Cabs
Aurangabad sightseeing by cab

Aurangabad in 1 day: what to see, in what order

Leave at 07:30 for Grishneshwar, then the Ellora Caves from 09:00 to about 12:30 and lunch. Daulatabad Fort in the afternoon, and Bibi Ka Maqbara at about 16:40. It is about 68 km by cab, back by about 17:55. Ajanta does not fit in the same day: it needs a day of its own.

4 places68 km by cabtimed against opening hours
Day 1

Grishneshwar, Ellora, Daulatabad and Bibi Ka Maqbara

Grishneshwar at about 08:05, then the Ellora Caves from 09:00, when they open, until about 12:30, and lunch. In the afternoon, Daulatabad Fort from about 13:45 (about 2 hours with the climb to the top), then Bibi Ka Maqbara at about 16:40 in the evening light. About 68 km by cab, back by about 17:55. Not on a Tuesday, when Ellora is closed.

07:30 to 17:534 places68 km by cab
  1. 1Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga
  2. 2Ellora Caves and the Kailasa temple
  3. Lunch
  4. 3Daulatabad Fort
  5. 4Bibi Ka Maqbara
  6. Back
  1. Leave central Aurangabad
  2. 1

    Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga

    45 min here
    Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga
    Photo: Rashmi.parab, CC BY-SA 3.0

    One of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples of Shiva, about 1.5 km from the Ellora Caves. The red stone temple was rebuilt in the 18th century by Ahilyabai Holkar, and its walls are carved with gods and animals. Unlike most big temples, you can touch the linga yourself.

    TemplesAbout 05:30 to 21:30. Some listings say darshan is quieter or paused from about 12:00 to 16:00, so go in the morning or after 16:00. Free

    Tip: Men take off their shirt and vest to enter the inner shrine. Phones and cameras stay outside: leave them in the cab or at the counters. Mondays, and every day in the Shravan month, are very crowded.

  3. 2

    Ellora Caves and the Kailasa temple

    3 h 30 min here
    Closed on Tuesdays
    Ellora Caves and the Kailasa temple
    Photo: G41rn8, CC BY-SA 4.0

    34 caves along 2 km of cliff, made by Buddhists, Hindus and Jains between about the 6th and 10th centuries. The star is cave 16, the Kailasa temple: a whole temple, with elephants, towers and bridges, carved downwards from a single rock. Caves 10 (a Buddhist prayer hall with a ribbed ceiling) and the Jain caves 32 to 34 at the north end are worth the walk.

    CavesAbout 06:00 to 18:00 in some listings and 09:00 to 17:30 in others; plan inside 09:00 to 17:30. Closed on Tuesdays. Indians ₹40, foreigners ₹600, under 15 free. One ticket covers every cave

    Tip: Walk to the rock above the Kailasa temple for the view down into it. The Jain caves are about 1 km from the gate; an electric shuttle runs inside the site for a small fee. In the monsoon, small waterfalls come down over the caves.

  4. Lunch, about 1 h. Your driver will know a place nearby. The times after this include it.
  5. 3

    Daulatabad Fort

    2 h 30 min here
    Daulatabad Fort
    Photo: Udaykumar PR, CC BY 3.0

    A fort on a cone-shaped hill, once called Devagiri, about 15 km from the city on the Ellora road. In 1327 Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq moved his whole capital here from Delhi, then moved it back. Inside the walls are the 60 m Chand Minar tower and the Chini Mahal, and the path to the top goes through a pitch-dark, twisting tunnel built to confuse attackers.

    Forts & monumentsOpen 09:00 to 18:00, every day. Indians about ₹25

    Tip: The climb to the top is steep with about 750 steps, and takes about 2 hours up and down. Carry water and a torch or phone light for the tunnel. If you skip the climb, the lower walls and Chand Minar take about 45 minutes.

  6. 4

    Bibi Ka Maqbara

    1 h here
    Bibi Ka Maqbara
    Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0

    A white tomb in a walled Mughal garden, built in the 1660s by Aurangzeb's son Azam Shah for his mother, Dilras Banu Begum. It was modelled on the Taj Mahal, so it is often called the Taj of the Deccan, but it is smaller and only the lower part is marble; the rest is plaster.

    Forts & monumentsAbout 08:00 to 20:00, every day, and lit up after dark. Indians about ₹25, foreigners ₹300

    Tip: Walk round to the back of the tomb for a quieter view. The Aurangabad Caves are on the hill behind, about 10 minutes by cab.

  7. Back at central Aurangabad

Drive times come from road routing without traffic. The road to Ajanta is about 100 km each way and usually takes 2.5 to 3 hours with town traffic and the ghat near the caves, longer than the map shows. Private cars stop at the Ajanta T-point near Fardapur; electric buses run the last 4 km to the caves. Ellora and Grishneshwar get very crowded on weekends, Mondays in Shravan and Mahashivratri. Opening hours marked ? are not yet confirmed, so check them before you go.

Book a cab for this day

Call or message a local Aurangabad operator with this plan. Tell them your hotel and dates, and they send a price for the car and driver.

1 × full day, 8 h / 80 kmSedan, SUV or InnovaPrice from the operator

Opening times for this plan

The hours we planned around. Check before you go on a public holiday.

PlaceOpenBest timeVisit
Grishneshwar JyotirlingaAbout 05:30 to 21:30. Some listings say darshan is quieter or paused from about 12:00 to 16:00, so go in the morning or after 16:00. FreeEarly morning, before Ellora opens.45 min
Ellora Caves and the Kailasa templeAbout 06:00 to 18:00 in some listings and 09:00 to 17:30 in others; plan inside 09:00 to 17:30. Closed on Tuesdays. Indians ₹40, foreigners ₹600, under 15 free. One ticket covers every caveMorning, before the rock heats up and the weekend crowds come.3 h 30 min
Daulatabad Fort09:00 to 18:00, every day. Indians about ₹25Morning or late afternoon; the climb is hot at midday.2 h 30 min
Bibi Ka MaqbaraAbout 08:00 to 20:00, every day, and lit up after dark. Indians about ₹25, foreigners ₹300Early evening, when the marble turns gold and then the lights come on.1 h

More or less time in Aurangabad?

12341© OpenStreetMap contributors

Aurangabad in 2 days

Ellora, Grishneshwar and Daulatabad · The Ajanta Caves

See the 2-day plan →
123451231© OpenStreetMap contributors

Aurangabad in 3 days

Bibi Ka Maqbara, the Aurangabad Caves and Daulatabad · Khuldabad, Grishneshwar and Ellora · The Ajanta Caves

See the 3-day plan →

All 11 places in Aurangabad

Every sight with what to see, opening times and how long to stay.

See all places →

Questions people ask

Can you see Ajanta and Ellora in one day?

Not really. Ellora is about 30 km northwest of Aurangabad and Ajanta about 104 km north, in different directions, and each needs 3 to 4 hours. Doing both means about 12 hours of driving and rushing the caves. With one day, choose Ellora: the Kailasa temple, Grishneshwar and Daulatabad are all on the same road.

What if my day is a Tuesday?

The Ellora Caves are closed on Tuesdays. Make it the Ajanta day instead (Ajanta is open on Tuesdays), or see the city: Bibi Ka Maqbara, the Aurangabad Caves, Soneri Mahal, Panchakki and Daulatabad Fort.

Is the climb at Daulatabad Fort hard?

It is steep, with about 750 steps and a pitch-dark tunnel near the top, and takes about 2 hours up and down. Carry water and a phone light. If you skip the climb, the walls and the Chand Minar take about 45 minutes and you are back earlier.