Mumbai Trip with Exploring Ajanta & Ellora Caves

We reached Mumbai Airport; the journey was comfortable and safe. The airport was furnished with artworks. The ceilings and flooring are well maintained. The airport was equipped with a smoke room and prayer room. We find many options to eat and drink. On the way to hotel we had lunch from a restaurant.

We reached the hotel which was located at Mumbai's Nariman Point. The Oberoi group is one of the well known for having luxurious hotels in India. We booked our room in advance so that they provided a suite room, which was very comfortable and spacious. It was best as we planned for a luxurious trip. The hotel was equipped with 24 hours fitness center as well as a spa center. We enjoyed the room and hotel amenities. We took Uber from the hotel, which was a convenient and comfortable option to travel around.

The Gateway of India is the entrance point of India from the seaways and a great historical monument built during British rule. We enjoyed the view and saw the local vendors trying to sell their stuff. We walked towards the Colaba Causeway Market, Walkeshwar Temple, or the Nehru Science Centre, all of which are nearby. We returned to hotel and had dinner from the restaurant.

We had a luxurious breakfast from the hotel with a lot of options. The hotel has three restaurants: world cuisine, Italian, and Indian. We choose Indian food, their scrambled egg with spices was delicious with a cup of Tea.

We met a guide at Gateway of India; from there we took a ferry to the Elephanta Caves. We took about 1hour to reach the Elephanta Caves from Gateway of India on the Arabian Sea.

The Elephanta cave is a must-see destination in Mumbai. We saw the large three-headed Shiva sculpture and explore the 3 caves. The place is a combination of 5 Hindu Caves and 2 Buddist Caves, each with a unique feature. The journey was fun-filled, we studied stories and features behind each cave. After exploring, our guide dropped us back to the ferry point and our tour to Elephanta cave ended at Gateway of India.

We had lunch at The Table hotel. The ambiance and location of the hotel make it a great place for lunch. We tried onion soup and boneless chicken wings, which was unique in taste.

Our next destination was also known as the Queen’s Necklace. This place was more attractive during the evening, we enjoyed pathway walk in the beauty of the sunset. We enjoyed the sparkling waters of the Arabian Sea and the amazing feeling of the cold breeze. It is the best place to try authentic street foods like Belpuri, chatt items etc…of Mumbai city. Actually, it is a C-shaped way that stretches from the southern end of Nariman Point to the Girgaum Chowpatty aka Chowpatty Beach. Marine Drive is one of the best places to eat out while in Mumbai. We had dinner from the Long and Short – Hotel InterContinental.

We reached hotel after dinner from the Long and Short – Hotel InterContinental.

Our first destination was an Islamic mosque and a tomb of a saint. It is located at the heart of the city and an important landmark in Mumbai. We saw people from all parts of the world without any restrictions offered their prayers for the fulfillment of their wishes. The tomb was located on an island near the Worli coast.

The Siddhivinayak Mandir is one of the wealthiest temples in the country. It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha. The doors are wooden and carved with the image of Ashtavinayak. It is the most popular temple in Mumbai city. We saw an image of Lord Hanuman near the main entrance. The ceiling of the temple is covered with gold sheets, where Lord Ganesha gives an eye-catching view to all devotees. We had lunch from Hotel Aaswad and headed to the next destination.

Our next destination was Mani Bhavan Gandhi Museum located on Laburnam Road. The museum stored the memory of Mahatma Gandhi with lots of things and articles used by Gandhi himself. The surroundings were covered with lush green trees. It was a two-floored building with a photo gallery and Gandhi's spinning wheel and personal belongings.

Colaba Causeway is a perfect spot for shopping as well as for street foods. It is typically a commercial street that sits between Colaba and Old Woman’s Island. Some shops are shut at night but some shops continue. The street vendors sell some stuff that can be bargained for to a great extent. We had some light dinner from Bade Miyan, which is famous in the city. The day was so busy, our driver dropped us back to hotel.

After breakfast, we set the day only for some places. The hotel front desk arranged a cab for another major attraction in Mumbai city.

Our first destination was a museum that was formerly known as the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India. It is one of the premier art and history museums in India, which is loaded with many antique documents and objects. We saw some craft items from countries like China that were preserved here. There is an old map of Bombay which tells about the history. It was a perfect destination for history lovers.

On the way to Juhu beach, we had lunch from Golden Dragon. It is the best restaurant in Taj Mahal Palace. The ambiance of the restaurant and services offered by them attracts most tourists. We tried lobster with butter sauce and golden prawns, both are good but less spicy.

We reached the last destination in Mumbai, Juhu beach. It is the most famous beach in Mumbai, crowded with a lot of tourists. It was the destination for many filmmakers for the shooting of many Bollywood movies. We had some lip-smacking street food. We played for some time by splashing water. We saw many domestic people came to spend their evenings with family or friends.

We had very light dinner from the hotel. We packed our belongings and had comfortable sleep.

We checked out the hotel after breakfast and headed towards Aurangabad. The hotel front desk helped us to arrange car. Their service was great.

We left in the morning flight from Mumbai Airport and arrived by noon at the Aurangabad airport. It was expensive to travel via a flight to utilise the time we chose flight. Aurangabad airport was clean and neat with essential facilities.

The Fern Residency was a first-class hotel with contemporary accommodation, a multi-cuisine restaurant with a bar, and a swimming pool. The hotel is located at the heart of the city, it is easy to access the airport and other major attractions. The hotel was newly renovated with new furniture and a comfortable bed with spacious rooms. We ordered lunch from the restaurant at the hotel. The food was good and fresh.

After a short break, we started to explore Aurangabad. The town is an excellent base for exploring the World Heritage Sites of Ellora and Ajanta. This day evening was set for local sightseeing. The hotel front desk arranged a cab and the driver was very polite.

Our first destination was Tomb of the Lady or Bibi ka Maqbara. It was built by Aurangzeb as a memorial for his wife Dilras Banu Begum in the middle of a garden. The garden increases the beauty of the monument with its layout and a fountain. The structure of the tomb is the same as the Taj Mahal, so it also is known as the Taj of the Deccan.

We returned to the hotel. We ate dinner from the hotel with a vast buffet. They provide many options starting with soup to the desert. The restaurant ambience was excellent. The next two days were dedicated to exploring the architectural masterpieces of Aurangabad. The hotel front desk arranged a quick trip to Ajanta and Ellora caves.

First, we headed towards Ajanta caves. Our way has bumpy roads, which created a little disappointment. We met many tourists from different parts of the world to visit Ajanta caves, which are declared as World Heritage Center by UNESCO. It is a group of 30 rock-cut Buddhist caves, which are considered as the finest pieces of ancient Indian architecture.

We reached Ajanta Visitor Center is the largest compared to Ellora Visitor Center. It has five museum halls with models of the four main caves. We visited Cave 1, it is one of the most popular caves in Ajanta. The grand doorway is beautified with Bodhisattva murals and the sidewalls depict important phases of Buddha’s life. Other caves must visit are Cave 2, Cave 4, and Cave 17. Each cave has paintings and sculptures.

We wind up our trip to Ajanta Caves. We had lunch from a nearby small restaurant. The food was good and reasonable for price.

We returned to hotel and had dinner and comfortable sleep.

After breakfast, our driver picked up from the hotel and headed towards Ellora caves. It is also recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Center.

On the way to Ellora, we made a stop at the Tomb of Emperor Aurangzeb, which was very simple.

We reached Ellora Caves, which has 34 caves, each of which has its features. Due to lack of time, we visited only Cave 1, Cave 2, and Cave 16. At Cave 16, we saw the largest monolithic structure in the world- Kailash Temple. It is an important pilgrimage center for Lord Shiva followers.

We had lunch from MTDC Ellora restaurant, which is located within the cave complex. Their menu has enough options to choose. We ate thali-jeera rice with dal fry was a perfect combo.

On the way back we stopped at a beautiful garden to spend some leisure time with nature. It was created by the grandson of Aurangazeb in memory of his wife. It is the best place to relax in the lush greenery and perfect landscape.

We had dinner at Amigos Kitchen, which is best for Chinese foods. The dining area was very neat and well furnished. We enjoyed soft music played on the background.

After breakfast, we checked out and started to Pune. The hotel front office helped us to book a cab. The hotel staff and their service were excellent and very polite.

We reached Pune, it has always been a favorite city for us. The city is always well-known for its heritage sites and pleasant environment.

After lunch, we reached the hotel which was booked online. It is located at the heart of the city, easily accessible and first-class hotel. We got a room with a bathtub and hot and cold running water facilities. The room was spacious with a city view from the window.

We headed to our first destination in Pune, Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapathi Temple. It is one of the popular tourist spots in Maharastra. The temple is made of marbles and the Ganesh idol with gold ornaments. We catch the glimpse of Lord Ganesha from the road itself. The temple complex was overloaded with the crowd.

We return to the hotel and had breakfast from the hotel restaurant. They presented a lavish buffet dinner. The food was good in taste and presented well. The desert was excellent and tasty.

After breakfast, we left for a city tour. The hotel desk arranged a cab for us, the driver was knowable about the city. The first destination he took us was Aga Khan Palace, the most famous historical monument in Pune city. In the palace, we saw Samadhis of Kasturba and Mahatma Gandhi. We saw five halls inside the building where Mahatma Gandhi and his fellow freedom fighters stayed after their arrest. We saw big statue of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi in the first hall. Then we moved to the garden which surrounded the palace. It is well-maintained.

We reached Shaniwar Wada Fort, which is a very important place in Indian history. It is an amazing spot for photography. We entered the fort through the main entrance of the Shaniwar Wada, Delhi Darwaza. Other 4-entrances are there but not functioning for the public.

After lunch, we headed to our next destination, Pataleshwar temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. At the entrance, we saw huge pillars that act as the foundation of the complex. We saw finely crafted pillars and Nandhi mandapa, which added the beauty of the cave.

We reached Bund Garden, which is located in the city. It is one of the beautiful well-maintained gardens in the city. We spend hours here to relax and enjoy nature. We saw many local people spending time with their family and friends. It is a perfect picnic spot.

We reached the hotel and had dinner from the restaurant. We ordered fried rice and chicken grill. It was delicious and fresh with less oil and spice. We had some light drinks too from the bar.

After a lavish breakfast, we spend some time at the hotel using the pool and fitness center. By noon we headed towards the airport to catch our flight to home town.