Aihole itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Aihole

1. 01

   Day 1: Durga temple, the cave and Meguti hill

   Arrive early, ideally from Badami, and begin at the Durga temple enclosure, walking the full corridor before the tour groups arrive. Visit the museum in the same complex, then walk to Lad Khan, Gaudar Gudi and Chakra Gudi. Drive or take an auto to Ravanaphadi cave and the Hucchimalli temple. Rest through the heat. If you have energy late in the day, climb Meguti hill for the Jain temple and the view. Carry lunch and water, since the village has no restaurants.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Durga Temple	About 45–60 minutes, plus the museum	Easy	Early morning or the last hour before closing; November to February for comfort
   Gaudar Gudi	15–20 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon
   Chakra Gudi	15–20 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon
   Ravanaphadi Cave	30–40 minutes	Moderate	Morning light helps; avoid the heat of midday

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ravanaphadi Cave: A short walk or auto ride from the village, then a few steps up to the cave entrance. Inside it is dim, cool and fairly level, which makes it a pleasant stop in heat, though the floor is uneven and there is little to sit on.

Plan 02

2 days in Aihole

1. 01

   Day 1: The core temples

   Spend the morning at the Durga temple and museum, then walk to Lad Khan, Gaudar Gudi and Chakra Gudi. After a rest, visit Hucchimalli and the Ravanaphadi cave in the late afternoon light.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Durga Temple	About 45–60 minutes, plus the museum	Easy	Early morning or the last hour before closing; November to February for comfort
   Gaudar Gudi	15–20 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon
   Chakra Gudi	15–20 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon
   Ravanaphadi Cave	30–40 minutes	Moderate	Morning light helps; avoid the heat of midday

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ravanaphadi Cave: A short walk or auto ride from the village, then a few steps up to the cave entrance. Inside it is dim, cool and fairly level, which makes it a pleasant stop in heat, though the floor is uneven and there is little to sit on.

2. 02

   Day 2: Meguti and the southern groups

   Climb Meguti hill early for the Jain and Buddhist temples and the 634 CE inscription. Then go south by car or auto to Huchappayya Matha, the Mallikarjuna complex and the riverside Galaganatha group. Finish with a short return to the museum if you want to see the Lajja Gauri again.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Huchappayya Matha	20–30 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Plan 03

3 days in Aihole

1. 01

   Day 1: Durga temple and neighbours

   Take the Durga temple at a slow pace and spend time with the museum. Add Lad Khan in the afternoon and stop for a long rest.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Durga Temple	About 45–60 minutes, plus the museum	Easy	Early morning or the last hour before closing; November to February for comfort

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Cave, Hucchimalli and Meguti

   Start at the Ravanaphadi cave and Hucchimalli in the morning, then climb Meguti hill in the late afternoon for the Jain temple and the Buddhist monument.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Ravanaphadi Cave	30–40 minutes	Moderate	Morning light helps; avoid the heat of midday

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ravanaphadi Cave: A short walk or auto ride from the village, then a few steps up to the cave entrance. Inside it is dim, cool and fairly level, which makes it a pleasant stop in heat, though the floor is uneven and there is little to sit on.

3. 03

   Day 3: South of the village, and Pattadakal

   Visit the Galaganatha group, Huchappayya Matha and the Mallikarjuna complex in the morning, then drive to Pattadakal for the afternoon, which is a short trip from Aihole.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Huchappayya Matha	20–30 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Aihole trip for parents and children

• Do the Durga temple enclosure and museum first, early in the day. They are level and the museum gives you a shaded break.
• Meguti hill is the only real climb. If stairs, heat or balance are a concern, skip the hill and see its inscription in books instead.
• There are no restaurants in the village, so carry water, snacks and a packed lunch from Badami.
• Use an auto or car for the southern groups and the Ravanaphadi cave rather than walking in the sun.
• Hire a local guide at the Durga temple to explain the carvings; most of the figures are weathered and unlabelled.
• Go in the cooler months and keep the afternoon free for rest; stone gets hot by midday.

Aihole with elderly parents: the full guide →