From Aurangabad: 1-Day Taxi Trip to Ajanta and Ellora Caves

Ajanta and Ellora are the kind of places that reward a full day and a good driver. This private trip links Aurangabad with ancient rock-cut cave complexes, and the best option, if you want both, pairs Ajanta’s 29 Buddhist caves with Ellora’s 34 Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain caves.

I like the private air-conditioned car, which saves you from sorting out public transport and gives your group room to stretch out. I also like the freedom to explore without being tied to a guide all day, then hire a local cave guide when you want more context. Drivers such as Habib and Suleman have been praised for careful driving and helpful comments about local sights.

The main catch is the pace. Seeing Ajanta and Ellora in one day means roughly four hours on the road and only three to four hours at each cave site. Entry tickets are also extra, and the posted non-SAARC rates can add a fair amount to the low advertised price.

Key points at a glance

• Three routes suit different days: Visit Ellora with Daulatabad Fort and Bibi Ka Maqbara, visit Ajanta with Bibi Ka Maqbara, or attempt both cave sites in one long day.
• Private transport keeps the day simple: You get an air-conditioned sedan for one or two people, or an Innova Crysta SUV for three or four.
• Ajanta and Ellora are very different: Ajanta focuses on Buddhist caves, while Ellora brings Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain monuments together.
• The drivers matter: Habib and Suleman have been singled out for safe driving, friendly conversation, and pointing out local sights.
• Self-guided time is built in: You can hire local guides at many historic sites instead of paying for an all-day guide.
• Carry cash in rupees: Monument tickets are not included, and cards are not accepted at the sites.

Why a private car makes these caves easier

Aurangabad is the practical base for visiting both Ajanta and Ellora, but the two sites lie in different directions. Ajanta is about 100 kilometers away, with a drive of roughly two hours each way. Ellora is closer, about 30 kilometers from Aurangabad, and takes around one hour by car.

That distance is the main reason I find this trip useful. You are not simply paying for a ride. You are buying back time, avoiding navigation, and keeping the day under one driver’s care. The car is reserved for your group, so you do not have to wait for strangers or adjust your schedule around a larger tour party.

For one or two people, transport is provided in a Toyota Etios sedan. Groups of three or four use an Innova Crysta SUV. Both are air-conditioned, and bottled mineral water is supplied. A torch is also provided, a small but practical touch for looking into darker parts of the cave complexes.

The driver speaks good Hindi and English. That does not make the trip a fully guided tour, so be clear about what you want. You can ask for a transport-focused day and explore on your own, or arrange guides at the sites for extra explanation.

Choosing the right one-day route

You have three useful plans. The choice depends on how much cave time you want and how much driving you can handle.

Ellora, Daulatabad Fort, and Bibi Ka Maqbara

This is the easiest route. Pickup is scheduled for 8:00 or 10:00 a.m., followed by the one-hour drive to Ellora. You get three to four hours to explore the 34 caves before an optional lunch stop.

On the way back to Aurangabad, the car visits Daulatabad Fort and Bibi Ka Maqbara. You can finish at your hotel, railway station, or airport, which makes this route handy if you are leaving town later in the day.

Ellora is the star here. Its cave complex includes Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain monuments, giving you a wider sense of India’s religious and artistic traditions than Ajanta alone. Three to four hours is enough to see the main parts without turning the entire day into a race.

Daulatabad Fort adds a different sort of stop, while Bibi Ka Maqbara provides a monument closer to Aurangabad. The advantage is variety. The drawback is that you do not see Ajanta, so this route suits you best if you have limited time or prefer less road travel.

Ajanta and Bibi Ka Maqbara

The Ajanta route starts at 8:30 a.m. and takes about two hours to reach the caves. You then have three to four hours to visit the 29 Buddhist caves.

Ajanta is farther from Aurangabad, so the drive takes up a larger part of the day. Still, the long trip makes sense if Ajanta is your priority. Three to four hours gives you time to move through the complex at a reasonable pace, pause when you need to, and arrange a local guide if you want more explanation.

Lunch is optional. On the return to Aurangabad, Bibi Ka Maqbara may be added if time allows. That final qualification matters. The visit is not as firmly built into the day as it is on the Ellora route, so do not count on a long stop if your Ajanta visit or return drive takes longer than expected.

Ajanta and Ellora in one day

The ambitious plan leaves Aurangabad at 7:00 a.m. You drive two hours and 100 kilometers to Ajanta, spend three to four hours there, stop for optional lunch, then drive about 95 kilometers and 1.5 hours to Ellora.

After exploring Ellora, you return to Aurangabad. This is a long day, but it is the only option that covers both major cave sites. If your schedule gives you just one full day in the area, this plan offers the most complete look at what makes the region special.

I would choose it only if you are comfortable with a busy schedule. You will spend about three and a half hours driving, and the timing leaves little room for delays. The reward is clear: Ajanta’s Buddhist caves and Ellora’s mixed religious complex in a single outing.

What makes Ajanta worth the long drive

Ajanta consists of 29 Buddhist caves, and the journey from Aurangabad takes about two hours. That makes it less convenient than Ellora, but convenience is not the only measure of value.

The site gives you a focused visit rather than the broader mix found at Ellora. If Buddhist cave architecture is your main interest, Ajanta deserves the extra road time. The planned three to four hours lets you see the complex without reducing the visit to a quick photo stop.

Bring comfortable shoes, a hat or cap, sunglasses, sunscreen, and water. You will be outside between cave visits, and the supplied bottles are useful, but bringing your own water bottle is still sensible. A torch is provided, which helps when you want to inspect darker areas.

You should also plan around the weekly closure. Ajanta is closed every Monday. If your trip falls on Monday, the route changes to Ellora, Daulatabad Fort, and Bibi Ka Maqbara instead.

Why Ellora deserves its own half day

Ellora is closer to Aurangabad, but it is not a quick stop. The complex contains 34 caves and brings together Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain monuments.

That variety makes Ellora especially rewarding if you want to compare different religious traditions in one place. You can spend three to four hours here, which is long enough to look carefully rather than simply follow a hurried circuit.

The private car is useful because Ellora can be the main event of a shorter day. You leave Aurangabad at either 8:00 or 10:00 a.m., visit the caves, stop for optional lunch, then add Daulatabad Fort and Bibi Ka Maqbara on the return. You get a solid cultural day without the long Ajanta drive.

Ellora is closed every Tuesday. On Tuesday, the available plan switches to Ajanta and Bibi Ka Maqbara. Check the day before booking, especially if you have only one day in Aurangabad.

Local guides or time on your own

This experience gives you a choice that many fixed group tours do not. You can use the driver for transport and arrange a local guide at the historic sites, or simply explore at your own pace.

I like this setup for two reasons. First, you control the amount of explanation you receive. Second, you can spend longer in the places that interest you instead of following a guide’s fixed rhythm.

One practical note comes from the experience of past customers: local guides can add useful context, while the transport package itself is intentionally flexible. If you want detailed explanations of the cave art, architecture, or religious traditions, arrange a guide on site and confirm the price before starting.

Driver quality also shapes the day. Habib has been praised for being pleasant and careful, while Suleman has been described as friendly, helpful, and good at pointing out local sights. The driver is not necessarily your formal history guide, but a good one can make the long road sections far more pleasant.

The real cost of the low advertised price

The listed price is $20.11 per person, which looks very low for a full day of private transport. It includes the air-conditioned car, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, service charges, bottled water, and a cave torch.

But the price does not include monument admission. The stated non-SAARC ticket prices are:

• Ajanta Caves: INR 600 per person
• Ellora Caves: INR 600 per person
• Bibi Ka Maqbara: INR 300 per person
• Ajanta or Ellora shuttle bus: INR 100 per person

SAARC visitors have lower listed rates of INR 40 for Ajanta and INR 40 for Ellora. The listed Bibi Ka Maqbara rate for SAARC visitors is INR 30.

Carry Indian rupees. Cards are not accepted for monument entry, and the ticket prices can change, so it is wise to confirm the current amount when you book. If you visit both Ajanta and Ellora as a non-SAARC visitor, the admission cost alone is substantially higher than the transport price.

That does not make the tour poor value. It simply means you should compare the total cost, not just the headline fare. For one or two people, a private car can be good value because the transport cost covers the vehicle rather than a seat on a crowded public bus. For larger groups, the SUV helps spread the cost across three or four people.

Group discounts may also be available. Ask for the full price with tickets, any guide fees, and shuttle charges before you set out.

Small details that improve the day

Start with the closure calendar. Ajanta is closed Monday, and Ellora is closed Tuesday. This is the one detail most likely to spoil an otherwise careful plan.

Next, choose your departure time with care. The Ajanta and Ellora route begins at 7:00 a.m. because the two sites are far apart. The Ellora-only plan allows a later 10:00 a.m. start, while the 8:00 a.m. option gives you more time for the return stops.

Wear comfortable shoes. Bring sunscreen, a hat or cap, sunglasses, and a water bottle. Bottled water is included, but a full day in the open air calls for more than one small bottle.

Lunch is optional on all routes. Since the schedule is tight on the Ajanta and Ellora day, keep lunch practical and brief if you want enough time at both sites.

You can end at your hotel, the railway station, or the airport in Aurangabad. That flexibility is useful if you are using the trip as both sightseeing and a transfer, though you should make your preferred drop-off clear when arranging the tour.

Who should book this trip

I would recommend this experience to you if you want to see Ajanta or Ellora without arranging several separate rides. It is also a good fit if you value a private car, prefer to explore independently, or have limited time in Aurangabad.

The Ellora route is best for a relaxed day with several sights. The Ajanta route suits you if the Buddhist caves are your priority. The combined route is for determined sightseers who want both major sites and accept a long day on the road.

I would hesitate to recommend the combined route to anyone who dislikes early starts or long drives. You also need to budget for monument tickets and possible local guide fees. The transport is simple and practical, but this is not an all-inclusive guided tour.

Should you book it?

Book this trip if reliable private transport is more important to you than a fully structured tour. The strongest points are the reserved car, flexible sightseeing, useful drop-off choices, and drivers such as Habib and Suleman who have earned praise for safe, friendly service.

Choose the Ellora route for the best balance of cave time and extra sights. Choose Ajanta if it is the place you most want to see. Choose both only when your schedule demands it and you are ready for an early start, substantial road time, and extra entrance fees.

The low transport price is attractive, but calculate the complete cost first. With that clear, this is a practical way to reach two remarkable cave complexes without the stress of navigating Aurangabad’s roads yourself.

FAQ

How long does the tour take?

The experience lasts approximately 8 to 10 hours, depending on the route, stops, and traffic.

Can I visit both Ajanta and Ellora in one day?

Yes. The combined itinerary starts at 7:00 a.m., visits Ajanta first, then travels to Ellora before returning to Aurangabad.

What happens if I book on a Monday?

Ajanta Caves are closed on Mondays. The Monday plan visits Ellora Caves, Daulatabad Fort, and Bibi Ka Maqbara.

What happens if I book on a Tuesday?

Ellora Caves are closed on Tuesdays. The Tuesday plan visits Ajanta Caves and Bibi Ka Maqbara.

Are entrance tickets included?

No. Ajanta, Ellora, Bibi Ka Maqbara, and the cave shuttle bus have separate charges.

What type of vehicle is provided?

One or two people travel in a Toyota Etios sedan. Three or four people travel in an Innova Crysta SUV.

Can I finish at the railway station or airport?

Yes. You can request drop-off at your hotel, the railway station, or the airport in Aurangabad.