Aurangabad: 3-day Lonar Crater, Ajanta, & Ellora Caves Tour

Aurangabad makes a strong base for three very different sights: Buddhist caves cut into rock, the vast Kailasa Temple at Ellora, and a meteorite crater filled with unusual saline and alkaline water. This tour connects them by private car, so you can focus on the places instead of sorting out long-distance transport.

I especially like the private vehicle and flexible schedule, which let you set the pace and start from your hotel, airport, railway station, or another Aurangabad pickup point. I also like the range of the trip, from Ajanta’s ancient caves to Bibi Ka Maqbara’s Mughal design and Lonar’s natural oddity. The drawback is simple: the driving days are long, especially Lonar, which takes about three hours each way.

Key points at a glance

• Ajanta’s 29 Buddhist caves: Spend three to four hours at the UNESCO-listed site, dating from the 2nd century BC.
• Ellora’s monolithic Kailasa Temple: See a remarkable rock-cut complex reached after about an hour’s drive from Aurangabad.
• Lonar’s meteorite crater: Make the long road trip for a lake with saline and alkaline water and a very different setting from the cave sites.
• Private car and guide: Travel in an air-conditioned Toyota Etios for one or two people, or an Innova Crysta for three to five.
• Bibi Ka Maqbara stop: Compare this Mughal-era monument with the Taj Mahal after your Ellora visit.
• Helpful named drivers: Madhav and Mr Patel are specifically associated with attentive, professional service.

What this three-day Aurangabad tour is really about

This is not a relaxed city break with a few nearby excursions. It is a concentrated look at Maharashtra’s major sights around Aurangabad, with some serious road time between them.

You cover Ajanta on day one, Ellora and Bibi Ka Maqbara on day two, then Lonar Crater and Daityasudan Temple on day three. That order gives each main stop its own day, though you should still expect early starts, extended sitting in the car, and plenty of walking at the archaeological sites.

The tour costs $79 per person. That is a useful price when you consider that it includes private air-conditioned transport, a professional driver, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, service charges, bottled water, and a guide if you select the guide option. You still pay separately for hotels, meals, and admission tickets, so the final cost will be higher.

For a private trip covering this much ground, the price is strongest for two to four people sharing a vehicle. Solo visitors pay more per person in practical terms, but still gain the convenience of direct pickup and drop-off without arranging several separate journeys.

Day one: the long road to Ajanta

The first day runs from Aurangabad to Ajanta Caves and back. The stated distance is about 110 kilometers each way, with roughly two hours of driving in each direction.

That makes Ajanta a full outing, not a quick morning stop. You get a short tea or coffee break on the way, then about three to four hours at the caves. This is enough time to see the main areas with a guide, though you should not expect to inspect every detail at a slow pace.

Ajanta contains 29 Buddhist caves dating from the 2nd century BC. The site’s importance comes from the combination of architecture, religious art, and the way the caves were cut into the rock. Even before you study individual details, the setting gives the visit a clear sense of place.

A guide can help you understand what you are looking at instead of leaving you with a row of dark entrances and a few labels. If you choose the guide option, confirm that the guide will accompany you inside the site and explain the caves in English.

One appealing extra is the Ajanta View Point. It gives you a broad look at the cave area and is useful before or after the close-up visit. I would make time for it if the schedule allows, since the view helps you understand how the caves relate to the surrounding rock.

Lunch is optional and is not included. The plan allows a stop at a nearby restaurant, but you should budget both money and time for this. After lunch, you return to Aurangabad for the night.

Ajanta requires walking and time on your feet. Shoes are covered during entry to Ajanta Caves, which is a practical inclusion, especially if you are concerned about keeping footwear clean. The tour is described as wheelchair accessible, but the site itself can still involve uneven routes and movement between cave areas, so ask the provider about the exact route that can be managed.

Day two: Ellora’s stone architecture and a Mughal landmark

Day two is shorter on the road but still full. Ellora is about 35 kilometers from Aurangabad, with a listed drive time of one hour each way.

Ellora is different from Ajanta in both scale and character. The site includes monolithic rock excavations, with the famous Kailasa Temple as the main draw. Rather than looking at a series of painted or carved cave interiors alone, you see a major structure cut from the rock itself.

Allow three to four hours here. That gives you time to walk through the complex and let the guide explain the major features. I would not rush this stop. The scale of Kailasa is hard to grasp from a single viewpoint, and the visit works best when you give yourself time to move around it.

Lunch near Ellora is optional and must be paid for separately. Since the return drive is only about an hour, the day has more breathing room than the Ajanta and Lonar outings, but three to four hours of sightseeing can still leave you ready for a break.

The second stop is Bibi Ka Maqbara, with about an hour set aside. This Mughal-era monument resembles the Taj Mahal, so it is an easy place to make a visual comparison. It is not a substitute for the Taj, but it gives you a local monument with its own setting and story.

The pairing works well. Ellora shows religious architecture carved into living rock, while Bibi Ka Maqbara shows a later Mughal taste for formal monument design. In one day, you move from ancient excavation work to a mausoleum associated with the Mughal period.

You return to Aurangabad for the second overnight stay. The itinerary also lists Daulatabad Fort among the attractions for which admission is not included, but the three-day schedule described here does not include a dedicated Daulatabad stop. If that fort matters to you, ask for a confirmed adjustment before booking rather than assuming it will be added.

Day three: Lonar Crater and Daityasudan Temple

The third day is the most demanding. Lonar Crater is about 150 kilometers from Aurangabad, with a listed drive time of three hours each way.

The reason to make this long trip is the lake formed by a meteorite impact. Its saline and alkaline water gives it a character unlike the cave sites on the first two days. This is the tour’s nature-focused stop, though the schedule still keeps the visit tied to nearby cultural sights.

You get about two to three hours to explore the crater and its attractions. The information provided does not set out a detailed walking route, so your guide will be important in shaping the visit around the available time and your interests.

After the crater, the tour visits Daityasudan Temple, an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. About an hour is allowed here. This adds another layer to the day, giving you a religious site rather than only a geological one.

Lunch at a nearby restaurant is optional and not included. Then you drive back to Aurangabad for drop-off at your hotel, railway station, airport, or preferred location.

I would choose this day because Lonar is unusual, not because it is easy. Six hours of listed driving is a lot, and the road time may feel long if your main interest is Ajanta and Ellora. If you have three full days and want something beyond the standard cave circuit, Lonar earns its place. If you dislike long drives, you may prefer to spend an extra day around Aurangabad instead.

The private car makes the schedule workable

The transport is one of the strongest parts of the arrangement. You travel in a private air-conditioned car, rather than joining a large group with fixed stops and strangers’ timing.

For one or two people, the stated vehicle is a Toyota Etios sedan. For three to five people, the listed option is an Innova Crysta SUV. The vehicle capacity matters here because the tour includes long journeys. A crowded car would make the Ajanta and Lonar days much less pleasant.

Your driver speaks good Hindi and English. The package includes fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, service charges, and bottled mineral water. Those small costs can add up on three long days, so having them handled makes the price easier to judge.

The service also appears to depend on the individual driver. Madhav is specifically praised for making the journey comfortable and easy, while Mr Patel is described as helpful, informative, pleasant, and willing to go beyond the basic driving job. That is useful context, but you should confirm your assigned driver at booking because a named driver cannot be guaranteed from the information provided.

Pickup is available from an Aurangabad airport, railway station, hotel, or other agreed location. At an airport, railway station, or bus stop, a representative is expected to meet you at the arrival gate with a sign bearing your name. That is particularly useful if you arrive in Aurangabad and want to begin without arranging a separate transfer.

The guide option is worth considering

The tour includes a private professional guide if you book the option that includes one. The live tour language is English.

That choice matters most at Ajanta and Ellora. These sites can be visually impressive even without explanation, but a guide can help you separate the major religious, architectural, and historical points from the general stonework.

The guide also helps with time. You have three to four hours at each cave complex, and it is easy to spend too long at the first few stops. A good guide can keep the visit moving while still giving you time to look.

The published information does not name the guide, so do not assume that the driver and guide are the same person. The reviews praise drivers by name, but the guide is a separate option. If interpretation is central to your visit, select the guide-inclusive booking and confirm the arrangement.

Meals, tickets, and other costs to plan

Hotels, lunch, and dinner are not included. Lunch is shown as an optional stop on all three days, so you can eat at a nearby restaurant rather than arrange meals in advance through the tour.

Admission fees are also separate for Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Bibi Ka Maqbara, and Daulatabad Fort. Daulatabad Fort is listed as an excluded admission, but it is not part of the described three-day route unless the itinerary is adjusted.

This structure keeps the headline price low, but it means you should set aside a separate budget for tickets and meals. Ask for the current admission prices before departure, since the supplied details do not provide them.

The tour includes mineral water during the journeys and covers shoes during entry to Ajanta. These are modest details, but they are practical on long, warm sightseeing days.

Who will get the most from this tour

I would recommend this tour to you if you want the major Aurangabad-area sights handled in one private arrangement. It suits people who value direct pickup, air-conditioning, flexible timing, and a driver who can manage long intercity routes.

It is also a good fit if you have only three days and want more than the usual Ajanta and Ellora pairing. Lonar Crater gives the trip a clear point of difference, while Daityasudan Temple and Bibi Ka Maqbara add smaller but worthwhile stops.

You should think twice if you want a slow archaeological visit. Three to four hours at Ajanta and Ellora is useful, but not unlimited. The Lonar day is especially long, and the package does not include hotels, meals, or entry tickets.

The tour is private, so only your group takes part. You can adjust the day’s itinerary according to your needs, which helps if you want more time at a particular site or need to change the pickup and drop-off plan.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if your Aurangabad plans are still moving, but you should still confirm the exact start time because availability determines the available departure options.

Should you book this Aurangabad tour?

Book it if you want a practical three-day route that combines Ajanta, Ellora, Bibi Ka Maqbara, and the unusual Lonar Crater without arranging separate cars and guides. The best value comes when two to five people share the private vehicle, since the $79 price covers transport costs that would otherwise be spread across several day trips.

I would be most confident booking it with the guide option, especially for a first visit to Ajanta and Ellora. I would also confirm the final schedule, admission costs, lunch arrangements, vehicle size, and assigned driver before departure.

Skip it if long road days sound tiring or if your main goal is a leisurely stay in Aurangabad. For an active sightseeing plan with a helpful driver, a private car, and three very different destinations, this is a sensible and unusually broad choice.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts three days. The itinerary includes two overnight stays in Aurangabad.

Where can pickup and drop-off take place?

Pickup and drop-off are available from an Aurangabad airport, railway station, hotel, or another agreed location. The final drop-off can also be at your preferred Aurangabad location.

Is the tour private?

Yes. This is a private tour, so only your group participates.

What vehicle is used?

One or two people travel in an air-conditioned Toyota Etios sedan. Three to five people travel in an air-conditioned Innova Crysta SUV.

Is an English-speaking guide included?

A private professional English-speaking guide is included if you book the option that includes a guide. The professional driver also speaks Hindi and English.

Are meals and hotel stays included?

No. Hotel accommodation, lunch, and dinner are not included. Lunch stops are available at optional local restaurants.

Are entrance tickets included?

No. Admission to Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Bibi Ka Maqbara, and Daulatabad Fort is not included.

Can the itinerary be changed?

Yes. The itinerary can be adjusted according to your travel needs. Confirm any changes in advance, especially if you want to add or replace a listed stop.