Ellora Travel Guide
The comfortable window is November to March , cool and clear for the open walking between caves. The set-piece is the Ellora Ajanta dance festival in the cooler months, and the...
When to visit Ellora, and the one day it is closed
The comfortable window is November to March, cool and clear for the open walking between caves. The set-piece is the Ellora Ajanta dance festival in the cooler months, and the one rule to fix first is that Ellora is closed every Tuesday.
- November to February: cool and clearThe most comfortable months by far, pleasant by day and cool at night, ideal for the open walking between the 34 caves and the climb up to the upper galleries of the Kailasa Temple. This is peak season, so the site is busier and rooms in Aurangabad cost more, but the weather makes the difference.
- March and October: warm shoulderStill workable, with thinner crowds than mid-winter. By late March the Deccan afternoons heat up quickly, so reach the gate early and do the Jain caves and the Kailasa monolith in the cooler morning. The revived Ellora Ajanta dance festival usually falls in the cooler months rather than spring, so check the current year's dates if you want to catch it.
- April to June: very hot, plan carefullyHigh summer on the Deccan plateau is harsh, with May highs around 42 degrees Celsius. The open ground between caves and the monolith courtyard give little shade, so if you must come then, start at opening time, carry plenty of water and use the electric cart to limit walking.
- July to September: green but slipperyThe monsoon greens the Charanandri hills and is atmospheric, but the basalt steps and the cave floors get slippery and the light is grey. Lovely for mood, less so for sure-footed sightseeing, so wear shoes with grip and take the upper galleries slowly.
Before you fix any dates, lock in this: Ellora is closed every Tuesday, and the nearby Ajanta Caves are closed every Monday. The two are constantly mixed up, and a careless plan drives 30 km out to a shut gate. If your trip spans a Tuesday, use it for Ajanta or the city monuments, never for Ellora; if it spans a Monday, that is your Ellora day. Build the itinerary around these two closures first and everything else falls into place. Reconfirm against the Maharashtra Tourism cave page before you travel.
How to reach Ellora from Aurangabad
Ellora has no airport, station or real hotels of its own. You base in Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) and drive out about 30 km, with one of the rare drive-right-up cave entrances at the end.
- Base in Aurangabad, then drive outEllora sits about 29 to 30 km north-west of Aurangabad, officially renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2023, roughly 40 to 45 minutes by road on a good highway. The city has the airport, the railway station and all the hotels, so almost everyone visits Ellora as a day trip and there is no need to stay out by the caves.
- By air and train to the base cityChhatrapati Sambhajinagar airport (IXU), also called Chikkalthana, is about 10 km east of the city with roughly one-hour flights from Mumbai and direct services to Delhi (about 1 hour 53 minutes) and Hyderabad on IndiGo and Air India. By train, the city station (code AWB) is on the Mumbai line, with the Tapovan and Janshatabdi expresses covering Mumbai to Aurangabad in roughly 6 to 7 hours.
- By bus or hired car to the cavesThe Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation runs AC bus day tours to Ellora from the Aurangabad central bus stand for those without a car, usually taking in Daulatabad and Grishneshwar on the way. Most visitors prefer a hired car with driver for the day, which lets you pair Ellora with the fort and the temple at your own pace.
- You can drive right up to ElloraUnlike Ajanta, where all vehicles stop at a junction 4 km out and you transfer to a shuttle bus, at Ellora you park near the entrance and walk straight in. A site electric cart, about 20 rupees per person, then helps you cover the roughly 2 km spread of caves, which is part of why Ellora is the easier of the two sites.
Fly into Mumbai, the nearest international gateway, then take the one-hour domestic flight to Aurangabad (IXU) or a daytime train, and drive the 45 minutes out to Ellora. There are no international flights anywhere near the caves.
Fly into Mumbai, then connect to Aurangabad by the short flight or train. Ellora slots easily into a Mumbai add-on of two to three nights alongside Ajanta and the city monuments.
Fly direct from Delhi, Hyderabad or Mumbai to Aurangabad, or take the Tapovan or Janshatabdi train from Mumbai, then drive or take the MSRTC bus tour out to Ellora.
The 34 caves and the Kailasa monolith
Ellora is 34 rock-cut caves in three faiths across about 2 km, crowned by the Kailasa Temple at Cave 16, widely held to be the largest monolithic rock excavation in the world.
- Cave 16, the Kailasa TempleThe reason most people come: a complete temple to Shiva cut top-down from a single basalt hillside, attributed to the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I in the 8th century and widely called the largest monolithic rock excavation in the world. Walk the courtyard, the life-size elephants and the upper galleries to take in the scale. Closed on Tuesdays, open about sunrise to sunset.
- The Buddhist caves, 1 to 12The earliest group, mostly monasteries (viharas) and prayer halls (chaityas). Cave 10, the Vishwakarma or Carpenter's Cave, is the standout, a chaitya hall with a stupa and a large seated Buddha and a ribbed ceiling carved to imitate wooden beams. A quieter, contemplative start or finish to the day.
- The Hindu caves, 13 to 29The most dramatic group besides Kailasa, full of bold sculptural panels. Cave 15, the Dashavatara, depicts the ten incarnations of Vishnu, and Cave 29, the Dhumar Lena, is a large cross-shaped hall with powerful Shiva carvings. These reward an unhurried look for the energy of the figures.
- The Jain caves, 30 to 34The last and quietest group, finely detailed and often nearly empty. Cave 32, the Indra Sabha, is a two-storey jewel with lotus carvings and the figures of Yaksha Matanga and Yakshini Ambika, and Cave 30, the Chhota Kailasa, is a smaller homage to the great monolith. Starting your visit here keeps the best for the cool of the morning.
What makes Ellora unlike any other single site is that you walk through three faiths in one afternoon: Buddhist caves first, then a long Hindu stretch including the Kailasa monolith, then the Jain group. They were carved across roughly four centuries, between about the 6th and 10th, under the Rashtrakuta and earlier dynasties, side by side on the same Charanandri ridge. Reading even a little about each tradition before you go turns a row of caves into a story you can follow as you walk.
Signature experiences and how to do them well
Beyond ticking off caves, these are the experiences people remember at Ellora, and the order and timing that make each one better.
- Sequence from the Jain caves to the monolithStart early at the quiet Jain caves (30 to 34), take the site electric cart, about 20 rupees per person, back towards the Hindu and Buddhist groups, then take in the Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) while you are fresh, and finish at the early Buddhist caves like Cave 10. You reach the great monolith with energy and good morning light rather than worn out at the end of a long row.
- Give the Kailasa Temple an unhurried hourCave 16 is not a cave to glance at and move on. Allow at least 60 to 90 minutes to walk the courtyard, the carved elephants and the Ramayana and Mahabharata panels, then climb to the upper galleries for the view down into a temple that was once the inside of a hill. This is where a licensed guide earns the fee.
- Walk the upper galleries for the scaleMost visitors stay at courtyard level, but the steps up the sides of the Kailasa give the view that makes the scale land: the towers, the bridge to the main shrine, and the sheer drop of rock that was cut away. Take it slowly, especially in the heat, and you will understand why this is the image people carry home.
- Pair Ellora with the Grishneshwar JyotirlingaThe Grishneshwar temple, the twelfth and last of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva, stands about 1 km from the caves at Verul. Pilgrims completing the circuit visit both together. Men are usually asked to enter the sanctum bare-chested in a dhoti, and phones and cameras are not allowed inside, so plan the darshan and leave valuables in the car.
- Add Daulatabad fort on the wayThe dramatic hill fort of Daulatabad sits on the same axis between the city and Ellora, with a famously deceptive defensive maze and a sweeping Deccan view from the top. It is a real climb, so fold it in on the way out or back only if you have the legs and the time after the caves.
- Catch the Ellora Ajanta dance festival if it runsThe Maharashtra Tourism Ellora Ajanta Festival of classical dance and music is staged near the Soneri Mahal with the caves as a backdrop. It is the one set-piece event tied to the site, but it was discontinued for years and revived in 2024 with shifting dates (recent editions in the cooler months rather than the older March slot), so it is not a reliable annual fixture, reconfirm the current year before you build a trip around it.
If you do only one thing slowly, make it the Kailasa Temple. People walk in expecting a cave and find an entire temple, courtyards, elephants, towers and all, carved downward out of a single hillside with no room for a single mistake. Give it an unhurried hour, walk the upper galleries for the scale, and you will understand why this, and not any single cave, is the image most travellers carry home from Ellora.
Where to stay for Ellora, and how long to give it
Aurangabad city is the only sensible base, with the airport, the station and the hotels. Ellora itself is a half to full day, and most visitors fold it into a two-night Aurangabad trip with Ajanta.
- Base in Aurangabad cityThe city is the hub: it has the airport, the railway station, the spread of hotels from budget to four-star, and the 45-minute road link to Ellora. There is no real reason to stay out at the caves, and almost everyone uses the city as the single base for Ellora, Ajanta and the city monuments together.
- Staying right by ElloraThere are a couple of simple hotels near the Ellora caves and the Grishneshwar temple for those who want a dawn start at the Kailasa or are on the Jyotirlinga pilgrimage, but they are basic. Most travellers prefer the comfort and choice of the city and the easy drive out in the morning.
- How long for Ellora itselfGive the site about 3 to 4 hours for a focused visit of the Kailasa Temple and the best of the Hindu and Jain caves, or a full half day to do all three groups without rushing. With Daulatabad fort and the Grishneshwar temple folded in, it becomes a comfortable full day out from the city.
- How many days in the areaTwo full days is the sweet spot for the region: one for Ellora plus the city monuments and one for Ajanta, sequenced around the closed days (Ellora Tuesday, Ajanta Monday). A third day adds Daulatabad, Grishneshwar and a relaxed pace. If you have only one day, do Ellora and the near sights and save Ajanta for a return trip.
Because Ellora shuts on Tuesdays and Ajanta on Mondays, your cave days cannot fall on the wrong weekday. If your trip spans a Tuesday, that is your Ajanta-and-city day, not Ellora; if it spans a Monday, do Ellora and the fort that day. Choose your arrival day with both closures in mind and you will never waste a morning driving 30 km to a shut gate.
Ellora entry fees and a realistic budget
The ASI fee is modest and fixed, but it was recently revised upward, so here are the current numbers and what a day at Ellora actually costs.
- Current ASI entry feeEntry to Ellora is about 40 rupees per person for Indians and visitors from SAARC and BIMSTEC countries, and about 600 rupees for other foreign nationals, with children up to 15 free. These are fixed, not negotiable, which makes them a clean budget anchor. Buy at the gate by cash or UPI, or in advance on the ASI ticketing portal.
- The small on-site costsBudget about 20 rupees per person for the site electric cart that helps you cover the 2 km spread, and a small charge for a video camera if you carry one. There is no Ajanta-style shuttle fee at Ellora because you drive right up to the entrance, so the on-site extras are minimal.
- Guides and transportA licensed ASI guide is commonly about 2,500 rupees for a small group and is well worth it at the Kailasa Temple, where the carving means little unread. The bigger cost is the car: a hired car with driver for an Ellora-and-fort-and-temple day from the city is the main expense, so agree the day rate in advance and split it across your group.
- Cash, cards and stale fee warningsCarry cash for the ticket counter, the cart, snacks and tips, as small vendors run on cash and UPI rather than cards. And ignore old blogs, and even the older tour pages, that still quote the long-gone 10 rupees and 250 rupees ASI fees, since those figures are out of date.
For years the ASI fee at Ellora was about 10 rupees for Indians and about 250 rupees for foreigners, and a great many travel pages, some operator sites, and even the older WayToIndia tour tab still print those numbers. They have been revised up to about 40 rupees and about 600 rupees. The fees are small either way, but it is worth knowing the current figure and reconfirming on the ASI ticketing portal, because a page that has the old fee wrong has often not checked anything else recently either.
Practical logistics: tickets, photos, food and getting around the site
The small things that make an Ellora day smooth, from the drive-up access and the electric cart to the no-flash rule and where to eat.
- Drive up, then use the cartYou drive right up to the Ellora entrance, with no Ajanta-style shuttle, and park near the gate. From there a site electric cart, about 20 rupees per person, ferries you between the cave groups spread over roughly 2 km, which spares a lot of walking, especially in the heat or for older travellers.
- Tickets and timingsBuy ASI tickets at the gate by cash or UPI, or in advance on the ASI ticketing portal by selecting Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) and Ellora. The site is open about sunrise to sunset, commonly given as roughly 6 am to 6 pm, with some notices listing about 9 am to 5:30 pm and last entry around 5 pm, and it is closed on Tuesdays, so reconfirm the on-site board.
- Photography and the bright cavesPhotography for personal use is allowed, and because most of the Kailasa and the larger caves are open to daylight, Ellora is far easier to shoot than the deliberately dim Ajanta. Flash and tripods are not allowed inside the caves to protect the carvings, so use the natural light from the courtyards and a steady hand.
- Food and getting aroundThere is an MTDC restaurant near the Ellora caves for a simple multi-cuisine lunch, with mains from around 150 rupees, plus basic stalls; carry water for the open walking. A hired car with driver is the practical way to do Ellora with the fort and the temple, while the MSRTC bus tour from the city is the budget option.
Safety, heat and the walking at Ellora
Ellora is an easy, welcoming day out, and the main thing to manage is the sun and the open walking rather than crime or scams.
- Heat, water and sunThe biggest hazard is the sun and the open ground between caves and in the Kailasa courtyard. Carry water, a hat and sun protection, pace yourself in the warmer months, and use the electric cart to cut the walking. The caves themselves are cool once you step inside, so use them for a breather.
- Footing on the steps and galleriesThe upper galleries of the Kailasa and some cave floors are uneven basalt, and in the July to September monsoon they get slippery. Wear shoes with grip, take the steps slowly, and mind children near the unfenced edges of the upper galleries and the courtyard drops.
- Mild tout and pricing pressureAround the entrance and the parking you will meet souvenir sellers and unofficial guides. A polite, firm no is enough. If you want a guide, take a licensed one from the official counter at the agreed rate rather than someone who approaches you, and check prices before buying handicrafts.
- General safety and the templeEllora is well visited and safe by day, and the cave trail is busy enough to feel comfortable. At the Grishneshwar temple nearby, dress modestly, follow the dhoti rule for men in the sanctum, and leave phones in the car, as they are not allowed inside the temple.
Ellora is generally comfortable for solo and women travellers, with steady tourist traffic through the day and a busy main path. Dress modestly at the Grishneshwar temple and the other religious sites, hire your guide through the official counter, and prefer a pre-arranged car and driver for the day so you are not relying on sparse public transport back to the city after dark. It is one of the more relaxed heritage day trips in India.
Ellora for every kind of traveller, and on access
Ellora suits history lovers, families, photographers and pilgrims in different ways, and is the easier of the two cave sites on the legs. Here is the one tip that matters for each.
- History and art loversThis is the heart of the visit: three faiths on one ridge and the Kailasa monolith, among the supreme achievements of Indian rock-cut art. Hire a licensed guide, give the Kailasa its full hour, and read a little beforehand so the iconography and the downward carving method mean something when you stand in front of it.
- Families with childrenThe Kailasa Temple, with its elephants and towers, genuinely impresses children, and the electric cart is a small adventure in itself. Keep the visit to the Kailasa and a couple of striking caves rather than all 34, carry snacks and water, and use the cart to keep small legs from tiring.
- Senior travellers and on accessibilityEllora is the realistic choice for older travellers and the easier half of the Ajanta-Ellora pair. You drive right up, there is no long stair climb like Ajanta, much of the main path is level, the electric cart spares the walking, and the Kailasa Temple has a ramp on the temple-and-elephant side. Wheelchair help can be arranged on site; visit in the cool of the morning and skip the steep upper galleries if stairs are hard.
- PhotographersEllora rewards wide shots of the Kailasa monolith from the courtyard and the upper galleries, and the daylight makes it far easier than the dim Ajanta. Flash and tripods are banned inside the caves, so work with the natural light from the courtyards and time the Kailasa for the softer morning or late-afternoon sun.
- PilgrimsThe Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga beside Ellora is the twelfth and final Jyotirlinga of Shiva, so pilgrims completing the circuit pair it with the caves and often the Shirdi Sai Baba shrine on the same trip. Note the dhoti dress code for men in the sanctum, the ban on phones inside, and the afternoon break in darshan timings.
- Couples and slow travellersEllora is a calm, unhurried day out, especially the quiet Jain caves and the Kailasa galleries early in the morning before the tour groups arrive. Pair it with a sunset at Daulatabad or Bibi ka Maqbara back in the city for a full, gentle day.
A closed-day-proof Ellora itinerary
How to shape an Ellora day so you never hit the Tuesday closure and reach the Kailasa monolith with energy to spare, with the wider two-day plan for the region.
- The Ellora day (any day except Tuesday)Drive the 30 km out early, start at the quiet Jain caves (30 to 34), ride the electric cart back, take in the Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) while you are fresh, then the Hindu caves and finish at the Buddhist Vishwakarma Cave 10. On the way back, stop at Daulatabad fort and the Grishneshwar temple, and end at Bibi ka Maqbara in the city for sunset.
- The half-day versionIf Ellora is one stop on a busy day, give it about 3 hours: the Kailasa Temple in full, then the best Jain cave (Indra Sabha, Cave 32) and one or two Hindu caves. You will miss the slow pleasure of all 34, but you will see the monolith properly, which is the point of the visit.
- The two-day regional planTwo full days covers the region well: one for Ellora plus Daulatabad, Grishneshwar and the city, sequenced for a non-Tuesday, and one for Ajanta on a non-Monday. The closed days lock in which day is which, so check your arrival weekday before you book.
- Add a third day to breatheA third day lets you split out the city monuments, add the Aurangabad Caves and Panchakki, or simply do Ellora and Ajanta without rushing. For pilgrims, the third day is the natural slot for an unhurried Grishneshwar darshan and the Shirdi shrine, about 100 km away.
The single thing that lets down an Ellora visit is starting at Cave 1 and working up the numbers, so you reach the Kailasa monolith tired, in flat midday light, after a row of smaller caves. Flip it: start at the Jain end (caves 30 to 34) early, ride the electric cart back, and arrive at the Kailasa Temple with energy and good light. Give Cave 16 its full hour, then drift down through the Hindu and Buddhist caves at your own pace.
The real questions travellers ask about Ellora
Straight answers to the questions that come up again and again on traveller forums, so you arrive already knowing the score.
- Which day is Ellora closed?Ellora is closed every Tuesday. Do not confuse it with Ajanta, which is closed every Monday. Build your trip around both, and if your dates span a Tuesday, spend it on Ajanta or the city monuments, never on Ellora.
- How long do I need at Ellora?About 3 to 4 hours for a focused visit of the Kailasa Temple and the best Hindu and Jain caves, or a full half day to do all three groups without rushing. The Kailasa alone deserves 60 to 90 minutes.
- Can I do both Ajanta and Ellora in one day?No, not sensibly. Ajanta is about 100 km north-east and Ellora about 30 km north-west, in opposite directions, and each needs several hours. Give each its own day, sequenced around the closed days.
- What are the current entry fees?About 40 rupees per person for Indians, SAARC and BIMSTEC visitors, and about 600 rupees for other foreigners, with under-15s free. Ignore old pages quoting 10 rupees and 250 rupees, and reconfirm on the ASI portal.
- Is Ellora wheelchair friendly or doable for elderly people?Yes, far more than Ajanta. You drive right up, there is no long stair climb, much of the main path is level, the electric cart spares the walking, and the Kailasa Temple has a ramp on the temple-and-elephant side. Wheelchair help can be arranged on site, though the upper galleries still involve steps.
- Can I visit Grishneshwar with the caves, and what is the dress code?Yes, the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is about 1 km from Ellora and pairs naturally with the visit. Men are usually asked to enter the sanctum bare-chested in a dhoti, and phones and cameras are not allowed inside, with darshan roughly 5:30 am to 9:30 pm and an afternoon break.
Planning Ellora from abroad
Ellora is one of the supreme rock-cut sites on earth and an easy one-hour flight from Mumbai. A little preparation on the Tuesday closure, the foreigner fee and the drive-up access makes the visit effortless.
- Slot it onto a Mumbai tripThe simplest plan is an international flight to Mumbai, then a one-hour hop to Aurangabad (IXU) for two or three nights, with Ellora one day, Ajanta the next, then on to Delhi, Rajasthan or Goa. Ellora is a heritage day trip from the city, not a place you base a whole holiday, and the Kailasa monolith alone justifies the detour.
- Mind the Tuesday closure and the foreigner feeEllora is closed Tuesdays and Ajanta Mondays, so check your dates before you book flights. Entry for foreign nationals is about 600 rupees against about 40 rupees for Indians and SAARC and BIMSTEC visitors; both are inexpensive, but plan for the higher rate and carry rupees for the gate.
- Easier than you expect on the legsUnlike Ajanta, where you face a stair climb up a gorge, Ellora is largely flat: you drive right up, an electric cart covers the spread, and the Kailasa has a ramp. This makes it the realistic choice for older parents and grandparents, and a gentler introduction to India's cave heritage.
- Bright caves, easy photographyWhere the Ajanta paintings are kept deliberately dim, Ellora's sculpture sits in daylight, so it is far easier to photograph and to take in. Flash and tripods are banned inside the caves, but the open courtyards of the Kailasa give all the light you need. A licensed guide brings the carving to life.
Money, connectivity and timing for foreign visitors
The practical basics an overseas traveller needs for a one-day heritage hit: cash, tickets, a SIM, and how many days to give the wider Aurangabad area on a bigger India trip.
- Carry cash for the counterThe ASI ticket counter, the electric cart, snacks and tips run on cash and UPI rather than foreign cards. Draw rupees at a city ATM in Aurangabad and keep small notes for the cart and the guides. Hotels and bigger restaurants take cards.
- Buy tickets online or at the gateYou can buy ASI tickets at the gate by cash or UPI, or in advance on the ASI ticketing portal by selecting Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) and Ellora. Online saves a short queue in peak season but is not essential at Ellora.
- Get a SIM in MumbaiPick up an Indian tourist SIM or an eSIM when you land in Mumbai rather than hunting for one in Aurangabad. Coverage in the city and on the road to Ellora is fine for maps and calls, though it can be patchy in spots out at the caves.
- How long to give the areaTwo nights in Aurangabad covers Ellora, Ajanta and the main city monuments comfortably; three if you want a slow pace or the Grishneshwar darshan. It is a focused heritage stop, not a week, so weave it between Mumbai and your next big destination.
Ellora is an unusually rewarding side trip on a first India journey: a UNESCO site of three faiths on one ridge, a short flight from Mumbai, far calmer than the headline cities, and gentle on the legs. Give it a morning, hire a guide so the Kailasa monolith and the carving come alive, and let it be the quiet, astonishing chapter between the big-city stops. Many travellers rank the Kailasa Temple among the most memorable single things they see in India.
How a temple was carved downward from a single rock
The Kailasa Temple at Ellora, Cave 16, is not built but excavated. The artisans of the Rashtrakuta period, working from roughly the 8th century under the king Krishna I, began at the top of a basalt hillside and cut downward and inward, removing a vast quantity of rock to leave, standing free in the resulting courtyard, a complete two-storey temple to Shiva, with gateways, a Nandi shrine, life-size elephants, soaring towers and panels from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, all of a single piece of living stone. There was no room for error: unlike a built temple, nothing carved away could ever be put back. It is widely held to represent Mount Kailash, Shiva's Himalayan abode, and to be the largest monolithic rock excavation in the world. Standing in the courtyard and looking up at walls that were once the inside of a hill is the moment most travellers say the journey to Ellora pays for itself.
Tour packages that visit Ellora
Every journey below is private, hand-crafted and fully customizable. Tell us your dates and we tailor the itinerary, the pace and the priests or guides around you.
4D / 3NAjanta Ellora Tour
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13D / 12NMaharashtra Tour
- Visit Gateway of India
- Visit Elephanta Caves