Here now, gone tomorrow. 🗿
We're talking about some spaces in ecologically fragile regions that need your time and attention!
Have you ever taken a work call from a megalithic burial site that’s over 2,000 years old?
Like we’ve probably said before - on recce trips to many of our current and future spaces, we try and visit interesting places we come across during our research.
Hirebenakal
During a recent recce in Hampi, we took an early morning hike up to Hirebenakal, a megalithic site filled with dolmens (tombs that are found from the Stone Age to the Iron Age, across the world) from the Neolithic period, estimated to be around 2,500 years old. It was a bit of a bike journey before we started walking through paddy fields and then hitting the base of a granite mound.
We left a banana under a special circular rock because our guide Arun said he wasn’t sure of the way back 😅 (typical guide humour) and made our way through bramble and thorns. We stopped to admire some rock paintings ranging from across many periods - megalithic, neolithic, mesolithic - and imagined how the world was when humans here took shelter from wild animals at night. We imagined their “bedrooms” and their “kitchens”, but one thing we were certain of - these folks had a kickass view.
Hirebenakal offers a unique window to the culture and societies of this region, along with insights into the lives of the people that built them. The village of Hirebenakal itself has seen rulers from various dynasties (Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas, the Vijayanagara Empire, Adil Shah’s empire, the Marathas, and the British).
When we reached the megalithic site a few km from the village, we saw several large stone dolmens, standing stones, and stone circles. They are believed to have been used as burial chambers or places of worship. Our first thought when we reached Hirebenakal was:
“How the hell did people make these without machines?”
The second thing (if I may speak for both of us):
“How is it so unprotected?”
We’re really glad we got to visit Hirebenekal on our last day here - it’s a hike worth every scratch and bruise.
When we made our way back down, we were mildly tripping on all the weird and unique rock formations around us. But, we finally found our banana, almost destroyed by ants. Our guide had a solid chuckle.
We recommend you visit this (carefully and responsibly) megalithic masterpiece when you come to Hampi next. We can hook you up with the perfect people to guide you.
Anegundi
Hampi’s lesser-known sibling, Anegundi, was our main focal point during our recce in February.
There are many mythological connotations to Anegundi (what was formerly known as the kingdom of Kishkindha) and it is said to be the famous monkey kingdom that has an important part to play in the Ramayana. It’s located on the northern banks of the Tungabhadra river and was also the origin of the Vijayanagara empire.
Anegundi is a village fully aware of its heritage and the fact that it’s often overlooked by the who’s who of historical preservation. The Kishkinda Trust, which was set up a few decades ago, has had a big role to play in the inhabitants of the village owning their craftsmanship and their skills. The village is tiny, with a multi-religious set of people who all know and occupy the (historical) common spaces that dot the area.
Our guide for this part of the recce was the stylish and wickedly funny Indrajit who understood the value of keeping these ancient temples and monuments alive through community-based events, performances, and just regular life. In his time working with the Trust and its tourism development initiative, he’s curated events for all kinds of people who come to take in the magnificence of the monolithic landscape and he and the Trust understand just how to make Anegundi’s story sparkle.
The village is as is, with narrow streets and whitewashed walls that gleam in the sun. Homes sit casually alongside centuries-old monuments like the 16th-century Gagan Mahal and other temples.
We’re excited to have you visit this village right next to Hampi, so stay tuned for some upcoming launches.
We just had our first Sweet Valley Crossing trip of the season (with some late-season snowfall)!!!
All our group departure dates for this walking holiday in Kumaon Uttarakhand are full. Thank you for showing an interest and signing up for what we promise will be an unforgettable experience!
We’re still doing private trips and will be taking bookings till June. These are different from group departure dates, as you can choose a date, get 5 other friends of yours, and have a different (but similar in all the right ways!) kinda experience. Read about Sweet Valley Crossing here!
If you want to know what a walking holiday is, check here.
Catch some snippets of last season’s walking holidays here.
Our Binsar Forest Trail is happening this summer, too!
Come off to the mountains and join us on our flagship walking holiday in Uttarakhand - The Binsar Forest Trail. We’re mostly booked out, but we’ve got a few slots left for two departure dates.
April 30 - May 6: We’ve got space for 2 good people like you.
May 20 - May 26: We’ve got space for 1 good person like you.
Get in touch with us by writing to evolve@knowheretravel.co!
Just Ladakh, it’s the season to go
We’re rearing to recce there this summer, but also! We want to let YOU know that soon’s a good time to visit. Spend some time off this summer exploring the most magical and remote part of the subcontinent, and we promise it will be unlike any other itinerary you’ve come across. Why? Because we’ve spent enough time there engaging with locals who know what’s what. We want you to experience the culture and the people as it is, and not in a Lakshya-Bhaag Milka Bhaag-3 Idiots sort of way.
Get in touch. We’ll make your trip unlike the kind of Ladakh trips you’ve heard about.
Kracadawna is kalling
Have you been to Kracadawna yet? This completely organic farm, outside Mysore, not far from Kabini, is a destination in itself. Come stay here for a few days and leave with much joy and much learning. We’re open in April and eagerly anticipate a visit. Eat cool, refreshing farm-to-table food, and take a dip in the Nugu river in the middle of pretty untouched wilderness.
Little Matsya awaits!
This is also a wonderful time to go to the beach - stay at Little Matsya, our self-catered tiny home in Udupi this summer. Go swimming, eat some local seafood, and play with your pet in this adorable home between the beach and the backwaters. We have special prices for longer duration stays too!
Happy April, folks! Stay cool.