Aurangabad 1 Day Itinerary

Although there is not much to see in Aurangabad city, it is used as a base to visit the very popular Ajanta and Ellora caves which are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Hindu devotees also visit Grishneshwar temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, which is located just a kilometre away from Ellora caves.
If you want to visit both Ajanta and Ellora caves and also some other sights, you will need a minimum of 2 days in Aurangabad.

What if you have only 1 day in Aurangabad? Here is our suggested Aurangabad 1 day itinerary (which we also followed) to help you plan your day (and some additional suggestions in case you decide to spend more than a day!)

Table of Contents
1 Grishneshwar Temple
2 Ellora Caves
3 Bibi Ka Maqbara
4 Other Places To Visit In Aurangabad
4.1 Ajanta Caves
4.2 Daulatabad Fort
4.3 Aurangabad Caves

Grishneshwar Temple

Start your day with a visit to Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga temple. It is located 30 kilometres away from Aurangabad and 1 kilometre from Ellora Caves. Despite being one of the only 12 jyotirlingas in India, it is not as crowded as others. You will find fewer touts there as compared to other temples. Mobile phones are not allowed inside. There are many shops outside the temple where you can deposit mobile phones for INR 5. We were in and out of the temple within 30 minutes.

Ellora Caves

Although Ajanta and Ellora are often used together, both are different caves and about 100 kilometres apart. While Ajanta has only Buddhist rock-cut caves, Ellora has rock-cut caves built by Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. While Ajanta caves are known for ancient cave paintings, Ellora caves are known for their extraordinary architecture. Both caves have sculptures. If you have only a day in Aurangabad, I would suggest visiting the Ellora caves as it is near to Aurangabad.

There are 34 caves in Ellora – Buddhist (Caves 1 to 12), Hindu (Caves 13 to 29), and Jain (Caves 30 to 34). The most astonishing of all the caves is Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Kailasa temple is the largest of all the rock-cut caves in Ellora and has many sculptures and carvings. Although some of the carvings are worn off but they are still magnificent. Keep aside at least 30 minutes for Kailasa temple only. You may skip other caves if short on time.

Bibi Ka Maqbara

Ellora Caves will take most of your time and energy. End your day by visiting Bibi Ka Maqbara, located in the heart of Aurangabad. It is a mausoleum built by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in memory of his wife Dilras Banu Begum. Bibi Ka Maqbara has a striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal, the mausoleum of Aurangzeb’s mother. It is also referred to as the Taj of the Deccan. Despite being not as grand as the Taj Mahal, Bibi ka Maqbara is still a beautiful and nice place to spend the evening.

Other Places To Visit In Aurangabad

Ajanta Caves

Ajanta Caves are located about 100 kilometres away from Aurangabad. Keep a day exclusively for Ajanta Caves and do not include anything else since half of the day will go into travelling only.

Daulatabad Fort

Daulatabad Fort was built in the 12th century and is located about 15 kilometres away from Aurangabad. The fort is not in good condition and involves lots of walking. We didn’t visit the fort but locals told us that the top of the fort provides amazing city views.

Aurangabad Caves

If you think Ajanta and Ellora Caves are too far to your liking, you can visit Aurangabad Caves which are just about 3 kilometres from Bibi ka Maqbara. There are 12 caves in Aurangabad Caves, all are Buddhist. These caves are much smaller, less visited, and more worn out than Ajanta and Ellora Caves. You may give it a miss if you have visited either of the Ajanta or Ellora caves.