Private Tour
Available languages
11 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Our destination will be the legendary cave temples built by the Chalukyas at Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal. Dating back to the 6th century, these are considered one of the best remnants of temple art in India. The Chalukyas patronized development of diverse cultural forms especially cave art and temple architecture. The architects developed 16 types of free-standing temples and 4 types of rock-cut shrines. The monuments of Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal transformed the Malaprabha river valley into a cradle of Temple Architecture.
This tour is organized by Five Senses Tours, a private limited company recognized by the Ministry of Tourism and a member of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO). The tour has been designed to support local livelihoods by way of employment of local guides, and supporting local businesses in line with the mission of the company to ensure travel dollars stay where they are spent.
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Badami
Located in a ravine at the foot of red sandstone hills Badami looks mesmerizing surrounded by the Agastya lake. The cave temples are made of made of red sandstone and feature a hall with numerous pillars and a square shaped sanctum. Paintings cover the ceiling. A must look out is the pose of Lord Shiva and his consort Parvathi with a coiled serpent. An 18 armed lord Nataraja in 81 dancing poses is the other item of interest. Badami is also famous for its inscriptions. An important inscription to look out for would be the first Sanskrit inscription in old Kannada script, on a hillock dating back to 543 CE.
Aihole
Aihole has are more than a hundred stone temples from 5th century onwards to see. Legend says it is at Aihole that Lord Parashurama washed his axe after killing all the Kshatrayas.
GST (Goods and Services Tax)
Air-conditioned vehicle
Entrance charges
Vegetarian south Indian meals
Guide
Padmaa Hampi Villa
Virupaksha Temple Rd, Near Bus Stop Hampi India
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Hampi Road Ground floor Hampi India
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Abracadabra
Sanapur Hampi India
Pickup included
9 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
ravim84,,Mar 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
Since we had our own vehicle, met the guide Mr. Ramesh at Aihole and started from there. We covered Aihole, Pattadakal and Badami in about 4 hours. As a tourist if you visit these places yourself, it's just a few photos and admiring the architecture. Where a guided tour helps is with the stories, the behind the scenes of such locations. Mr. Ramesh was very knowledgeable, informing us about the details of so many of the sculptures and monuments and literally enabling us to walk through a bygone era. It was worth doing, and do not miss these locations especially if you are a Hindu.
Roving04215908140,,Jan 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
This was an amazing tour of world Heritage sites. We learnt about the architecture and art of ancient Chaalukya kingdom. We particularly were amazed by the nuanced architecture at Pattadakal. Badami was very grand. Our guide Kotresh was knowledgeable and with a good sense of humour. Highly recommended.
myopinion99,,Dec 7, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
Long drive to Aihole ,Pattadakal and Badami and full day of sightseeing, excellent cultivated guide effective patient who knows his subject at his fingertips. Good local lunch included and good driver. Recommend










Jet26981681397,,Aug 26, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
Trekking Badami Caves was very interesting and on the top of the hills we had breathtaking view of Agasthya lake, adjacent to the hills. The sculptures are made of red stones huge in size and wonder to the eyes. A must visit place as it was the capital of Chalukyas as informed by the guides. Also as devotee of Goddess, I was overpowered by spiritual vibes of Banashankari temple at Badami. I was also captivated by Sarees meant for offering to the Goddess. As a memory to cherish bought a local made saree to keep my memory alive with Banashankari temple.
GrandTour63708956916,,Aug 26, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
Badami , Pattakallu and Aihole , this was a complete eye opener to the Chalukya dynasty and their history. The Badami caves made us Marvel at the complexity and it was unbelievable to see the terrains in which these have been built. Pattadakal was like a master class of the ancient architecture of temples , the guide gave us great nuances of the different types of architecture that were prominent then. The structures were to Marvel at and the Malaprabha river at the backside with the wind blowing over you is an experience for lifetime. Aihole was like an extension to Pattadakal , this was like a school level like mentioned by our guide in terms of the architecture. Here we could see several prototypes of temples built back then. They made these miniatures like prototypes and checked them before building the bigger ones. There are also old partly destroyed but preserved old statues of many deities in a museum at the same place. Which makes you so appreciative of the art back then. Thanks to 5 Senses for such an wholesome experience will definitely recommend for everyone to avail their services. ❤️







Priyakadapashah,,Jul 21, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
An exhilarating experience! What a treasure Aihole ,Pattadkal and Badami are . And our guide Chandragund Katigeri was super informative and he added so much to our experience. Would recommend this region and Five senses for the guide and vehicle arrangements.










C2136MKgl,,Jul 18, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
I am no longer a student, but with Kotresh as my guide I feel like I've just completed a course of Chalukyan Architecture 101 within this one-day excursion. His professor-like knowledge of every detail had me satisfied that I've come away with something that I want to share with friends and family. The trek began with the driver taking me 3hr from Hospet to the outskirts of Badami where I checked into the pre-arranged resort at 6pm which was absolutely serene which ended up being perfect to digest the tour that next day. Our tour began with Manjunath picking me up promptly at 9am to meet the guide in Aihole, which was about a 30min drive from the lodging. Kotresh had a nice blend of scholarly knowledge with a hint of humor, not to mention the skill of a professional photographer. We managed all three sites with a small lunch by 5pm, and then an overnight at the hotel before returning to Bangalore the next day. Highly recommended to accompany this trip with Hampi to make use of the time spent outside the city.
Samj68p,,Jul 17, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
I had an extra day in Hampi and was wondering what to do when I saw this day trip on TripAdvisor. The tour was fantastic as our brilliant guide Kotresh showed us 3 amazing ancient cities. This Kingdom called Chalukyas predate Hampi by several centuries. Pattadakal is a world heritage site and it was breathtaking. Badami and Aihole were also amazing . The architecture and scriptures were unique and worth making this day trip from Hampi.

HenryTen,,May 15, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
It was a mesmerizing journey through time, unveiling the evolution of temple architecture and the confluence of northern and southern Indian styles. The 6th-8th centuries were an era of architectural brilliance, astonishing skills and rich cultural heritage, and this circuit brings them together. What made it work, though, was the expert guiding, seamless handling of the tour by 5 Senses. I stretched it out over two days, which allowed me to linger within the temples, capture images and avail myself of the rich and detailed expertise of my guides. By combining history, architecture and religion, they brought these ancient sites to life.



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