| Ajanta
- Ellora Caves Tour |
 |
|
Duration:
05 Nights / 06 Days
Places Covered: Mumbai - Aurangabad
- Mumbai |
|
 Day
01: Arrive Mumbai
Arrive at Mumbai airport or station. Transfer to hotel.
Check in and relax for the evening.
Mumbai's
skyline is recognisable in advertisements and pictorial
depictions stating the country's technological and financial
hub. It's an imposing skyline. The contours are hazy
but the residents don't seem to mind. They love this
place and this all-ening love is infectious. Overnight
will be at Mumbai.
Day
02: Mumbai – Aurangabad
Breakfast will be at hotel or onboard the aircraft.
Relax in the morning or visit the local market. Transfer
to airport for flight to Aurangabad.
Reach and check in at hotel.
The city of Aurangabad was founded in 1610, on the site
of a village, Khirki by Malik Ambar - the Prime Minister
of Murtaza Nizam Shah II. When Fateh Khan, Malik Ambar's
son turned successor in 1626, he gave the city the name
'Fatehpur'. Aurangabad today is a bustling city of Maharashtra
with diverse big and small industries, fine silken textiles,
and exquisite hand woven brocades of silver and gold
fabrics, Himroo of world frame. To scholars and lovers
of art and culture the city is more familiar as the
gateway to the ancient caves of Ajanta and Ellora, both
famous as treasure houses of Indian Art and Sculpture.
Overnight will be at Aurangabad.
 Day
03: Aurangabad
Breakfast will be served at the hotel. Proceed for a
full day sightseeing with excursion to Ajanta Caves.
Ajanta
caves: Nestling in an inner fold of the Sahyardi hills,
100 km from Aurangabad in the shape of a mammoth horse-
shoe, are the 30 rock-hewn caves of Ajanta. The Caves
date from the 2nd century BC. Discovered in 1819 by
a group of British army officers, these startling achievements
took around 600 years to create. Carved with little
more than a hammer and chisel, Ajanta, once the retreat
of Buddhist monastic orders features several 'chaityas'
(chapels) and 'viharas' (monasteries). Return to Aurangabad
and overnight will be at Aurangabad.
Day
04: Aurangabad
Breakfast will be at the hotel.
Proceed for a visit to the Ellora Caves, Daulatabad
Fort and Aurangabad Caves.
Ellora
Caves: Impressive in their own right is the rock-hewn
temples and monasteries of Ellora that lie just 30 km
away from Aurangabad city. In all, there are 34 cave
temples, 12 Mahayana Buddhist caves (550-750 AD), 17
Hindu caves (600-875 AD) and 5 caves of the Jain faith
(800-1000 AD) 22 more caves, dedicated to Lord Shiva,
were recently  discovered.
Kailas Temple (cave16), the central attraction at Ellora,
is the most remarkable.
Aurangabad Caves: The almost forgotten caves of Aurangabad
lie just outside the city. Excavated between the 2nd
and 6th century AD, they reflect TANTRIC influences
in their iconography and architectural designs. In all
there are nine caves which are mainly viharas (monasteries).
0vernight will be at Aurangabad.
Day
05: Aurangabad – Mumbai
Breakfast will be at hotel or onboard the aircraft.
Reach Mumbai and transfer to hotel. Proceed for an excursion
to the ELEPHANTA CAVES.
On your way back, proceed to see the interesting sites
of Mumbai.
Overnight will be in Mumbai.
Day
06: Mumbai – Home
Breakfast will be at hotel.
Transfer in time to international airport for flight
home.
|
