Ajanta Caves Guided Day Tour

Memorable trip. Definitely worth the efforts. Some pros: 1. Opportunity to visit a beautiful place like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.these are masterpieces which helps one inttoapect and marvel at various levels - nature, architecture, art, spirituality, teamwork, conservation, sustainability... 2. We had an experienced guide - without that the visit would not be worthwhile 3. We visited in winter. Otherwise would be tough Cons: 1. The road is terrible so by the time one reaches Ajanta one is already tired 2. Not much supporting infrastructure like availability of restaurants. The busses which takes you to the location are also in bad shape. 3. Guide service is expensive In spite of the cons I do recommend everyone to visit this place

We really enjoyed our time going to the Ajanta Caves. It was extremely hot (45 degrees Celsius) so we had to take it slow and drink lots of water but we had a great time. Pick up and drop off went smoothly right from our hotel. Hrushy did a great job of communicating with us before the trip to make sure everything went as well as it could. Our tour guide gave us a description of what the caves were used for and even sang in one of the caves to show us how great the acoustics were in the cave. We booked with Travel Greed for this tour and we wish we had done so for our tour of the Ellora caves as well but we had already booked with another tour company for that one. The only thing they could have done better was to inform us of all of the people at the caves that would try to get us to leave our shoes with them for a cost as they said many people steal the shoes while people are in the caves. We asked our tour guide later who said that doesn't happen, and my mother was overwhelmed by the people trying to sell her things. A little information prior to arriving would have helped us prepare for this. I have spoken with Travel Greed about this and they thanked us for this feedback and will do a better job about this in the future. Otherwise we had a great trip. I can't say enough great things about Hrushy, he really made the experience seamless.

The Ajanta Caves are outstanding and our experience with this tour company was great, despite the 40 degree heat! Our trip to Ajanta started with a pick-up at our hotel, where we met with Hrishikesh, the Director of TravelGreed, our driver, and our guide, Pankaj. Hrishikesh was very flexible with starting the tour at 7:30 per our request instead of 7:00 am as advertised. It was a 3 hour drive from Aurangabad to Ajanta on a very bad road (development has been going on for the last 2 years and it’s quiet bumpy) but the car was comfortable and air-conditioned. Pankaj gave us a great explanation of the history of Aurangabad on our journey. When we arrived at the Ajanta car park/tourist stop, we had to take a ~10minute shuttle bus to the cave site. The bus is rickety and without air conditioning and the bus service along with the car park/tourist stop could use a lot of improvement, especially with regard to the amenities. The tourist centre at the cave site is slightly better developed and has a restaurant which could be better maintained. Overall the facilities at the caves (and the road to them) desperately need a boost from the government. Our tour of the caves itself was spectacular and ran smoothly. Pankaj was a very informative guide, especially when explaining the narrative behind the paintings - without which we would’ve been lost! He was extremely well-versed on the significance of each statue and painting and the technical aspects of building the temples. He also demonstrated the acoustics in the early Buddhist caves. The tour concluded with lunch at the restaurant in the tourist centre and travel back to the hotel. I would recommend this tour company, and for anyone interested in visiting the caves to be mindful of the weather/ facilities.

Ajanta Caves! So vast, lots of history and an unforgettable tour. Guides make all the difference when visiting a place like this, especially knowledgeable guides: that's where TravelGreed comes in. I'd been in India for a week and had been on some tours so was expecting the same "guide" treatment I’ve had. I was picked up on time at my hotel by Hrushikesh Palodkar and his driver. Hrushi give me a quick review of trip and enquired if I had any concerns (that was nice). As we drove to the site, we passed places (or things) of interest, which Hrushi pointed out and explained (totally amazing). I really appreciated that. We picked up another guide, Punkaj (sorry if name misspelt). Finally we got to the Ajanta Caves. Behold, my eyes just could not believe the magnificence of these caves and “I am actually here”. I was told there were numerous caves, I can visit all or choose as it can be strenuous. Hrushi assured me that we will move according to my pace (bonus!). I went into every cave possible and to my amazement, I even made it to the last cave. Whew! About Ajanta caves, these are ancient rock-cut caves found in a horse-shoe shaped mountain cliff. What baffled me is how did they cut or carved these caves out of solid rock? The ancient carvings and paintings date back to 2BCE, each with a fascinating historical story which Punkaj relayed with ease. My recommendation is give a full day to visit these caves. Don’t rush, take time to experience them. You won’t regret it. Photos allowed but NO flash in the caves. It is also dark, so take a small torch (or phone) – some caves are monasteries or shrines (sacred), you will need to remove your shoes, socks allowed. The site is also a World Heritage site (UNESCO). My highlight? In cave 26 – Punkaj did a prayer call – which was awesome, gave me goosebumps, everyone stood still. It was very touching. Thanks for that, Punkaj. Thanks TravelGreed.