Maharashtra Complete Guide 2026: Ajanta, Ellora, Pune, Aurangabad and Mahabaleshwar
Browse more guides: India travel | Asia destinations Maharashtra Complete Guide 2026: Ajanta, Ellora, Pune, Aurangabad and Mahabaleshwar TL;DR Maharashtra is the second-largest state in India by population at roughly 124 million, covering 307,713 square kilometres of Deccan plateau, Western Ghats and Konkan coast. I think of it as the cultural heartland that gave India the Maratha Empire, Bollywood and the world's most extraordinary rock-cut monasteries. Five UNESCO World Heritage sites sit inside the state: Ajanta Caves (1983), Ellora Caves (1983), Elephanta Caves (1987), Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (2004), and the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai (2018). The Western Ghats were added to UNESCO's natural list in 2012. Most travellers do Mumbai and Elephanta as a separate trip, then return for the inland circuit I cover here. The classic Maharashtra inland route is Aurangabad as base, day trips to Ajanta and Ellora, then a loop down to Pune, Mahabaleshwar...