Most Popular 2-Day Guided Tour of Ajanta & Ellora Caves with Car

Ajanta and Ellora are not quick photo stops. They are enormous works cut into stone, with painted Buddhist chambers at Ajanta and the extraordinary Kailasa Temple at Ellora. Splitting the visit over two days gives you time to look carefully instead of racing from cave to cave.

I like the private car and door-to-door pickup, especially for the long road to Ajanta. I also like the choice of guide service: guides such as Deepak, Siraj, Nasir, and Kadir have been praised for explaining the art, temples, and history in clear detail. The main drawback is the driving time, particularly Ajanta’s roughly two-hour trip each way, with roads that can be bumpy.

This tour also leaves room for flexibility. Drivers such as Anis Khan, Suleman, Madhav, Asad, and Naser have been singled out for punctuality, careful driving, and help with changing plans. Still, confirm the final price and guide option carefully, since the advertised $47.43 price is described as per person in one place and per group in another.

Key points to know before booking

• Ajanta takes a full day: Expect about eight hours, including the drive from Aurangabad and time at the caves.
• Ellora includes Kailasa Temple: This carved temple is the major highlight on the second day, followed by Bibi Ka Maqbara.
• Your car is private: Vehicles can carry up to five people, with pickup and drop-off from your Aurangabad hotel.
• Guide service is optional: You can book transportation only or add a private guide for the cave complexes.
• Entry fees are extra: Non-SAARC visitors are listed at ₹600 for Ajanta and ₹600 for Ellora, plus ₹300 for Bibi Ka Maqbara.
• Plan around closing days: Ajanta closes Mondays, and Ellora closes Tuesdays.

Why two days is the right amount of time

The clever part of this schedule is its division of the two cave sites. Ajanta and Ellora are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but they offer different experiences and deserve different kinds of attention.

Ajanta is farther from Aurangabad and needs a full day. Ellora is closer and can be combined with Bibi Ka Maqbara on the second day. Trying to squeeze both cave complexes into one day would leave you tired and looking at stonework through a clock.

I especially like this setup if you care about art and architecture. At Ajanta, you can take time with the wall paintings and Buddhist spaces. At Ellora, the scale and engineering of the excavated temples are the point. You need time to look upward, step back, and understand how much stone was removed.

Day one: the long road to Ajanta

Pickup is usually arranged from your Aurangabad hotel, with the day beginning around 8:00 a.m. Your driver or guide meets you, explains the plan, and takes you north toward Ajanta. The journey is about two hours, though traffic, road conditions, and animal crossings can make it longer.

I would treat the drive as part of the day rather than an annoying interruption. Ajanta is not close to Aurangabad, and the private car makes the trip much easier than trying to arrange several separate rides. You can carry water, settle into the air conditioning, and return directly to your hotel after the visit.

The road can be bumpy, so wear comfortable clothing and do not expect a quick urban transfer. One practical tip from the experience is to wear sandals or footwear that is easy to remove. Some areas require shoes to come off, and simple footwear saves time and fuss.

Ajanta is the quieter, more atmospheric of the two major stops in this program. The caves were made for Buddhist worship and retreat, and the paintings and sculptures reward patient looking. With a guide, you can learn what to look for in the figures, religious scenes, and carved details instead of simply walking past dark openings in the rock.

Guide quality matters here. Deepak has been praised for explaining the history and pointing out details that are easy to miss. Nasir has taken visitors through each cave, explaining the architecture, meaning, and artwork. Those details make a real difference at Ajanta, where an unaccompanied visit can otherwise become a blur of similar entrances.

Plan on spending roughly three hours at the site, though your exact time depends on your pace and the day’s conditions. The tour provides a torch, which is useful in dim areas, and bottled mineral water is included. Bring your own water bottle too, along with a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and good walking shoes.

The return trip to Aurangabad completes an approximately eight-hour day. This is not the day to schedule a late evening commitment. The attraction is superb, but the distance means you should accept a long day from the start.

Day two: Ellora and the astonishing Kailasa Temple

The second day begins at about 8:30 a.m. after breakfast. The drive to Ellora is listed as roughly one hour and 35 kilometers from Aurangabad, making this day less demanding than Ajanta.

Ellora is a large cave complex with Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain monuments. The highlight is Kailasa Temple, a vast temple carved from a single mass of rock. You do not need to be an architecture specialist to appreciate it. The scale is immediately clear, and the carved structure makes the place feel less like a normal cave visit and more like a building turned inside out.

Give Kailasa time. This is where a guide can be especially useful, since the important details are not all at eye level. A guide such as Siraj, Deepak, or Kadir can help connect the sculptures, layout, and religious purpose. Ram has also been praised for explaining the temples and the engineering behind them.

Ellora can be tiring because the site involves walking and repeated stops. The second day is listed at about five hours for Ellora, followed by the afternoon visit to Bibi Ka Maqbara. Some people have shortened this day to catch a late afternoon flight, and the private format makes that kind of adjustment possible, but you should agree on the plan early.

If you book the car without a guide, you will have more independence but less help interpreting the monuments. Several drivers have offered useful local orientation, yet driver commentary is not the same as a planned archaeological explanation. I would add the guide if this is your first visit or if art, religious history, and architecture are central to your trip.

Bibi Ka Maqbara adds a different kind of monument

After Ellora, the car continues about 30 kilometers to Bibi Ka Maqbara for an hour-long visit. Prince Azam Shah built the monument in memory of his mother. Its design is often compared with the Taj Mahal, which gives it an easy place in an Aurangabad sightseeing plan.

The stop works well because it changes the mood after the caves. Instead of more carved chambers, you see a later monument with gardens and a formal structure. It also gives you one more major sight without requiring another full day.

Bibi Ka Maqbara is included in the planned sightseeing but its entry fee is not included. The listed price for non-SAARC visitors is ₹300, while visitors from SAARC countries are listed at ₹30. If you are visiting from elsewhere, carry Indian rupees because cards are not accepted at the monuments.

Private car service and the value of flexibility

The package includes a private air-conditioned car, professional driver, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, service charges, bottled water, and a torch. Pickup and drop-off from Aurangabad are included, so you do not need to arrange separate transport for each site.

The vehicle size is listed for up to five people. That makes the price more attractive for a small family or group, but check the booking screen carefully because the supplied price information uses both per-person and per-group wording. The value is strongest when several people share the car.

The drivers are one of the most important parts of the experience. Punctuality comes up repeatedly, including early station pickup and airport drop-off. Drivers such as Suleman, Anis Khan, Naser, Samad, S. S. Patel, Pathan, and Madhav have been praised for being friendly, careful, flexible, and helpful with luggage, children, and schedule changes.

There are also sensible caveats. One driver was described as driving fast, so buckle up and say clearly if you prefer a slower pace. Another note mentioned limited English from a driver. If you want detailed explanations in English, pay for a dedicated guide rather than relying on the driver.

The tour has also handled practical changes well. One group added Daulatabad Fort, while another changed the second day to allow time for a flight. These examples show the benefit of a private vehicle, but extra stops are not automatically included. Ask about added time, entry costs, and any extra vehicle charges before changing the plan.

Choosing the guide option

You can book the tour with or without guide service. That choice should depend on how you want to experience the caves, not just on price.

A car-only visit suits independent visitors who prefer to move at their own pace. You can focus on photography, spend less time listening, and decide how long to remain at each area. The driver still handles the difficult part, which is getting you to and from the sites.

A guide is worth considering for Ajanta in particular. Paintings, Buddhist symbols, and sculpture can be hard to interpret without context. At Ellora, a guide can help you understand how Kailasa Temple was carved and why the site includes several religious traditions.

The strongest guide comments name people such as Deepak, Siraj, Nasir, Kadir, Ram, and Gani. Their styles differ, but the useful pattern is clear: the best guiding adds meaning without forcing you to hurry. One person did report being rushed at Ajanta because the guide had another client, so confirm that your guide is dedicated to your private group.

What the price really includes

The listed price is $47.43 per person, and the tour is also described as priced per group with vehicles for up to five people. That mismatch needs attention before you pay. Ask whether the quoted amount changes with group size and whether the guide option carries a separate charge.

The base package includes substantial transport costs: private car use, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, and service charges. That can represent good value in Aurangabad, especially when shared by three to five people. You also avoid haggling for separate cars and arranging a long-distance ride to Ajanta.

The following costs are not included:

• Ajanta entry: ₹600 per person for non-SAARC visitors, or ₹40 for SAARC visitors
• Ellora entry: ₹600 per person for non-SAARC visitors, or ₹40 for SAARC visitors
• Bibi Ka Maqbara: ₹300 per person for non-SAARC visitors, or ₹30 for SAARC visitors
• Ajanta and Ellora shuttle bus: ₹100 per person
• Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and hotel meals

Carry Indian rupees. Cards are not accepted for monument entry, and the guide can help you buy tickets without waiting in the regular line. Keep some extra cash for small changes to the plan, but do not assume that every extra cost is covered. One person reported paying an additional ₹90 EV charge, so ask about vehicle-related surcharges in advance.

Practical planning for a comfortable visit

Check the closing days before selecting your dates. Ajanta is closed every Monday, and Ellora is closed every Tuesday. A two-day plan can fail if the sites are placed on their closure days.

Wear comfortable shoes and bring sun protection. A hat or cap, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a water bottle will help, especially during the outdoor parts of the sites. Sandals are convenient where shoes must be removed, but choose footwear that still feels secure for extended walking.

Meals are not included. The itinerary allows for lunch and tea stops, and drivers can help with timing, but the exact restaurant arrangements are not specified. Ask your driver or tour company about meal plans on the morning of each day.

Most people can take part, but the distance and walking make this a demanding sightseeing program rather than a gentle city tour. The Ajanta day is the tougher one because of the long drive. If you need a slower pace, tell the guide and driver at pickup.

Free cancellation is available when you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations or changes within 24 hours are not refunded or accepted.

Who should book this Ajanta and Ellora tour?

I would choose this tour if you are staying in Aurangabad and want the major sites handled in a straightforward way. It suits families, couples, and small groups who value a private car more than a large coach itinerary.

It is also a good match if you want choice. You can pay for transport alone, add guides, request extra stops, or adjust the second day around a flight, provided the changes are agreed in advance.

I would hesitate if you dislike long road journeys or want a slow, resort-style holiday. Ajanta requires patience, and both sites involve walking. I would also compare the final group price carefully before booking, especially if you are traveling alone.

Should you book it?

Yes, if your priority is seeing Ajanta and Ellora without arranging difficult transport yourself. The two-day format is sensible, the private car adds useful flexibility, and a good guide can turn impressive stonework into a much clearer story.

Choose the guide option if you want art, architecture, and religious context explained. Choose car-only if you prefer independence and want to keep costs down. Confirm the exact price, entry fees, guide assignment, and any extra vehicle charges before paying, then enjoy the rare luxury of giving each cave complex the time it deserves.

FAQ

How long is the Ajanta and Ellora tour?

The tour lasts approximately two days. Ajanta is planned as an eight-hour day, while the Ellora and Bibi Ka Maqbara day is listed at about five hours for Ellora plus one hour at Bibi Ka Maqbara.

Is pickup from my Aurangabad hotel included?

Yes. Round-trip pickup and drop-off from your Aurangabad hotel are included, and the meeting time is generally around 8:00 a.m. for the first day and 8:30 a.m. for the second day.

Is the tour private?

Yes. Only your group participates, and vehicles are available for groups of up to five people.

Can I book the tour without a guide?

Yes. You can choose transportation and sightseeing with a driver only, or book an option that includes a private professional guide.

Are monument entry tickets included?

No. Ajanta, Ellora, and Bibi Ka Maqbara entry tickets are extra. The listed non-SAARC prices are ₹600 for Ajanta, ₹600 for Ellora, and ₹300 for Bibi Ka Maqbara.

What days are Ajanta and Ellora closed?

Ajanta Caves are closed on Mondays. Ellora Caves are closed on Tuesdays.

Are meals included?

No. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and hotel meals are not included in the tour price.

What should I bring?

Carry Indian rupees for monument tickets, since cards are not accepted. Comfortable shoes, sandals that are easy to remove, sunglasses, a hat or cap, sunscreen, and a water bottle are recommended.

Can I cancel the tour for a full refund?

You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations and changes made within 24 hours are not accepted or refunded.