Ajanta Caves
Buddhist cave monasteries with ancient paintings
Overview
The Ajanta Caves are about thirty rock-cut Buddhist caves in a horseshoe-shaped gorge, carved between about the second century BCE and the fifth century CE. They hold some of the finest surviving ancient Indian wall paintings.
The paintings, which illustrate the life of the Buddha and his previous lives, are fragile, so lighting and photography are restricted in some caves.
What to look for
- Cave 1 and its Bodhisattva Padmapani painting
- The paintings of Cave 2
- The carved chaitya hall of Cave 26
Visiting tips
- Ajanta is closed on Mondays.
- Allow most of a day: the journey from Aurangabad takes about three hours each way.
- Wear comfortable shoes; there are steps and uneven paths.
Why visit with a private guide
A private guide shows you where to stand, when to arrive and what most visitors miss at Ajanta Caves, and fits the visit around the rest of your day.
More photographs
Nearby
Bibi Ka Maqbara Daulatabad Fort Kailasa Temple Aurangzeb Tomb Lonar Crater Daitya Sudan Temple
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