Badami

Located near the Agastya River, Badami was the capital of the Chalukya Empire. Badami is 457km from Bangalore in the Bagalkot District of Karnataka. It offers a unique experience that is incomparable with any other destination in this region. It is filled with red sandstone formations, caves, cave temples, and several beautiful structures along the banks of the Agastya Lake. 

The cave temples carved out of the rocks is one of the most spectacular sights here. Apart from caves, one of the best things in Badami is the Agastya Lake. Legends say that the Lake has healing powers and it is surrounded by the cave temples and the sandstone formations.

Apart from that, Badami has many other attractions such as the Badami Fort, Aihole, Archaeological Museum, Pattadakal, Lord Shivalaya Upper Shivalaya, and Agastya Lake. Also, the handcrafted gifts and items in the Badami shops are wonderful, and it gives a nice glimpse of the culture and traditional art of this place. 

Badami has much to offer its visitors in terms of things to do which includes trekking to the beautiful cave temples, or the Badami Fort and indulging in some rock climbing. Other activities that you can enjoy here are photography, visiting the four galleries of the Museum, enjoy the cultural performances and try out the local cuisine and street food. 

Badami is an ideal destination which can be visited all year round. However the best time to visit is between October to April. This time is ideal for exploring the cave temples and the other attractions. Monsoon is also not a bad time as Badami does not receive heavy rainfall. Although summer days are quite hot; mornings and evenings are pleasantly cooler with temperatures hovering around 25°C.