Two caves. One long day of wonder twice. This private A/C car tour is built for an easy, door-to-door rhythm from Aurangabad, with pickup and drop-off at your hotel. You can also add a local guide for either or both days, and the route is paced so you are not sprinting between carvings.

I especially like the flexibility. You can book with or without a guide, and the package is designed around your group only, so you are not stuck with a loud crowd. You also get bottled water and a torch for exploring inside the caves, which sounds small until you are standing in cool, dim rock.

The main thing to watch is logistics you control: entrance tickets are not included, you need cash in INR for monument entry, and the caves have weekly closures (Ajanta Mondays, Ellora Tuesdays). Also, Ajanta is a longer, bumpier drive than you expect.

Key takeaways before you go

• Private, door-to-door transport from Aurangabad with an A/C car and a professional driver
• Choose guide or no guide for a smarter experience, depending on your style and time
• Two separate days for Ajanta and Ellora so you can actually look at what you came for
• Torch and bottled water included for cave exploring
• Plan for paid entry tickets and cash on the spot, since cards are not accepted
• Cave closure days matter: Ajanta is closed Mondays, Ellora is closed Tuesdays

Ajanta and Ellora by private car, with a real pace

Ajanta and Ellora are not just two stops. They are two completely different cave worlds, carved into rock over centuries, and they reward a slow approach. That is why this tour works well: you keep them on separate days, with a dedicated day for each complex, instead of trying to cram everything into one exhausting stretch.

Your day starts with a hotel pickup in Aurangabad, then you roll out in a private car. I like that the tour is built around a meeting time (typically an early start, with 8:00 am listed), so you are not spending the morning guessing, negotiating, or waiting for local connections.

Also, it is private for your group. That means you can move at your preferred speed. Several guides on this route are praised for keeping things organized without turning the experience into a race. One common theme in feedback is that you are not rushed, and that you get the chance to actually look.

Price and what you truly get for your money

The headline price looks friendly, and it helps that the pricing is structured per person while the vehicle capacity is up to five people. In plain terms, the more people sharing the car, the better the value.

What you get is not just a driver. Included are:

• round-trip transfers from Aurangabad
• A/C car with a professional driver
• tolls, parking, fuel, taxes, and service charges
• bottled mineral water and a torch
• a private professional guide if you pick the guide option

What is not included is where you should budget most: entrance tickets, and a shuttle bus fee for the cave areas.

Tickets to budget for (and the cash rule)

You will pay for:

• Ajanta Caves entrance: INR 40 (SAARC) or INR 600 (non-SAARC)
• Ellora Caves entrance: INR 40 (SAARC) or INR 600 (non-SAARC)
• Bibi Ka Maqbara entrance: INR 30 (SAARC) or INR 300 (non-SAARC)
• Ajanta & Ellora shuttle bus: INR 100 per person

Cards are not accepted for monument entry. So yes, bring cash INR. This is one of those details that can turn an otherwise smooth morning into a scramble.

Day 1 at Ajanta Caves, when 2,000 years of art hits close

Ajanta is the cave complex that makes people go quiet. You start with a hotel pickup, then travel to the caves. The tour schedule expects a long day, with Ajanta time on the order of about 8 hours including driving and visits.

Ajanta rewards two things:

1) quiet attention to the paintings and sculptures

2) enough time to move slowly between cave spaces

That is where a guide option can be worth it. Even if you are not a hardcore art person, a good guide helps you notice recurring themes, the layout, and what you are actually looking at. In past experiences on this route, guides like Deepak, Gani, Nasir, and others are singled out for explaining the architecture and significance cave by cave, not in vague bullet points.

Practical tip from real-world experience on this route: plan on cave time around a few hours in total, plus walking and stops. One well-liked pattern is people spending roughly around 3 hours per site, which is a comfortable pace for reading the carvings without feeling like you have to “do” the caves like a checklist.

Ajanta closure day

Ajanta is closed every Monday. If your dates land on a Monday, you need to adjust plans, or you may get stuck with a dead day at the wrong complex.

Day 1 add-on feel, the drive is part of the story

The road to Ajanta is not a straight, smooth highway experience. Expect a longer ride, and it can feel bumpy at times. This is normal for the region, and it is also why I recommend traveling with a calm mindset.

Bring what you need for the journey:

• sunglasses and sunscreen (the sun can be strong even in early hours)
• comfortable shoes for walking on uneven ground
• a hat or cap
• water

The tour includes bottled water, which helps, but it is still smart to carry your own bottle too.

Also, caves involve footwear rules. A helpful tip that comes up again and again: people find it easier to wear sandals you can remove quickly for cave entry.

Day 2 at Ellora Caves, plus Bibi Ka Maqbara in the afternoon

Ellora has a different energy. Where Ajanta is all about painted caves, Ellora is known for its massive rock-cut structures across multiple faith traditions. That mix makes it feel broader and more dramatic.

On day two, you get breakfast and then a pickup around the later morning start time, with 8:30 am listed for meeting the driver or guide at your hotel lobby. You then drive about an hour, covering roughly 35 km, to reach Ellora.

Ellora time is scheduled at around 5 hours, which is often enough to see the major cave clusters and still have time to pause. The big highlight at Ellora is usually the Kailasa Temple area, and many guides make sure you reach it. If you are choosing between guide or no guide, this is the day where having one can pay off, because it is easy to look at the scale and miss the meaning.

Ellora closure day

Ellora is closed every Tuesday. So check your calendar before you book. If your trip spans a Tuesday, this tour can still work, but your site choice may need to swap days or you might end up losing one complex entirely.

Bibi Ka Maqbara, a calmer ending after the cave sprint

After Ellora, the tour includes an afternoon visit to Bibi Ka Maqbara, about 30 km away, with roughly 1 hour scheduled. This is a good palate cleanser after hours in rock-cut caverns.

What I like about adding Bibi Ka Maqbara is that it gives you a different kind of visual focus. It is a monument built by Prince Azam Shah in memory of his mother, and it often feels less frantic than the cave route.

If you are the type who wants photos, calm time, and a few historical notes without rushing, this stop hits the sweet spot.

Guides and drivers, the real difference between fine and unforgettable

This tour lives or dies by the guide and driver pair. The price includes a driver either way, but the guide option changes how much you see in what you actually understand.

In feedback for this exact route, guides such as Siraj and Deepak are praised for:

• explaining the symbolism and context behind the carvings
• pointing out the most impressive art details
• keeping the experience organized without rushing

Drivers are also repeatedly mentioned for punctual, safe driving, and thoughtful support with logistics and timing. Names that show up often include Tausif Sheikh, Madhav, Pathan, Ram, Anis Khan, Naser, Suleman, Samad, and Asad. You will not get to pick a specific person from the information provided here, but it is clear the best experiences come from drivers who are on time and guides who can translate the sites into something you feel.

No guide option can still work

If you choose the tour without a guide, you still get the private car and a smooth route, which is the hard part for most people. You might find you get less depth in what you are looking at, but you gain more freedom to roam at your speed.

That works best if you already know some cave history, or you are the “show me, I will learn on the walk” type.

Comfort and planning, so the day stays enjoyable

Ajanta and Ellora are not short days. Even with a private car, you are spending time driving and then moving through cave interiors.

What to bring

The tour recommends:

• sunglasses
• comfortable shoes
• hat or cap
• sunscreen
• a water bottle

Since the trip includes bottled water, you are not totally reliant on what the day provides. Still, I like having my own bottle for the drive.

Expect timing and road conditions

Driving time can stretch depending on traffic and animal crossings. This is not a flaw in the tour. It is just how roads work. The best strategy is to keep your schedule loose and treat the caves as the main event.

If you have a flight or a strict deadline, you can often coordinate, but you should ask directly when you book. Several experiences on this route highlight flexibility when plans changed.

Who this tour is best for

This is a smart choice if you:

• want two major UNESCO cave sites without the stress of arranging transport day to day
• prefer private door-to-door pickup over buses and shared shuttles
• like the option of adding a guide for context, especially on one of the days
• are traveling with a small group (up to five per vehicle)

If you love history and art, pick the guide option for both days or at least for the day that feels more important to you. If you are more of a “see first, research later” traveler, you can choose no guide and focus on the physical experience.

It is also ideal if you are short on time in the area. Ajanta and Ellora are famous, but they take effort to do properly. Two days is the right compromise between seeing both and not feeling crushed.

Should you book this 2-day Ajanta and Ellora car tour?

Book it if you want an easy, organized way to hit both cave complexes with a private driver, and you care about having enough time to actually look. The included A/C car, torch, and bottled water are small touches that make a real difference on long cave days.

I would think twice or ask questions first if:

• your travel dates include Monday (Ajanta closed) or Tuesday (Ellora closed)
• you do not want to handle entrance tickets in cash INR
• you expect a super-short day, because these drives take time and the road can feel bumpy

For most visitors to Aurangabad who want the caves to feel special, not complicated, this is a strong value way to do it. The guide option is especially worth considering if you want your visit to come with real meaning, not just impressive pictures.

FAQ

Are entrance tickets for Ajanta and Ellora included?

No. Entrance tickets are not included in the tour price. You pay onsite in INR (cards are not accepted), with Ajanta and Ellora priced at INR 40 for SAARC countries or INR 600 for non-SAARC countries, and Bibi Ka Maqbara at INR 30 for SAARC or INR 300 for non-SAARC.

Do I need cash for monument entry?

Yes. The tour information specifically notes that you should carry Indian Rupees for monument entry tickets, since cards are not accepted. There is no mention of card payment for these monuments.

Can I book the tour without a guide?

Yes. There is an option to book with or without guide services. Even without a guide, you still get private transfers by A/C car and a professional driver.

How long is the tour and what are the main time blocks?

It is a 2-day tour. Day 1 focuses on Ajanta Caves (with admission not included), and Day 2 focuses on Ellora Caves, plus an afternoon visit to Bibi Ka Maqbara. The schedule lists roughly 8 hours for Ajanta and about 5 hours for Ellora, with about 1 hour at Bibi Ka Maqbara.

What time is pickup?

The meeting start time is listed as 8:00 am. On day 2, the itinerary states that you meet your driver or guide at 8:30 am in your hotel lobby after breakfast.

Which days are Ajanta and Ellora closed?

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