Last Updated on: 23rd October 2025, 10:00 am
Daulatabad Fort isn’t that well-known, and it hardly ever appears on lists of India’s top forts. But it’s arguably one of the country’s most enjoyable forts to visit. While it lacks the grandeur of Gwalior Fort or the luxurious palaces of forts in Rajasthan, something about its layout and the way visitors gradually make their way to the top makes it a lot of fun to explore.
Located about 20 km outside of Aurangabad, Maharashtra, it’s not far from the spectacular Ellora Caves. But as we’ll cover shortly, combining it with a visit to the caves would be too much for one day.
Daulatabad Fort has a rather complicated history. It was founded in the 12th century by the Yadava Dynasty under King Bhilama V, and both Hindu and Jain structures were built during its first couple of centuries.
In the 14th century, it was annexed by the Delhi Sultanate. But much of what we see today was built by the Deccan plateau-based Ahmadnagar Sultanate. It was then conquered by the Mughals. Today, Daulatabad Fort offers a fascinating mix of Hindu, Jain and Islamic architecture.
For more information on reaching the fort and where to stay in Aurangabad, be sure to check the end of the article.
The Tomb of Shaikh Bahauddin Shuttari
On the way to Daulatabad, my driver stopped at the tomb of Tomb of Shaikh Bahauddin Shuttari, an Indian-born Sufi saint who was believed to have been capable of great miracles.
Across the street, meanwhile, are the ruins of an old caravanserai from the time that Aurangabad was a major trading center. While I didn’t go, there didn’t seem to be any barriers restricting curious visitors from having a look.
I didn’t know much about the saint and didn’t even expect to stop here, but the glistening mosaics of the tomb’s interior were stunning – especially the ceiling. The shrine is said to be over 500 years old and is now under the care of local family.
Daulatabad Fort
At the time of writing, Daulatabad Fort is open daily from 9:00-18:00 and costs Rs 300 for foreigners to enter.
You’ll pass by the fort on the way to and from the Ellora Caves, so some tours or drivers take visitors here afterwards. Daulatabad Fort, however, takes 2-3 hours to explore in full and is best done as its own half-day trip.
Were you to arrive here in the morning, you’d still have some time left over to see some of the sites around central Aurangabad. Learn more about reaching Daulatabad Fort from Aurangabad below.
Shortly past the ticket gate, you’ll walk through a large gate known as Mahakot. And right by it are what appear to be remnants of Daulatabad’s Hindu era.
Past the gate, the first major landmark you’ll encounter is the Saraswati Step Well. In medieval times, water was brought here via a piping system from a nearby reservoir. Today, it merely collects rainwater.
Notably, the Saraswati Step Well was constructed in 1322, when the fort was under the control of the Delhi Sultanate. Why it’s named after the Hindu goddess of art and knowledge is unclear, but perhaps the landmark was ‘reclaimed’ in recent times.
Nearby is what appears to be a small tomb, but there doesn’t seem to be any information about it.
The central path through the site takes you from east to west. And over on the northern, or eastern side of the path is something called the Kacheri Building.
It was technically closed at the time of my visit, but a guard let me through. It appears to be yet another step well.
As you walk along the main path, you’ll be able to see the towering Chand Minar up ahead. But before heading there, be sure to turn left to see the Bharat Mata Temple, one of the architectural highlights of the entire fort.
You’ll enter the structure via an elaborate entrance gate situated at the top of a staircase.
The structure was originally built as a mosque and it features a large 87 x 87 m courtyard surrounded by colonnades. It was built in 1318 AD during the reign of Qutubuddin Mubaraq Khilli.
But looking closely at its many pillars (106 in total), they don’t resemble Islamic architecture at all. They were clearly usurped from temples built during the Yadava period. And their style suggests that they actually came from a Jain temple.
In 1948, upon India’s independence, the former Jama Masjid of Daulatabad was converted to the Bharat Mata Temple. Rather than choosing a deity that would’ve been worshipped here in ancient times, they chose ‘Mother India,’ a modern goddess who first appeared in the 19th century.
Clearly, the name change and rededication of the space was inspired by nationalistic fervor rather than historical accuracy.
Finally, it’s time to check out the Chand Minar, the massive 70 m-high minaret that’s visible from all over the complex. It was constructed in 1445 by Sultan Al-ud-din Bahamani in commemoration of his victory over Gujarat.
Constructed by Iranian architects, it’s said to be a replica of Delhi’s famous Qutab Minar, though it lacks the flutings that that minaret is known for.
A spiral staircase runs up the entire thing. But tragically, multiple people have jumped to their deaths from the minaret in the past, so it’s now off-limits to the public. Apparently, the local langur monkeys didn’t get the memo.
To the south of Chand Minar is the Cannon Gallery which displays 53 types of cannons. The path to the north, meanwhile, leads to one of Daulatabad Fort’s more noteworthy structures.
The white structure known as Aamkhas Palace was originally built to serve as the entrance to the Royal Hammam. But the building was later converted to become its own palace.
The structure itself was closed during my visit, but visitors could enjoy an outdoor gallery of various archaeological findings discovered throughout the area. On display are both Hindu and Jain relics.
Continuing west along the main path, you’ll approach another elaborate gate known as Kala Kot which was built by the Ahmednagar rulers.
But just before it is what appears to be an ancient temple, with pillars just like those at the Bharat Mata Temple mentioned above. Oddly, no information about it seems to exist on-site, nor does it appear on the main map.
Just past the Kala Kot is the Chini Mahal, the ruins of a double-storied palace.
The Mughals had already captured Daulatabad Fort in 1632. But they converted this structure into a prison in which to keep Abul Hasan Qutb Shah (1687-1700 AD) of the Hyderabad-based Golconda Sultanate. His crime was being too inclusive of a ruler for the fundamentalist tastes of Emperor Aurangzeb.
Further ahead is Mendha Top, a round bastion accessed via a spiral staircase. It features a very unique ram cannon at its top which was placed here by Aurangzeb.
The platform also offers great 360-degree views.
The next part of the journey is arguably the most fun. Here, visitors traverse through a series of dark passageways and up multiple staircases on their way up to the citadel.
The labyrinth was deliberately designed to confuse invading troops. While totally safe today, there were originally traps that would send invaders down a steep drop into the moat!
There’s a break in the middle where you can step into the sunlight and enjoy the views from an overlook. But to get further up into the fortress, you’ll need to walk up yet more steps in the darkness.
Continuing further up, you’ll encounter a Ganesh Temple dedicated to the Hindu elephant god. It remains an active temple and you’ll see visitors lining up to give offerings.
And then, it’s time for the final, tiring ascent to the top.
The main structure at the top of the citadel is known as Baradari. It’s a white octagonal building that features 12 arches in total.
During the Mughal period, both Shah Jahan (the builder of the Taj Mahal) and Aurangzeb (his son) liked to spend their summers up here.
Once inside, you’ll find a main central courtyard which leads to the octagon. From here, you can enjoy the views of the surroundings in all directions. But hopefully you’ll be there on a not-so-hazy day.
It would be wise to not bring any snacks, as you’ll need to be especially careful of the langur monkeys that inhabit the top. They can be quite aggressive if they sense you have any food.
Though I always thought that macaques were the naughty ones while langurs were laidback and non-confrontational, Daulatabad Fort totally changed my perspective!
Beyond the Baradari, there’s even a higher platform accessible via more steps. It’s home to the Durga Cannon which could shoot targets about 2-3 km away.
Finally having seen everything, there was nowhere else to go but back down toward the entrance.
It’s worth noting that Daulatabad Fort hardly gets any foreign visitors, so you’ll likely get lots of attention from locals. Fortunately, Maharashtra is probably one of India’s friendliest states, and I spent much of my visit in the company of some talkative young adults visiting from nearby cities.
Additional Info
Daulatabad Fort can be reached by Uber or private driver, while you could also probably take the Ellora Caves-bound bus from Aurangabad’s man bus station and ask to be let off there.
Though I was originally planning to take an Uber both ways (about Rs 5-600 each way, according to my app), my hotel’s tuk tuk driver happened to be waiting for me and told me I wouldn’t be able to find an Uber back. Upon reflection, he was probably right.
In the end, we settled on Rs 900 roundtrip. But if you’re on a tight budget, the bus might be your best bet. Just be sure to confirm the times at the station.
For those coming from Mumbai, several trains depart per day, with the ride lasting 6-7 hours. There are also several trains per day from Nashik, with the ride lasting 3-4 hours.
You can also get to Aurangabad directly from cities like New Delhi, Agra, Bhopal, Hyderabad and more.
If you’re doing a long trip through India, it’s best to create an account on the official Indian Railways (IRCTC) website. But that’s much easier said than done!
If you’re just doing a shorter trip, it’s best to book train tickets through 12GoAsia. You’ll pay a significantly higher fee, but it’s a much smoother experience.
The above link is an affiliate link, but I did use 12GoAsia a few times before I got my IRCTC account set up, and I had no issues.
Aurangabad also has its own airport, with direct flights from Mumbai and Delhi.
Despite being the base from which to visit the Ellora and Ajanta Caves – arguably India’s most stunning tourist attractions – Aurangabad isn’t nearly as touristy as many Indian cities further north. And there doesn’t seem to be a designated tourist or hotel district.
For those willing to splurge a bit, Gateway Aurangabad is one of the highest-rated hotels in the city. Hotel JP International, meanwhile, seems like a good mid-range (by Indian pricing standards) option.
Being a long-term budget traveler, I stayed at Galaxy Residency which was a bit far from the center, but it was clean and had all the basics for less than Rs 1000 per night.
They will set you up with a driver, which has both its pros and cons. On the one hand, he offered reasonable prices and always showed up on time.
But he was also very persistent, and if he didn’t have any customers on a particular day, he’d just sit outside the hotel waiting for me to see what I had planned! On one of our outings, he also kept encouraging me to buy stuff from his acquaintances which I had to keep refusing.