Ajanta Ellora Caves Tour Package

Ajanta Ellora Caves Tour Package

Aurangabad is an ideal gateway site from Pune to the famous World Heritage Sites - Ajanta and Ellora Caves. Loc ated on the bank of the Kham river, Aurangabad city is the district headquarters that offer tourist all kinds of modern comforts they ever expect. Some of the major attractions of the city include Bibi Ka Maqbara, Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad Caves, Quila-E-Ark and Sunehri Mahal.

Ajanta's wondrous cave temples are cut into the rocky sides of a dramatic crescent-shaped gorge, at the head of which is a waterfall that drops over the mountain rim in a series of seven steps to a pool far below - the Saptakund. Dating back to the 2nd century, they cover a span of 800 years where under royal patronage of ruling dynasties, professional artists helped Buddhist monks to create magnificent murals narrating the story of Buddha in his cycle of incarnations. Etched and painted in vegetable and mineral dyes, the paintings have a langourous stylised beauty and magical eloquence.

Day – 01 Mumbai – Aurangabad

Arrive Aurangabad & transfer to hotel at Aurangabad .City tour of Aurangabad .Overnight  stay at Hotel.

Day – 02 Aurangabad -  Ajanta

Breakfast  at the Hotel. After breakfast proceed for full day .Excursion to Ajanta – (closed on Monday)These 2nd century caves are fine achievements by Buddhist monks. Beautiful frescoes, wall paintings and vivid sculptures reflect the peak of ancient Indian art and architecture. The horseshoe shaped gorge has 30 caves dividend in two phases. Return back to Hotel. Overnight stay at Hotel.

Day – 03 Aurangabad – Ellora Caves – Pithalkora

Breakfast at the Hotel. After Breakfast proceed for sightseeing of Ellora Caves (closed on Tuesday) – UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the finest examples of rockcut  caves , there are 34 caves, Cave 16 is the most famous and has Lord Shiva sculpted on the rocks-the largest monolith in the world. After Ellora Caves, further proceed for Pithalkora Caves:-Pithalkora caves are about 78 kms. From  Aurangabad. The intricate work on the sculptured facades in these caves is definitely worth a visit.  Return back to Hotel. Overnight  stay at Hotel.

Day – 04 Aurangabad –Mumbai

Breakfast  at the Hotel. After breakfast proceed to The Daulatabad fortress was an old Hindu stronghold originally called Devgiri Fort. Emperor Mohammed-bin-Tughlaq captured and plundered it in the 13th century and made it the second capital of the Delhi Sultanate renaming it Daulatabad. It is famous for its series of trick defences, secret escape routes etc. Bibi-ka-Maqbara, built in memory of Aurangazeb’s wife Rabia Durrani. Panchakki or Water Mill, an ingenious creation of Mughal engineers who used it to harness water to run large grinding stones which served as a flour mill. The tomb of a muslim saint lies in the garden beyond the which served as a flour mill.Proceed to airport to catch onward flight. end your trip.

Payments policy

• 25% Amount at the time of booking. 100% Amount 15 days or earlier, before travel date. Payment by cheque or online payment facility available. Your booking confirmation number will be provided to you.

Tour Cancilation policy

• Strictly depends upon concerned hotel's cancellation policy
• Minimum Cancilation charges before 10days of Travel Date is 10% of package cost

• Package cost will change if opted for guide service, choice of transport vehicle, hotel type change
• Accommodation charges as mentioned in the package are with 2 persons staying together sharing the same room
• Extra persons in same room charges extra
• Altough we ensure you the best experience but unfortunate delays in travel and inefficient service of hotel is the responsibility of the respective parties.

By Air:

• Aurangabad Airport / Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Airport (Airport Code: IXU - Chikalthana - 10 km east): Modern airport with daily direct commercial flights connecting to Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.

By Train:

• Aurangabad Railway Station (Station Code: AWB): Major broad gauge railway station situated on the Secunderabad Manmad line under South Central Railway, connected directly via Mumbai Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Vande Bharat Express, Devagiri Express, Tapovan Express, Ajanta Express, and Sachkhand Express.

By Road:

• From Mumbai (~335 km / 5.5 to 6 hours): Via Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg (Expressway) or via Nashik on NH-160 and NH-753F.
• From Pune (~235 km / 4.5 to 5 hours): Via NH-753F through Ahmednagar.
• From Nashik (~190 km / 3.5 to 4 hours): Via NH-753F through Yeola.
• MSRTC AC Shivshahi, ordinary buses, and private Volvo luxury coaches connect the city from Central Bus Stand (CBS) 24/7.

Aurangabad features UNESCO World Heritage rock-cut caves, monolithic temples, Mughal mausoleums, and hill citadels:

1. Bibi Ka Maqbara & Mughal Charbagh (The Taj of the Deccan - City Centre)

A 17th century white marble mausoleum built between 1651 and 1661 by Prince Azam Shah in memory of his mother, Empress Dilras Banu Begum (Rabia ud Daurani). Designed by architect Ataullah to resemble the Taj Mahal of Agra, it features four soaring 140 foot minarets, marble lattice screens (*Jalis*), brass inlay doors, and formal Mughal Charbagh fountains.

Bibi Ka Maqbara — 17th-Century Taj of the Deccan Mausoleum in Aurangabad

2. Ellora Caves & Kailasa Temple (UNESCO Cave 16 Monolithic Megalith - 30 km)

A UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of 34 rock cut temples carved out of the Charanandri hills between the 6th and 10th centuries, spanning Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain faiths. The crowning glory is Cave 16 (Kailasa Temple), the largest monolithic rock excavation in the world, carved vertically top down from a single basalt cliff without joints or mortar.

Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) — World's Largest Monolithic Rock Excavation at Ellora Caves

3. Ajanta Caves & Waghur River Gorge (30 UNESCO Buddhist Fresco Caverns - 100 km)

A UNESCO World Heritage complex of 30 rock cut Buddhist cave monuments carved into a dramatic horseshoe shaped cliff along the Waghur River gorge between the 2nd century BC and 6th century AD. World famous for their ancient tempera murals depicting Jataka tales, Bodhisattva Padmapani and Vajrapani, and the 29 foot reclining Nirvana Buddha.

Ajanta Caves — 30 UNESCO World Heritage Buddhist Rock-Cut Cave Sanctuaries

4. Daulatabad Fort & Chand Minar (12th-Century Impenetrable Hill Fortress - 15 km)

A 12th century medieval hill fortress founded by the Yadava kings (originally named Devagiri) perched on a sheer 200 meter high conical rock hill. Renowned as one of the most impregnable fortresses in military history, featuring a 50 foot water moat filled with crocodiles, the 210 foot pink Chand Minar victory tower, and the pitch dark subterranean labyrinth (*Andhari*).

Daulatabad Fort — 12th-Century Impenetrable Hill Citadel and Chand Minar

5. Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga & Panchakki (12th Sacred Shiva Jyotirlinga & Water Mill - 32 km)

The 12th and southernmost of the sacred Jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva, located in Verul village adjacent to Ellora Caves. Constructed of red stone by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar in the 18th century, it features exquisite mythological carvings, paired with Panchakki — a 17th century hydro mill in Aurangabad driven by subterranean water channels.

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple — 12th Sacred Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva near Ellora

6. Aurangabad Caves & Tantric Buddhist Rock Sanctuaries (6th-Century Hill Cells - 3 km)

A cluster of 12 rock cut Buddhist shrines carved into the Sihaychal hills overlooking the city, dating from the 6th to 8th century AD, featuring exquisite Tantric Buddhist sculptures of Tara and celestial musicians.

7. Khuldabad Valley of Saints & Aurangzeb Tomb (Historic Sufi Spiritual City - 22 km)

A sacred walled town known as the Abode of Eternity, housing the holy shrines of 1,400 Sufi saints (including Hazrat Zar Zari Zar Baksh) and the humble, austere open air grave of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.

8. Pithalkhora Caves & Chandora Gorge (Oldest 3rd-Century BC Hinayana Rock Shrines - 78 km)

An ancient Buddhist rock cut monastery situated deep in the rugged ravine of Chandora hill, recognized as the earliest rock cut sanctuary in Western India, dating back to the 3rd century BC.

9. Jayakwadi Dam Bird Sanctuary & Paithan (Nathsagar Reservoir & Dnyaneshwar Garden - 50 km)

One of the largest earthen dams in Asia constructed on the Godavari River, forming the expansive Nathsagar bird wetland home to flamingos, paired with Sant Eknath Maharaj's birthplace in Paithan.