[vattyboy]

Day 1- Surat to Aurangabad-

I took the route from Surat to Saputara, then to Nashik, Sinnar, and finally to Aurangabad.

Saputara Hill Station

The road from Navsari to Saputara is surrounded by lush greenery and has plenty of twists and turns, making it ideal for driving enthusiasts.

Creta looks best from this Angle

Alloys wheels looks gorgeous and proportnate to its Size

Strawberry Farms

Saputara- Nashik Road has many farms along the way that produce crops such as grapes and strawberries.

Plucked fresh strawberries from Farms @ Rs 100/KG

Fresh, Neat, Clean and Hygiene Sugarcane Juice

Grapeyard alongside Saputara-Nashik Road

Samruddhi Mahamarg

1. My expectations for it were high but unfortunately, It was unable to satisfy me.

2. I experienced bumps on the road, especially at the joints located at the beginning of the bridge.

3. The quality of the road could be significantly better. I have driven cars outside of India and Samruddhi does not come close to providing the same level of comfort and quality. Nevertheless, I do appreciate the progress being made in India. After all, something is better than nothing.

[vattyboy]

Ajanta Caves-

The Ajanta Caves are 29 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments dating from the second century BCE to about 480 CE in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra state in India. Ajanta Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Universally regarded as masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, the caves include paintings and rock-cut sculptures described as among the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian art, particularly expressive paintings that present emotions through gesture, pose and form.

3D design:- 4-bodies 1 FACE

1500 years Old painting but still going strong

Painting isn't very visible to the naked eye but a Smartphone camera has done the job beautifully.







Taking photos with Flash light is prohibited


























1. The area was extremely hot and humid due to scorching sunlight.

2. The path leading to the caves is steep, which might be challenging for older people.

3. Visiting all 29 caves is a day-long activity that involves a lot of walking. It can be exhausting, especially if you're not used to walking under the sun.

4. The ticket counter only accepts cash payments, and UPI payments are not accepted.

5. Visitors are required to park their cars in the designated parking area, and an additional fee is charged for the mandatory bus ride to the caves.

6. There are several shops at the entrance, and I suggest buying cold drinks, water, and snacks as there are no shops near the caves.

[vattyboy]

Ellora Caves

Cave No. 16 is one of the most popular tourist spots in the Ellora Caves.

The workers began digging from the top of the mountain and worked their way down to create the temple-like structures, which are truly remarkable pieces of art. However, I noticed that all of the faces of the structures and Hindu gods were destroyed by the Mughals.

Bibi ka Maqbura

When I visited Bibi ka Maqbara, there were fewer tourists around than usual.

The structure resembles the Taj Mahal from many angles, and in my opinion, it is a mini Taj Mahal that is worth visiting at least once.

Had Thali in Dinner, very tasty

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[GForceEnjoyer]

Wonderful travelogue with pictures to match! I too visited last year. One of the most memorable experiences for sure. The sheer detail on the stone carvings in caves is simply mind blowing.

I travelled on the entirety of the Samruddhi Mahamarg roughly around this time last year, and agree fully with your observations. In fact, there were times where we had to cancel the cruise control and slow down: 120 km/h was not doable on most of the Shirdi to Aurangabad stretch. After that, the surface became better, but nothing remotely close to even interior roads abroad, as you rightly noted.

[Kkumar]

Nice travelogue with beautiful photos. Last year when I visited Ellora caves, I had driven through Samruddhi Mahamarg and even I had noticed the bumpy ride. The road is not butter smooth and the tyre noise was also more.

[MobileThunder]

Originally Posted by GForceEnjoyer

120 km/h was not doable on most of the Shirdi to Aurangabad stretch. After that, the surface became better, but nothing remotely close to even interior roads abroad, as you rightly noted.

Agree with you there. I did the Shirdi-Aurangabad stretch last year in December and the road felt unsafe beyond 100kmph. I was in my Jimny.

[RunGaDa]

Beautiful travelogue. You made your 3rd point perfectly. We as Indians should not shy away from taking best practices from proven quality road making, for example the USA. We will be able to provide accident free roads that way.
The driver should not have anxiety, otherwise the fun is lost. I too hope whatever done till now is good and things will be ironed out.

[Vikash Kumawat]

One more interesting thread from Vattyboy, I always read your threads, thanks for sharing sir

[Rohitthebest]

Aurangabad is in my list of To Be Visited Places for so long now that its high time I should do coming long weekend
The only reason I want to do is because of Bibi Ka Maqbara only. After visiting The Taj Mahal I am always inclined to check this one out soon.
Your post has motivated me big time and will soon connect with my local friends for our visit.
How was the highway between Shirdi and Aurangabad?

Cheers.