How i can i get to Ajantha Ellora caves?

Question

I am from mangalore , planning to visit Ajanta and Ellora .. where should get down first ? If itd Aurangabad , is there any good transportation from there ? and how far is it ?

Answer 1

Aurangabad is well connected by Air, Rail and Road to other parts of country. Aurangabad enjoys central location with respect to Maharashtra and Goa. All major cities in Maharashtra lie within a radius of 500 Km. Aurangabad has a good network of National and State highways connecting all parts of the country. Aurangabad railhead is directly connected to many parts of the country including major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad. Direct flights from Mumbai and Delhi are available on a daily basis.

Aurangabad is a Railway Station of South-Central railway on Manmad - Secunderabad section. The city has direct rail links to New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad.

The Ajanta caves depict the stories of Buddhism spanning from the period from 200 B.C. and 650 A.D. These caves were discovered in the 19th century by some British Officers who had been on a tiger hunt.These 29 caves were built by Buddhist monks using simple tools like hammer & chisel. These caves were the retreats of Buddhist monks who taught and performed rituals in the Chaityas and Viharas, the ancient seats of learning. The elaborate and exquisite sculptures and paintings depict stories from Jataka tales. The caves also house images of nymphs and princesses.The Ajanta caves and the treasures they house are a landmark in the overall development of Buddhism as such.

The Ellora (Verul) Caves have been Carved during 350 A.D. to 700 A.D. these structures represent the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. These caves 34 in number are located 29 km. from Aurangabad. They are fascinating and the finest example of cave temple architecture housing elaborate facades and exquisite interiors. The 12 caves to the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the centre dedicated to Hinduism, and the 5 caves to the north are Jain.

The caves are open from 9AM to 5:30PM Tues-Sun (closed on national holidays)

Ajanta and Ellora both have a good connectivity as well. MSRTC operates semi luxury Asiad tourist buses as a package tour each to Ajanta and Ellora wherein they also take a note of a few important tourist destinations in the city. The journey can be booked at Aurangabad Central Bus Stand (CBS). The best option rather is to travel on our own by a hired tourist taxi or the MSRTC bus as one needs a lot of time to enjoy the Architectural Marvels of Ajanta and Ellora. MSRTC operates ordinary bus service to both these places which has a fairly good frequency. All these buses ply from Aurangabad Central Bus Stand (CBS). This is Not so comfort oriented service but is fairly good as the travel is short and the service is extremely safe, reliable and efficient. Do not opt for the Black and Yellow taxis particularly parked outside the Bus Stands. They are very unsafe and rash.

Taxis can also be hired and the rate depends on class of the vehicle. See to it that the taxi has a Tourist Permit and is not a private vehicle. These can be easily identified by a yellow number plate.

Answer 2

Aurangabad is the best option for you.

You can easily find transport ( public & private ), accomodations, guides from this city.

Daulatabad ( Deogiri fort ), Grishneshwar temple and Ellora caves are nearer to this city. One day outing is enough to visit these interesting sites. Start early so that you can have enough time to explore. There are several tourist points in the city itself. Keep a day extra for these city based spots ( includes Biwi Ka Makbara - the Taj Mahal replica ).

After these couple of days, shift to Ajanta. Locate accomodation there. MTDC might help you. Spend lot of time at Ajanta. These are magnificent ones.

Wish you happy memories.

Answer 3

Reach Pune by Rail or Air , and get a bus for Aurangabad.

From Auragabad you can arrange vehicle for site seeing or

even public transport is available for transport.

http://www.seeplaces.info