accomodation near ajanta

gachchami

Hi I'm new to this forum. I have a question about the MTDC guesthouse near the caves - i last went there 15 years ago and i remember staying in a guest house which ahd nice rooms and a dorm - i'm certain it belonged to the MTDC but i can't find any numbers for them on the site; can anyone give me some phone numers so how do i make advance bookings? i leave tomorrow night.
also, is there any other budget acco available near the caves, because a larger group is planning to go there around the 20th of this month and none of us want to travel from aurangabad or ellora - would rather stay put at the caves.

avinashzalake

Best is to stay in Aurangabad

Ellora has MTDC resort

Do like this

Aurangabad - Daulatabad - Ellora ( stay )
Ajanta second day

All can be done in a day but will be rushy

alouise

Gachchami, the MTDC at the Ajanta site appeared to be operating as a restaurant only when I was there last month. Besides, staying in Aurangabad is the best option. The MTDC there is just up the road from the station, easily walking distance, is set in large pleasant grounds, has comfortable clean rooms, a reasonable restaurant, is across the road from an ATM, 2 internet cafes, and at least four better restaurants. Best of all there are two travel agencies at the reception and both provide bus tours to Ajanta, leaving around 8.30 am and cost 300 INR if I recall correctly. So easy, so convenient and great value. Have a good trip.

gachchami

hey, thanks guys, i was planning to post earlier..i've visited ajanta twice since posting my query here..on both visits i stayed at the mtdc, fardapur, four km from the caves..travelling from aurangabad was never an option for me...

the rooms at the fardapur guesthouse are very comfortable...the lower range of rooms cost rs. 450 for a double room, the higher range cost rs. 650 - the last are housed in pretty cottages with overflowing bouganvillaea vines..they even have a 'sit out'..they're a steal for what they charge..the rooms at aurangabad are of course much cheaper...however, for those travelling in large groups there's even a dormitory at the guest house with 10-12 beds which altogether costs rs. 1100..the rates increase by a couple of hundred in season, which i imagine would be during and after the monsoon..if you plan to book the dormitory, do insist on the bathrooms being cleaned before you move in - my friends had a bad time there

the cottages which are next to the shops at the base of the caves cost rs. 900 - they seem clean and well maintained but the area gets deserted after the caves shut at 6 pm

the rooms and cottages need to be booked in advance - i was lucky to land up there and get a room on both my visits but some friends who came in a couple of hours later were not so lucky.. the guest house is often reserved by large groups of japanese scholars and during my second visit there was one group from japan plus an ASI team that had arrived to carry out conservation work

reservations can be made from MTDC, Bombay..if you want to make a reservation from any other MTDC do ask specifically for the fardapur guest house phone numbers(i've misplaced them, will post them here as soon as i'm able to trace them), not the 'tea house' one(which is the more expensive rs. 900 option)..for some reason the mtdc staff is very reluctant to give out any info abt this particular guest house.. weird!

gachchami

they're a steal for what they charge..


--------------------------------------------

I must warn everyone reading this that the food at the guest house sucks.. don't eat there if you can avoid it..the restaurants near the caves are pretty bad too, so all the best:-/

delhiwala

Ajanta is basically a day trip from either Jalgaon or Aurangabad. Hence, no proper stay & eating facilities there.

Staying in Aurngabad is best. A day trip in Taxi costs Rs. 800/- There are buses also, if you want to do it cheaply.

__________________
Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone. - The Dhammapada