Aurangabad
city serves as the headquarters of the district of the same name.
Located on the right bank of the Kham River, the city is visited by a
large number of tourists every year. One of the major attractions of
Aurangabad is that it serves as the gateway to the exotic caves of
Ajanta and Ellora, two of the World Heritage Sites in Maharashtra. Apart
from that, there are a number of other tourist places near the city that
make excellent excursions from it. These excursion places, combined with
the attractions of the Aurangabad city itself, make it so popular
amongst visitors. Given below is information on the major excursions
from Aurangabad.Daulatabad Fort
Daulatabad Fort is a magnificent fort situated in Maharashtra, at a distance of around 13 km from the Aurangabad city. It forms a part of the Daulatabad city, which was earlier known as 'Devigiri'. The fort, perched at a height of approximately 60 ft, dates back to the 12th century.
Ghrishneshwar Temple
Ghrishneshwar Temple is a very revered temple, situated in the state of Maharashtra. It lies very near to the Buddhist caves of Ellora, only half a kilometer away, and serves as the abode of one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Ajanta Caves
Ajanta Caves are one of the most magnificent Buddhist caves in the whole of India. They are situated at a distance of approximately 100 km from Aurangabad and 40 km from Jalgaon. Counted amongst the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Maharashtra
Ellora Caves
Ellora Caves are situated in Maharashtra, at a distance of approximately 30 km from the city of Aurangabad. Founded in the period between 5th century and 10th century AD, these caves were declared as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, a number of years back.
Khuldabad
The holy village of Khuldabad, meaning the Abode of Eternity, houses the tomb of Aurangzeb, the last Mughal Emperor. A simple structure, it serves as a reminder of the frugal life led by the great ruler. It was constructed, as per his instructions, with the few rupees he had earned by stitching cloth caps.
Lonar
Situated at a distance of almost 122 km from Aurangabad, Lonar forms the site of one of the world's 5 largest craters, with its diameter being nearly 1.75 km, and depth being nearly 132 m. It was formed nearly 50,000 years ago, by the impact of a meteorite. One can find a beautiful lake at its base, which was formed over thousands of years, by the perennial streams flowing into the crater. This lake has become a preferred retreat for birds like flamingoes, moorhen, coot, peacocks and dabchicks. A number of temples, with exquisite carvings and built around 12th-13th century, can be found on the embankment of the lake.
Shani Shignapur
Shani Shignapur is a village, situated 68 km from Aurangabad. It is famous for housing a splendid temple, dedicated to Shani Dev. One of the remarkable features of the village is that in it, none of the houses have locks and it hasn't witnessed a single theft till date. The villagers say the houses are protected by Shani Dev himself.
Pariyon ka Talab
Pariyon ka Talab, meaning the 'Lake of Fairies', lies around 60 km from Aurangabad. Situated on the banks of the lake is a beautiful temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Paithan
Paithan is an ancient city, located 56 km away from Aurangabad. It has been constructed on the embankment of Godavari River and is known for its beautiful 'Paithanis' - silk sarees woven with elaborate zari borders. One of the major attractions of the city is Jayakwadi Dam, which comprises of a garden and dancing fountains in its complex.
Pithalkora
Pithalkora is nothing but, a group of 13 cave sanctuaries. Located on the ancient trade route, these sanctuaries have been found to dates back to as far back as the 2nd century BC.
