4 Chitradurga-Hampi:
Leave early morning for Bellary-132kms/4hrs and study the changing landscapes from green hills to industrialised ranges. Visit the Bellary Fort. After lunch, head to Hampi 78kms/2hrs. Relax at a home stay in Hampi.
Day 5 Hampi:
Early morning Heritage walk in Hampi, a world heritage site declared by UNESCO in 1986. Explore what the Vijaynagar kingdom has left behind for us. One day is not enough but Hampi is stuck in time. Shop at the Hampi Bazaar. Pick your choice of cuisine and enjoy a fulfilling dinner.
Overnight in Hampi.
Day 6 Anegundi:
Anegundi completes this trip. Across the river bank of Hampi, lies a small, secluded and rare village of Anegundi, situated on the banks of the mighty Tungabhadra river. The capital of the mythical kingdom of Kishkinda mentioned in the Ramayana.
Overnight in Anegundi.
Day 7 Anegundi:
Education through performing arts of Anegundi and practices of organic farming make you meander closer into the livelihood of the community. Cycle and trek around, shop for unique Banana fibre products at the Craft shop.
Overnight in Anegundi.
Day 8 Badami:
Leave for Badami 136km-4hrs. Explore the cave temples at Badami and stroll along the unique landscape. Temples built in Dravidian style of architecture take your breath away!
Overnight in Badami.
Day 9 Badami:
Next morning, travel to Aihole and Pattadakal invite you to the Chalukyan era. These picturesque villages are interspersed with rich architectural styles reminiscent as the cradle of Hindu Temple architecture.
Overnight in Badami.
Day 10 Bijapur:
Leave early morning for Bijapur 115 Km/2hrs. A pleasant architectural shift from traditional Hindu architecture to Bahamani Muslim architecture. Its historical ruins include the famous 17th century Gol Gumbaz where your voice resonates ten times over. Visit the Ibrahim Roza, Jama Masjid which has inscriptions of the Koran written in gold. Meet with Lambani artists.
Overnight in Bijapur.
Day 11 Gulbarga:
Leave early morning for Gulbarga 148km/4hrs. Have an authentic cuisine through the day. The Azaan at the Dargas of Gulbarga are unforgettable, the Quawwalis are as original as can be and the wind that blows in the fort takes you back in time. A different city, that looks and tastes different.
Overnight at Gulbarga.
Day 12 Bidar:
Leave for Bidar 110km /3hrs. At the tip of Karnataka, rests the old town, Bidar. Walk through the old streets of Bidar and experience the rustic side of Karnataka. The Bidar fort, built and rebuilt by different rulers for different reasons and in different styles. The first Gurudwara in India stands in Bidar.
Day 13 Hyderabad:
A rare opportunity to engage with the artists of Vijaynagar Colony in Bidar, who have preserved the ancestral art form, Bidri, since many centuries now. The art requires a lot of hard work, creativity and scientific application. Bidri is characteristic of the Persian dynasties that settled here long ago. The artists continue to stick to their originality in a contemporary style. Leave to Hyderabad in the afternoon. Visit Char Minar and Choodi Bazaar
Day 14: Depart from Hyderabad.
How this particular trip makes a difference to the local community / environment
All the activities mentioned above are owned, operated and managed by local community members. In certain areas, especially in Anegundi we support the practices of organic farming. This is not only about awareness building, but also incorporating the farm products into regular tours. Our tie up with local craft shops ensures regular sales of souvenirs for the travelers, and the money spent goes directly to the craftsmen.
In Chiradurga and Bellary we work NGOs that has organised communities towards community mobilization across Karnataka. By collaborating with them, TBY hopes to ensure that our guests can get a glimpse into the developments of rural India. Further, there will be increased interactions with guides, activity providers, naturalists from the local areas who will avail direct benefits. The delicious and ‘culturally rich’ meals given to you at the local cafes and restaurants are mostly from women who are part of Self-Help-Groups and this provides supplementary income to them.
In Bidar, you will not only get an opportunity to touch and feel the process of Bidri art. In a place where art is indispensable, our holidays through our travellers will be contributing to livelihoods of our artists. This brings in a sense of pride and encourages them to pursue the art form, so that it always remains the identity of Bidar.
Tour leaders and interpreters are all from the local community. By giving them an opportunity to share their tradition and stories with travelers, we have noticed the increased ownership in many initiatives associated with Responsible tourism in all these areas. Instead of migrating to bigger cities like Bangalore, these rural boys and girls now have an option to stay back in their village and still earn a decent living.
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