PLANNING · BALLARI AND VIJAYANAGARA · UPDATED OCTOBER 2026
Hampi Trip Cost: Budget for 2, 3 and 4 Days, With Every Fee and Fare
Hampi is one of the cheapest World Heritage destinations in India, and the spread between a hostel-style trip and a resort trip is huge. This guide prices every line: the ASI ticket, coracle crossing, bicycle and scooter hire, guides, guesthouses, meals, and the bus or train from Bengaluru, then adds them up for budget, mid-range and comfort trips.
The short answer
A budget trip to Hampi for two people costs about Rs 1,800 to 3,000 per day all-in, a mid-range trip about Rs 4,500 to 7,000 per day, and a resort trip Rs 12,000 or more. The monument ticket is only Rs 40 per Indian visitor, a bicycle is Rs 100 a day, and a guesthouse room is Rs 600 to 1,200 a night. The big variables are where you sleep and how you reach Hospet.
Hampi’s costs are low because most of what you pay for is small and local: a stone-ruin ticket, a boat across the river, a bicycle, a plate of rice and sambar. What pushes a trip up is the stay and the getting there. A sleeper train from Bengaluru is a few hundred rupees; an outstation cab for the same distance is several thousand. This guide keeps the two apart so you can choose.
Fees below follow the figure most sources agree on, and where we give a total it is our own estimate with the assumptions written beside it. Prices rise 25 to 50 per cent in the December peak and fall in the hot months, so treat the lower end as the monsoon and summer rate. For the itinerary these costs apply to, see the Hampi 2-day itinerary, and for the journey itself the guide on how to reach Hampi from Bangalore.
Tickets, boats and guides
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vittala Temple ticket (ASI) | Rs 40 for Indians; Rs 500 for other nationals | Children up to 15 enter free |
| What the ticket covers | Vittala Temple, Zenana Enclosure, Elephant Stables, Lotus Mahal | Valid for the same day; also sold at the Zenana Enclosure and the Archaeological Museum |
| Virupaksha Temple | Rs 2 entry; Rs 50 still camera | Sunrise to sunset |
| Queen's Bath, Hazara Rama, most roadside ruins | Free | Open 6 am to 6 pm |
| Archaeological Museum, Kamalapura | Rs 5; closed on Fridays | 10 am to 5 pm |
| Heritage Museum, Hampi Bazaar | Free | 10 am to 1 pm and 3 to 6 pm |
| Battery vehicle at Vittala Temple | Rs 20 per person | From the parking area to the temple |
| Coracle crossing, Tungabhadra | Rs 10 per person; Rs 10 more for a bicycle or bike | Sunrise to about 6 pm; paused when the river is high |
| Sightseeing coracle ride | Rs 100 to 250 per person | About 30 minutes to an hour; life jacket worn |
| Full-day private guide | About Rs 1,000 | Half-day guides cost Rs 500 to 700 |
| Auto-rickshaw for a full day | Rs 800 to 1,500 | Agree the route before you start |
The ASI ticket is the one line you cannot avoid, and it is the cheapest. A single Vittala ticket gets you into the stone chariot complex and, on the same day, the royal centre with the Lotus Mahal and the Elephant Stables. Keep the ticket with you; it is checked at each gate. Photography with a still camera is free at Vittala, and Virupaksha charges Rs 50 for it. The Archaeological Museum at Kamalapura is worth Rs 5 and shuts on Fridays, so plan around it. The Archaeological Survey of India publishes its ticketed monuments on asi.nic.in.
The coracle is the part most visitors budget wrongly. The crossing between Hampi Bazaar and the north bank costs Rs 10, because it is public transport. A sightseeing ride around the river bend is a different product, priced per person by the boatman, and the Incredible India tourism site lists three boarding points: the ghat near the Virupaksha Temple, the spot in front of Kodandarama Temple, and the popular one near Vittala Temple. Wear the life jacket you are handed.
Getting around Hampi: bicycles, scooters, autos
| Option | Cost per day | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Bicycle | Rs 100 (range Rs 50 to 150) | Hampi Bazaar to the Royal Centre, flat stretches |
| Moped, 50cc | About Rs 250 | Short loops without a long ride |
| Scooter or motorbike, 100cc | Rs 300 to 400, plus petrol | Vittala, Anegundi and Kamalapura in one day |
| Shared auto, Hospet to Hampi | Rs 20 | Cheapest link from Hospet bus stand |
| Private auto, Hospet to Hampi | Rs 200 to 300 | Arrival with luggage |
| State bus, Hospet to Hampi | Rs 25 | Runs from about 6 am to 9 pm |
Rental rates drop by about half in the hot months, and they climb at Christmas. Petrol is sold in bottles at the roadside for about Rs 100 a litre; the pump at Kamalapura sells it for far less, so fill up there. A scooter with a full tank costs under Rs 600 a day and covers a 25 km loop easily. Cyclists get a gentler trip but should start before 8 am, because the royal centre has little shade after eleven.
The monuments are spread over a wide area, and the walking distances are longer than they look on a map. If you hire a bicycle, take the Rs 10 coracle across to Anegundi in the morning and ride back along the north bank in the late afternoon.
Where to stay and what it costs
| Area | Typical room per night | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Hampi Bazaar (Hampi village) | Rs 600 to 1,200 | Closest to Virupaksha Temple; the budget core. Basic guesthouses, many family-run |
| Kadirampura | Rs 600 to 1,500 | About 3 km south; newer, tidier guesthouses and homestays with home food |
| Anegundi and Sanapur | Rs 500 to 1,500 | North bank; riverside huts, lake-side eco-stays and cafes |
| Kamalapura | Rs 2,000 to 5,000 | About 4 km from Hampi village; a handful of good hotels |
| Hospet | Rs 1,500 to 5,000 | About 13 km away; most hotels, plus the KSTDC Mayura Bhuvaneshwari |
| Resorts (4 and 5 star) | Rs 7,000 to 35,000 | Outside the core zone, such as Evolve Back Hampi |
One thing has changed for good. The guesthouses on Virupapur Gadde, the island once called Hippie Island, were demolished from 2020 after the Supreme Court upheld the order in February of that year, and the authority cleared the last resort that autumn. The island now allows farming and climbing only, so lodges that advertise a Gadde stay are on the north bank near Sanapur or Anegundi. If a listing promises a room on the island itself, treat it as out of date.
Peak season runs from late November to January, and Hampi Utsav in the cooler months fills the village. Book ahead in those weeks; at other times walk-in rates beat the online price, and calling a guesthouse directly gets a better rate than the booking sites. Rooms in the village and on the north bank are vegetarian only, with no alcohol and no meat served, a rule that is observed across the temple zone.
Food costs
| Meal | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| South Indian breakfast (idli, dosa, upma) | Rs 50 to 80 | Bazaar tea stalls and small hotels |
| South Indian meal / thali | Rs 50 to 120 | Small messes near the bus stand |
| Cafe meal on the river side | Rs 120 to 250 | Mango Tree, Laughing Buddha and similar |
| Dinner with special dishes | Rs 150 to 250 | Pizza, pasta and the Israeli-style menus |
| Packaged water, 1 litre | Rs 25 to 30 | Carry a refillable bottle |
Food is where Hampi saves you most. Two people can eat three decent meals a day for Rs 500 to 800 in total, and a cafe lunch with a view still comes under Rs 200 each. Everything in the zone is vegetarian, so the local specialities are millet rotis, ragi, dosa, bisi bele bath and the heavy North Karnataka jowar meal. For what to order across the state see our food to try in Karnataka guide.
Getting to Hampi: fares from Bengaluru and others
| Route | Fare | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru to Hospet by train, sleeper | Rs 245 to 300 | Overnight service |
| Bengaluru to Hospet by train, 3A / 2A | Rs 670 / Rs 950 | Same journey in AC |
| Bengaluru to Hospet by KSRTC AC sleeper | About Rs 630 | Regular express buses are around Rs 330 |
| Hyderabad to Hospet by train, sleeper | Rs 235 to 275 | Unreserved Rs 145 |
| Hyderabad or Goa to Hospet, AC sleeper bus | Rs 700 to 800 | Overnight |
| Bengaluru by car, one way | About 340 km | Plan fuel and tolls on top |
Hospet is the railhead, about 13 km from Hampi village, and you finish the last stretch by auto, bus or taxi. Fares change with the class and the date, and Tatkal fares run higher. For the full road and rail comparison, with timings and the overnight options, read how to reach Hampi from Bangalore. For other rail journeys through the north, see scenic train journeys in Karnataka.
Sample budgets: 2, 3 and 4 days for two people
These totals are our own estimate for two adults, using the fees above. Travel is separate, since it depends on where you start.
| Trip style | Per day for two | 3 days (2 nights) | 4 days (3 nights) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget: guesthouse, cycles, local meals | Rs 1,800 to 3,000 | Rs 5,400 to 9,000 | Rs 7,200 to 12,000 |
| Mid-range: AC room, scooter, cafes, one guide | Rs 4,500 to 7,000 | Rs 13,500 to 21,000 | Rs 18,000 to 28,000 |
| Comfort: resort, car with driver | Rs 12,000 plus | Rs 36,000 plus | Rs 48,000 plus |
The budget row assumes a Rs 800 room, two bicycles at Rs 100, Rs 700 in meals, Rs 80 in tickets and Rs 40 in coracle crossings, plus a small allowance for tea and water. The mid-range row assumes a Rs 2,500 room, a scooter at Rs 400 with petrol, Rs 1,400 for meals, a Rs 1,000 guide on one day and Rs 800 in autos. For a Bengaluru to Hampi round trip add about Rs 500 to 1,300 per person by sleeper train or Rs 1,260 by AC sleeper bus, and about Rs 8,000 to 10,000 for fuel and tolls if you drive both ways. A published budget plan for two over four nights of guesthouse stay puts the total at Rs 7,600 to 12,500, in line with the budget row.
Ways to spend less, and where not to
- Travel on a weekday in the monsoon or summer. Rooms and rentals fall by a third to a half, though the heat or rain changes the day plan. See best time to visit Karnataka before choosing.
- Take the overnight sleeper train. It replaces a night’s lodging.
- Buy the Vittala ticket once. It also covers the Lotus Mahal and Elephant Stables on the same day.
- Walk or cycle the Bazaar and Virupaksha stretch. No vehicle is needed there.
- Do not skip the guide at Vittala. A Rs 500 to 700 half-day guide explains the carving that a signboard cannot.
- Do not pay for a ride you did not negotiate. Agree the auto fare before you sit.
If you are building a longer trip around Hampi, the other World Heritage sites in the state are on the UNESCO sites in Karnataka page, and the district context is in the Ballari and Vijayanagara guides. A week that links Hampi with Badami and Aihole is set out in the 7-day Karnataka itinerary.
Hampi trip cost FAQ
How much does a 3-day trip to Hampi cost?
For two people on a budget, about Rs 5,400 to 9,000 on the ground for three days and two nights, plus travel. A mid-range trip with an AC room and a scooter is Rs 13,500 to 21,000.
What is the entry fee for Hampi?
The ASI ticket at Vittala Temple is Rs 40 for Indian visitors and Rs 500 for other nationals. Children up to 15 enter free. It also covers the Zenana Enclosure, Elephant Stables and Lotus Mahal on the same day.
How much is the coracle ride in Hampi?
The river crossing costs Rs 10 per person, with Rs 10 more for a bicycle. A sightseeing ride around the bend costs Rs 100 to 250 per person, and a life jacket is mandatory.
How much does a room cost in Hampi?
Budget guesthouses in Hampi village, Kadirampura, Anegundi and Sanapur cost Rs 600 to 1,500 a night. Hotels in Kamalapura and Hospet are Rs 1,500 to 5,000, and resorts start at Rs 7,000.
Can I stay on Virupapur Gadde?
No. The island’s guesthouses and restaurants were demolished from 2020 after a Supreme Court order, and only farming and climbing are allowed there now. Stay on the north bank at Sanapur or Anegundi instead.
How much does a bicycle or scooter cost in Hampi?
A bicycle is about Rs 100 a day and a 100cc scooter Rs 300 to 400 plus petrol. Rates halve in the hot months and rise at Christmas.
How much is the train from Bengaluru to Hospet?
A sleeper berth is about Rs 245 to 300, third AC about Rs 670 and second AC about Rs 950. The KSRTC AC sleeper bus is about Rs 630.
Is Hampi cheap for food?
Yes. A South Indian meal is Rs 50 to 120 and a cafe meal Rs 120 to 250. Two people can eat well for Rs 500 to 800 a day, and everything in the zone is vegetarian.
Do I need a guide in Hampi?
A guide is optional. Half-day guides cost Rs 500 to 700 and a full day about Rs 1,000, and they add most at Vittala Temple and the royal centre.