When we packed our backpacks for our travel to India I couldn’t persuade Premek not to take his climbing shoes and chalk bag with him.

I asked for some information about climbing in the south of India on the “lezec web”. I got only 3 answers saying that something suitable for climbing could be close to Hampi, but it hadn’t a great value. Finally, we spent 4 days there in the middle of February. It was quite late in this period of year for enjoying climbing there because of high temperatures. Climbing was possible only between 7-9 in the morning and 17-19 in the evening. But we didn’t mind that, because Hampi granite is very hard and craggily and our fingertips noticed that fact very quickly. In 3 days we had to resign on such activity.
And, if it is worthwhile to go there and if it is the area of limitless bouldering possibilities, thing over by yourself. At all events, if you have a chance to travel around it makes sense to stop there and arrange some climbing in this beautiful rocky landscape.

Information about Hampi:

Best time to visit: December – January (in February, it begins quite hot there)

Rock: Granite (the most of boulders are on the edge or over sharp ledges; their beginnings are overhanged)

Area: Tens of square kilometers of landscape covered by boulder of many sizes and shapes (the only very limited number of routes is mentioned in the guide).

Guidebook: „Guidebook“ (app. 12 pages) was made and routes were described by German climber Hari Vier. You can buy a copy in front of the main entrance to the „rock area“ in Rollo guest house for 1.5 USD (the difficulty of the opened depicted routes is of 3-8b Fb). You can also rent a landing pad there (for about 1 USD a day). By the way, a new Guidebook should be issued in November 2006 and should include also a nearby Badami area.

Other areas: Badami (70km from Hampi) a for other see www.dreamroutes.org/etc/allclimbs.html

Expenses:

Transport: Flight to Bombai (from Prague with Aeroflot, 700USD), by train to Guntakal or Humbi (16hours,11USD) then by bus to Hospet (2USD;from Guntakal you must change for Hospet in Bellary). From Hospet to Hampi it is less then 12km by bus or by rycksha.

Accommodation: The cheapest hostels are on the other side of the river Tungabhadru (the most opened routes are there). Hotels range from 1 - 5USD for a double room and night (you should have your own mosquito net, because they do not provide it).

Meal: In the range from 0.5-2USD for lunch (1l of water – 0.3USD, 660cl of beer – 1.5USD)

Other activities and tips:

Hampi area is famous for its old monuments and temples. You can hire a motorbike (3.5USD a day) or a bike (1USD) and go for a trip to a near dam or water cascades.
On your travel back to Bombai you can stop and relax on the beach of Arabian Sea. I could recommend you to stay in Gokarna, which is in Karnataka state like Hampi; so to avoid staying in Goa due to beaches are quite touristy and busy there.