Aurangabad, which was declared Maharashtra Capital of Tourism by the government back in 2010, is a popular tourist hub that welcomes its tourists with a richly woven tapestry of sights and sounds. Maharashtra’s Aurangabad City is the state’s sixth most populous city, and is an important cultural center. The town has a hilly landscape and is the center of art, education, and trade. Aurangabad is also renowned nationwide for its silk and cotton clothing. Although being not a metropolitan town, it is internally well-connected through urban transportation services. It has a well-developed bus, metered taxis, and hire-driven chauffeur-driven car network.
In Aurangabad the most popular and important place to visit is the caves of Ajanta and Ellora. It is the town’s most significant historical asset. The caves of Ajanta were constructed around the 2nd to 6th century A.D. And sometime during the 6th and 11th century A.D. the Ellora Caves were built. Ajanta Caves is home to 29 different caves, all of which exhibit Buddhist artwork from the period between 200 B.C and 650 A.D. Bibi Ka Maqbara, Daulatabad Fort, Jama Mosque, Grishneshwar Temple, Himayat Bagh, Salim Ali Lake and Panchakki, to name but a few, are other important sites to visit in and around Aurangabad.
Best time to Visit Aurangabad
During the winters November to February is the best time to visit Aurangabad. Winters are pleasant with clear skies and cold temperatures, making this a beautiful vacation experience. Given that most of the city’s tourist attractions are located outdoors, it is best to avoid the monsoons as they seriously limit sightseeing.
How to Reach Aurangabad
By Road – Aurangabad is conveniently connected by road to Nagpur, Mumbai and Pune. Maharashtra’s government operates regular AC bus service from Mumbai and Pune to Aurangabad. Taxis are available from all nearby towns and can be booked at reasonable prices on the spot. A new express highway is being developed in Nagpur-Aurangabad-Mumbai to cater for the increasing number of tourists.
By Train – Aurangabad falls within the Indian Railways South-Central Zone and is well connected by rail to Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Pune, Nagpur and Shirdi. Mumbai’s express trains are most frequent and convenient including the fast Aurangabad Janshatabdi Express.
By Air – Aurangabad Airport links the town to all of the country’s major regions. It has flights that connect to Delhi, Udaipur, Mumbai, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Pune and Nagpur. From the airport, all major tourist places in the city are easily accessible by bus and cab.
