Ajanta and Ellora Caves

Essential Travel Guide

Astonishingly carved into hillside rock in the middle of nowhere are the Ajanta and
Ellora caves. Both are an important UNESCO World Heritage site.

There are 34 caves at Ellora dating from between the 6th and 11th centuries AD, and
29 caves at Ajanta dating back to between the 2nd century BC and 6th century AD.
The caves at Ajanta are all Buddhist, while the caves at Ellora are a mixture of
Buddhist, Hindu and Jain. Funds for the construction of the caves were provided by
various rulers.

The incredible Kailasa Temple (also known as the Kailasha Temple), which forms Cave
16 at Ellora, is undoubtedly the most famous attraction. The temple is dedicated to
Lord Shiva and his sacred abode at Mount Kailasha. Its immense size covers twice
the area of the Parthenon in Athens, and is one and a half times as high! The life-
size elephant sculptures are a highlight.

The most incomprehensible thing about the Ajanta and Ellora caves is that they were
crafted by hand, with only a hammer and chisel. There are various cave complexes in
India, but these are definitely the most spectacular.

Location
Northern Maharashtra, around 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Mumbai.

Getting There
The closest railway stations are in Aurangabad for the Ellora caves (45 minutes
away) and the industrial city of Jalgaon for the Ajanta caves (1.5 hours away).
Travel time from Mumbai to Aurangabad by Indian Railways train is 6-7 hours. Here
are the options.

There�s also an airport in Aurangabad, so it's possible to fly from many cities in
India.

Using Aurangabad as a base, it�s most convenient to hire a taxi and drive between
the two cave sites. It takes about three hours to get from Ellora to Ajanta.

Ashoka Tours and Travels, located on Station Road in Aurangabad, is popular and
provides car hire to both Ellora and Ajanta. Depending on the type of car, rates
start from 1,250 rupees for Ellora and 2,250 rupees for Ajanta.

Alternatively, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation conducts inexpensive

daily guided bus tours to the Ajanta and Ellora caves from Aurangabad. The buses
are comfortable air-conditioned Volvo buses. The tours run separately�one goes to
Ajanta and the other to Ellora�and can be booked in advance at the Central Bus
Stand and CIDCO Bus Stand.

The Ajanta bus tour departs from the Central Bus Stand at 7.30 a.m. and arrives
back at 5.20 p.m. The cost is 711 rupees per person.
The Ellora bus tour departs from the Central Bus Stand at 8.30 a.m and arrives back
at 5.30 p.m. It includes Daultabad Fort, Bibi Ka Maqbara and Panchakki. The cost is
276 rupees per person.
Or, if you'd prefer to travel independently, you can easily take a public
Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus from the Central Bus Stand in
Aurangabad to Ellora (D0825) and Ajanta (D0647). It's worth considering, as you'll
be able to get there before the tour buses do. The buses run frequently but they're
not air-conditioned.

When to Visit
The best time to visit the caves is from November to March, when it's cooler and
dry.

Opening Hours
The Ellora caves are open from sunrise until sunset (around 5:00 p.m.), daily
except Wednesdays. The Ajanta caves open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., daily except
Mondays. Both caves are open on national holidays. However, try to avoid visiting
them then (as well as on weekends) as the crowds can be overwhelming and you won't
have a peaceful experience.

Entrance Fees and Charges

Visiting both the Ajanta and Ellora caves is costly for foreigners. The sites
require separate tickets and the price is 600 rupees per foreign visitor. Indians
pay only 40 rupees per ticket at each site. Children younger than 15 years are free
at both places.

Ajanta and Ellora Visitor Centers

The visitor centers provide information about the two heritage sites using
audiovisual media.

The Ajanta Visitor Center is the larger of the two. It has five museum halls with
replicas of the four main caves (1, 2,16 and 17). The Ellora Visitor Center has a
replica of the Kailasa Temple. Both visitor centers also have restaurants,
amphitheaters and auditoriums, shops, exhibition space, and parking.

Unfortunately, the visitor centers are located some distance away from the caves
and the replicas have failed to draw the expected number of tourists. In August
2018, Maharashtra Tourism announced that substantial funding had been allocated to
enhance them and provide a better experience.

Where to Stay
Hotel Kailas is located right opposite the Ellora caves. It's a relaxing, tranquil
place with stone walls and a scenic landscape, albeit simply furnished
accommodations. Rates are 2,300 rupees for a non air-conditioned room, 3,500 rupees
for an air-conditioned cottage, and 4,000 rupees for an air-conditioned cottage
facing the caves. Tax is additional. The hotel has plenty of amenities for guests
including a restaurant, internet access, a library and games. You can also go
paragliding.

Quality accommodations at Ajanta are limited so if you need to stay in the area,
it's best to head to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation's Ajanta T
Junction Guest House (rooms from 1,600 rupees per night) or Ajanta Tourist Resort
in nearby Fardapur (1,700 rupees per night).

If you prefer to stay in Aurangabad, Hotel Panchavati is a clean and comfortable

budget option near the railway station and bus stand.

Should You Visit Ajanta or Ellora?

While the Ajanta caves have some of India's most sophisticated ancient paintings,
the Ellora caves are renowned for their extraordinary architecture. Both the caves
have sculptures.

Don't have time or money to visit both caves? Ellora receives about twice as many
tourists as Ajanta, as it's more accessible. If your itinerary forces you to choose
between the two sites, base you decision on whether you're more interested in the
art at Ajanta, or architecture at Ellora. Also take into consideration the fact
that Ajanta has an outstanding setting overlooking a gorge along the Waghora River,
making it more enjoyable to explore.

Travel Tips
You can get an excellent view and perspective of inside the Kailasa Temple at
Ellora by climbing up the hill around it.
When visiting Ajanta, ask your driver to drop you at the viewpoint and meet you at
the car park. Walk downhill from the viewpoint and enter at cave eight. From there,
walk right to the end and start at cave 28. This will enable you to see nearly half
the caves without the crowds.
Bring a torch with you to the caves as many of them are quite dark and lighting is
poor.
Try to reach the caves before 10 a.m. to beat the crowds and tour buses.
Dangers and Annoyances
Security was increased at the Ellora caves in 2013, following incidents of tourists
being sexually harassed by groups of young Indian guys. This has been effective in
improving safety. However, tourists still need to be aware of harassment from
hawkers and touts that charge inflated prices.

Maintenance and cleanliness has improved at both the Ajanta and Ellora caves in
recent years. The caves are now being looked after by a private company under the
Indian government's "Adopt a Heritage Site" program.

Festivals
A three-day Ellora-Ajanta International Festival is organized by Maharashtra
Tourism each year. It features some of India's most distinguished musicians and and
dancers.