Top Places To Visit In Hampi For Senior Travellers

Hampi, located amid a boulder-strewn terrain on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, was formerly the capital city of the powerful Vijayanagara Empire. Many people think the town predates the kingdom because it is described in the epics "Ramayana" and "Puranas" as "Pampa Devi Tirtha Kshetra." Today, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has buildings and temples that convey the narrative of grandeur and ruin, with the Royal Centre having structures that resemble former palaces, baths, pavilions, royal stables, and temples for ceremonial purposes.

But if you're looking for something else, you're in luck! Hampi's cultural and natural features include a museum, an art lab, a sunset point, and more. Here are five unusual locations to see in Hampi outside the temples.

Historical Charm of Hampi

The Archaeological Museum, located in Kamalapura hamlet, transports tourists through time, making it a must-see attraction in Hampi. One of the museum's most striking features is a scale model of Hampi's geography, which depicts the landscape's hills and rivers.

This modest yet noteworthy museum has a treasure collection of artefacts. The first exhibit features sculptures of the Shaivite religion. These include Shiva's avatars Virabhadra, Bhairava, and Bhikshatanamurti, as well as goddesses Shakti, Ganesha, Kartikeya, and Durga. The second exhibit displays artefacts like weaponry and armour, copper plate grants, metal religious relics, and brass plates. The third gallery houses coins from the Vijayanagara dynasty in various denominations, both gold and copper. Lastly, the fourth gallery houses relics from the prehistoric and protohistoric periods, medieval hero stones, and sati stones. It also houses stucco figurines, iron objects and shards of porcelain retrieved from archaeological sites.

Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary: Conservation and Wildlife Observation

Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary is India's first reserve dedicated to the protection and conservation of sloth bears. Visitors may view the nocturnal animal from specially designed machans. The sanctuary covers an area of 82.7 square kilometres. The animals are threatened due to illegal mining in fragmented areas of the adjoining forests, so many rescued domestic bears from Daroji and surrounding areas are brought here for refuge.

The sanctuary is also home to hyenas, wild boars, pangolins, porcupines, jackals, leopards, star tortoises and monitor lizards. A drive through the scrub jungle also provides opportunities to sight endemic species of birds, such as the painted spurfowl, yellow-throated bulbul, sandgrouse, stone-curlew and peafowl.

Art Labs

The JSW Foundation—the social development arm of the JSW Group, one of India's premier corporate houses—founded the Hampi Art Labs, which opened in February 2024. The site covers nine acres and includes exhibition spaces, studios, residences flats, gardens, and a café, making it one of the best locations to visit in Hampi.

The structure is situated between the Tungabhadra River, jagged hill ranges, and intriguingly big stones. The exhibition "Knots that Bind" is now on display and depicts the creativity, materiality, and unity of women handloom weavers.

Sunset Point

Sunset Point on Hippie Island is one of the top attractions in Hampi. This place provides amazing views of the setting sun. If you're lucky, you'll find a group of musicians playing together, providing the perfect background score to complement the breathtaking view. This location is also noted for its breathtaking sunrises and lush green rice fields.