Ajanta and Ellora Caves Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Ajanta and Ellora Caves. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Most Popular 2-Day Guided Tour of Ajanta & Ellora Caves With Car

• Private 2-Day Tour: Ajanta Ellora Caves and Aurangabad City

• Skip-the-Line: All-Inclusive 2-Day Ajanta and Ellora Private Tour

• Ajanta & Ellora Combined Tour in a Day From Aurangabad

• Skip-the-Queue Private Ajanta & Ellora 2-Day Tour

There are separate admission fees for the Ajanta and Ellora Caves. Admission to either site costs 40 Indian rupees for Indian citizens and citizens of other SAARC countries (including Nepal and Sri Lanka), and 600 Indian rupees for other foreign nationals. Tickets are a bit cheaper if purchased online. Kids aged 15 and under are free, regardless of nationality.

Yes, the Ajanta and Ellora Caves are both worth visiting, as they are among the most impressive cultural and historic sites in India. Each site is quite different, so it's worth spending a day at each of them. They're about 60 miles (100 kilometers) apart, so visiting independently requires navigating public transportation from Aurangabad city. Joining a 2-day guided tour is an easy way to navigate the spread-apart caves.

Per one customer who booked the Most Popular 2-Day Guided Tour of Ajanta & Ellora Caves With Car, "This was a fabulous 2 days of wonder. Not only were the caves amazing but so was our guide Deepak and of course our driver. Deepak was very knowledgeable and very considerate and patiently answered all questions. We highly recommend."

To get to the Ajanta Caves, you can board a train to the Jalgaon railway station and then take a taxi from there (the drive takes around 1.5 hours). The closest railway station to the Ellora Caves is in Aurangabad, a 45-minute taxi ride away. Tours from Mumbai and Aurangabad are also available.

Yes, there are guided tours of the Ajanta and Ellora Caves available, most of which visit both complexes. Going with a guide is recommended, particularly if you’re interested in learning about the history of both sites, as not everything is well signposted and there’s a lot to see.

When visiting the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, you should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that covers your legs and shoulders, solid shoes, and pack sun protection. If you visit during the monsoon, you should also bring an umbrella for the inevitable downpours.

You will need at least two full days to visit both the Ajanta Caves and the Ellora Caves (one day for each complex). However, if you’re short on time, you can take a tour from Aurangabad that visits both complexes on the same day—just be prepared to wake up very early.

The Ajanta and Ellora Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are among the world's largest monastery-temple cave complexes. Ajanta has 29 Buddhist cave temples, while the 32 temples at Ellora are a mix of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist structures.

The best time of year to visit the Ajanta and Ellora Caves is during the cooler season, from November through March. January and February typically boast particularly pleasant weather. The chance of monsoon rainfall is greatest between June and September.

There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting the Ajanta and Ellora Caves. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Maharashtra:

• Karla Caves

• Bhaja Caves

• Khadakwasla Dam

• Sula Vineyards

• Mahabaleshwar Temple

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Maharashtra.