Mumbai to Grishneshwar is about 335 km on the map and takes around 7 hours in a car. In one of our vehicles, plan for roughly 385 km and 9 hours each way. This is not a same day trip.
Grishneshwar sits about a kilometre from the Ellora Caves, which is why almost nobody comes here only for the temple. Two nights with Aurangabad as a base is how most groups do it, and that also puts Ajanta within reach.
The drive itself
01
0 kmStart
Your pickup point. This is a long drive, so an early start matters.
02
50 km1 h 30 m
The usual slow exit, then a clear run.
03
130 km3 h 15 m
The climb.
04
190 km4 h 45 m
Standard halt. Tea, food and washrooms.
05
355 km8 h 15 m
Most groups base here. Ellora and Grishneshwar are 30 km further.
06
385 km9 h 00 m
The temple, about a kilometre from the Ellora Caves.
Google Maps assumes a car on an empty road. Our vehicles are speed limited to 80 km per hour as RTO rules require, they carry a full load, and they halt on the way. Plan for roughly 10 to 15 per cent more distance than the map says, an hour more on trips up to five hours, and two hours more beyond that.
Some venues and rural roads on this route cannot take a large vehicle. Send us the exact pickup and drop addresses, including any unpaved or monsoon affected stretches, and we will confirm access before you book rather than on the day.
Matching the fleet to your group
How many are travelling?
17people
Group size
Wider seats, easier on elderly pilgrims
| Group size | We suggest | Why on this route | Trip shape |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 to 6 | Kia Carens, Ertiga or SUV | Fastest door to door for a small family | Same day |
| 7 to 13 | 14 seater Tempo Traveller | One vehicle beats two cars from seven adults | Same day or 1 night |
| 9 to 16 | 16 seater Force Urbania | Softer suspension on the ghat | 1 night |
| 13 to 20 | Maharaja Tempo TravellerPopular pick | Wider seats, easier on elderly pilgrims | 1 night |
| 14 to 26 | Tempo Traveller | Best cost per seat, sofa-cum-bed row | 1 night |
| 19 to 33 | Mini Bus | Society and mandal group bookings | 1 night |
| 45 and above | Luxury AC Bus | Community groups, lowest cost per head | 1 night |
The bigger the vehicle, the less each person pays. A 13 seater on a Lonavala day trip works out around ₹615 a head. A 49 seater on the same trip works out around ₹367. If your group sits close to the next size up, going up usually costs less per person.
Travelling with elderly passengers or small children? Book one size above your headcount. The spare row means somebody can put their feet up and lie down, or the children have somewhere to play.
This is a long drive on good roads, which is the opposite of Bhimashankar. Comfort matters more than manoeuvrability here, so it is one of the few pilgrimage routes where an Eicher Volvo or a Maharaja genuinely earns its cost.
Planning the day
Our recommendation Two nights with Aurangabad as your base. One night means eighteen hours of driving for a single day there, which nobody enjoys. Same day is not realistic on this route.
Recommended
The other way
Before you go
The year on this road
October to March.
Summer is very hot and the caves involve a lot of walking outdoors.
Modest dress at the temple.
Specific rules apply for the inner sanctum, so check on arrival.
About a kilometre from the temple and closed on Tuesdays.
Check before you fix your dates, because it decides the whole trip.
Around 100 km from Aurangabad and closed on Mondays.
A full day, and worth the extra night if you can manage it.
Quieter than Shirdi or Trimbakeshwar.
Early morning is still the easiest time.
Aurangabad is the practical base.
Accommodation near the temple itself is limited.
Before you ask about price
About 7 hours for the 335 km in a car. In a full vehicle with a speed limiter and halts, plan for around 385 km and 9 hours. It is a long day and not one to attempt as a return trip.
No, and we would not quote for it. Eighteen hours of driving in a day is not safe or sensible. Two nights with Aurangabad as your base is the right shape.
About a kilometre. That is why almost nobody comes only for the temple. Ellora is closed on Tuesdays, so check that before fixing your dates.
Yes, with an extra night. Ajanta is around 100 km from Aurangabad and closed on Mondays. It needs a full day of its own.
Comfort matters here because the drive is long and the roads are good. A Maharaja tempo traveller or an Eicher Volvo coach are both worth considering, which is not true of the shorter jyotirlinga routes.
From Grishneshwar