Pune-Nashik-Shirdi-Ajanta-Ellora Trip - Help Needed

Hi Friends,

We will be going for a 4 days trip to Nashik-Shirdi-Ajanta and Ellora from Pune next week. We will be starting from Pune on Thursday, 9th September 2010, morning and will return to Pune on Sunday, 12th September 2010, night. We will be 6 adults, in a hired car. My parents and in laws will be accompanying us, so we do not want to make the trip too hectic. On the other hand, they do not want to miss the places also. I have a rough itinerary detailed below.

Thursday: Start from Magarpatta, Pune at around 5 am. Reach Bhimashankar and visit the temple. Have breakfast and proceed to Trimbakeshawar. Visit Trimbakeshawar and offer our pujas there, then back to Nashik and have lunch. Proceed to Shirdi after lunch and stay for the night in the temple guest house.

Friday: Early morning darshan of the Samadhi Mandir, the Arti and the pujas and then proceed to Shani Shinganapur after breakfast. Visit Shani Shinganapur and then proceed to Fardapur/Aurangabad for overnight stay.

Saturday: Visit to Ajanta and then proceed to Aurangabad for night stay.

Sunday: Visit to Ellora, Daulatabad Fort and other attraction in Aurangabad. Start for Pune in late afternoon or evening.

Now, the questions.

1. How feasible the above plan is considering that we will have parents with us?

2. How long will it take to reach Bhimashankar by car? From the parking to the temple is a trek, I suppose. Is it too steep? IS it adivisable for a 50 year old adult? How long the trek can take for both ways?

3. Bhimashankar to Trimbak, how long will it take to drive? I suppose we go via Nashik only. Is the temple open for Darshan always or is there any special timings that we need to match?

4. Nashik to Shirdi, how long will it take? Considering that we will be reaching late in the evening and will have less time to stay there, would not like to go for costly hotel. I have read about Bhakt Niwas and will prefer to stay there provided it is a clean accomodation with good bathrooms. Any idea on that? Have anyone stayed there?

5. Shirdi to Shani Shinganapur to Aurangabad/Fardapur, would it be too hectic considering that we are doing the Darshan on both places on the same day?

6. Aurangabad/Fardapur which MTDC is better? I suppose that Fardapur is nearest to Ajanta, how do we go from Shani Shinganapur to Fardapur? Does the road goes via Aurangabad only?

7. Our initial plan was to spend Friday night in Lonar and we are booked in that. Considering our new plan, we will have to cance Lonar. However, can we consider a night stay option in Lonar on Friday? Is Ajanta equidistance from Aurangabad and Lonar?

8. I heard that the famous Paithani Sharees are made in some nearby village only. Can we go there? Where is it? How do we go?

9. Ellora-Daulatabad Fort and Aurangabad, are we stretching ourselvs too much on this as we will also undertake the return journey to Pune on the same day?

Lot of questions. Will look forward for IMers valuable input.

Am waiting for your reply folks. Please respond.

Hi Ananya, I think your itinerary comprises far too many places in too little time. I have not been to these places myself and planning to visit some of them in Dec. Ellora and Daulatabad fort in a single day and then you plan to start off for Pune - isn't it too hectic? And also with so little time you would not be able to absorb the beauty of the places. I have heard even one day may not be enough to visit all the caves in Ellora. May be you can think of sneaking in one more day.

This is very hectic plan even if you are young .

From Pune to Bhimashanar it will take 3 Hours, from parking to Bhimashankar Temple it will take 30 minutes. Depending on rush of devotees it will take around 30 minutes in return. (I am not expecting to much rush as you are going post Sravan Mah ann weekdays)

Bhimashankar to Trimbak will take around 4-5 hours drive, there are two ways 1) Bhimashankar - Manchar - Sangamner - Nashik - Trimbak and other More scenaric and shorter way is 2) Bhimashankar - Godegaon - Junar - Malshej - Brahmanwada - AnkolaGoti Road (take Left) - Bhandardara - Goti (Igatpuri) - Nasik - Trembak OR Goti - Vaitarna - Trimbak (20 Kms shorter then Goti-Nasis route)

There is no special timings but I think you would be reach by 6 in the evening and then you should do 7:00 PM (Sandhya Aarati).

Nashik to Shirdi will take odd 2-3 hours, depending on traffic.
I do not know about Hotels. It will be a friday so not expecting much crowd.

Shirdi to Shani Shinganapur will take around 1 hours and 1 hour for Darshan.

It is a different experience visiting Ajanta/Elora in monsoon but it will little be difficult for your parents.

You should also try for a more Jyotirling - Grishneshwar (only few KMs from Elora)

6. Aurangabad/Fardapur which MTDC is better? I suppose that Fardapur is nearest to Ajanta, how do we go from Shani Shinganapur to Fardapur? Does the road goes via Aurangabad only?

Lonar is a good place to visit and I bet in near future you will not plan for it. Try out that...

IMs Please help him....

Avoid it as you will be more exhausted.
Do not try maximum things at once... enjoy maximum at once...


Regards
Rushi

hello ananya
you have already received detailed advice / i too was collecting information for maharashtra pilgrimage and came across this itienary

the link is { this itienary may be of help to you }

http://www.anandapilgrimages.org/pil...erary-roi.html

have a great trip and please do post a trip report on return

Paithan is 56 kms from Aurangabad. If you are going from Pune you can visit Paithan then Aurangabad or you can do it while coming back.

Aurangabad - Bidkingaon - Dhorkingaon - Paithan - Shevgaon - Amrapur - Tisgaon - Ahmednagar - Shirur - Ranjangaon - Pune

Hi Deepmajumder,

I know that we have planned for too many places. We two being in Pune and being urdent travel lover, will visit these places again and with more time to do justice to the world heritage site. But for the rest of the team coming from other places, it's a kind of 'been there, seen that' trip. I am sure that they will not be able to climb a lot of stairs or walk for the whole day to engross in the beauty of Ajanta and Ellora.
However, we are flexible enough to drop or add place(s)from the itinerary based on the need. Say, if we are late in reaching Trimbakeshwar because we are late in Bhimashankar, we will spend the night somewhere on the way doing Trimbak and Shirdi on the next day. Lets see how things progress.

Thanks a lot aarosh. We will probably visit Paithan on our way back to Pune as it's on the way. Any idea about the road condition?

Most part of the route is State Highway, you will also be on National Highway during Tisgaon - Ahmednagar.

Hi Rushi,

Thanks a ton for these useful infos. I was not aware of the scenic route from Bhimashankar to Nashik. Malsez Ghat, Igatpuri and Bhandardhara were on my list for this monsoon but time did not permit us. Will have a glimpse of these places on our way at least.

Thanks for the link BKS. Now, I am aware that Ellora is nearer to Shirdi than Aurangabad, I have made some changes in the plan. We are planning to rest in Ellora itself on Friday night so that we can visit the Jyotirlinga in Grishneshwar early in the morning and then visit ellora after breakfast and going to Aurangabad in the afternoon.

[QUOTE=AnanyaBinayak;1034904]Thanks a lot aarosh. We will probably visit Paithan on our way back to Pune as it's on the way. Any idea about the road condition?[/QUOTE

If at all you want to visit pune please go from aurangabad - newasa , take left from newasa then shevgaon and then paithan .There are 2 ways to ppaithan from aurangabad . Known road is abad - bidkin - paithan which is in VERY BAD CONDITION .Pls avoid it .

For your information ellora is nearer to Aurangabad . It is just 25-30 km away from aurangabad .
It is better to stay at Aurangabad if you want to visit ellora , ajantha .or else book at M T D C at Ellora in advance as there is no any other good hotel at ellora .You will get better hotel option at aurangabad.

By MTDC at Ellora do you mean Hotel Kailas? If not, is there any MTDC accommodation available at Ellora?

I am going there in October and looking for some accommodation near the caves (excluding Hotel Kailas, as it is a bit more expensive for me) within 500 - 600 rupees. Can you provide some more info.

Biman.

If you will take glimpse of those points then believe me you will not stop your self to come out and enjoy the beauty.

You can enjoyeee Natural Jacuzzi and your Car will get washed in free at Malshej Ghat. After coming to Malshej from Junar you have to take right turn on NH 222, which take you to Otur. Take a Left turn from Otur which take you to Brahmanwada.

From Brahmanwada take SH 21 for Kotul, continue on SH 21 and take Left turn on SH 44 go strait for Bhandardara - Igatpuri - Goti.

If you wish to skip Malshej then directly going to Otur from Bhimashankar and folow above mention route.

Ozar and Landyadri Ganapati (2 of 8 Ganesh Mandir/Asthvinayaka) are also on your route....

Best of Luck for your trip.

Regards
Rushi