VANAMCOVE 
4,000-year-old megalithic tombs
Why this weekend?
The day-by-day plan
Half day · The megaliths
- Morning arrival
- Dolmen walk
- Circle circuit
- Paintings stop
- Return
Geography & terrain
Hirebenakal lies in the Koppal district of Karnataka, 12 km from Gangavati and 90 km from Hospet — the megalithic necropolis of the ancient south, its stone circles and the dolmens set on the granite outcrops of the Tungabhadra country.
History & culture
The site dates to the Iron Age (about 1000 BCE) — one of India's largest megalithic cemeteries, with its hundreds of dolmens, the stone circles and the cairns of the ancient dead; the site's rock paintings and the chambered tombs, with its later discovery by the archaeologists, give Hirebenakal its deep ancient-history character.
Where to stay
Budget
₹1,500–3,500/night
Mid-range
₹3,500–7,000/night
Comfort
₹7,000+/night
Things to do
- Ancient dolmens
- Stone circles
- Rock paintings
- Granite country
- Silent plateau
Eat & drink
- Bisi bele bath
- Ragi mudde
- Mysore masala dosa
- Coorg pandi curry
- Mangalorean fish curry
Getting there
- Fly
- Bengaluru (BLR) / Mangaluru (IXE) / Hubballi (HBX)
- Train
- Bengaluru City / Mysuru / Mangaluru junctions
- Road from Bengaluru
- varies by district — 50–500 km
- Getting around
- Autos, metro in Bengaluru, KSRTC buses
Budget snapshot
- Total
- ₹6,000–14,000 (2 days)
- Per day · Stay
- ₹1,500–7,000/night
- Per day · Food
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Transport
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Activities
- ₹1,000–1,400
Month by month
- Jan · Best
- 20–31°C · None rain
- Feb · Best
- 21–33°C · None rain
- Mar · Hot
- 23–35°C · None rain
- Apr · Hot
- 25–36°C · Moderate rain
- May · Pre-monsoon
- 26–35°C · Moderate rain
- Jun · Monsoon
- 24–32°C · Heavy rain
- Jul · Monsoon
- 23–31°C · Heavy rain
- Aug · Monsoon
- 23–31°C · Heavy rain
- Sep · Monsoon tail
- 24–32°C · Heavy rain
- Oct · Good
- 24–33°C · Moderate rain
- Nov · Best
- 22–32°C · Light rain
- Dec · Best
- 20–31°C · None rain
Practical info
- Language: Kannada (English understood in tourist spots)
- Best window: Oct–Mar
- Connectivity: good 4G in towns
- UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops
Practical tips
- The site's quiet asks the unhurried morning
- Pairs with Hampi for the region's ancient day
- The outcrops' walk asks the steady shoes
Frequently asked questions
What is Hirebenakal?
The Iron Age megalithic necropolis of the Tungabhadra country.
What is there to see?
The dolmens, the stone circles and the rock paintings.
How long is the visit?
A half day from Gangavati.
4,000-year-old megalithic tombs
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