The pride of India, Ajanta and Ellora Caves are truly a delight to the eyes. Located in Maharashtra, these are rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments depicting the incredible artistry and skills of the Indian craftsmen hundreds of years ago. Their architectural beauty has earned them the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site. History buffs and other travelers come from across the globe to see these caves.
Ajanta Caves (Closed on Monday)
Located in the Sahyadri hills of Ajanta, these caves are around 30 in number and the most arresting Buddhist caves in India. The history of the caves dates back to 1819 AD when a British officer accidently discovered these caves which were covered with dense forest. They were built in the middle of a gigantic rock. The wonderful painting on the walls of the caves narrates stories about Buddhism when it was in its evolution phase. Some paintings depict Lord Buddha and Bodhisattvas; some other depicts the incidents from Buddha’s life. The sculptures inside the caves are simply superb. The Archaeological Survey of India describes these caves as the finest surviving examples of Indian art, particularly painting. Caves like 8, 9, 10, 12, 13 and 15 belong to the Hinayana sect of Buddhism whereas cave number 1, 2, 16, 17, 19 and 26 are related to the Mahayana sect. The remaining caves consist of monasteries. The very purpose of building the caves was to provide a peaceful place for the Buddhist monks to pray and to stay.
Ellora Caves (Closed on Tuesday)
These enchanting caves were built in the time period between 5th and 10th century AD by the rulers of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty. They were built out of the vertical face of the Charanandri Hills and are 108 km from Ajanta Caves. The cave complex consists of 34 caves representing the three different religions of the world- Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism which is a proof that religious harmony existed during that time. It is also a World Heritage Site. There are temples as well as the monasteries inside the cave complex. The Kailash Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva inside cave 16 is the largest monolithic structure in the whole world.
One of our destination expert will be in touch with you to plan an exceptional holiday for you...
The arrangement of our trip was so perfectly done, that i could not find even a single fault or drawback for which i could provide a suggestion. We are so much impressed and touched by the hospitality and services provided. To be frank, we have already started to plan for our next holiday, may be sometime in the end of the year. We will get back to you soon :-) Thanks again Exceptional Escapes.....you guys are truly EXCEPTIONAL!!!! -
The trip in general has been exceptional
The driver was a sweetheart. Always bringing me something to eat or drink and also always carrying a beautiful smile -
Airport Representative was very Good Tour & Guide Services was very Good Ground Services was excellent Hotel Services was excellent -
Generally all are good except that in shimla. Silverine hotel is not a suitable hotel for elderly people as they need to walk up and downhill to the hotel….though the place is ideal for shoppers -
Thank you so very much for going above and beyond to ensure that we had a wonderful trip. I have been telling everyone about your hospitality. I truly had a great time and I especially am thankful for all your organizing and to take time to show us your family and invite us to your home. You have a beautiful family and I think Choti (your little sister) is so adorable -
Hi Gaurav, thanks for following up and for all your efforts in making all the necessary arrangements for my trip. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. A few suggestions on how you might improve your services for future bookings -
Many thanks for putting together a wonderful and memorable vacation for us. We thoroughly enjoyed it. We did not find anything lacking from your side. It was our first visit to India and it seems like we are already planning to be back. The pace was hectic so we did not find much time to visit the local markets which we will have to make up next time -
We reached home safely on Sunday morning (USA time) and slept most of the day. I cannot thank you enough for all your help and efforts in making our trip such a wonderful success. I will never forget the experiences we had and fun time we enjoyed all throughout the trip. I will send you pictures soon.....'not to worry!!!' -
We waited almost two years to meet again and it was well worth it. Everybody had a fantastic time and loved every moment of it. Your friend speaks very good English now and we all wish her well in the future. It seems that shopping with your friend was the highlight of the trip, the ladies would not stop talking about it -
