Mumbai : The financial, film and fashion capital of India, Mumbai, still often referred to by its former name of Bombay, is a booming, coastal metropolis with high energy levels. You can still see a lot of colonial influence here, especially in the buildings. It is India’s most cosmopolitan and liberal city, but also the city of the starkest contrasts between the haves and the have-nots. The city that never sleeps is well known for its nightlife.

Aurangabad: Aurangabad is the base for one of the wonders of the world – the Ajanta and Ellora caves. The World Heritage Site of Ellora is one of the finest examples of rock-cut caves dating from the 7th to the 11th centuries. Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves are to be found, amongst which the largest monolith in the world, the Kailasha Temple, is the most impressive.

The Ajanta caves, dating from the 2nd century, are full of beautiful frescoes, wall paintings and vivid sculptures that reflect the peak of ancient Indian art and architecture. Aurangabad itself, named after the last of the Great Mughal Emperors of India, Aurangzeb, is packed with history and culture and has interesting forts and other monuments.