6 Places to Visit near Aurangabad within 100 kms (2024)

Ajanta Caves are one of the oldest UNESCO World heritage sites in Maharashtra, and among the most prominent Maharashtra tourist places. One of the most visited ancient monuments in India, these caves are situated about 98 km from Aurangabad, 326 km from Pune, and 443 km from Mumbai.

Carved between 2nd Century BC and 6th Century AD, Ajanta Caves are excavated in a horseshoe-shaped bend of rock surface nearly 76 m in height overlooking the Waghur River. The complex consists of 29 rock-cut cave monuments built during the Satavahana period and the Vakataka period. The caves at Ajanta are famous for beautiful mural paintings and sculptures that depict tales of Jatakas. The world-famous paintings at Ajanta also fall into two broad phases. The earliest is noticed in the form of fragmentary specimens in Cave 9 & 10, which are among the must-visit places as part of Ajanta holiday packages. The second phase of paintings started around the 5th - 6th centuries and the specimen of these exemplary paintings could be noticed in Cave 1, 2, 16, and 17.

Various incidents from the life of Gautama Buddha and the Jataka Tales are represented and recreated on the walls of these caves. It can be visited along with Aurangabad tour packages.

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An UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ellora Caves are the most visited places of heritage in Maharashtra, and among the must include places in Maharashtra tour packages. Situated about 28 km from Aurangabad, 253 km from Pune, and 344 km from Mumbai.

Ellora Caves is an impressive complex of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain Cave temples carved out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills between the 6th and 10th centuries AD. Ellora is one of the prominent heritage places to visit near Mumbai. The caves have a slightly less dramatic setting than those at Ajanta, but more exquisite sculptures. The cave complex comprises 34 caves includes 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu, and 5 Jain Caves. The central attraction at Ellora is Kailash Temple (Cave 16), which is the most remarkable.

Every year Ajanta-Ellora Festival is organized in Aurangabad to pay tribute to the legendary caves of Ellora, Ajanta, and other historical monuments in the region. Earlier the venue for this festival was Kailasa Temple of Ellora Caves but it has now been shifted to Soneri Mahal, among the must include places in Aurangabad tour packages.

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At a distance of 72 km from Shirdi and 44 km from Ahmednagar, Shani Shingnapur or Sonai is a village in Nevasa taluka of Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra. The village is known for its popular temple of Shani Mahadev, the Hindu god associated with the planet (graha) Saturn. This is one of the most popular Shani temples in India and also among the famous pilgrimage places to visit near Pune.

The idol of Lord Shanidev at the Shingnapur temple is swayambhu and the temple is believed to be a jagrut devasthan, meaning that a deity still resides in the temple. The idol is personified in the form of a black stone that is five and a half feet high installed on an open-air platform. There is a Trishul alongside the stone as well as a Nandi on its south. In front are the small images of Shiva and Hanuman. An east-facing multi deity temple was built west of the Shani idol later. The premises also contain a tomb of Saint Udasi Baba and a temple dedicated to Dattatreya. This is one of the must include places in Shirdi packages.

Shani Shingnapur Temple, among the top Shirdi places to visit, among the most significant pilgrimage places to visit near Aurangabad. The entire village around the temple has no doors to the houses. ...

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At a distance of 16 km from Aurangabad Railway Station, Daulatabad is an ancient hill fort situated on the way to Ellora Caves from Aurangabad in Maharashtra. It is one of the best-preserved places of heritage in Maharashtra, and also one of the best Aurangabad tourist places.

The historical triangular fort of Daulatabad was built by Yadava king Bhillama V in 1187 AD. It is one of the best historical places near Pune. The city was then called 'Deogiri', meaning the hill of gods. Daulatabad or 'the abode of wealth' was the name given by Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq when he made his capital here in 1327 AD. The region and the fort passed on into the hands of Bahamani rulers under Hasan Gangu in 1347 AD and Nizam Shahis of Ahmednagar in 1499 AD. Daulatabad became the capital of the Nizam Shahi dynasty in 1607 AD. The fort passed several hands, captured and re-captured by the Mughals, Marathas, Peshwas, and finally placed under the control of the Nizams of Hyderabad in 1724 AD till independence. It is one of the most visited places as part of Aurangabad tour packages.

Daulatabad Fort was one of the most powerful forts during the medieval period. Built on a 200 m high conical hill, the fort was defended by a moat and a glacis. ...

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At a distance of 1 km from Ellora Caves, and 29 km from Aurangabad, Grishneshwar or Ghrushneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple is a famous Hindu temple located at Verul village in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. It is one of the famous places of pilgrimage in Maharashtra, among the must-visit places as part of Ellora tour packages.


Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Grishneshwar Temple is believed to be the last or 12th Jyotirlinga on the earth. This is one of the top places to visit in Ellora, and among the prominent pilgrimage places to visit near Aurangabad. The presiding deity, in the form of Jyotirlinga, is known by several names like Kusumeswarar, Ghushmeswara, Ghrushmeswara, and Grishneswara. The Grishneshwar temple was re-constructed by Maloji Raje Bhosale, the grandfather of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, in the 16th century. Later, the temple was again reconstructed in the 18th century by Rani Ahilyabhai Holkar, a Maratha princess who ruled Indore from 1765 CE to 1795 CE.

According to the legend, In the Devagiri Mountain, there lived a Brahmin couple named Brahmavetta Sudharm and Sudeha. They had no children and according to the wish of Sudeha, Brahmavetta married her sister Ghushma. On the advice of ...

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At a distance of 18 km from Kannad and 77 km from Aurangabad, the Pitalkhora Caves are an ancient rock cut caves located on Chandora hill near Ambala village in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.

Pitalkhora consisting of 14 Buddhist Caves and are believed to be one of the earliest of the rock cut cave structures in the vicinity. It is believed that Pitalkhora Caves belongs to 2nd century BC. They are cut in a variety of basalt rock which weathers faster in contrast to other parts in Maharashtra. All the caves belong to the Hinayana period but the painting executed in the caves are of Mahayana period. The caves boast paintings, many sculptures, animal motifs, miniature chaitya windows, wonderful Yaksha figures, the elephants, dwarapalas and mithuna figures. The sculptural representations here are similar to that of found in the stupas of Sanchi, Karla, Nasik, of the same period.

The caves are in two groups, one is a cluster of 10 caves and the second of 4 caves. Out of the 14, four are chaityas (one housing votive stupas, one apsidal and single-cell) and the rest are viharas. The 1st cave, which has been damaged, was used as a monastery or vihara. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th caves have similar courtyards and seem to belong to the same period.

The Cave 3 has the best paintings and there are 37 pillars that separate the aisle from the hall. The inscriptions on each pillar indicate that they were added individually ...

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