Best of Maharashtra
Package price On Request
Product Code : AGORA164
This 10 days Best of Maharashtra tour will take you through some of the well-known and interesting places of this state. You will explore the financial capital of India Mumbai & UNESCO world heritage caves of Elephanta, Ajanta, Ellora, Karla & Bhaja. You will also visit ancient holy city Nasik & 2 Jyotirlinga Temples of lord shiva. Small village Sani Signapur famed for door less houses and hill of Lonavala & Khandala are also part of your itinerary.
Day 1: Arrive Mumbai
On arrival at Mumbai airport assistance & transfer to hotel (hotel check in/ out time 12pm). Rest time free to relax and personal activities. Overnight at hotel.
Day 2: Mumbai
Breakfast at hotel, morning excursion to Elephanta Caves (Monday closed). A flight of 100 steps takes you to the top of the hill where caves are located. Afterwards cruise back to Gateway of India.
Later city of Mumbai, drive pass Marine Drive one of the most beautifully laid boulevards in the city, CST & Parliament House. Visit The Gateway of India an arch-monument built to commemorate the landing of King-Emperor George V & Queen-Empress Mary in December 1911 at Apollo Bunder. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalay, a grade I Heritage Building of the city counted amongst one of the most prominent museums of India. The complex exhibits a myriad collection of ancient artefacts, artwork and sculptors of the country which give a unique insight into our past. Kala Ghoda Art Precinct area that stretches from the Regal Circle at the Southern end of Mahatma Gandhi Road, up to the Mumbai University at the northern end, flanked by the Oval Maidan to the west and the Lion Gate to the east. Its curious name, meaning Black Horse, can be traced back to a bronze equestrian statue of King Edward VII that existed there during the colonial era. Dhobhi Ghat to see the city famous open air laundry in action. Overnight at hotel.
Day 3: Mumbai - Nashik (170kms)
Breakfast at hotel, drive to Nashik check in at hotel.
Later visit Panchavati Temple complex on the bank of Godavari River which include Ram Kund where Lord Rama believed to have bathed in water tank. Shri Kalaram Sansthan Mandir an ancient shrine to Lord Rama, and Sita Gufaa caves.
Also visit Sundarnarayan Temple, ISKCON Temple & millennium old Pandavleni Caves. Overnight at hotel.
Day 4: Nashik - Aurangabad (170kms)
Breakfast at hotel, drive to Aurangabad via visiting Shirdi Sai Baba Temple.
Arrive Aurangabad check in at hotel. Later visit Bibi ka Maqbara built in 1678 is a sons loving tribute to his mother, Panchakki which discharged water on the wheel to power the flourmill and grind grain for the pilgrims & Aurangabad Caves artificial caves that were dug out of soft rock during the 6th & 7th century. Overnight at hotel.
Day 5: Aurangabad - Ajanja - Aurangabad (210kms round)
Breakfast at hotel, excursion to Ajanta (Monday closed). The Buddhist Caves of Ajanta were discovered by the British officers in 1819 while hunting tiger. 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 which date from about 200 BC to 650 AD. Thirty beautiful Buddhist Caves with mesmerizing sculptures and paintings depicting Buddha`s life as well the lives of the Buddha in his previous births. Five of these Caves are Chaityas (Place of worship) while the other twenty-five are Viharas (monasteries). Ajanta Caves are divided in two categories based on two schools of Buddhist thought - Hinayana Caves and Mahayana Caves.
Drive back to Aurangabad for overnight stay. Drive back to Aurangabad for overnight stay. Overnight at hotel.
Day 6: Aurangabad
Breakfast at hotel. Excursion to visit the Ellora Caves (Tuesday closed), a UNESCO World Heritage Site from about 200 BC. to 650 AD. There are 34 monasteries and temples at Ellora, belonging to the three different religions Buddhism, Hinduism & Jainism. Grishneshwar Temple one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines mentioned in the Shiva Purana. On way back visit Daulatabad Fort one of the most powerful forts of the medieval Deccan.
Also visit Bibi ka Maqbara built in 1678 is a sons loving tribute to his mother, Panchakki which discharged water on the wheel to power the flourmill and grind grain for the pilgrims & Aurangabad Caves artificial caves that were dug out of soft rock during the 6th & 7th century. Overnight at hotel.
Day 7: Aurangabad - Lonavala (290kms)
Breakfast at hotel, drive to Lonavala via visiting Shani Shingnapur. Shingnapur is famous for the fact that no house in the village has doors, only door frames. Despite this, officially no theft was reported in the village.
Continue drive to Lonavala check in at hotel. Rest time free to relax. Overnight at hotel.
Day 8: Lonavala/ Khandala
Breakfast at hotel. Visit The Karla Caves and the Bhaja Caves the ancient Buddhist shrines in Lonavala. These caves ware carved from solid granite rocks around 160 BC. It has an Ashoka stambh at the entrance. The caves have rooms for the monks who resided here a prayer hall and a huge stupa. It also has the temple of Ek Veera the goddess of the Koli flock who are the original residents of Mumbai. They feature massive pillars and intricate relief sculptures. South of the Bhaja Caves sits the imposing Lohagad Fort with its 4 gates. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj used this edifice to keep all his treasures safe. This mighty structure of the Maratha empire is interlinked with the Visapur Fort and is one of the best hill fortresses of the region. West of here is Bhushi Dam, where water overflows onto a set of steps during rainy season. Overnight at hotel.
Day 9: Lonavala - Mumbai (85kms)
Breakfast at hotel, drive to Mumbai check in at hotel.
Optional shopping tour in Mumbai with your driver. You can visit famous malls & markets in Dadar, Fort, Colaba Causeway. Overnight at hotel.
Day 10: Mumbai - Departure
Breakfast at hotel. As per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination. (Standard hotel check out time 11 AM).
Assistance on arrival at airport.
9 Nights' accommodation in selected price category hotels.
Daily breakfast at hotels. Any other meal (lunch/ dinner) if clearly mentioned in the itinerary).
Private air-conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program.
English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program.
Monument entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary.
Bottled drinking water in car.
Government taxes.
Hotels used or similar for 9 nights accommodation
Mumbai x 3 nights
3* - Hotel Suba Palace/ BW Hotel Sahil
4* - Sun-N-Sand Hotel/ Fariyas Hotel
5* - Trident Hotel/ ITC Grand Central
Nashik x 1 nights
3* - Lily Sarovar Portico/ Holiday Inn Express
4* - Express Inn/ Hi 5 Hotel
5* - The Gateway Hotel Ambad/ The Source at Sula
Aurangabad x 3 nights
3* - 7 Apple Hotel Aurangabad / Ginger Aurangabad
4* - Ambassador Ajanta / VITS Hotel
5* - WelcomHotel Rama International / Lemon Tree Hotel
Lonavala x 2 nights
3* - Chandralok Hotel/ Viola Beacon Resort
4* - Countryside - Resort by Meritas/ Citrus Hotel
5* - Fariyas Resort Lonavala/ The Machan
Any flight tickets.
Camera charges at monuments.
Meals other than mentioned in day plan.
Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc.
Gratuities & optional activities.
Anything not mentioned in inclusions.