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

Ajanta and Ellora are not quick photo stops. They are vast works of art cut into stone, spread across two very different sites. This two-day private tour gives each complex its own day, which is the sensible way to see them without sprinting from cave to cave.

I like the door-to-door car service and the choice between a driver only or a driver with guides. Guides such as Deepak, Siraj, Nasir, and Kadir have been praised for explaining the sculptures clearly. The drawback is the road time, especially the roughly two-hour trip to Ajanta, which can be bumpy.

• Ajanta gets a full day: Allow about eight hours for the round trip from Aurangabad and the cave visit.
• Ellora pairs well with Bibi Ka Maqbara: You visit Ellora in the morning, then the white marble monument in the afternoon.
• Private car for up to five people: The vehicle, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, and service charges are included.
• Guide service is optional: Book transport only or add a local guide for either or both days.
• Bring cash for entry: Monument tickets are paid separately in Indian rupees, and cards are not accepted.
• The tour is flexible: Drivers have helped with extra stops such as Daulatabad Fort, airport transfers, temples, tea, and lunch when time allowed.

Two UNESCO Cave Sites, Two Very Different Days

The best feature of this tour is its simple division: Ajanta on day one, Ellora on day two. Trying to force both into one day would leave you with a blur of stone halls, paintings, shrines, and carved figures.

Ajanta is the longer outing. The caves are about two hours from Aurangabad, and the full day runs about eight hours. Ellora is closer, about 35 kilometers away and roughly one hour by car, with a five-hour visit listed before the stop at Bibi Ka Maqbara.

That timing gives you room to look carefully. At Ajanta, a guide can point out details you might otherwise miss in the paintings and sculptures. At Ellora, the scale of the Kailasa Temple deserves time on its own. It is the part of the two-day program that many people find most astonishing.

Day One: The Long Road to Ajanta

Your pickup is arranged from your Aurangabad hotel or chosen location, with the standard start time listed as 8:00 a.m. The drive is not a minor transfer. Roads can be lengthy and uneven, and traffic or animal crossings may slow the journey.

That said, the road is part of the price of seeing Ajanta. Once you arrive, plan to spend around three hours at the cave complex, as several visitors did. The caves reward patience. A guide can explain the religious setting, the architecture, and the meaning of the painted and sculpted scenes instead of leaving you to guess at every dark corner.

The tour includes bottled mineral water and a torch for exploring the caves. Bring your own water bottle as well, along with sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and comfortable shoes. One useful footwear tip is to wear sandals or shoes that are easy to remove, since some areas may require you to take off your footwear.

Ajanta tickets are not included. The stated price is ₹600 for visitors from non-SAARC countries and ₹40 for visitors from SAARC countries. A shuttle bus charge of ₹100 per person is also listed separately. Carry Indian rupees because cards are not accepted at the monuments.

Ajanta closes every Monday. If your two-day plan includes a Monday, this matters more than any small timing adjustment. Check the site schedule before choosing your dates.

Why a Guide Matters at Ajanta

Ajanta is the day when guide service has the greatest value. The site can be visually overwhelming, and it is easy to walk past an important painting or sculpture without knowing what makes it special.

Guides such as Nasir and Deepak have been praised for explaining the artwork, architecture, and religious meaning in detail. Deepak, in particular, has been described as good at pointing out the most impressive art while giving enough information without turning the visit into a lecture.

I would add the guide if you have little background in Indian art or Buddhist cave architecture. If you already prefer exploring alone, the driver-only option can work, but make sure you are comfortable seeing the site without on-site interpretation.

One caution: guide availability and pacing can vary. At least one visitor found an Ajanta guide rushed because he had another client to attend to. When you book the guide option, confirm whether one guide will stay with your group for the full visit.

Day Two: Ellora and the Kailasa Temple

Day two begins with breakfast and an 8:30 a.m. meeting in your hotel lobby. The drive to Ellora takes about an hour, covering roughly 35 kilometers.

Ellora is different from Ajanta in both style and scale. The complex includes Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain monuments, carved over many years. The highlight is Kailasa Temple, an enormous structure cut from the rock rather than assembled stone by stone.

Give this temple your attention. The achievement is not only its size, but also the way the builders shaped an entire architectural complex from a single mass of rock. You can look at the courtyards, columns, figures, and upper sections and still struggle to understand how the work was planned.

A guide such as Siraj, Kadir, or Deepak can help you read the site in a logical order. That matters at Ellora, where a casual walk can make the monuments seem like one continuous collection of carvings. A well-timed explanation turns the visit into a story about craftsmanship, religion, patronage, and engineering.

Ellora closes every Tuesday. Like Ajanta, entry is extra at ₹600 for non-SAARC visitors and ₹40 for SAARC visitors. The supplied details list no meals, so plan to pay for breakfast, lunch, and other food yourself.

Bibi Ka Maqbara Adds a Change of Pace

After Ellora, the car continues to Bibi Ka Maqbara, about 30 kilometers away. Allow roughly one hour for the visit.

The monument was built by Prince Azam Shah in memory of his mother. It is often compared with the Taj Mahal, though the comparison should not overshadow its own place in Aurangabad’s story. After the dark stone interiors and carved halls of Ellora, the pale exterior and formal design offer a welcome change of pace.

Bibi Ka Maqbara entry is listed at ₹300 for non-SAARC visitors and ₹30 for SAARC visitors. It is not a long stop, but it fills out the second day well. If your schedule is tight, some parties have shortened the second day after Ellora in order to catch an afternoon flight. The company has also accommodated airport drop-offs and luggage pickups when time allowed, but you should arrange this clearly in advance.

Private Transport Makes the Distance Easier

The private car is the practical backbone of the experience. You are picked up and returned to your Aurangabad hotel, and only your party participates. Vehicles are available for groups of up to five people.

The car is air-conditioned, and the package includes a professional driver, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, service charges, mineral water, and a torch. This removes much of the hassle of arranging separate transport for two distant sites.

The drivers have received particularly strong praise for punctuality and care. Names noted by previous parties include Anis Khan, Naser, Suleman, Madhav, Asad, Samad, Pathan, S. S. Patel, Tausif Sheikh, and Slueiman. Several drivers have handled early station pickups, airport transfers, children’s needs, busy pickup points, and last-minute changes.

Driving standards can vary, as they do across India. One person described a driver as fast and advised passengers to buckle up. Another noted that some drivers speak limited English. If you need detailed explanations during the drive, add a guide rather than relying on the driver for full commentary.

Guide or Car Only?

This is not a one-size-fits-all tour. You can book transfers and sightseeing with a driver only, or select the option with a private professional guide.

The car-only version suits independent visitors who want reliable transport and freedom at the caves. A driver can get you there, wait, and handle the return trip. Several drivers also offer useful local help, such as pointing out places to eat, warning you about aggressive shop salespeople, or adjusting the timing.

The guided option is better for first-time visitors, anyone interested in art and archaeology, and people who want the cave groups to make sense. Guides have been praised for explaining the significance of the sculptures, choosing the best-known works, and allowing a relaxed pace.

Ask whether you will have the same guide on both days. The people assigned may differ, as Ajanta and Ellora can involve separate guides. That is not a problem, but it is useful to know in advance.

What the $47.43 Price Really Means

The advertised price is $47.43 per person, but the tour information also says the price is per group, with vehicles for up to five people. Because those two descriptions do not perfectly match, confirm the final total at booking and check whether your selected price includes a guide or only the car.

For a small group, the value can be strong. You get two full sightseeing days, private transportation, hotel pickup and drop-off, an air-conditioned vehicle, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, and service charges. Splitting the vehicle cost among several people makes the arrangement more attractive.

Budget separately for admission tickets, the Ajanta and Ellora shuttle bus, and meals. For non-SAARC visitors, the listed monument charges total ₹1,500 per person before the ₹100 shuttle bus fee. For SAARC visitors, the listed monument charges total ₹110 per person, again before the shuttle fee.

The guide option may change the price, so compare both versions. The lowest headline rate is not necessarily the final cost for a guided two-day visit.

Timing, Comfort, and Small Practical Details

This is an active sightseeing program, but the information says most people can participate. You will spend time walking around cave complexes and monuments, so comfortable footwear matters more than stylish footwear.

Pack:

• Indian rupees for monument tickets
• Comfortable shoes or easy-to-remove sandals
• Sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen
• A water bottle
• Light clothing suitable for warm outdoor walking
• Patience for the Ajanta drive

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and hotel costs are not included. The schedule leaves room for meals, and drivers have stopped for tea or lunch, but you pay for those yourself.

The tour is free to cancel up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund. The local time in Aurangabad controls the cutoff.

Who Will Get the Most From This Tour?

I would choose this tour if you are staying in Aurangabad and want the major cave sites handled without arranging long-distance transport yourself. It works especially well for couples, families, and small groups who value a private car over a large coach.

It is also a good fit if you want flexibility. Parties have added Daulatabad Fort, requested a temple stop, adjusted meal times, and shortened the second day for an airport departure. Such changes are not guaranteed, but the service appears designed to discuss them with the driver or local coordinator.

I would hesitate if you dislike long car rides, uneven roads, or full sightseeing days. Ajanta is a serious outing, not a casual half-day excursion. If you want to study every cave slowly, consider staying two nights in Aurangabad and keeping the schedule relaxed.

Should You Book It?

Book this tour if you want Ajanta and Ellora on separate days, private door-to-door transport, and the option of adding a guide. The strongest reasons are the sensible two-day plan, consistently praised punctual drivers, and flexibility with airport and extra-stop arrangements.

Before paying, confirm the price structure, guide inclusion, vehicle size, and your preferred pickup time. Add guide service if the art and religious meaning matter to you. Choose the driver-only option if transport is your main concern and you prefer to explore independently.

The roads take time, especially to Ajanta. But with two days, an air-conditioned car, and a good guide such as Deepak or Siraj, you can give these extraordinary stone monuments the attention they deserve.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The experience lasts approximately two days. Day one is about eight hours for Ajanta, while day two includes about five hours at Ellora followed by about one hour at Bibi Ka Maqbara.

Is the tour private?

Yes. Only your group participates. Vehicles are available for groups of up to five people.

Is a guide included?

You can choose to book the tour with or without guide service. The guided option includes a private professional guide.

Are monument entrance tickets included?

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

Can I pay for monument tickets by card?

The tour information advises you to carry Indian rupees because cards are not accepted for monument entry tickets.

Which days are the caves closed?

Ajanta Caves are closed every Monday. Ellora Caves are closed every Tuesday.

What does the car service include?

The private air-conditioned car service includes sightseeing and transfers, a professional driver, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, service charges, mineral water, and a torch. Meals and monument tickets are not included.