Ajanta & Ellora Caves

Rock-cut architectural masterpieces spanning Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, carved entirely by hand into sheer basalt cliffs.

Location: Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra

Best time: October to March (Pleasant winter climate)

How to reach: Aurangabad Airport (IXU) is 30 km away. Well connected by rail and national highways from Mumbai and Pune.

The Ajanta and Ellora Caves represent the pinnacle of ancient Indian rock-cut architecture. Ajanta features 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments dating from the 2nd century BCE to 480 CE, adorned with breathtaking mural paintings and sculptures. Ellora, located nearby, comprises 34 monumental shrines hewn directly out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills, most notably the monolithic Kailash Temple (Cave 16), an engineering marvel carved top-down from a single massive rock.