Planning a Trip

Getting There -- The quickest way to get here is to fly; Aurangabad's airport is just 10km (6 1/4 miles) from the city center; Kingfisher (tel. 022/6649-9393 in Mumbai, or 1-800/233-3131 anywhere in the country; www.flykingfisher.com) flies from Mumbai each night at 8:30pm (landing an hour later), and there's a 2-hour flight from Udaipur at 11:15am. Jet Airways (tel. 022/3989-3333 or 1-800/225-522 in Mumbai, 0240/244-1392 in Aurangabad) and Air India (tel. 022/2202-3031 or 1-800/180-1407) also flies here. For a cheaper, fairly comfortable, but much longer journey, book an air-conditioned chair car seat on the Tapovan Express for an early morning departure from Mumbai, arriving in Aurangabad nearly 7 1/2 hours later. If you'd rather not waste half a day traveling, an alternative is the overnight Deogiri Express, although you'll be pulling in at an inconvenient time very early in the morning.

Visitor Information -- You'll find a tourist information booth at the airport arrivals hall, where you can pick up brochures on Aurangabad, Ajanta, and Ellora. The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) office at Krishna Villa, on Station Road (tel. 0240/233-1217 or 0240/236-4999; Mon-Fri 8:30am-6pm, Sat 8:30am-2pm), is where you can get tourism-related information and book a private guide for the caves, although it's cheaper to pick one up at the caves themselves. The state tourist office at the MTDC Holiday Resort (Station Rd., Aurangabad; tel. 0240/233-4259; www.maharashtratourism.gov.in; daily 7am-1pm and 3-8pm) operates tourist buses to Ajanta (Rs 300) and Ellora (Rs 200).

Getting Around -- Taxis and auto-rickshaws are widely available in Aurangabad, and you'll be approached at the airport by the usual touts offering you a "good deal." Though the scamsters and touts here are far less aggressive or annoying than those you encounter farther north, always arrange the fare upfront; a taxi from the airport into the city should cost about Rs 250. Classic Travel Services (at the MTDC Holiday Resort; tel. 0240/233-7788 or -5598, or 93-2521-2444; www.classictours.info; contact@classicservices.in) will arrange just about any type of transport for travel within Aurangabad and environs (count on around Rs 2,000 for a full day with a car and driver, less if you're only going to Ellora); if you're in any way unsure, ask to speak to Anil Kumar (tel. 93-2600-3533). All hotels have travel desks that will organize a car with a guide for any of the sights in the area; the best guides for the caves can be organized through Kishoor at the travel desk at the Taj Residency.