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

Ajanta and Ellora are not quick photo stops. They are huge works of art and engineering, cut into stone over centuries. This two-day private tour gives each site the time it deserves, with a car, driver, and optional guide taking care of the long roads from Aurangabad.

I like the flexible setup: you can book simple car service or add a guide, and the vehicle carries up to five people. I also like the door-to-door pickup, bottled water, and the chance to adjust the pace. The main drawback is the driving, especially the roughly two-hour trip to Ajanta, which can be bumpy and tiring.

Key points at a glance

• Ajanta gets its own full day, allowing time for paintings, sculptures, and the wider setting without trying to squeeze everything into one rushed outing.
• Ellora pairs well with Bibi Ka Maqbara, creating a shorter second day with two very different monuments.
• You choose the level of help, from car and driver only to a fully guided visit with local guides such as Deepak, Siraj, Ram, or Nasir.
• The tour is private, with only your party in the car and room to set your own pace.
• The price works best for a small group, since the quoted cost is described as per group for vehicles holding up to five people. Confirm the exact total at booking.
• Extra costs matter, including monument tickets, shuttle buses, and meals.

Why two days is the right plan for Ajanta and Ellora

Ajanta and Ellora are often treated as a single sightseeing item. That is a mistake. The two sites are separated by long drives and offer very different experiences, so giving each one a day makes the visit calmer and more rewarding.

Ajanta is the more demanding outing. The drive from Aurangabad takes about two hours each way, and the full excursion is listed at roughly eight hours. Ellora is closer, about one hour away, and fits comfortably with Bibi Ka Maqbara on the second day.

I especially like that this is a private tour for your own group, rather than a large coach with a fixed rhythm. If you want three hours at a site, you can ask for it. If you need a tea stop, lunch break, or a slower morning, the driver can usually help arrange the day.

That flexibility has real value here. One person used the service to add Daulatabad Fort, while another shortened the second day to catch an afternoon flight. These changes still depend on timing and agreement with the operator, but the private format gives you a much better chance than a rigid group departure.

Day one: the long road to Ajanta

Pickup is offered from your Aurangabad hotel or another chosen point. The stated start time is 8:00 a.m., although the exact meeting time should be confirmed when you book. You meet the driver or guide, receive a short outline of the day, and then head toward Ajanta.

The road is part of the cost of seeing this place. You should expect a lengthy journey, and sections may feel bumpy. Traffic, road conditions, and animal crossings can add time. I would not choose Ajanta on the same day as a flight, train, or important appointment.

The reward is a remarkable group of caves cut into a horseshoe-shaped rock face. The site is known for Buddhist art, sculptures, painted interiors, and the way the caves work together as a place of worship and monastic life. A guide can help you notice the details that are easy to miss in dim interiors, from figures in the paintings to the purpose of individual spaces.

Guides arranged through this service have included Nasir, Siraj, Deepak, and Gani. The strongest guiding experience depends on the person assigned that day, but the service offers a useful choice: you can explore with a local guide who explains the art and setting, or save money and visit with only the driver.

The latter option suits independent visitors who have already read about Ajanta. Still, I would choose the guide if this is your first visit. The caves do not explain themselves, and the difference between a plain stone chamber and a space built for worship becomes much clearer with context.

Plan on spending several hours at Ajanta. One visitor found about three hours at the site appropriate, which gives you time to see important caves without treating the place like a checklist. Comfortable shoes are essential. Sandals can also be useful because footwear may need to be removed in certain areas, although you should follow the rules posted at the site.

Bring sunglasses, a hat or cap, sunscreen, and water. The tour provides bottles of mineral water, but carrying your own bottle is still sensible. A torch is also supplied for looking into darker parts of the caves. Monument admission is not included, and you may need the local shuttle bus, listed at ₹100 per person.

The long drive is the clear weakness of day one. You spend substantial time in the car for a few hours at the site. I still think it is worth doing, but you should approach Ajanta as a full-day cultural outing, not a casual half-day excursion.

Day two: Ellora and Bibi Ka Maqbara

The second morning starts at about 8:30 a.m. in your hotel lobby after breakfast. The drive to Ellora is listed as roughly 35 kilometers and about one hour, though traffic can change that estimate.

Ellora is famous for its range of religious monuments, including Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain caves. The great highlight is Kailasa Temple, an extraordinary structure carved from one mass of rock. It is the sort of place where a guide earns the fee quickly. Scale, planning, carving methods, and the relationship between the temple and the surrounding rock are easier to grasp when someone points out what you are seeing.

Several guides receive repeated praise for making the sculptures and history easier to follow, including Deepak, Siraj, Kadir, and Ram. Deepak is particularly useful if you want someone to point out the most important art without flooding you with facts. A good guide should give you enough information to understand the site, then leave you space to look.

Ellora is the tour’s strongest stop for many people, especially Kailasa Temple. Give yourself time here. The site is not just a row of decorated rooms. It is a complete architectural idea, shaped from living rock with a level of effort that is difficult to imagine until you see the scale in person.

The second day is listed at around five hours for Ellora and Bibi Ka Maqbara together, although actual time can vary. That makes the schedule less tiring than Ajanta, but you should not assume every minute will be leisurely. Tell your driver early if you need to leave for an airport, train, or other appointment.

After Ellora, the route continues about 30 kilometers to Bibi Ka Maqbara. This monument was built by Prince Azam Shah in memory of his mother and is often compared with the Taj Mahal. That comparison can help you place it in context, but the monument deserves a look on its own.

Bibi Ka Maqbara provides a change of pace after the caves. You move from rock-cut sanctuaries to a formal memorial with open views and a more familiar surface-built design. The visit takes about an hour, making it a sensible final stop rather than another major full-day attraction.

Car service, drivers, and the guide choice

The package includes a private air-conditioned car, professional driver, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, service charges, bottled mineral water, and a torch. The car is intended for up to five people. For a couple, family, or small group, that can be a good deal, especially when compared with arranging separate taxis for two distant sites.

Drivers are a major part of the experience because you spend many hours on the road. Names associated with the service include Tausif Sheikh, Madhav, Asad, Pathan, Anis Khan, Naser, Suleman, Samad, and S. S. Patel. The strongest pattern is punctual pickup, careful driving, help around busy monument exits, and willingness to adjust stops.

You should still use normal road sense. One person found the driving fast enough to advise buckling up, while another praised a driver’s safe and careful style. Driving standards can vary by person, so wear your seat belt and speak up if you want a slower pace.

The car-only option can work very well. One visitor used it without a guide and found the driver kind, punctual, and helpful. It is a practical choice if you prefer to read beforehand, want more quiet time, or need to control the cost.

The guide option is better if you care about architecture, religious art, and the reasons these monuments were made. You may have different guides on the two days, which is normal for a local arrangement. The quality can vary, and one person found an Ajanta guide rushed because of another client. If the guide is moving too quickly, say so early and make clear how much time you want.

English ability may also vary among drivers. Some drivers are primarily there for safe transport rather than detailed interpretation. If you book without a guide, do not assume the driver will provide a full archaeological tour.

What the price really covers

The advertised price is $47.43 per person, but the tour information also describes the price as per group, with cars for up to five people. Because those descriptions do not line up perfectly, check the final booking price and group size before paying.

For a small group, the value is strong if the quoted amount covers the private car, driver, fuel, tolls, parking, and hotel transfers. You are paying for convenience as much as transport. Ajanta and Ellora are far enough from Aurangabad that arranging dependable point-to-point service separately can be a nuisance.

The base price does not include monument admission. The supplied prices list the following amounts:

• Ajanta Caves: ₹600 per person for non-SAARC visitors, ₹40 for SAARC visitors
• Ellora Caves: ₹600 per person for non-SAARC visitors, ₹40 for SAARC visitors
• Bibi Ka Maqbara: ₹300 per person for non-SAARC visitors, ₹30 for SAARC visitors
• Ajanta and Ellora shuttle bus: ₹100 per person

Carry Indian rupees. The information provided says cards are not accepted for monument tickets. A guide can help purchase the tickets and may save you time at the entrance, but the entry charges remain your responsibility.

Meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are also extra. The driver can help with timing for tea or lunch, but food is not part of the package. I would budget for those costs rather than treating the advertised figure as the entire price of the trip.

There is also one useful point to clarify before departure: an extra electric vehicle charge of ₹90 was reported by one person. It may not apply to every booking, but asking about possible additional transport charges is sensible.

Timing, comfort, and who should book

This tour suits you if you are staying in Aurangabad and want both UNESCO-listed cave sites without changing hotels. It also fits families and small groups that value a private car, since drivers have been praised for helping with children and managing station or airport pickups.

It is a good match for people who dislike rushing. You can spend proper time at Ajanta and Ellora, stop for food, and make reasonable adjustments to the schedule. Two nights in Aurangabad would make the plan more relaxed, especially if you want shopping, Daulatabad Fort, or other local sights.

I would be cautious about booking it as a tight overnight connection. Ajanta is a long day, and both driving time and road conditions can vary. If you fly out on day two, leave a generous margin. The private format can help you shorten the itinerary, but it cannot remove the distance.

Wear comfortable shoes and dress for a day of walking. Carry sun protection and rupees. If you have trouble walking for long periods, ask the operator for current details before booking, since the provided information says most people can participate but does not describe specific accessibility arrangements.

Cancellation is free if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Inside that window, the amount paid is not refunded, and changes are not accepted.

Should you book this Ajanta and Ellora tour?

I would book it if you want a practical way to see both cave complexes from Aurangabad and value private transport. The best reasons are the two-day layout, hotel pickup, small-group format, and the option to add a guide only where you need one.

Choose the guided version if Ajanta and Ellora are new to you. Choose car-only service if you prefer independence and have done your preparation. Either way, allow extra time for Ajanta, confirm the total price and included group size, carry rupees, and do not schedule a flight too close to the end of the day.

The tour is not perfect. The Ajanta road is long, some driving may feel fast, and guide quality can differ. But for seeing two major sites without arranging every transfer yourself, it offers a sensible balance of comfort, flexibility, and value.

FAQ

How long is the Ajanta and Ellora tour?

The experience lasts about two days. Ajanta is planned as an approximately eight-hour day, while Ellora and Bibi Ka Maqbara together take about five hours.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Round-trip transfers from your Aurangabad hotel are included, and pickup can also be arranged from a chosen meeting point.

Can I book the tour without a guide?

Yes. You can choose car and driver service only, or book the option that includes private local guides.

What is not included in the tour price?

Monument entrance tickets, the Ajanta and Ellora shuttle bus, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and other meals are not included.

When are Ajanta and Ellora Caves closed?

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

How far in advance can I cancel for a full refund?

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