- home
- school tours
- Ajanta - Ellora
Ajanta - Ellora
Heritage ToursOverview
The gateway to the World Heritage Sites of Ajanta and Ellora, Aurangabad is named after the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb. Lying along the right bank of the Kham River, the city is the district headquarters of the region.
We visit the UNESCO World Heritage monument - The Ellora Caves. With its sequence of monuments dating from 600 AD to 1000 AD, Ellora Caves bring the ancient Indian Civilization to life. There are 34 caves carved with monasteries and temples dedicated to Buddhist, Hindu and Jain religions. With pillars, halls, wall carvings and intricate detailing; each one tells a different story, extending more than 2 Km on a high basalt cliff. Some of the more prominent caves are the Vishwakarma with its 3.3 m high seated Buddha in a teaching posture; the Kailasnath caves dedicated to Lord Shiva and various mythological stories about him and the Indra Sabha which belongs to the Digambara sect of Jain religion. There are imposing images of deities of the Jain religion, telling stories from the life and times of Neminath and Mahavira.
The Bibi-ka-maqbara was built by Aurangzeb’s son as a tribute to his mother, Begum Rabia-ud-Durani. It is a replica of the Taj Mahal, and stands out as the only example of Mogul architecture on the Deccan Plateau.
Find Similar Trips EnquireItinerary
Day 1
Pune - Aurangabad. Full day travel to Aurangabad. Onward transfer to hotel. In the afternoon, we undertake a city sightseeing tour of Aurangabad. The Pani Chakki is a late 17th century water mill that displays the engineering skills of Malik Ambar, the architect of Aurangabad City. It is surrounded by a picturesque garden-landscape dotted with fish tanks. The Bibi-ka-maqbara was built by Aurangzebs son as a tribute to his mother, Begum Rabia-ud-Durani. It is a replica of the Taj Mahal, and stands out as the only example of Mogul architecture on the Deccan Plateau. Overnight - Aurangabad.
Day 2
Enjoy a full day excursion to Ajanta Caves. Nestling in an inner fold of the Sahyadri hills, 100 kms from the city of Aurangabad in the shape of a mammoth horseshoe are the 30 rock-hewn caves of Ajanta, dating from 2nd century B.C. Discovered in 1819, by a group of British Offcers, these startling achievements took around 600 years to create. Carved with little more than a hammer and chisel, Ajanta, once the retreat of the Buddhist monastic orders features several Chaityas and Viharas. The exquisite paintings and sculptures of Buddhas life belong to the Mahayana period. Overnight - Aurangabad.
Day 3
In the morning head out to Ellora Caves. Impressive in their own right are the rock-hewn temples and monasteries of Ellora that lie just 30 kms away from Aurangabad City and are the meeting point of the Buddhists, Jains and Hindus. In all, there are 34 elaborate cave temples. This afternoon enjoy an excursion to Daulatabad Fort, a labyrinthine structure that was once covered in Persian tiles. Overnight - Aurangabad.
Day 4
Post breakfast leave for Jayakwadi Dam at Paithan. Jayakwadi Dam is a beautiful place with a garden where migratory birds and resident birds found here in abundance. Enroute have lunch. Reach Pune by 1700 hrs.
Faqs
-
Please tell me about Foliage Outdoors. For how many years are you in the field of Wildlife, Adventure and Trekking?
Foliage Outdoors is one of the most well-known eco-tourism organizations in Pune.
It is pioneer in arranging wildlife and adventure camps from Pune. Foliage Outdoors was established in the year 2000 by some of the most experienced and competent wildlife and tourism experts from the city. Since then, Foliage Outdoors has successfully conducted tours to the most exotic destinations, from Ladakh in the north to Andamans and Andaman Islands in the south and from Kaziranga and Sikkim in the East to the Rann of Kutch in the West. We traveled higher and farther. From Everest Base Camp to Antarctica and Arctic. We traveled to offbeat locations away from the civilized world.
-
How is the stay like?
Foliage Outdoors usually provides most comfortable accommodation generally on four-sharing basis in Resorts.
Some tours may include accommodation in tents or dormitories where the sole purpose of staying amidst the chirping of birds is in the heart of the forest.
Whatever be the stay, the same is clearly mentioned in the details of each tour. -
What are the food arrangements?
Foliage Outdoors is known to provide the best food arrangements for the students. The package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner which is mostly vegetarian. Last night dinner is usually non-vegetarian.
Food during train journey is included in the charges. The volunteers help children with food arrangements during the return train
-
Do Lady volunteers accompany on School Tours?
Every Foliage Outdoors Tour is accompanied by efficient lady volunteers. You can trust that your girl child will always have a Lady Volunteer with whom she will feel comfortable and safe.
-
Who are the Tour leaders?
Foliage Outdoors has fourteen years of experience in field of Wildlife and Adventure Tourism.
Foliage Outdoors has an able team of more than 100 instructors, volunteers and experts ranging from wildlife, adventure and trekking with a vast experience in conducting offbeat tours and nature camps for students.All our instructors and volunteers undergo a mandatory rigorous First Aid training once a year.
Our team is well-trained to handle various age groups and deal expertly with all sorts of emotional upheavals.
-
How will student benefit from Tour Programs ?
Programs designed & conducted by domain experts with in-depth knowledge of the ecology – plants, animals, birds, reptiles and the overall biodiversity.
A student-centric exclusive program specially designed by Foliage Outdoors to introduce nature-based learning to children and young adults.
Provide critical lessons in a fun and enjoyable way. Activities include nature trails, bird watching sessions, jungle safaris, nature games, basic conservation lessons etc.
The learning is deeply connected to our everyday lives and encourages students to become more aware and eco-friendly citizens.
Providing in-depth information about birds, mammals, reptiles and insects, conducting nature trails and informative slideshows, our team strives to deliver a complete and enriching program tailor-made for inquisitive minds. -
What about Safety ?
Safety comes first !
Safety is a major cause for concern among parents while sending them outside the house. We
recognize this fact and are ably equipped to guarantee students a safe environment throughout
the trip.All our destinations are equipped with proper transport and well-connected to the nearest hospitals.
At certain destinations, the doctor-on-call facility is also available.Besides the obvious physical safety, we recognize the need to also look out for the
emotional safety of all our students.
Our team is well-trained to handle various age groups and deal expertly with all sorts of emotional upheavals.
All our instructors and volunteers undergo a mandatory rigorous First Aid training once a year.







