Panch Jyotirlinga Yatra

Highlights & Route

Of the twelve Jyotirlingas, five lie in a rough arc from the Malwa plateau down through the Deccan: Mahakaleshwar at Ujjain, Omkareshwar on the Narmada, Trimbakeshwar near Nashik, Grishneshwar beside the Ellora caves, and Bhimashankar in the Sahyadri forests above Pune. This 11-day road yatra strings them together in a single journey, starting at Indore and ending at Pune, so that you fly or take a train into one city and out of the other.

The pace is deliberately gentle. You spend three nights in Ujjain, two in Nashik, three in Aurangabad (now officially Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) and two at Bhimashankar, so that every temple gets an unhurried morning darshan rather than a rushed stop between drives. Along the way the plan takes in Harsiddhi Shakti Peeth and the Shipra aarti, Panchavati and Ramkund where Rama lived in exile, the Buddhist caves of Ajanta, the Kailasa temple at Ellora, and the quiet of a hill station inside a wildlife sanctuary.

There are two long driving days, Ujjain to Nashik and Aurangabad to Bhimashankar, and we are honest about them in the day-wise plan. Everything else is 2 to 4 hours. Hotels, a private vehicle with one driver for the whole journey, pure-vegetarian breakfast daily and dinner on most nights are included, and our Dehradun team stays in touch by phone and WhatsApp. This is a trip many families take once in a lifetime, and we plan it that way.

Route

Indore → Ujjain (3 nights: Mahakaleshwar, Harsiddhi, Omkareshwar day visit) → Nashik (2 nights: Trimbakeshwar, Panchavati, Ramkund) → Aurangabad (3 nights: Ajanta, Ellora, Grishneshwar, Bhadra Maruti) → Bhimashankar (2 nights) → Pune

Good to know before you book

Ajanta caves are closed on Mondays and Ellora caves on Tuesdays. We arrange the Aurangabad days around your start date so that neither falls on its closed day; if your dates make that impossible we tell you before booking.
Bhasma Aarti passes at Mahakaleshwar are issued only on the temple committee’s website and app, 30 days ahead, Rs 200 per person, with traditional dress compulsory. We register for you but cannot guarantee a pass.
Trimbakeshwar’s sanctum is entered only by male devotees in traditional dress at fixed hours for a fee; everyone else takes darshan from the hall. Grishneshwar asks men to remove shirts before entering the sanctum.
Bhimashankar is inside a wildlife sanctuary at roughly 1,000 m; the temple is about 230 steps below the parking, and the hill gets heavy rain from June to September.
Two days involve 7 to 9 hours on the road. We start early, stop every two hours, and keep the following morning light.
October to February is the best window for the whole circuit. March to May is hot in Malwa and Marathwada; the monsoon makes Bhimashankar and the Nashik hills green but slows travel.

Yatra Highlights

Darshan at five Jyotirlingas: Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar and Bhimashankar
Ajanta and Ellora caves, including the rock-cut Kailasa temple, from a three-night base in Aurangabad
Harsiddhi Shakti Peeth, Panchavati and Ramkund, and two nights in the forested hills of Bhimashankar

Day 1 :

Arrive Indore or Ujjain

Our driver meets you at your arrival point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the agreed time, Indore airport (about 55 km, 1.5 hours from Ujjain) or Ujjain Junction railway station. Check in at the hotel and rest after your journey; lunch on your own.

In the evening we walk through the Mahakal Lok corridor to see its sculptures lit up, and watch the aarti at Ram Ghat on the Shipra. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Ujjain

Day 2 :

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga and Ujjain temples

Early morning darshan at Mahakaleshwar, the south-facing Jyotirlinga, when the queue is shortest. If you hold Bhasma Aarti passes, the driver takes you to report at about 1 am and you return by 6:30 am. Breakfast at the hotel.

Later we visit Harsiddhi Mata, a Shakti Peeth with two tall lamp towers, Kaal Bhairav, where liquor is offered to the deity, Mangalnath on the Shipra, and Sandipani Ashram. Lunch on your own. Evening free to rest. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Ujjain

Day 3 :

Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga day visit

Breakfast and a 7 am departure for Omkareshwar, about 140 km (3.5 to 4 hours) via Indore. The temple stands on Mandhata island in the Narmada, which from above has the shape of the syllable Om. Darshan at Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga, then Mamleshwar on the south bank, held to be the other half of the same Jyotirlinga. Lunch on your own near the ghats.

Time at the Narmada ghats or a boat ride (extra cost) before the return drive. Back in Ujjain by evening. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Ujjain

Day 4 :

Long drive: Ujjain to Nashik

This is the longest day of the yatra. After an early breakfast we leave by 6:30 am for Nashik, about 520 km via Dhar, Sendhwa and Dhule, taking 8 to 9 hours with stops for tea and lunch (on your own). The road crosses from the Malwa plateau into the Deccan through the Satpura hills.

Arrive Nashik in the evening, check in and rest. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Nashik

Day 5 :

Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga, Panchavati and Ramkund

Breakfast, then a 30 km drive to Trimbakeshwar at the foot of Brahmagiri hill, where the Godavari rises. The Jyotirlinga here is unusual: three small lingas representing Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva in a hollow, usually covered by a silver mask. Darshan from the hall; sanctum entry is restricted. The Kushavarta kund nearby is the traditional bathing tank. Lunch on your own.

Back in Nashik we visit Panchavati, where Rama, Sita and Lakshmana lived during their exile: Kalaram temple, Sita Gufa, the five banyan trees and Ramkund on the Godavari, where the Kumbh Mela snan takes place. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Nashik

Day 6 :

Nashik to Aurangabad, Bhadra Maruti

Breakfast and departure for Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), about 185 km, 3.5 to 4 hours via Yeola and Vaijapur. Lunch on your own en route.

In the afternoon we visit Bhadra Maruti at Khuldabad, one of the very few temples where Hanuman is shown lying down, and Bibi Ka Maqbara, the Mughal tomb modelled on the Taj Mahal, if time allows. Check in at the hotel. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Aurangabad

Day 7 :

Ajanta caves excursion

Breakfast and a 7:30 am start for Ajanta, about 100 km (2.5 to 3 hours) north. The 30 rock-cut Buddhist caves, carved between the 2nd century BCE and the 6th century CE, hold the finest ancient paintings in India. Visitors park at the base and take the shuttle bus (ticketed) to the caves; there are steps and a fair amount of walking along the horseshoe cliff. Caves 1, 2, 16, 17 and 26 are the ones not to miss. Lunch on your own at the MTDC complex.

Return to Aurangabad by evening. Dinner at the hotel. Note: Ajanta is closed on Mondays; the Aurangabad days are swapped if needed.

Overnight: Aurangabad

Day 8 :

Ellora caves and Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga

Breakfast, then a 30 km drive to Grishneshwar, the smallest and, by most counts, the last of the twelve Jyotirlingas, rebuilt in the 18th century by Ahilyabai Holkar in red stone. Men are asked to remove shirts before entering the sanctum. Darshan is usually quick on weekdays.

A kilometre away are the Ellora caves: 34 Buddhist, Hindu and Jain excavations, crowned by Cave 16, the Kailasa temple, a complete temple cut downward from a single rock. Allow 3 to 4 hours; the Hindu group (caves 13 to 29) and the Jain group are spread out, and a battery vehicle runs to the Jain caves. Lunch on your own. Evening free in Aurangabad. Dinner at the hotel. Note: Ellora is closed on Tuesdays.

Overnight: Aurangabad

Day 9 :

Aurangabad to Bhimashankar

The second long drive. After breakfast we leave by 7 am for Bhimashankar, about 280 km via Ahmednagar, Alephata and Manchar, 6 to 7 hours with lunch (on your own) on the way. The final 40 km climb through the Sahyadri forest to the temple at roughly 1,000 m.

Check in at the hotel or guest house. If it is still daylight, a short walk to the Gupt Bhimashankar stream or the viewpoint. Early dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Bhimashankar

Day 10 :

Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga darshan

Morning darshan at Bhimashankar, the Jyotirlinga where Shiva is said to have destroyed the demon Tripurasura. The temple is about 230 steps down from the parking area, in Nagara style with a Hemadpanthi stone hall; the forest around is a wildlife sanctuary known for the giant squirrel. Darshan queues are long on Mondays and in Shravan; otherwise it is peaceful. Breakfast at the hotel after darshan.

The rest of the day is free to rest, walk the forest trails, or visit the Hanuman lake and Bombay Point viewpoint. Those who want can take a second darshan in the evening. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Bhimashankar

Day 11 :

Bhimashankar to Pune, departure

Breakfast at the hotel. Check out and drive about 110 km (3 to 3.5 hours) to Pune, descending through Manchar and Rajgurunagar. If time allows, we stop at the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati temple in the city.

Drop at your departure point (airport, railway station or hotel), Pune airport or Pune Junction railway station. Please book flights or trains after 3 pm. The yatra ends here with five Jyotirlingas complete.

Overnight: not included

Night	Place	Hotel (or similar)	Room type
Night 1	Ujjain	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 2	Ujjain	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 3	Ujjain	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 4	Nashik	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 5	Nashik	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 6	Aurangabad	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 7	Aurangabad	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 8	Aurangabad	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 9	Bhimashankar	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 10	Bhimashankar	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

Which five Jyotirlingas does this yatra cover, and why these five?

Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain), Omkareshwar (Narmada), Trimbakeshwar (Nashik), Grishneshwar (Ellora) and Bhimashankar (Pune district). They lie along one road corridor from Madhya Pradesh into Maharashtra, so they can be done in a single journey without flying between them. The remaining seven are spread across Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand.

How many steps are there at Bhimashankar, and can elders manage them?

The Bhimashankar temple sits about 230 steps below the parking area, so the hard part is climbing back up after darshan. Elders who walk slowly usually manage it with rests. We give this temple a whole morning on Day 10, with two nights at Bhimashankar, so nobody has to hurry. Queues are long on Mondays and in Shravan; on other days darshan is usually peaceful.

Is eleven days too long for elderly parents?

The length is what makes it comfortable. Only two days are long drives; the rest have one temple or site in the morning and a free afternoon. We have kept three nights in Ujjain and Aurangabad precisely so that older yatris can rest. If you would rather shorten it, we can drop the Ajanta day or one Bhimashankar night and requote.

Will we get Bhasma Aarti at Mahakaleshwar?

We register for passes on the committee website the moment the 30-day window opens, but demand far exceeds supply and we cannot guarantee it. Day 2 is planned so that the aarti fits if the pass comes through; if not, you take darshan from the regular queue early that morning.

Can we do Ajanta and Ellora on the same day?

We do not recommend it. Ajanta is 100 km from Aurangabad and Ellora 30 km in another direction, and both involve a lot of walking. The three-night stay gives each its own day, with Grishneshwar visited beside Ellora. Families less interested in the caves can skip Ajanta and spend the day at Daulatabad fort or resting.

Can the yatra run in reverse, from Pune to Indore?

Yes. The same 10 nights work in the opposite direction, starting at Pune with Bhimashankar and ending at Ujjain or Indore. Tell us which cities suit your flights or trains.

What is the weather like across the route?

In October to February, Ujjain and Nashik have pleasant days and cool nights, Aurangabad is warm by noon, and Bhimashankar can drop to single digits at night, so carry a jacket. March to May is hot everywhere except Bhimashankar. June to September brings heavy rain to Bhimashankar and Nashik and occasional landslides on the hill road.

Are all meals vegetarian, and is lunch included?

Breakfast and dinner are pure vegetarian at the hotels and are included as listed. Lunch is on your own because the group is usually at a temple or site at midday; every stop has clean veg eateries, and the driver knows them. Jain or satvik food can be requested at the hotels in advance.

Yatra	Duration	Starts from	Price
Panch Jyotirlinga Yatra (this page)	11 days / 10 nights	Indore / Ujjain	From ₹60,000
Aurangabad Nanded Basara Yatra	7 days / 6 nights	Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar)	From ₹38,000
Baidyanath Dham Jyotirlinga – Deoghar, Jharkhand	3 days / 2 nights	Deoghar	From ₹14,500
Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga – Maharashtra	3 days / 2 nights	Pune	On request
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga – Maharashtra	3 days / 2 nights	Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar)	On request
Gujarat Spiritual Pilgrimage: Somnath & Dwarka	5 days / 4 nights	Rajkot	From ₹22,000
Hyderabad Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga Yatra	4 days / 3 nights	Hyderabad	From ₹25,000
Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga – Varanasi, UP	3 days / 2 nights	Varanasi	From ₹22,000

Highlights & Route

Route

Good to know before you book

Yatra Highlights

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Inclusions & Exclusions

Included

Not included

Hotels

Documents & Fitness

Documents to carry

Fitness and health

Cancellation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

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