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-   -   Bangalore to Hampi / Bellary : Route Queries (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/19934-bangalore-hampi-bellary-route-queries-29.html)

Generally, traffic is more morning & evening, esp between Bangalore-Tumkur. After that it should not be a problem.

Better to fill up the tank while starting from hom. Truck traffic starts around 4pm, KSRTC buses from Majestic towards Tumkur and North Karnataka pile up at Toll gates between 3.30 to 4.30pm. They will occupy the left and right lanes and can be a nuisance, so if he can cross Nelamangala or T-Begur by 4pm it will be an easy drive.

Once again thanks guys. My friend started by 3 15 or so and reached by 7 30 with couple of stops. He said not much traffic except near the toll gates. Passing on his thanks to you guys for the update!:thumbs up

Thanks, Deehunk - I took Hiriyur-Challakere-Bellary, and reached in about 5 hours (including a break). The roads were awesome all the way.

Dear Friends,
We are planning to visit Hampi during long weekend and would be staying at Hospet.
We would like to know the best route at this point of time considering the traffic and road conditions.

Following are our considerations based on the feedback in this forum:
a) https://goo.gl/maps/QExVvuBTYB82 (347 KM)
This is the Chitradurga, Hospet road but the feedbacks are not very favourable inspite being shorter route and roads been good till Chitradurga, as the NH 13 has huge pot holes and heavy traffic

b) https://goo.gl/maps/BU1W7m2Quj22 (384 KM)
This is the road via Anantpur to Bellary and Hospet. I do not have much idea about it and hence would appreciate some help here

c) https://goo.gl/maps/Rmuyjs4QpZN2 (385KM)
This seems to be preferred route ( Bangalore --> Hiriyur --> Bellary --> Hospet).

Please do share some insights or let me know if understanding is not correct.

Some more queries we have:

a) How much time will it take to reach Hospet via Hiriyur, Bellary road in morning ? We are planning to leave by 7 AM and expecting to reach by 1:00 PM including a break. Is it good time to leave at 7 AM ?

b) We have plans of seeing Chitradurga fort so do you recommend to going till Chitradurga and coming back to Hiriyur and then going via Bellary during onward journey OR coming to Hiriyur during return (start 10:00 AM) and then take detour to Chitradurga during return journey ?

c) Any pictures of NH 13 from Chitradurga to Hospet ? We have a sedan and hence little worried

Having been there recently, I will suggest taking this route since you also plan to visit Chitradurga fort. The NH13 is very much doable, a bit rough but not to worry, especially in day light there shouldn't be any issue (drove a Swift Dzire). It's also ideal route since you're heading to Hospet. Where are you planning to stay there ?
We started at 4:45am, reached Chitradurga fort at 7:45am
Started from Chitradurga after breakfast at 10am and reached Hospet, Royal Orchid by 12:30pm

We would be staying at Royal Orchid Central Kireeti. Got a good deal at 1850 INR per night so skipped Mayura Bhuvaneshwari. We would be driving Verna with 4 adults and luggage.

This would then be the ideal route, start early if possible so that you can visit the fort at chitradurga before the sun comes out in full force.
After the tunnel on NH 13 take the ramp on left to enter hospet. Continue on same road, it will end up at a T junction where you turn left and proceed straight, then turn right to reach a 4 road junction. Turn left here and this is Sardar Patel road that leads directly to Royal Orchid. Just before the hotel, the road on the right is the bypass to take for your visit to Hampi so very ideal location at Hospet. :thumbs up

While reaching Neelamangala from Whitefield, is it better to go through Hebbal -- Yeswantpur/HMT route or take diversion to NICE road and then reach Neelamangala which seems detour of 40 km ? Will there be a lot of traffic at morning 7:30 so as to take detour ?
Any recommendations on roads to Aihole, Patadkal ? I am able to find NH 13 going till Khustagi -- Dammur & Patadkal. Is it a good road or there are alternatives ?
Can we cover Aihole, Patadkal and Badami in one day ? which route would you advice ?

7.30 am on a weekend may be OK for a drive through the city. But I'd recommend going via whitefield-tin factory-ORR-hebbal-ganganagar-mekhri circle-iisc/bhel-yeswanthpur-NH 4 all the way to Chitradurga.
Hampi itself has so many places to see even 2 days may not be enough to do justice but if you have time constraints just stick to the touristy spots to cover the major places.
No idea about Aihole, Badami and Pattatkal.

Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole can be covered in one day if you have plans to stay in Badami. But driving from Hospet to Badami and seeing these places will be bit tough. If you are driving from Hospet to Badami, Hospet - Munirabad - Koppala - Yelaburga - Sudi - Jalihal - Badami is the best option. Roads are bit rough after Jalihal all the way till Badami.

If you are looking to cover Badami, Aihole and Pattadkal in one day, you can also consider staying in Bagalkot. From Hospet to Bagalkot it is approx 150 km via Kustagi, Hungund. It is 40 km from Bagalkot to Aihole via Shirur and Kamatagi. Aihole to Pattadkal and then to Badami. From Badami, you can directly reach the Bagalkot-Hubli road and then head towards Bangalore.

Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole can be covered in one day if you have plans to stay in Badami. But driving from Hospet to Badami and seeing these places will be bit tough. If you are driving from Hospet to Badami, Hospet - Munirabad - Koppala - Yelaburga - Sudi - Jalihal - Badami is the best option. Roads are bit rough after Jalihal all the way till Badami.

Just back from the trip to Hampi, Aihole, Patadakal, Badami and let me tell you it is absolutely possible to visit Aihole, Patadakal and Badami in a day starting from Hospet and returning back to Hospet and seeing the ancient beauties in sufficient detail.
Following was the travel plan
a) Day 1: Started from Bangalore at 8: 00 AM, reached Hiriyur and took the diversion to Bellary and then to Hospet as recommended by BHPians. The road is a good 46 km detour with few km also going through AP. Overall the road is in good condition but post Bellary it is not so good and we were left wondering if it was a good decision to take a detour considering monster camel humps all the way.
Reached Hotel at 2:30 PM and started of for Anegundi hill at 4:30 PM. Reached by 5:30 PM, climbed the hill to witness beauty of Hampi ruins from top on a full moon evening/night and returned back to Hospet by 8 PM

b) Day 2: As suggested by BHPians, started at 8:00 AM from hotel for a full day trip to Hampi. Got a good guide near Ganesha temple parking and visited all major tourist guide locations with a quick stop over at Mango Tree restaurant for lunch.

c) Day 3:: Started at 9:30 AM in the morning and reached Aihole, spent an hour and half there and started for Patadakal which we finished by 3:00 PM with no lunch break but quick munching in car. Road from Aihole to Patadakal is quite narrow but albeit a small portion of 500m which traverses through small village, rest was OK
Started for Badami at 3:00 PM and the road was nothing but good due to development works and reached Badami in about 35 minutes. Explored Badami for an hour and half (unfortunately due to some mela, there was huge crowd and Badami was choking). Started at 5:30 PM from Badami and reached Hospet in 2.5 hours - 8:00 PM

d) Day 4:: Started from Hospet at 9:00 AM for Bangalore and wanted to visit Chitradurga fort so took the NH 13 which to our surprise was much much better than Hiriyur Bellary road. Except for 1 monster pothole, we faced none and 60% of the road was quite smooth and 40% was decent but not potholes at all but significant Truck Traffic which was no challenge for our Verna.
Strongly recommend to take NH13 from Chitradurga to Hospet instead of detour. Big thanks to fellow BHPian for recommending it.

Following Routes were taken:

a) Bangalore to Hospet :https://goo.gl/maps/Rmuyjs4QpZN2 (385KM)
Overall the road was good but detour was not worth after coming back on NH 13 during return journey

b) Hospet to Aihole, Patadakal, Badami : https://goo.gl/maps/xYygr3yG2j22 [163 KM]
Road till Hungund (NH50) is excellent but further to Aihole and till Badami is acceptable with no potholes but quite narrow

c) Badami to Hospet : https://goo.gl/maps/sHAoF4g8vyx [129 KM]
This is a bypass from Badami to Hospet and the roads were excellent all throughout though they were narrow in patches but much better than roads in b)

d) Hospet to Bangalore: https://goo.gl/maps/QExVvuBTYB82 (347 KM)
This route was the highlight of the journey and much to our delight considering the heavy criticism on the forum but we simply loved travelling on this route to Chitradurga and onward to bangalore (AH47)

Thanks for that update cooltronics. I am planning to visit Hampi in the last week of Feb and will be staying at Hyatt Place near JSW.

Planning to take the Chitradurga - Hospet road and deviate towards JSW at Kudligi. Anyone here who has recently driven from Kudligi to JSW? Google maps says its 48K and should take 1 hr 20 min without traffic :Shockked: but I don't mind erring on the side of caution if no one here has recently driven this route.

Am I better off taking the Hiriyur - Bellary - Toranagallu route? 180 km & 3.5 hrs, which would mean a 6 hour drive from Bangalore.