Aurangabad is a town situated in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra state in India. Aurangabad is additionally the administrative capital of the centrally situated Marathwada region. The city is an important industrial hub, as well as a tourism hub, and is surrounded by several historical monuments and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Ajanta and Ellora caves. The city is heading towards industrial growth however retains its past glory and charms, heritage and traditions. The heritage of Aurangabad is linked with different Muslim rulers and dynasties of India. Known for its arts and crafts, and especially its silk, Aurangabad has plenty of markets from where you can buy various local handicrafts, exotic gems, shawls, and of course, the region’s famous paithani silk sarees.

BEST TIME TO VISIT AURANGABAD

The best time to go to Aurangabad is between October to March as during this time the city remains pleasant and green. Monsoon is also a nice time to visit the city of Aurangabad as the temperature remains nearly 35°C during this time. The summer season sets in during March and lasts till May. During this time, the temperature of the city generally varies from a minimum of 27 °C to a maximum of 31°C. So, travelers usually avoid visiting the place during summers.

HOW TO REACH AURANGABAD

By Air: Aurangabad Airport is connected to all major parts of the country. It has connecting flights to cities like Delhi, Udaipur, Mumbai, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Pune, and Nagpur. From the airport, buses and cabs are easily available to all major tourist places in the city.

By Road: Aurangabad is served by two bus stations namely Central Bus station and CIDCO bus station which are located around 6 km away from each other. Both government and private buses, operate daily services, thereby connecting the city to other major Indian cities by road.

By Rail: Aurangabad railway station has good rail network which connects with Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Shirdi, Nasik, Pune, Amritsar, Madurai, Bhopal, Chennai, Rajkot, etc. Regular trains to Aurangabad are available from all major railway stations across the country.

Now Coming to top attractions, here are the must-see places in Aurangabad…

1. Grishneshwar Temple

Grishneshwar temple also known as the Ghrneshwar. It is one amongst the shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva that is referenced in the Shiva Purana. The word Ghrneshwara means “lord of compassion”. The temple is an important pilgrimage site in the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, which considers it as the last or twelfth Jyotirlinga. Devotees believe that praying this Jyotirlinga is equal to the worship all the other and the Lord will take away all their sufferings. The Grishneswar temple is an illustration of south Indian temple architectural style and structure.

Opening time: 5:00 AM – 8:00 PM, open every day of the week

Entry fee: N/A

Ideal for: God Lovers, Nirvana Seekers

Distance from the station: 29.3 Km

2. Bibi Ka Maqbara

The Bibi ka Maqbara is a beautiful mausoleum of Rabia- Ul – Daurani alias Dilras Banu Begum, the wife of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Bibi ka Maqbara was made by Aurangzeb within the year 1661 in the memory of his better half. The monument resembles the famous Taj Mahal, as the main inspiration for building the design was from here and is often referred to as the Taj of the Deccan. Incidentally, this is one of the largest structures to have been built during Aurangzeb’s reign.  The Mughal architects led great importance on having a stream passing by the structures they erected with a garden based on a Charbagh pattern.

Opening time: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, open every day of the week

Entry fee: Rs. 15 per person for Indians, Rs. 200 per person for foreign tourists

Ideal for: History Buffs, Experience Seekers

Distance from the station: 5.5 Km

3. Ajanta Caves

The Ajanta Caves are approximately 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments which go back to 2nd century BCE to about 480 CE in Aurangabad district. The caves embrace paintings and rock-cut sculptures described as among the best surviving examples of ancient Indian art, particularly expressive paintings that present emotion through gesture, pose and form. These caves have increased the interest of those who love art and history and are marveled at the fact of the carvings by hand in the hard rock. Here one can see the life of man depicted in stone art, done only with a hammer and chisel, and the beliefs of Buddhism.

Opening time: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, open every day of the week except Monday

Entry fee: Rs. 30 per person for Indians, Rs. 500 per person for foreign tourists

Ideal for: History Buffs, Experience Seekers, Photo Fanatics, Adventure seekers

Distance from the station: 28.5 Km

4. Ellora Caves

Ellora is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, India. It is one of the biggest and the most important rock-cut monastery-temple cave complexes in the world, that includes Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain monuments, and artwork, dating from the 600–1000 CE period. These hand-carved caves were built and sponsored by the Indian rulers of those periods and are almost buried by thick forests all around. One of the most famous sites in the Ellora Caves is the Kailash Temple, which is also the single largest monolithic structure in the world.

Opening time: Sunrise – Sunset, open every day of the week except Tuesday

Entry fee: Rs. 40 per Indian, Rs. 600 per foreigner

Ideal for: History Buffs, Photo Fanatics, Experience Seekers

Distance from the station: 28.5 Km

5. Aurangabad caves

The Aurangabad caves are twelve rock-cut Buddhist shrines situated on a hill running roughly from east to west, close to the city of Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The Aurangabad Caves were made out of comparatively soft basalt rock during the 6th and 7th century. The caves are divided into three separate groups based on their location: these are usually called the “Western Group”, the “Eastern Group”, and a “Northern Cluster”. The statues and carvings of Buddha, Indian deities and complex sculptural panels here makes it an important destination for avid history lovers and researchers as well.

Opening time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, open every day of the week

Entry fee: Rs. 10 per person for Indians, Rs. 100 per person for foreign tourists

Ideal for: History Buffs, Photo Fanatics, Experience Seekers

Distance from the station: 7.5 Km

6. Kailasa Temple

The Kailasha temple is the biggest monolithic rock-cut temple in the world, located in the Ellora Caves. The Kailash Temple is the sixteenth cave, and it is one of the 32 cave temples and monasteries forming the beautiful Ellora Caves. As per the historical records, it was built by the 8th century Rashtrakuta King Krishna I between the year 756 and 773 AD. The Kailash Temple is a standalone, multi-storeyed temple complex, constructed to appear like Mount Kailash – the puranic home of Lord Shiva. The temple houses many complex carved panels, depicting scenes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the adventures of Krishna.

Opening time: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, open every day of the week except Tuesday

Entry fee: Rs. 10 for Indians, Rs. 250 for Foreigner

Ideal for: History buffs. photo fanatics

Distance from the station: 28.5 Km

7. Salim Ali Lake

Salim Ali Lake is found near Delhi Gate, one of the many Gates in Aurangabad, opposite Himayat Bagh, Aurangabad. It is located in the northern part of the town. During the Mughal period, it was known as Khiziri Talab. There is a 60 feet watchtower at the lake which is a perfect spot to click pictures and revel in the panoramic view of the entire city.  This lake is a beautiful bird-watching spot, nesting a wide variety and number of migratory birds. There is also a well-stocked bird sanctuary at the lake which is a humble abode to many local and foreign exotic species of birds.

Opening time: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, open every day of the week

Entry fee: Rs. 10 per person for Indians, Rs. 100 per person for foreign tourists

Ideal for: Nature Lovers, Adventure Seekers

Distance from the station: 6.9 Km

8. Bhadra Maruti Temple

Bhadra Maruti Temple, Khultabad is a temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Hanuman, located at Khuldabad, near Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The temple is situated four kilometers from the Ellora caves. At this temple, the idol of Hanuman is portrayed in a reclining or sleeping posture. It is one amongst the only three places where Hanuman is represented in a sleeping posture. The Bhadra Maruti Temple is known as one of the tourist attractions close to Aurangabad and folks gather throughout auspicious occasions like Hanuman Jayanti and Ram Navami.

Opening time: 5:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM, opens every day of the week

Entry fee: N/A

Ideal for: God Lovers, architecture lovers

Distance from the station: 26 Km

9. Bani Begam Bagh

25 kilometers off the roads of Aurangabad, the charismatic and extremely impressive Bani Begum Gardens is situated.  Amidst the manicured garden, one can find the group of tombs, which are the mausoleum of Bani Begum, the consort of one of Aurangzeb’s son. And that’s maybe the reason why it is known as Bani Begum Garden.  Her tomb is situated in the center of this garden. With massive fountains and cisterns sprinkled in the garden, Bani Begum Gardens looks quite similar to the typical Mughal garden.

Opening time: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, open every day of the week

Entry fee: N/A

Ideal for: Nature Lovers, History Buffs

Distance from the station: 25 Km

10. Siddharth Garden

Siddharth Garden is a beautiful garden spread over a large area and it has a green outlook. The garden is divided into two parts – one a garden with lawns and another one is a small zoo. The garden also has a small aquarium, though the major attraction of the tourist is the Siddharth Garden Zoo. There is a zoo located in the garden where you can find many wild animals like tigers, lions, leopards, Civet cats, snakes (snake house), crocodiles, emu, fox, deer, hyena and more. Siddharth Garden is a great spot for those who wants to spend some time amid peace and relax.

Opening time: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM, open every day of the week

Entry fee: N/A

Ideal for: Nature Lovers

Distance from the station: 3.2 Km