Aurangabad Trip Overview
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ajanta contains thirty carved Buddhist caves overlooking a scenic gorge. You will have a guided tour of these caves and learn about the caves’ architecture, Buddhist legacy and artistic masterpieces. The caves include paintings and sculptures described as the finest surviving examples of Indian art.
Additional Info
Duration: 6 hours
Starts: Aurangabad, India
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ajanta contains thirty carved Buddhist caves overlooking a scenic gorge. You will have a guided tour of these caves and learn about the caves’ architecture, Buddhist legacy and artistic masterpieces. The caves include paintings and sculptures described as the finest surviving examples of Indian art.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Ajanta Caves Road, Ajanta 431001 India
You will be picked up from your hotel / fixed point within city center and start your tour. The Buddhist caves of Ajanta were discovered by British officers in 1819. The Ajanta Caves were first mentioned in the writings of the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang who visited India between AD 629 and 645. The caves at Ajanta are older than those at Ellora. The thirty caves at Ajanta are set in a steep crescent-shaped hillside. The caves offer mesmerizing sculptures and paintings depicting Buddha’s life as well as his previous lives. Five of these caves are Chaityas (Places of worship) while the other 25 are Viharas (monasteries). The Ajanta Caves can be chronologically divided into two phases, the early Buddhist caves of 2nd century BC to first century AD and the Mahayana caves dating to 5th century AD.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Ajanta, Ajanta, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra
Ajanta is located on an ancient trade route known as ‘Dakshinapatha’. The Dakshinapatha trade route was one of two great highways that connected different parts of the sub-continent since the Iron Age. Monasteries continued to operate here at least till the 8th century AD after which the site was forgotten till its rediscovery in 1819. The 30 caves, including the unfinished ones, were inhabited by Buddhist monks and religious devotees for more than 800 years. The caves are an outstanding testimony to the evolution of Indian art, representing the flourishing Buddhist architecture and religious influence of the prominent religion under the rule of the Guptas (the Gupta Empire’s zenith is between 320 AD and 550 AD also called the Golden Age of India). The caves have both female and male representations. These are the only caves where you will find depictions from both, the Hinayana and Mahayana sects of Buddhism. You will be transferred back to your hotel or a point within city center.
Duration: 3 hours
