Leave Bengaluru at 6:00 AM for Gandikota, allowing roughly 6–7 hours for the 285 km drive via NH44 through Chikkaballapur, Penukonda and Anantapur. Start with a full tank, carry breakfast and water, and plan one proper rest stop near Anantapur; weekend traffic leaving Bengaluru can easily add 30–45 minutes. With a 6:00 AM departure, reaching the Gandikota fort area around 12:30–1:00 PM is realistic. Park near the fort entrance and keep valuables in the car, as shade and facilities inside the fort are limited.
Spend about 1–1½ hours at Gandikota Fort, walking past the Madhavaraya Temple, old mosque, granary and fort walls before heading to the Pennar Gorge viewpoint. The gorge is the highlight, but avoid standing too close to the unprotected edges, particularly if it is windy. Leave by about 2:30 PM—this is important because the evening drive is long—and continue to Kadiri Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, roughly 1½–2 hours away depending on the local road conditions. Allow 45–60 minutes for darshan and the temple complex, but treat this as a flexible stop: worship breaks and special-day queues can change the schedule, so check the temple’s same-day timings locally rather than relying on a fixed online schedule.
After Kadiri, continue via Anantapur and Gooty toward Mantralayam. Stop around 7:30 PM at a clean highway restaurant near the Anantapur–Gooty/Kurnool corridor—use the washroom and eat promptly rather than making a long dinner stop. The onward drive is approximately 270 km and can take 5–6 hours after the Gandikota visit, so a 10:00 PM arrival is tight; confirm late check-in, parking and reception availability with your Mantralayam hotel before departure. Keep the driver rested, avoid unnecessary detours, and aim to reach between 9:30 and 10:00 PM; if Kadiri darshan is delayed, shorten the temple visit rather than risking a late-night arrival.
Leave Mantralayam around 5:00 AM for Panchamukhi Anjaneya Temple in Panchamukhi, allowing roughly 30–45 minutes each way depending on the road and river conditions. Keep this visit to about 45–60 minutes and confirm locally that the temple opens for darshan at 5:30 AM; timings and access can change. After returning, depart by about 6:45 AM toward Yaganti, carrying breakfast, water and fuel for the 185-km drive. This is a demanding day, so use a reliable private car and avoid delaying at the temple.
Reach Yaganti Uma Maheswara Temple around 11:00 AM, subject to traffic and a breakfast stop. Allow 1–1½ hours for the temple complex, cave shrines and Nandi; confirm darshan timings at the entrance, and dress modestly. Continue approximately 65 km to Belum Caves, reaching around 1:00 PM. The underground route involves considerable walking, steps and warm, humid sections, so wear shoes with grip and carry water; allow about 1½ hours. Have a simple lunch near Belum or on the Allagadda side around 2:45 PM—expect roughly ₹150–₹300 per person—and do not plan a long sit-down meal.
A full visit to Veerabhadra Temple, Lepakshi is not realistic today: leaving Belum Caves at 3:30 PM still means roughly 7–8 hours to Bengaluru via Anantapur and NH44, before breaks and city traffic. The sensible plan is to add an overnight near Lepakshi or Anantapur, then visit Veerabhadra Temple, Lepakshi early the next morning before driving about four hours to Bengaluru. If you must return tonight, skip Lepakshi and drive directly, with a proper dinner and fuel stop near Anantapur; arriving in Bengaluru late at night will be tiring.
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