Top view of the Kailasanath Temple in Ellora Caves at sunset.

©Lu Yang/Shutterstock

Aurangabad

Aurangabad laid low through most of the tumultuous history of medieval India and only hit the spotlight when the last Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, made the city his capital from 1653 to 1707. With the emperor’s death came the city’s rapid decline, but the brief period of glory saw the building of some fascinating monuments, including Bibi-qa-Maqbara, a Taj Mahal replica, and these continue to draw a steady trickle of visitors. Alongside other historic relics, such as a group of ancient Buddhist caves, these Mughal relics make Aurangabad a good choice for a weekend excursion from Mumbai. But the real reason for traipsing here is because the town is an excellent base for exploring the World Heritage Sites of Ellora and Ajanta.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Bibi-qa-Maqbara in Aurangabad

    Bibi-qa-Maqbara

    Aurangabad

    Built by Aurangzeb’s son Azam Khan in 1679 as a mausoleum for his mother Rabia-ud-Daurani, Bibi-qa-Maqbara is widely known as the poor man’s Taj. With its…

  • Aurangabad Caves

    Aurangabad Caves

    Aurangabad

    Architecturally speaking, the Aurangabad Caves aren’t a patch on Ellora or Ajanta, but they do shed light on early Buddhist architecture and make for a…

  • Panchakki

    Panchakki

    Aurangabad

    The garden complex of Panchakki, literally meaning ‘water wheel’, takes its name from the ancient hydromill which, in its day, was considered a marvel of…

  • Shrimat Chatrapati Shivaji Museum

    Shrimat Chatrapati Shivaji Museum

    Aurangabad

    This simple museum is dedicated to the life of the Maratha hero Shivaji. Its collection includes a 500-year-old chain-mail suit and a copy of the Quran,…

View more attractions
  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/top
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "destination": "Aurangabad",
  "city": "Aurangabad",
  "region": "Maharashtra",
  "continent": "Asia",
  "country": "India"
}

Plan with a local

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Aurangabad

  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/bottom
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "destination": "Aurangabad",
  "city": "Aurangabad",
  "region": "Maharashtra",
  "continent": "Asia",
  "country": "India"
}