Badami is a small town in Karnataka known for its temples, red-stone cliffs, and calm lake views. It’s historic, scenic, and perfect for explorers who love architecture and quiet landscapes.

We caught an early 4:40 AM train from Hampi to Badami and reached around 8:30 AM. Unlike Hampi, where everything just flowed, Badami immediately felt different. It was quieter, smaller, and the language barrier hit us the moment we stepped out. Finding a stay became our unexpected first adventure.

We found a bus stand where we could get a bus to Pattadakal, the farthest spot in our itinerary. All other spots were within walking distance from each other. The only task was to find a stay nearby. But every hotel was full, it was the weekend!

A couple we met told us there aren’t many stay options in Badami and people usually do a one-day trip from Hampi. That was new information! We realized the importance of planning. That’s when we realized:Unplanned trips are fun, but sometimes planning is essential!

Luckily, we found a small khanaval that also advertised homestays. They had one room left, a little outside the main town (around 2 km away). It was simple, but felt safe as a family was also living downstairs. So, we booked it.

After getting some rest, we returned to the bus stand to find a bus to Pattadakal. The signboards were all in Kannada, and Google Translate couldn’t help us much. So we stuck to one strategy:keep saying “Pattadakal World Heritage Site” to everyone.

With gestures, mixed Hindi-English, and the kindness of strangers, we found our bus.

A sweet aunty sitting beside us understood where we wanted to go. When her stop arrived, she used simple hand gestures to tell us that ours was two stops after hers. Humanity goes beyond boundaries, doesn’t it?

We reached Pattadakal.

Pattadakal

Pattadakal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built in the 7th and 8th centuries by the Chalukya Dynasty.

We bought tickets (Rs. 35 online / Rs. 40 offline) and started walking toward the monuments. The red-stone temples stood tall on red sand, surrounded by green grass. What a sight!

We explored every temple, found an ancient script carved on stone, tried reading it via Google (and failed), and kept admiring the artistry these stones still hold.

For lunch, we stopped at a small khanaval outside—an unlimited thali with two sabzis, bhakri, rice, sambar, curd, salad, and a sweet shengdana poli dripping with ghee. Everything unlimited, warm, homemade, and just for ₹90! Most places there offer meals between ₹90–150.

After lunch, we caught a bus back to Badami. (If you have more time, you can also plan a visit to Aihole)

Bhootnath Temple, Badami Fort & More

We reached Badami bus stand. Our next stop, Bhootnath Temple, was about a kilometer away, so we took a shared cab for Rs. 20.

As soon as we stepped out, our jaws dropped. It was the same view I’d once seen in someone’s WhatsApp story. The serene Bhootnath Temple by the Agastya lake, behind which was a hill which had Badami Caves carved into it, and in front was the Badami Fort, built from massive red stones. Absolutely breathtaking! For a moment, we got lost in the view.

And then…
A monkey came, grabbed our purse, and ran. We ran behind it until it jumped onto a tree right above the lake!

We had placed it on the steps for a second while taking out our phones, and that was enough. Fortunately, after not finding food inside, it threw the purse into the lake.The water carried it closer to the steps, and a local man climbed a tree and pulled it out for us. Saved!

We then walked to the Bhootnath Temple, beautifully located beside the Agastya Lake and surrounded by massive boulders. The area was calm and open, with the temple standing quietly surrounded by the red stone landscape.

After that, we climbed up the Badami Fort. The climb wasn’t difficult, but there were many steps, and monkeys were everywhere, so we stayed alert and careful with our belongings. At some points, the rocks were so giant that there was no outside view, we could only see rays of sunlight coming through the gaps. From the top, the view was truly admirable, red cliffs, the lake below, and the town of Badami spread out in the distance. It was a peaceful moment and a perfect way to end our exploration! 

There’s also a museum and the Badami Caves to explore, but those are best visited during the day, and we had only about 30 minutes before closing time. So we decided to head back. We tried finding a shared auto, but none were available, and the few we did find were charging almost ten times the usual fare. With no other option, we started walking.

This was the first time during the trip that we felt genuinely scared. It was getting dark, and we still had to reach our stay. We bought Move spray (pepper spray wasn’t available), mirchi powder, and a few other “safety items.” After picking up dinner on the way, we finally reached our homestay safely.

We knew reaching the station at 4 AM the next morning would be difficult, so we asked the homestay owners if they could help arrange a drop. When nothing worked out, the owner himself stepped in and offered to take us.

At 4 AM, he dropped us at the station, parked his car, walked inside with us, made sure there were people around, and only then left. That quiet act of care stayed with us.

Our train arrived at 4:40 AM. After changing trains at Solapur, we reached Pune by 3 PM. I was tired, relieved, and full of happiness, carrying memories I’ll always hold close.