From Aurangabad to Ajanta Ellora Taxi – Best 2-Day Cab Tour

Two days cover a lot of ground. This private Aurangabad tour makes the long drives to Ajanta and Ellora simple, while adding Daulatabad Fort and Bibi Ka Maqbara, the Deccan’s answer to the Taj Mahal. I like the private car, hotel pickup, and flexible service, especially when a driver such as Suleman or Samad can adjust pickup plans and help you use the day well. I also like that you can choose transport only or add a guide.

The main drawback is that the advertised price does not cover monument tickets, meals, hotels, or a guide if you choose one. The second day also packs several places into one schedule, so you will need an early start and sensible expectations. Still, for a small group that wants the big sights without arranging several long taxi rides, this is a useful and fairly priced plan.

Key points to know before booking

• Ajanta takes the full first day: The caves are about 100 kilometers from Aurangabad, with roughly eight hours set aside for the round trip and visit.
• Ellora day adds four major stops: Ellora, Grishneshwar Temple, Daulatabad Fort, and Bibi Ka Maqbara follow one another on day two.
• Private transport keeps the plan flexible: Only your group takes part, with hotel pickup, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, water, and a torch included.
• The vehicle depends on group size: A sedan suits one or two people, an SUV fits up to five, and a mini van is intended for six to twelve.
• Tickets can change the final cost: International visitors pay the listed higher monument rates, while SAARC visitors pay much less.
• Check closing days carefully: Ajanta is closed on Mondays and Ellora is closed on Tuesdays.

Why the private format works well in Aurangabad

Ajanta and Ellora are not quick city stops. They sit in different directions from Aurangabad, and visiting both means long road journeys as well as time on foot. A private car removes the need to negotiate separate fares, find a new driver each day, or work out the return trip after several hours at a monument.

The tour is designed for groups of up to five people using an SUV. That makes it a good match for a family or a few friends who want control over the pace. One or two people can choose a sedan, while larger groups can request a mini van for six to twelve passengers.

The driver speaks Hindi and English. That matters most between stops, when you may want help with timing, food breaks, or local arrangements. The strongest praise has gone to drivers who were punctual, polite, safe, and willing to adjust plans. Suleman is especially noted for explaining history, culture, and daily life, while Samad helped coordinate an early pickup around an arrival at the airport.

This is still a transport-led experience unless you add a guide. Do not assume that the driver will provide a full guided tour at every cave. If understanding the paintings, Buddhist traditions, Hindu sculpture, and Jain carvings is central to your visit, select the guide option and confirm exactly what it includes.

Day one: the long road to Ajanta Caves

The first day begins with an 8:00 am pickup from your chosen point in Aurangabad. Ajanta lies about 100 kilometers away, so the drive is a major part of the day. The plan allows about eight hours for the return journey and the cave visit.

Ajanta is the right place to take your time. The site is known for ancient rock-cut Buddhist caves, with painted interiors and carved architectural details. Even without adding a guide, you will find plenty to examine, but the meaning of the artwork can be difficult to grasp from the stone and paint alone. A guide can make the visit far more useful, especially if this is your first visit to an Indian heritage site.

The included torch is a small but practical touch. Cave interiors can be dim, and a torch helps you inspect carvings and painted areas without relying only on the available light. Bring comfortable footwear, since the day includes walking and standing rather than simply stepping out of a car for photographs.

The good part of dedicating a full day to Ajanta is that the visit does not have to compete with Daulatabad or Bibi Ka Maqbara. The less attractive part is the road time. If you dislike long car journeys, this will feel like a demanding day, even with private transport.

The car includes bottled mineral water, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, and service charges. Those inclusions help prevent the small extra charges that can make a private day trip annoying. Lunch is not included, so plan to pay separately and use the break sensibly.

Ajanta is closed every Monday. Build your dates around that rule before booking, because a perfectly arranged pickup cannot fix a closed monument.

Day two: Ellora’s great stone temples

The second day starts early with a drive from Aurangabad to Ellora Caves. The stated visit time for this part of the schedule is about four hours, followed by Grishneshwar Temple, lunch, Daulatabad Fort, Bibi Ka Maqbara, and the return to Aurangabad.

Ellora is famous for rock-cut temples and sanctuaries associated with Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. The most celebrated sight is the vast Kailasa Temple, carved from a single mass of rock. The scale is hard to take in from one angle, so give yourself time to look from different positions and notice how the builders shaped courtyards, pillars, figures, and walls.

Ellora rewards a guide more than a rushed solo walk. A driver can get you there and keep the day moving, but a good guide can point out how the religious traditions share the same site and explain the stories shown in the sculpture. The tour offers an optional guide, which gives you a useful choice between lower cost and deeper explanation.

Ellora is closed every Tuesday. This is the most important date check on day two. If your schedule includes Tuesday, switch the order or choose different dates before paying.

The published plan combines several stops after Ellora. That gives you a broad picture of Aurangabad’s heritage in one day, but it also means you should not treat every stop as a slow, detailed visit. The experience is best for someone who prefers seeing several important places rather than spending a whole day at one site.

Grishneshwar Temple and a change of pace

After Ellora, the route continues to Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple. This is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva, and the suggested time for darshan, worship, and exploration is about one hour.

The temple adds a living religious setting to a day otherwise focused on ancient monuments. That contrast is valuable. At Ajanta and Ellora, you mainly study stone, paintings, and past civilizations. At Grishneshwar, you encounter an active place of worship.

This stop may feel less predictable than a museum visit because worship takes priority. Allow the stated hour, follow local instructions, and dress and behave respectfully. The temple admission is listed as free, although the tour does not include any optional personal expenses.

Lunch follows the temple stop. Food is not included, and the supplied details do not name a particular restaurant. That is helpful to know in advance: carry some money for the meal and do not expect lunch to be part of the package price.

Daulatabad Fort rewards patient walkers

Daulatabad Fort is scheduled for around one to two hours, with the wider stop listed as two hours. Its appeal comes from its defensive design and its role in regional history. This is not a quick photo stop. You will get more from it if you are ready for uneven surfaces, walking, and time spent looking at the fort’s layout.

The fort gives the day a different shape after the caves and temple. Instead of focusing on carved interiors, you consider how walls, approaches, and defensive features protected a major stronghold. The driver can take you to the site, but the optional guide is useful if you want the structures explained rather than simply viewed.

The main practical issue is time. If you spend longer than planned at Ellora, the fort visit could feel abbreviated. Tell the driver what matters most to you at the start of the day. The private setup makes that conversation possible, although the total route still has limits.

Bibi Ka Maqbara, the final stop

The tour ends at Bibi Ka Maqbara, often called the Taj of the Deccan or the mini Taj Mahal. It was built in memory of Aurangzeb’s wife and includes architecture and gardens that make a gentler final stop after the fort.

The suggested visit takes about an hour. That is enough to appreciate the design, take photographs, and walk through the garden without turning the stop into another long visit. The monument is also easier to fit into the final part of the day than a large cave complex.

Entry is not included. The listed fee is INR 30 for SAARC-country visitors and INR 300 for non-SAARC visitors. The site is a good reminder that the package price covers transport, not every cost connected with sightseeing.

After Bibi Ka Maqbara, the car returns you to Aurangabad. Hotel pickup and drop-off make the route especially useful if you are staying in the city and do not want to arrange evening transport after a full day.

What the $47.75 price really covers

At $47.75 per person, the tour can offer good value when two to five people share an SUV. You are paying for a private vehicle, a professional driver, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, service charges, bottled water, and a torch. For two long day trips with several major sites, those inclusions remove much of the planning work.

The value is weaker for a solo visitor or a pair using a sedan, since the per-person cost of a private car naturally becomes higher than splitting an SUV with friends. Group discounts may help, but the exact discount is not stated, so confirm the final amount before booking.

Budget separately for entry tickets. The listed non-SAARC prices are INR 600 for Ajanta, INR 600 for Ellora, and INR 300 for Bibi Ka Maqbara, totaling INR 1,500 per person. That matches the separate entry-ticket charge shown for the tour. SAARC visitors pay INR 40 for Ajanta, INR 40 for Ellora, and INR 30 for Bibi Ka Maqbara.

Meals, breakfast, dinner, and hotel accommodation are also excluded. The tour is transport and sightseeing, not a full package holiday. That keeps the base price clear, but you need to add your own food and lodging budget.

Service quality and useful booking details

The strongest service reports focus on punctuality, flexibility, safe driving, and good manners. One driver collected a passenger from the railway station early in the morning, while another adjusted an airport pickup after the passenger shared arrival details. That kind of communication is useful when your arrival time does not match the standard 8:00 am start.

Suleman receives particular praise for using the drive to explain history, culture, and everyday local information. If you want that style of help, ask for a guide or request a driver who can provide more commentary. Do not rely on the basic transport option for detailed interpretation.

The tour has a five-star rating from 26 submitted ratings and a 100 percent recommendation figure. That is a strong service signal, but it does not remove the practical limits: the caves are far apart, tickets cost extra, and day two has a full route.

Confirmation is provided when you book. Pickup is offered, and the activity is private, so only your own group takes part. Most people can participate, according to the supplied details, but no separate accessibility information is provided. If mobility is a concern, ask the provider about walking requirements at each site before booking.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that 24-hour window are not accepted or refunded.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would choose this tour if you are based in Aurangabad and want to see both UNESCO sites without handling intercity transport. It suits families, couples, and small groups who value a private car and the ability to discuss timing with one driver.

It is also a good fit if you want more than caves. The route adds a working Hindu temple, a major fort, and a Mughal-era mausoleum, giving you a broader view of the area than a simple Ajanta and Ellora transfer.

I would hesitate if you want a slow archaeological study of every site. Day one is long, and day two has several stops. I would also think twice if you need fully included meals, accommodation, or entrance tickets, since those costs remain yours.

For the best experience, check the Monday Ajanta closure and Tuesday Ellora closure first. Then decide if a guide matters to you, confirm the vehicle size, and ask how much time will be available at each day-two stop.

Should you book the Aurangabad Ajanta Ellora taxi tour?

Book it if you want a practical private route with strong driver service and a clear two-day plan. The combination of hotel pickup, covered road costs, flexible transport, and several important sites makes it a sensible choice for a small group.

The best reason to choose it is convenience without giving up privacy. The main reason to skip it is the packed second day and the extra cost of tickets and meals. Add those expenses, choose your dates carefully, and request a guide if the stories behind the carvings matter as much as seeing them.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately two days. Day one is planned for about eight hours, while day two includes Ellora, Grishneshwar Temple, Daulatabad Fort, Bibi Ka Maqbara, and drop-off.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 8:00 am.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Pickup is offered from your selected pickup point, and drop-off in Aurangabad is included.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your own group takes part in the activity.

How many people can join?

The SUV is suitable for one to five people. A sedan is intended for one or two passengers, and a mini van is designed for six to twelve people.

Are entrance tickets included?

No. Entry tickets for Ajanta, Ellora, and Bibi Ka Maqbara are not included.

How much are the monument tickets?

For non-SAARC visitors, the listed prices are INR 600 for Ajanta, INR 600 for Ellora, and INR 300 for Bibi Ka Maqbara. SAARC visitors pay INR 40, INR 40, and INR 30 respectively.

Are meals included?

No. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and hotel accommodation are not included.

Which days are the caves closed?

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

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not refunded or accepted.