Overview of Ajanta & Ellora Caves

The Ajanta and Ellora Caves, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites near Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Maharashtra, are among India’s most significant rock-cut monuments. While often mentioned together, they’re separate sites roughly 100 km apart, each with a different character — Ajanta is known for its painted Buddhist caves, while Ellora is famous for its monolithic rock-cut temples spanning Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain traditions.

Before you plan your trip, knowing the Ellora Caves timings and entry fee upfront helps you budget both your time and your visit properly, especially if you’re trying to cover both sites within a short trip.

Ellora Caves Timings and Entry Fee

Ellora Caves is open every day except Tuesdays, from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. The last entry is typically permitted around 5:00 PM to allow enough time to walk through the complex before closing.

Ellora Caves Entry Fee

Note: The Ellora Caves entry fee is revised periodically by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Confirm current rates at the ticket counter or on the official ASI website before your visit.

History of the Ellora Caves

Ellora’s 34 caves were carved between the 6th and 10th centuries CE, representing an unusual period of religious coexistence — Buddhist caves (Caves 1–12), Hindu caves (Caves 13–29), and Jain caves (Caves 30–34) were excavated within the same rock face over several centuries. The undisputed centerpiece is Cave 16, the Kailasa Temple — a single monolithic structure carved top-down out of one continuous rock, representing Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva. It remains one of the largest rock-cut structures in the world and took an estimated 100+ years and multiple generations of craftsmen to complete.

Ajanta Caves Timings & Entry Fee

Ajanta Caves is open Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Mondays), 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with similar entry fee slabs to Ellora — roughly ₹40 for Indian nationals and ₹600 for foreign nationals, subject to periodic ASI revision. Unlike Ellora, Ajanta is famous primarily for its paintings rather than large-scale rock-cut architecture — the cave murals depicting the life of the Buddha are considered among the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian painting.

For a complete cave-by-cave breakdown, history, and visiting tips specific to Ajanta, see our Ajanta Caves complete guide and Ajanta Caves guide.

Ajanta vs Ellora — Quick Comparison

Taxi Services for Ajanta & Ellora Caves

Since Ajanta and Ellora are roughly 100 km apart and best covered on separate days, most visitors book a dedicated taxi rather than relying on public transport, which can involve multiple changes and long waiting times. Siya Travels runs this route regularly — for full fare details, vehicle options, and booking, see our dedicated pages:

• Ajanta Ellora Taxi Services
• Ajanta Ellora Taxi Service
• Ajanta Caves Taxi Service
• Ellora Caves from Aurangabad
• Ajanta and Ellora Caves from Aurangabad

A private taxi also gives you the flexibility to check current Ellora Caves timings and entry fee at the gate and adjust your schedule on the spot, rather than being locked into a fixed group-tour departure time.

Ajanta Ellora Tour Packages

Prefer a planned itinerary rather than arranging each leg yourself? We offer several package options depending on your available time:

• Ajanta Ellora Caves Tour Package
• Ajanta Ellora Tour
• Ajanta and Ellora Caves Tour
• Aurangabad Ajanta Ellora Tour Package
• Ellora Ajanta Aurangabad 3-Day Itinerary
• Shirdi Ajanta Ellora Caves 3-Day Tour Package

Planning Your Ajanta Ellora Visit

Most travellers cover Ellora in a single day (since it’s closer to Aurangabad) and dedicate a separate day to Ajanta given the longer drive. If you’re short on time, it’s possible to combine both in two consecutive days without rushing either site.

Arriving early — ideally right at opening time — helps you beat both the heat and the crowds, particularly at Ellora’s Kailasa Temple, which draws the largest number of visitors of any single cave in the complex. Since the Ellora Caves timings and entry fee window closes by late afternoon, plan your pickup and travel time backward from a 5:00 PM last-entry cutoff.

For full itinerary guidance, see our how to visit Ajanta and Ellora Caves from Aurangabad guide.

Photography & Visitor Tips

• Carry water and comfortable shoes: Both sites involve significant walking across uneven, rocky terrain.
• Check camera fees separately: Standard photography is usually included in the base entry fee, but video cameras may attract an additional charge.
• Avoid flash photography inside painted caves at Ajanta — flash can damage the ancient pigments over time, and it’s typically restricted.
• Visit early or late in the day for softer light and fewer crowds, especially during peak tourist season (October to March).
• Hire a local guide at the entrance if you want detailed historical context — guides are usually available for a separate fee at both sites.

Nearby Attractions

If you have extra time built into your itinerary, a few nearby sites pair well with an Ajanta-Ellora trip:

• Bibi Ka Maqbara — the “Mini Taj Mahal,” within Aurangabad city limits
• Daulatabad Fort — a hilltop fortress roughly 15 km from Aurangabad, close to the Ellora route
• Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga — one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples, a short drive from Ellora

Many visitors combine a half-day at Ellora with a stop at Daulatabad Fort or Grishneshwar on the return drive, since all three sit along roughly the same road corridor out of Aurangabad. This lets you make efficient use of a single day’s outstation booking rather than arranging separate trips.

Getting There — Practical Logistics

Ellora Caves sits approximately 30 km from central Aurangabad, typically a 45-minute to one-hour drive depending on traffic through the city outskirts. Ajanta Caves is considerably further, roughly 100 km and 2 to 2.5 hours each way, which is why most itineraries treat it as its own dedicated day trip rather than a quick add-on.

Neither site has direct rail access — the nearest railway station for both is Aurangabad, from where road transport is the only practical option. Aurangabad Airport (Chikkalthana) also connects to major Indian cities, making it the most common arrival point for visitors flying in specifically for the Ajanta-Ellora circuit.

Parking is available at both sites, though during peak season (October–March weekends) it’s worth arriving early to avoid a longer walk from an overflow parking area to the ticket counter. Whichever mode of transport you choose, plan your day around the Ellora Caves timings and entry fee cutoff of 5:00 PM for last entry — arriving too late in the afternoon can mean missing the site entirely.

Best Time to Visit Ellora and Ajanta Caves

October to March is generally the most comfortable window for visiting both Ajanta and Ellora, with cooler daytime temperatures making the walking and climbing between caves far less exhausting than during the summer months. Since the Ellora Caves timings and entry fee window runs through mid-afternoon regardless of season, visiting in cooler months simply makes the same hours far more pleasant to spend outdoors.

Summer (April to June) brings temperatures well above 35°C in the region, and the largely unshaded rock terrain at both sites can make midday hours genuinely uncomfortable. Monsoon season (July to September) cools things down and turns the surrounding landscape green, but occasional heavy rain can disrupt travel plans, particularly on the Aurangabad-Ajanta highway stretch.

If your schedule is flexible, weekday visits — particularly Wednesday through Friday — tend to see noticeably lighter crowds than weekends, when both sites draw large numbers of domestic tourists and school groups.

Inside the Kailasa Temple — Ellora’s Centerpiece

No discussion of Ellora Caves timings and entry fee is complete without understanding why Cave 16 alone justifies the trip for most visitors. The Kailasa Temple was carved from the top down — workers began at the top of the rock face and excavated downward and inward, removing an estimated 200,000 tonnes of rock without a single structural support beam, since the entire structure is one continuous piece of stone rather than an assembled building.

The temple complex includes a main shrine, a separate Nandi pavilion, two flanking elephant statues, and intricately carved panels depicting scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata along its base. Because it was carved rather than built, no scaffolding-related construction errors were possible to correct after the fact — every cut was final, making it as much a feat of planning as of craftsmanship. Most visitors spend 45 minutes to an hour at Cave 16 alone, which is worth factoring into your overall time budget alongside the standard Ellora Caves timings and entry fee window.

Ajanta Ellora Caves — FAQs

1. What are the Ellora Caves timings?

Ellora Caves is open 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM daily except Tuesdays, with last entry around 5:00 PM.

2. What is the Ellora Caves entry fee?

Approximately ₹30–40 for Indian nationals and ₹500–600 for foreign nationals, though rates are revised periodically by the ASI — always confirm current Ellora Caves timings and entry fee at the ticket counter before travelling.

3. Can I visit both Ajanta and Ellora in one day?

It’s possible but rushed given the ~100 km distance between them. Most visitors prefer separate days for a relaxed experience at each site.

4. Is a taxi available for the Ajanta Ellora trip?

Yes, see our Ajanta Ellora Taxi Services page for fares and booking options.

5. Do you offer packaged tours covering both caves?

Yes, see our Ajanta Ellora Caves Tour Package for full itinerary options.

6. Which day are the Ellora Caves closed?

Ellora Caves is closed every Tuesday. Ajanta Caves, by contrast, is closed on Mondays — worth noting if you’re planning a two-day trip covering both.

7. Is photography allowed inside the caves?

Standard photography is generally permitted, though flash is discouraged or restricted inside painted caves at Ajanta to protect the murals, and video cameras may attract a separate fee.

Final Thoughts on Planning Your Ellora Visit

Whether you’re visiting Ellora alone or combining it with Ajanta over two days, the details covered here — Ellora Caves timings and entry fee, the closed day, how the Kailasa Temple was carved, and the practical logistics of getting there — should cover most of what you need to plan a smooth trip. If you’d rather not coordinate transport, tickets, and timing yourself, our team can arrange the taxi, itinerary, and any nearby stops as a single booking, so your visit runs on schedule from pickup to drop-off.