The simplest way to drive from Pune to Ellora is east on the Pune–Ahilyanagar highway through Shikrapur and Ranjangaon, around Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar), then north-east past Newasa Phata and Waluj towards Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), and on past Daulatabad to Ellora. It is roughly 260 km. Pure driving time is around four and a half to five hours, so with two unhurried breaks most families arrive in five to six.
It is one of the easier road trips out of Pune: no ghats to speak of, a mostly four-lane road, and the landscape slowly opening out from the city's sprawl into the wide, dry Deccan. Here is how to make a good day of it.
The route at a glance
- Pune to Shikrapur and Ranjangaon: the slowest part, thanks to city traffic around Wagholi.
- Ranjangaon to Ahilyanagar: open highway through farmland; use the bypass unless you plan to stop in town.
- Ahilyanagar to Newasa Phata and Kaygaon Toka: straight, flat and fast, crossing the Godavari near Kaygaon.
- Waluj to Daulatabad and Ellora: Waluj is a busy industrial belt, so expect trucks; from here your map app will take you around or through the city's edge towards the Ellora road.
Leave Pune before 7 am if you can. You clear Wagholi before the office rush, have breakfast on an open road, and arrive in the Daulatabad area by early afternoon, with time for a rest before sunset.
Stops worth making
Ranjangaon comes up about an hour out of Pune. Its Mahaganapati temple is one of the eight Ashtavinayak shrines, and it sits right by the highway, so a quick darshan takes very little time. Early mornings are calmer than weekends at midday.
Ahilyanagar has a long history as the seat of the Nizam Shahi sultans. Its fort is where Jawaharlal Nehru was held during the Quit India years and wrote The Discovery of India. The fort lies within a military area, so carry photo ID and expect access to be limited. Salabat Khan's tomb, often called Chand Bibi Mahal, stands on a hilltop outside the city if you want a view and a stretch.
Shani Shingnapur, the village long known for homes without doors, is a short detour off the highway near Ghodegaon. It gets very crowded on Saturdays, so plan around that if you are going.
Newasa, just off the road, is where the saint Dnyaneshwar is believed to have composed the Dnyaneshwari in the 13th century; the temple there preserves the pillar he is said to have leaned against while teaching.
Kaygaon Toka, where the Pravara meets the Godavari, has a cluster of old stone temples on the riverbank. It is right on the route and makes a peaceful ten-minute stop, especially after the monsoon when the river is full.
Food on the road
This is Maharashtra, so breakfast is easy: misal pav, poha, sabudana khichdi and strong tea are available at almost every busy halt between Shikrapur and Ahilyanagar. For lunch, the dhabas around Ahilyanagar and Kaygaon serve simple thalis with bhakri, pithla and whatever sabzi is fresh. Choose places that are busy with families and truck drivers; turnover means fresher food.
Pack water, fruit and something dry for children, because stretches between good stops can feel long in the afternoon heat. Save your appetite for dinner, though: the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar region has a food culture of its own, from naan qalia to Marathwada-style spicy vegetarian fare.
Driving tips for this route
- Fuel is easy to find along the whole highway, but top up before Waluj so you are not hunting for a pump in heavy traffic.
- Watch for two-wheelers and tractors on the wrong side near villages, and for speed breakers near town entries.
- Avoid driving the last stretch after dark if you are new to the area; the roads around Daulatabad and Ellora are narrower and carry pilgrim traffic.
- Remember that Ellora is closed on Tuesdays and Ajanta on Mondays. If you are driving up on a Monday, plan Ellora for Monday afternoon or Wednesday rather than Tuesday.
Where to stay
Staying in the city centre means driving back out to Ellora the next morning, about 30 km each way. Staying near Daulatabad puts you between the fort and the caves: Ellora is about 15 minutes away, Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga about the same, and Daulatabad Fort is right on the doorstep. That makes it easy to reach Ellora soon after it opens, before the heat and the tour buses.
A sensible two-night plan is to arrive, rest and watch the sun go down over the fort; spend the next morning at Ellora and Grishneshwar, with Khuldabad after lunch; and climb Daulatabad Fort early on your final morning before the drive home.
Hiranya sits on the banks of the old Mombatta Lake, 1 km from Daulatabad Fort and about 15 minutes from Ellora, with free parking and slow EV charging for your car. After five hours on the highway, a swim or a quiet evening by the water is a good way to end the drive. Message us on WhatsApp at +91 90494 27222 if you would like help planning the route or your days at the caves.
