Aurangabad isn’t one of the biggest cities in the Indian state of Maharashtra, but it is one of the most popular, thanks to the nearby Ellora and Ajanta Caves. Most travelers use the city as a base while coming to see these UNESCO World Heritage sites, but there are several other interesting things to do in Aurangabad. Once a hub of Mughal culture in southwestern India, visitors can enjoy visiting the Taj Mahal lookalike Bibi Ka Maqbara and the Daulatabad Fort, sampling Mughal-influenced food, and more.
Located in central–southern India, the inland city of Aurangabad has a hot, semiarid climate. Like much of the rest of lowland India, the most comfortable time to visit is the winter (October–February). Aside from the odd cold snap, winters are dry, clear, and still quite warm, offering the best conditions for sightseeing outdoors. Unless you’re comfortable in very hot and humid conditions, avoid visiting during the monsoon season, which runs from June to September.
Aurangabad is quite a large city, and although there are plans to build a mass rapid transit system, there currently isn’t one. Taxis and auto-rickshaws are the easiest ways of getting around the city, although travelers on a budget can also use local buses. Many travelers visit the Ellora and Ajanta Caves on guided tours (preferably one day for each complex). If you’re not on a tour, a taxi/car and driver service is the most comfortable way of making the 19-mile (31-kilometer) trip to Ellora and the 63-mile (102-kilometer) trip to Ajanta. Buses are also available.
Aurangabad is often touted as a weekend getaway from Mumbai, but at around seven hours away by road or rail, a weekend isn’t really enough time (unless you fly). If you’re planning on visiting from Maharashtra’s capital, give yourself a week or more and do a circuit from Mumbai to Nashik, Aurangabad, and Pune before returning to Mumbai. In Nashik, don’t miss the holy Ramkund ghat on the Godavari River, and in Pune, browse some cool museums.
