I visited Ajanta Ellora Caves on a packaged tour last year and had been to the same place again last month. In short, package tours in india con you. The guides are no good for us indians.
I landed in Aurangabad and as mentioned in the tour itenary, checked in one shady hotel. The attached restaurant can give you “dhahi” and allied products only if told one day in advance. As far as the cost is concerned, a beer is 85 Rs and a plate of pulao is 60 Rs. Hmmmm…..
The tour bus supposed to come at 2 pm came at 4 pm. But they have to come back by 7 as per the schedule so we were hurried at all places in paithan and tour guide was “emphasizing” on keeping up with the time.
The “All paid package Tour” also meant we have to shell out all entrance tickets and all parking tickets for tour vehicles and all tolls in toll roads.
In Ajanta and Ellora, the only hotel is MTDC’s restaurant for the lunch. The lunch thali placed at 60 Rs/plate will mean that you will get half cooked sabji, 3 Rotis and 4 spoons of rice. The Dhaal is horrible and Curd (priced extra) will not be available. The tomato soup though on the menu card will not be served because the server will say in a friendly tone “I am saying for your goodness sake – Tomatos are not good here” See how the Government agency is raped systematically by the bapus. The only hotel in Ajanta and Ellora is MTDC’s restaurant.
The guide will explain things in his own Rapidex English. When we left for Ajanta from Aurangabad on this “all paid package” tour, the guide comes over to me “50 Rs per person for amenities and other charges”. I said “Can you qualify the Other Charges please”. He immediately shot back – “I am well qualified – I am not begging you”. To do this sort of display of ignorance in english and total animosity to travelers (who are their bread and butter) made a lot of foreign travelers in our group laugh. I cried inside. Can someone save India from Indians.
The guide also will touch the sculptures while addressing the group. Have one hand on the artifacts made my blood boil. The artisans of those times should witness the callousness in handling their works of arts by these imbeciles who call themselves as guides, would shed their tears as bloods. I have a proposal, like the Kohinoor diamond, let the british take these artifacts and keep it in their musems. They will look after these much better and give more protection to our heritage. Had the Kohinoor diamond been in India, it would have been in some politicians closet and not exposed to the world as by being in the british crown.
Going on my own
I am in Pune and I had been there last month. This time, I took my bike and covered Pune - Aurangabad in 4.5 hours. This included the brief halt for chai. Got a room myself and went to ajanta on the bike (2 hour drive). The roads are decent and do not require heavy concentration.
Some 4 Kms before Ajanta, there is a parking lot for your vehicles and you *have* to go in the eco-friendly buses. I still dont know what is eco-friendly in those Air conditioned buses. A/C are eco-friendly - I never stop learning.
Amenities charges are Rs 5, eco-friendly buses are Rs 10 and Entrance to Ajanta caves is Rs 10. Total of these is Rs 50 for the guide who shamelessly fliched the extra bucks and also had the nerve to say ’’I am not begging’’
I had packed lunch from Aurangabad itself and there made a picnic on my own in the lawns. In India do not depend on people for any service. You will not get unless you decide in shelling out exhorbitant tips. The cost of my bike tour was Rs 1500 as against the Rs 3200 package tour cost and much much more importantly, I get to enjoy the pieces of art at my own pace.
The best is be there at the caves by 9 a.m – It will take one full day for you to see and enjoy all the caves. Louvre took me 1.5 days and I still have not seen some parts as detailed as I would have liked.
The rock dissipates heat and it becomes very very hot in afternoons. Take lots of water you will need it. If you want to buy mineral water, a simple check to see the mineral water is original (hygienic – factory processed) would be t take 4 or 5 bottles and place them on a bench and see if water levels are exactly the same. I found that in maharashtra 95% of the time the mineral water is fake. So beware.
Cheers