3-Day Private Journey to Ajanta, Ellora Caves, and Lonar Crater.

Three remarkable sites, one practical base. This private journey from Aurangabad gives you a driver, an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, and the freedom to set a comfortable pace while visiting Ajanta’s Buddhist art, Ellora’s vast cave temples, and the unusual Lonar Crater.

I like the private format, especially for a route with long drives and early starts. I also like that tolls, parking, fuel, taxes, and service charges are covered, so the quoted price of $78.05 per person is easy to understand. The main consideration is that accommodation, meals, guides, and monument tickets cost extra, and the published day-by-day schedule needs confirming before you go.

The tour earned a full five-star rating from its small number of posted reviews. One especially useful detail is that the driver’s information is sent the day before pickup, and an airport pickup can be arranged for a small extra fee. That sort of advance notice makes a private road trip feel safer and less stressful.

Key points to know before booking

• Ajanta and Ellora are closed on different days: Ajanta closes every Monday, while Ellora closes every Tuesday.
• The quoted price covers the road work: Your vehicle, driver, fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, service charges, bottled water, and a cave torch are included.
• The major admission fees are extra: Non-SAARC visitors pay INR 600 each for Ajanta and Ellora, plus INR 300 for Bibi Ka Maqbara.
• Lonar adds a very different kind of stop: This is a meteorite-impact crater with a nature walk, not another cave complex.
• You return to Aurangabad each day: The city serves as your base for this three-day private service.
• The schedule should be checked carefully: The overview places Ajanta, Lonar, and Ellora on separate days, but the detailed timing presents Ellora on day two and Lonar on day three.

Why a private car works well from Aurangabad

Aurangabad is a useful base for this region because the three main sights lie in different directions. Ajanta requires a long road journey, Lonar is roughly three hours away, and Ellora is much closer, about 30 kilometers from the city.

A private vehicle saves you from piecing together separate transfers. You can leave from your hotel at the stated start time, carry your own things in the car, and make the day feel less rushed than a fixed group outing. If you want extra time at a particular cave, you can ask the driver to help adjust the pace, within the limits of the day.

The vehicle is air-conditioned, which matters in Maharashtra’s heat. Bottled mineral water is supplied, and a torch is included for exploring the caves. I would still carry extra water, sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and comfortable shoes, as the tour’s own practical advice recommends.

This is not an all-inclusive holiday. You pay separately for your hotel, breakfast, lunch, dinner, guide service if you choose it, and monument entry. That keeps the basic cost low, but you should budget for these additions before deciding that $78.05 is the final price.

Day one at Ajanta’s Buddhist cave paintings

The stated Ajanta day begins with an 8:00 AM pickup from your Aurangabad hotel. The drive is expected to bring you to the caves around 10:00 AM, although the overall journey details suggest a substantial road day, so confirm the exact driving and visiting times before departure.

Ajanta is the artistic centerpiece of the trip. The caves were made for Buddhist worship and monastic life, and the site is known for painted walls, carved figures, and rooms cut into a horseshoe-shaped cliff. You come here for the artwork as much as the architecture.

A guide can help you understand what you are looking at. Without context, the paintings and sculptures can blend together after a while. With help, you can better follow the Buddhist themes, identify important figures, and understand how the caves served religious communities.

Take your time with the painted interiors. Some details are subtle, and the light can make close inspection difficult. The supplied torch may help in darker areas, but use it carefully and follow site rules. A comfortable pair of shoes is important because cave visits involve walking between separate spaces rather than simply entering one single monument.

The listed admission fee is INR 600 for visitors from non-SAARC countries and INR 40 for visitors from SAARC countries. Cards are not accepted for monument tickets, so carry Indian rupees. This is an easy detail to overlook, and it can create needless trouble at the entrance.

Ajanta closes every Monday. This should shape your entire three-day plan, not just your first morning. If your dates include a Monday, ask the provider to confirm the order of the stops before you pay or arrive in Aurangabad.

Day two and the Lonar Crater question

The tour description presents Lonar as the second day, with an 8:00 AM departure and an expected arrival around 11:00 AM after a drive of about three hours. Lonar Crater was formed by a meteorite impact, making it a sharp change from the carved religious sites at Ajanta and Ellora.

The visit includes a guided nature walk around the crater. The appeal here is the setting and the geology. Instead of painted chambers and monumental stonework, you get an unusual natural site created by an impact from space.

The crater visit is listed as having no admission charge. That helps keep the day inexpensive, though the long drive means Lonar is best suited to people who value unusual places and do not mind spending several hours on the road.

There is an important scheduling wrinkle. The detailed day-by-day information places Ellora on day two and Lonar on day three, while the main overview places Lonar on day two and Ellora on day three. Do not treat the order as fixed until the operator confirms it. The attractions are still the same, but the difference affects your Monday and Tuesday planning, meal stops, and hotel schedule.

If Lonar is your third day, the supplied timing gives an 8:00 AM departure, arrival around 11:00 AM, and a guided walk around the crater. If it is your second day, the same early start and three-hour drive apply. Either way, this is the longest-feeling road outing of the three and deserves a full day.

Ellora and the massive Kailasa Temple

Ellora is closer to Aurangabad than Ajanta or Lonar, with the site described as roughly 30 kilometers from the city. The planned visit includes Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain temples, so Ellora offers a broader religious picture than Ajanta.

The star attraction is the Kailasa Temple, a huge structure carved from living rock. Its scale is the reason many people consider Ellora the most dramatic stop in the region. You are not simply walking into a cave. You are looking at an entire temple complex cut downward and inward from stone.

The Ellora visit is planned as an eight-hour outing, which gives you time for more than a quick look at Kailasa. That matters because the site covers many caves, and each religious tradition brings a different style and purpose.

A guide is optional. I would consider hiring one for at least part of the visit if you want the religious symbols and stories explained. The driver speaks good Hindi and English, while a professional English-speaking guide can be added as an option. The information provided does not name a specific guide, so ask who will lead the visit if guide quality is important to you.

Ellora closes every Tuesday. This is the second major date trap after Ajanta’s Monday closure. A three-day plan that looks perfect on paper can fail if it places Ellora on Tuesday, so confirm the actual order in writing.

Admission is listed at INR 600 for non-SAARC visitors and INR 40 for SAARC visitors. Again, bring rupees because cards are not accepted for monument tickets. The separate cave fees are a reasonable addition to a low-priced private car service, but they should be part of your total budget.

Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad’s Mini Taj

The final day also includes Bibi Ka Maqbara, often called the Mini Taj. It gives you a different architectural experience after the rock-cut caves.

The monument ticket is listed as INR 300 for non-SAARC visitors and INR 30 for SAARC visitors. The visit is not presented with a separate duration, so ask how much time is planned there, especially if Ellora receives most of the day.

Bibi Ka Maqbara works well as an additional Aurangabad stop because it does not require another long intercity drive. It also breaks up the cave-heavy schedule with a freestanding mausoleum and garden setting.

Do not confuse the nickname with a promise that it matches the Taj Mahal in scale or importance. The comparison is a useful shortcut for its general form, but the visit belongs in this tour because it adds a Mughal-era monument to a route otherwise centered on Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain sites.

What the $78.05 price really covers

At $78.05 per person, the price is attractive for a private three-day vehicle service, especially if you are sharing the car with companions. You are paying for transportation and logistical support, not a complete package.

Included items are:

• Air-conditioned vehicle transfers and sightseeing
• A professional driver who speaks good Hindi and English
• Optional professional English-speaking guide service
• Fuel, tolls, parking, taxes, and service charges
• Bottled mineral water
• A torch for cave exploration

The value improves when several people share the vehicle. You get private use of the service rather than joining a larger group, and the cost of the car-related items is spread among your party.

The cost rises once you add tickets, food, lodging, and a guide. For a non-SAARC visitor, the listed monument admissions add INR 1,500 for Ajanta, Ellora, and Bibi Ka Maqbara combined. That figure is based on the supplied prices of INR 600, INR 600, and INR 300.

SAARC visitors pay much less, with the listed total coming to INR 110. The tour data gives different ticket rates by nationality, so check your eligibility and carry the correct amount in rupees.

The driver, guide, and daily rhythm

A private driver is the heart of this experience. The service includes a driver who speaks good Hindi and English, but that does not automatically mean every drive includes a full historical guide. English-speaking guide service is described as optional, so ask whether it is included in your particular booking.

The operator sends the driver’s information the day before the tour. I like this small detail because it gives you a name and contact information before the first pickup. It also helps you recognize the correct vehicle and coordinate if your hotel entrance is confusing.

The driver can make the road days easier, but the tour does not promise a fixed meal plan. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are excluded. Bring snacks and ask about meal stops in advance, particularly on the Ajanta and Lonar days, when driving takes up a large part of the schedule.

The tour begins at 8:00 AM. That early start is sensible for the longer routes, but it may feel demanding if you have just arrived in Aurangabad. An airport pickup can be arranged the day before the tour for a small additional fee, which could make the first morning easier.

Who should book this private journey

I would recommend this tour to you if you want to see all three major attractions without arranging several separate drivers. It suits couples, families, and small groups who value privacy and are willing to pay for their own hotels and food.

It is also a good fit if you prefer a flexible car service to a large fixed group. The driver information sent in advance and the option of airport pickup add useful peace of mind.

This is less suitable if you want a slow, luxury itinerary with every meal, hotel, ticket, and guide included. It is also not ideal if long road journeys wear you down. Ajanta and Lonar require patience, while Ellora rewards a full visit rather than a hurried stop.

People with a strong interest in art and religion should consider adding the optional English-speaking guide. The driver handles the road logistics, but a dedicated guide can make the cave imagery easier to understand.

Practical details that can save your day

Keep these points in mind:

• Carry Indian rupees for all monument tickets.
• Bring sunglasses, a hat or cap, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes.
• Carry a water bottle even though bottled water is supplied.
• Check the day of the week before booking because Ajanta closes Monday and Ellora closes Tuesday.
• Confirm the order of Ajanta, Lonar, Ellora, and Bibi Ka Maqbara.
• Ask whether guide service is included or an extra cost.
• Confirm the hotel pickup point and the driver’s details the day before.
• Budget separately for accommodation, meals, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and entry fees.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours ahead are not accepted for a refund.

Should you book it?

Book this private journey if you want a cost-conscious way to connect Aurangabad’s major cultural sites and Lonar Crater without handling the driving yourself. The strongest reasons are the private vehicle, included road costs, advance driver details, and freedom from a large group schedule.

Before booking, confirm two things: the exact order of the three days and the final price after guide fees, monument tickets, meals, and hotel costs. If those details suit your plans, this is a practical and varied introduction to the region, with Ajanta’s paintings, Ellora’s huge Kailasa Temple, Bibi Ka Maqbara, and the otherworldly Lonar Crater all in one trip.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The service lasts approximately three days and uses Aurangabad as the base.

Is hotel pickup offered?

Yes. Pickup from your hotel in Aurangabad is offered, with the stated main start time at 8:00 AM.

Are monument entry tickets included?

No. Ajanta, Ellora, and Bibi Ka Maqbara entry tickets cost extra.

How much are the monument tickets?

For non-SAARC visitors, Ajanta costs INR 600, Ellora costs INR 600, and Bibi Ka Maqbara costs INR 300. The listed SAARC rates are INR 40 for Ajanta, INR 40 for Ellora, and INR 30 for Bibi Ka Maqbara.

Which days are Ajanta and Ellora closed?

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

Is a guide included?

An English-speaking professional guide is optional. The driver speaks good Hindi and English.

Are meals and accommodation included?

No. Hotel accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and other meals are not included.

Is Lonar Crater admission free?

The Lonar Crater stop is listed with free admission. The visit includes a guided nature walk around the crater.