TIRA by Orchid Sambhajinagar on Beed Bypass Road is about 30 km from the Ellora caves and about 100 km from Ajanta, making it a practical base for cave day trips, with the airport about 7 to 9 km away and rooms bookable directly. Sambhajinagar, still widely known as Aurangabad, is the natural base for visiting both cave complexes, but not every hotel in Aurangabad makes the logistics of two separate day trips easy. Ellora and Ajanta sit in different directions and at very different distances, so where you stay in the city has a real effect on how the trip is planned.
A hotel on Beed Bypass Road works well for this specific trip because it sits on the side of the city that faces toward the caves rather than deep inside the older parts of town. Among hotels near Ajanta Ellora, IRA by Orchid Sambhajinagar is positioned so that the drive out to Ellora, the closer and generally quicker outing, does not involve first crossing through the busiest parts of the city. For the longer Ajanta trip, having a hotel on this side still shaves some time off the drive compared to a hotel further into the old city or near the railway station.
TEllora is about 30 km away, which typically means a drive of 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic and the exact route taken. This is close enough that Ellora works comfortably as a half day trip, leaving time to also see something else in Sambhajinagar the same day if you want to. Ajanta is a different scale of trip, at about 100 km, which usually means two to two and a half hours each way. Most visitors treat Ajanta as a full day outing on its own, leaving early in the morning to make the most of the time at the site before the return drive. Planning the two as separate days, rather than trying to combine them, tends to make for a much less rushed trip.
Among hotels in Aurangabad, or Sambhajinagar as it is now officially known, the city centre options are closer to sights like Bibi Ka Maqbara but not necessarily better positioned for the caves themselves. Beed Bypass Road sits on the outskirts, which means slightly less city traffic to deal with when heading out early for Ajanta, and a more direct run to Ellora as well. For a trip built primarily around the caves rather than in-city sightseeing, this location trade-off usually works in the traveller's favour, particularly on the early starts that an Ajanta day trip requires.
Ellora's caves span Buddhist, Hindu and Jain rock cut architecture across a single site, and seeing all three groups properly takes a good part of a day even without factoring in travel time. Basing an Ellora caves stay at a hotel about 30 km out means an early but not excessively early start, and enough flexibility to extend the visit if the site turns out to warrant more time than expected, without the pressure of a long drive still ahead afterward.
Ajanta requires more deliberate planning than Ellora simply because of the distance. An Ajanta trip hotel choice matters here because a two hour drive each way means an early departure, typically before 7 am, to allow a reasonable amount of time at the caves before the light starts to fade on the return journey. Staying on Beed Bypass Road rather than further into the city can make a meaningful difference to how early that departure needs to be, and by extension how much of the day is actually spent at the site rather than on the road.
October to February is the recommended window for both caves, when the weather is cool enough for the walking involved at both sites, particularly the more spread out Ajanta complex. The monsoon months bring their own appeal with green surroundings, but the heat from March onward makes a full day out at Ajanta considerably more tiring.
If Ajanta and Ellora are the reason for your trip to Sambhajinagar, IRA by Orchid on Beed Bypass Road offers a base that keeps both day trips manageable, with the airport also close by for arrivals and departures. Check availability and book directly on the hotel's own booking page.
Which hotel is best for visiting Ajanta and Ellora
Caves?
IRA by Orchid Sambhajinagar on Beed Bypass Road is a convenient base for
visiting both Ajanta and Ellora Caves. Ellora is around 30 km away, while
Ajanta is approximately 100 km from the hotel, making it practical to plan
each as a separate day trip.
How far is the IRA by Orchid Sambhajinagar from Ellora
Caves?
IRA by Orchid Sambhajinagar is about 30 km from Ellora Caves. Depending on
traffic and the route, the drive usually takes around 45 minutes to an hour,
making Ellora suitable for a half-day or full-day outing.
How far is Ajanta Caves from the IRA by Orchid
Sambhajinagar?
Ajanta Caves is approximately 100 km from IRA by Orchid Sambhajinagar. The
journey generally takes around two to two and a half hours each way, so it
is best planned as a full-day trip with an early morning departure.
Can I visit Ajanta and Ellora Caves in one day?
It is possible, but it is not recommended because Ajanta and Ellora are in
different directions and are around 100 km and 30 km from the hotel
respectively. Visiting them on separate days gives you more time to explore
each cave complex without rushing.
How far is Konark from Bhubaneswar?
The Konark Sun Temple is about 65 kilometres east of Bhubaneswar, around 90
minutes by road. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site shaped as a giant stone
chariot, and is usually visited as a day trip, often combined with Puri
along the coastal Marine Drive.
What is the best time to visit Ajanta and Ellora Caves?
October to February is generally a good time to visit Ajanta and Ellora
Caves because the weather is more comfortable for walking and sightseeing.
The monsoon season can also offer greener surroundings, while the summer
months can be hotter and more tiring for a full-day Ajanta trip.
Beed Bypass Rd,
PWD Colony, Aurangabad,
Maharashtra 431005
Email: reservations@orchidhotel.com
Call: +91 8652 636363
