Badami is a town in the Bagalkot district of Northern Karnataka. Once known as Vatapi, the town stands out distinctively for its UNESCO World Heritage Sites, some of the most captivating historical remnants of ancient India. Badami's deciduous forest rich in flora and fauna, red sandstone hills, plateaus and  grasslands add charm to the most beautiful structures that emblazon the artistry of ancient India. It was under the Badami Chalukyas and the later Chalukyas that the Chalukyan architectural temples and forts of Badami, Pattadakal, Mahakuta and Aihole were built. If you would love to visit the ancient temples of Badami, our travel and tourism guide should help you plan a good trip. You can keep Badami as your base and travel to Aihole or Pattadakal, as the two towns have not much of accommodation facilities.

The easiest way to travel to Badami would be by train, since the town has quite a good connectivity with some major railway stations.

By Air:
Hubli Airport, which has the possibility of becoming an International Airport soon, is the nearest and the Kempegowda International Airport at Bengaluru flies International. You have the options of taking a train from Hubli or Kempegowda to Badami or if not, you can hire a taxi or travel by bus.

By Train:
There are a number of trains that halt at Badami from Hyderabad, Barmer (Rajasthan), Mumbai or Bengaluru. If the train you need does not halt at Badami, book a ticket to Hubli, which is the next nearest train station, and get a connecting train from Hubli to Badami.

By Road:
There are KSRTC and private buses to Badami from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mangalore and Mumbai. You could also hire a cab or a share taxi to Badami.

Getting Around:

You can trek to most places around Badami. You could get a bus from the Badami bus stand to go to places close by, like Pattadakal or Aihole. There are auto rickshaws or cabs for local transport, too. You could even use a bullock cart or horse tonga.

The best season to visit Badami is from October to March when you can travel around without any hassle, do a lot of photography and indulge in adventure tourism.

Summer(April-July):

Summer’s hot in Badami, especially with a lot of open spaces around the temples and the rocks getting hotter with the bright sun. Outside excursions can be very tiring and even dehydrating, so you should avoid summer.

Monsoon(July-September):

The grasslands perk up with the onset of rains, the farmers get active on the fields and the streams get full. A good season, but the intermittent rains might disrupt travel plans.

Winter(October-March):

This is the peak tourist season, with Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole getting busy with a host of colourful festivals drawing tourists over. It’s a good season with a pleasant mild weather, ideal for photography and travel.

Peruse the Inscriptions:

Ancient Chalukyan inscriptions on the temple walls and boulders throw light on the culture and military might of the times. Check out the inscriptions of Chalukya King Mangalesha on a boulder in cave 3 and the verses of a Chalukyan warrior Kappe Arabhatta of the 8^th century on a cliff overlooking the northeast end over Agasthya Thirtha.

Prehistoric Finds:

Badami promises history and beyond. Sidlaphadi, about 4 km from Badami is a natural rock bridge, with faded Stone Age paintings and lightning eroded holes on the roof, probably used as a shelter by prehistoric mankind. You will find hundreds of megalith dolmens in Aihole too. 7 km from Badami is Kutkankeri Hills with plenty of natural springs, megalithic burial chambers and cave paintings.

Visit Museums:

The Museum of the Plains and Sculpture Gallery in Pattadakal displays some of the ancient era’s sculptures and scriptures. The Museum is on the Bhoothanatha temple road. Visit the Museum and Art Gallery at the Durga Temple Complex in Aihole for more rare sculptures and art forms.

Kudala Sangama:

Kudala Sangama has the final resting place of Basavanna,the founder of the Lingayat sect of Hinduism and the Sangamanatha temple, at the confluence of Krishna and Malaprabha Rivers. You can also visit the museum and the mini forest called Poojavana. Kudala Sangama is about 68 km from Badami.  

It’s a marvel that the small town of Badami is virtually a shopper’s delight. Badami sells its own sandalwood products like sculptures and oil, perfumes and incense sticks apart from rugs, handmade jewellery and textiles from Bijapur and Guledgudda, Lambani Jewellery, wood carvings and metal works. If you wish to buy the beautiful traditional North Karnataka’s Ilkal cotton and pure silk saris in most vibrant colours, visit the Chamundeshwari Weavers Cooperative Society Ltd at Kamatagi, about 38 km from Badami.

Badami has some fine restaurants for the hungry soul. Try The Pulikeshi Dining Room at Hotel Badami Court for some tasty non-vegetarian food like Fried Chicken Kebabs or Chicken curry. Baneshwar, across the Badami Bus Stand serves some good vegetarian food like the traditional Idli and Masala Dosas along with Kashmiri veggie dishes and Chinese noodles. Get to The Bridge, at Clarks Inn, Badami Main Road for pastas, pizza, along with South and North Indian fare and noodles. Or the Golden Caves at Station Road which has a tasty fare and a garden where you can relax over a mug of chilled beer.