Aurangabad Caves Timings and Entry Fees 2026 – Complete Details

I get more logistics questions about Aurangabad Caves than almost any other site in this region, mostly because it gets so little coverage online compared to Ajanta and Ellora. This is the short, direct answer to every timing and ticketing question I am usually asked, without padding it out unnecessarily.

Aurangabad Caves Timings

Open: Daily, Monday to Sunday, 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM

This is meaningfully different from Ajanta and Ellora, both of which open at 9:00 AM. Aurangabad Caves opens at 6:00 AM and stays open until sunset around 6:00 PM, with no weekly closure day. Local residents actually use this hillside as a morning-walk and sunrise spot, given the BAMU campus road leading up to it.

💡 Tip: This earlier and longer window makes Aurangabad Caves one of the more flexible sites in the region to slot into an itinerary — if your Ellora day got pushed to a Tuesday (when Ellora is closed), Aurangabad Caves is a reliable alternative that will always be open.

📍 Aurangabad Caves on Google Maps

Aurangabad Caves Entry Fee 2026

• Indian nationals, SAARC, and BIMSTEC citizens: ₹20 online/QR code (₹25 if paid at counter, subject to availability)
• Foreign nationals: ₹250 online/QR code (₹300 at counter)

Payment method: Predominantly digital — tickets are purchased via QR code scan and UPI/card payment at the gate, with a small discount for digital payment over counter payment where counter payment remains available. Booking online in advance gets you the same discounted rate.

💡 Tip: I always recommend booking online the evening before if possible, the same practice I suggest for Ajanta and Ellora. It is a smaller, quieter site, so queues are rarely an issue — but the ₹5 saving on digital payment is a nice bonus on top of the convenience.

How Long the Ticket Lasts and Re-Entry

A single ticket covers one continuous visit to both the Western and Eastern Groups, which are connected by a short walk along the same hillside. There is no need for a separate ticket for each group — one entry fee covers the full site.

What the Fee Does and Does Not Include

The entry fee covers access to all 12 caves across both groups. It does not include:

• Transport to the site (5 km from the city center, requiring a private taxi, auto-rickshaw, or arranged car)
• A guide, if you choose to hire one
• Photography — there is no separate photography fee for mobile phones or still cameras without flash

The Sunrise Advantage Most Visitors Miss

Contrary to what I used to tell people, there is a genuine practical reason to arrive early at Aurangabad Caves — and it has nothing to do with avoiding crowds, since this site rarely gets busy regardless of timing.

The hillside faces directly east. Between roughly 6:30 and 8:00 AM, the rising sun hits the cliff face directly, lighting up the carved facades of Cave 3 and Cave 7 in a warm, low-angle light that brings out the relief detail in a way flat midday light simply does not. If photography matters to you at all, or you simply want to be done before the city heat builds, this window is genuinely worth planning around.

💡 Tip: If you are even slightly serious about photography, arrive between 6:30 and 7:30 AM specifically. The golden sunrise light on Cave 3’s facade and the Dancing Panel inside Cave 7 is, in my experience, the best version of this site you will see — and almost nobody else is there to share it with you.

A Practical Note on Timing Your Visit

Given the site’s long hours (6:00 AM to 6:00 PM) and no closure day, Aurangabad Caves is genuinely flexible to fit around the rest of your day. If photography is your priority, go early. If you are combining it with Bibi ka Maqbara or another half-day activity, any time before mid-afternoon works comfortably, leaving enough time at both before the caves close.

The Alternative — Timing and Tickets Already Sorted

For a site this straightforward to visit, the main value of a guided arrangement is less about the ticketing itself and more about getting the sunrise timing right if photography matters to you, combining it cleanly with Bibi ka Maqbara, and ensuring your transport is arranged as a round trip given the hillside’s limited return-transport availability.

👉 See Aurangabad Heritage Tour Details & Book — Aurangabad Caves and Bibi ka Maqbara, timed and arranged in one booking.

FAQ — Aurangabad Caves Timings and Entry Fees

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• Best Time to Visit Aurangabad Caves
• Aurangabad Caves + Bibi ka Maqbara Half-Day Route