A Traveller's Guide to

Discovering
Aurangabad
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39 Destination Rating
3.9 / 5
A historic city

Aurangabad is one of the best tourist

Ranked out of 131 in Maharashtra
destinations in the state of Maharashtra. World
heritage sites, Ellora and Ajanta Caves, are
State: Maharashtra
located near this city. Bibi ka Makbara and
District: Aurangabad Daultabad Fort are also worth a visit. Ellora
Famous For: Heritage caves are known for its sculptures. Kailash
Language: Hindi, Marathi temple built in 757 AD by... read more

says HolidayIQ reviewer Bhanu Pratap

Singh
Summer 20°C to 43°C
Winter 10°C to 32°C

History of Aurangabad
Aurangabad, better known as the City of Gates or the Heart of Maharashtra, is one of the 35 districts of Maharashtra, covering
an area of 10,100 square km, out of which 141.1 square km is urban area and 9,958.9 square km is rural. Named after the
Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, it means "Built by the Thrones". Nicknamed the Historical City, it was founded in 1610 A.D By
Malik Ambar, Prime Minister of Ahmadnagar in the village Khadki. Malik Ambar had a strong love for architecture and that is
how Khadki grew into an architectural hub and a populous city. When Malik Ambar died in 1626, he was succeeded by his son
Fateh Khan who named it Fatehnagar. In 1633, Fatehnagar came under the possession of the Mughal, and in 1653, when Prince
Aurangzeb wasn?t appointed the viceroy of the Deccan, he took Fatehnagar as his capital and renamed it Aurangabad.
Aurangabad was a part of princely state of Hyderabad until 1956. In 1956 it became a part of newly formed bilingual Bombay
state and in 1960 it became a part of Maharashtra state.

People and Culture of Aurangabad

Aurangabad, one of the oldest cities in Maharashtra holds true to its traditions and culture. Although predominantly a Hindu
state, a large part of the population also follows Islam. The culture in Aurangabad is taken after Hyderabad. It still retains a lot
of the flavour and charm of the Muslim culture in the old city, which is especially reflected through the language and cuisine of
the locals. Aurangabad cuisine is heavily influenced by Mughlai and Hyderabad cuisine. Meat cooked in spices and herbs as
well as sweets play a major role in the local cuisine. Naan Qalia, a concoction of meat and varied spices originated in
Aurangabad is a must try while in the city.

Things To Do in Aurangabad
The city is brimming with famous historical attractions, like Bibi Ka Maqbara, Ajantha Caves, Ellora Caves, which have been
named UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Jama Masjid, Panchakki, and the 52 gates in Aurangabad, to name a few. There are also
a number of temples, mosques, museums, and even some gardens to explore.

Food and Shopping in Aurangabad

Shopping for local textiles such as Paithani and Himroo, which are considered very characteristic and distinctive from the
rest, along with ancient art forms such as Bidriware is a must in the old city. Streets like Nirala Bazaar situated in the heart of
the city, Connaught Place, Paithan Gate, Osmanapura and Aurangapura are other major shopping areas in Aurangabad.
Aurangabad is well-connected by roadways, rail and airways. The Chikkalthana Airport, now a domestic and international
airport, is 12 km from the city, while Aurangabad Railway Station comes under South Central Railway and is connected to
Mumbai and Hyderabad on either sides and connects to major cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Pune, Kolkata, Delhi,
etc. Also, there are good bus services available from most places to Aurangabad.

Aurangabad places of Interest

The Ellora Caves
The Ellora Caves were built during the period of 350 AD to 700 AD. It presents structures with the three faiths of Hinduism,
Jainism and Buddhism.

Ellora Caves-Totally Mesmerizing

Elora is basically divided into 3 parts Hindu caves, Buddhist caves & Jain caves. The
Hindu & Buddhist caves are nearby. The Jain caves are at a little far off. Started our
journey with the most famous cave in Ellora Cave No. 16 -The Kailasa Temple. Had
read lots about it on internet but, all what I had read, hadn't prepared me for what I
saw, I was totally spellbound when I...

says HolidayIQ reviewer Lekha Nair

Rating 4.5 / 5

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga located near Daulatabad in Aurangabad. The shrine is important because it is believed to be the last
Jyotirlinga temple on the earth.

Peace and silence prevailed

Grishneshwar Temple is an ancient pilgrimage site of Lord Shiva. Grishneshwar

Jyotirling is considered to be twelth. This is located at a village called Verul, which
lies 35 km from Aurangabad in Maharashtra and approximately 100 kms from
Manmad station. It was re-constructed by Ahilyabhai Holkar. The Grishneshwar
Temple is also known by several other names like Kusumeswarar,...

says HolidayIQ reviewer Saurabh Gupta

Rating 4.3 / 5
Bhadra Maruti
Bhadra Maruti Temple is a well-known temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman located at Khuldabad, near Aurangabad. The idol of
Hanuman here is in a sleeping posture.

Good for God lovers

Bhadra Maruti, Aurangabad is one of the first things that comes to the mind of many
people, while discussing Aurangabad. It's true that there are quite a few other
interesting things to see and do too. However, like all other attractions, the Bhadra
Maruti in Aurangabad also has its own brand of unique charm. In fact, countless
visitors just can't stop gushing about the place. In...

says HolidayIQ reviewer Rakesh Gaikawad

Rating 4.3 / 5

Bibi Ka Maqbara
The Bibi ka Maqbara, the sole illustration of the Mughal architecture in the Deccan Plateau was built in the model of Taj Mahal.
The creator of this tomb was the son of Aurangzeb, who built it to pay homage to his mother Begum Rabia Durani.

Pseudo of Taj Mahal

That's how you can describe it Pseudo Taj Mahal. It's said that the ruler built this after
inspiration from Taj Mahal. Guys! Trust me Taj Mahal is amazing and this is okay
okay. It's a fine place, calming, peaceful, serene and reminds you of the glorious past.
There are many bakeries around the Maqbara. Try the Naan Bread with Kurma in
them. I recommend you to go here during sunset,...

says HolidayIQ reviewer Haris Mechmed

Rating 4.1 / 5

Premium Hotels in Aurangabad

WelcomHotel Rama International
Rank 1 in Aurangabad

"Well this is an honest review so have to cover both sides of the coin. The place was good
to stay. The location is best I would say. They don't provide free WiFi for a Rs 7000 room.
No WiFi is a big downside. They charge extra for it, don't get it why? The staff is not polite
enough. They tend to be rude. Cleanliness could have been a bit better. Overall it's a good
stay they have a Good Swimming pool & A good jogging park."

Says HolidayIQ reviewer Kishore Sapkale

Rating 4.2 / 5 Tariff starts from INR 6600

Hotel Green Olive
Rank 2 in Aurangabad

"Hotel is located in heart of city and its walking distance to central bus stand. Food quality
of hotel is so good and rooms are so clean and staff is too much professional. Hotel staff
also so supportive."

Says HolidayIQ reviewer Hukma Ram Kherwa

Rating 4.4 / 5 Tariff starts from INR 3300

Vivanta by Taj
Rank 3 in Aurangabad

"One of the best property taj owns, excellent staff and maintenance appreciated. All
facilities were good and food and breakfast buffet appreciated... Humble staff, good location
and awesome food. Memorable."

Says HolidayIQ reviewer Ashwin Patel

Rating 4.2 / 5 Tariff starts from INR 9000

Hiranya Resorts
Rank 4 in Aurangabad

"I booked for a small Swiss tent with no arrangement for running hot water but the changed
it to a larger one with running hot water with no change in tariff. The food was good and
ambience of the restaurant was excellent and the stuff was helpful. There is a small
swimming pool which I could not use as I visited the resort in winter. They supplied me with
a tea maker as breakfast s not served before 8am."

Says HolidayIQ reviewer Raja Lahiry

Rating 4.2 / 5 Tariff starts from INR 3200

Hotel Grand Kailash

Rank 5 in Aurangabad

"Rooms were spacious with a great view. The interiors of the room was nice. Cleanliness up
to the mark. Roof top restaurant was an amazing experience. The service was nice. Staff
was very helpful. In all an excellent place to stay."

Says HolidayIQ reviewer Abhishek Koli

Rating 4.1 / 5 Tariff starts from INR 4200

Keys Hotel Aures
Rank 6 in Aurangabad

"Room location modified after check in. Good co-op by hotel management and staff.
Helping staff. Breakfast is medium one, needs to be improved. Lastly can say that it's very
good hotel to stay ..."

Says HolidayIQ reviewer Vishal Patil

Rating 4.0 / 5 Tariff starts from INR 3700

The Sky Court Hotel

Rank 7 in Aurangabad

"We were 3 girls on Aurangabad trip. After getting down from Aurangabad railway station at
5 AM we walked to this hotel as it was just a 5 mins walk. For early check in they charged
us 750Rs and they also upgraded our booking to deluxe room for free. Room was big with a
balcony and clean. Breakfast was good too. Receptionist helped us in getting a economical
cab to Ajantha and ellora caves. Overall a very comfortable and safe stay."

Says HolidayIQ reviewer Sri Keerthana

Rating 4.0 / 5 Tariff starts from INR 2700

Ambassador Ajanta
Rank 8 in Aurangabad

"Seems this property dates back to the 60-70s Era. Well maintained but definitely needs
some more help with the upkeep. Spacious parking area.. But valet missing. Easy check-in..
Friendly staff. Lobby and pathways a bit dark. Nice big rooms and good interiors. Best part -
the toilets and sheets were clean. Huge property around the hotel. Big lawns. A nice
swimming pool but needs a better filtration plant. Good spread at the buffet breakfast.
Overall worth a stay with family."

Says HolidayIQ reviewer Rama

Rating 4.1 / 5 Tariff starts from INR 3700

Aurangabad Gymkhana Club

Rank 9 in Aurangabad

"This property is located at a prime location and we didn't faced any difficulty in finding it.
Room was spacious and clean. The property has swimming pool, gym, spa and other
indoor games facilities available. Staff are co operative. We enjoyed our stay."

Says HolidayIQ reviewer Purshottam

Rating 4.0 / 5 Tariff starts from INR 3000

Lemon Tree Hotel
Rank 10 in Aurangabad

"There were several good things so I would recommend this hotel to future travellers of
Aurangabad. 1. Nice Location : very close from airport. 2. Valuable price. 3. Friendly staff :
Everyone in reception desk. And especially I remember the guy named "Prashant" who took
our luggage to place the room after check-in (Attached Photo) Even though he is an intern,
providing service was professional. If I visit Aurangabad next time again, I would love to
stay in LemonTree."

Says HolidayIQ reviewer Jong Hoon Yeu

Rating 4.1 / 5 Tariff starts from INR 5900

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