Pune to Ashtavinayak — 3 Day Cab Package (Scriptural Order)
The eight temples in the order the shastras prescribe, 1 through 8, unhurried
- No toll, parking or charging extra
- No driver halt charges
- Fixed at booking — zero surge
About This Trip
A three-day shastoyukt Ashtavinayak cab package from Pune costs ₹19,999 in the Toyota Innova Hycross. It follows the scriptural order — Morgaon, Siddhatek, Pali, Mahad, Theur, Lenyadri, Ozar, Ranjangaon — which crosses the Sahyadri ghats twice and covers about 725 km over three days. The fare is all-inclusive of tolls, parking, fuel and both overnight driver halts. Accommodation and meals are arranged by you.
The Ashtavinayak in the order the shastras prescribe: Morgaon first, then Siddhatek, Pali, Mahad, Theur, Lenyadri, Ozar, and Ranjangaon last, exactly 1 through 8. Many yatris hold that the merit of the pilgrimage rests on completing it in this sequence rather than the order that saves the most driving. Honouring it means crossing the Sahyadri ghats twice, so the circuit runs about 725 km and needs three unhurried days. If you would rather cover the same eight temples with the least time on the road, our 2-day Optimized Route groups them by geography.
Choose Your Vehicle
Every fare is all-inclusive for the whole trip. Our fleet is electric or hybrid — on this route the driver charges while you are inside for darshan, so it costs you no travel time.
Toyota Innova Hycross
6 seats · AC 2 check-in + 2 cabin (6 seats) · 4 check-in + 4 cabin (3rd row folded)Hybrid MPV — the full-size cabin for a multi-day yatra
Need a different vehicle, extra stops or an overnight version? Message us on WhatsApp and we will quote it.
What's Included
- Door-to-door pickup and drop in Pune, or direct from Pune Airport
- All tolls, parking and fuel for the full circuit
- Driver allowance and overnight halt charges
- Air-conditioned vehicle with drinking water on board
- Driver contact shared the night before pickup
What's Not Included
This is a cab package — vehicle and driver. It is not a tour package, so the following are never part of it.
- Accommodation on the route — you book it directly
- Meals, refreshments and personal expenses
- Darshan passes, poojas, offerings and temple donations
- The nominal monument entry fee at the Lenyadri caves
- Travel insurance
Day Plan
A suggested plan, not a fixed one — the temple order is your choice, and we will run it either way. Timings are typical; the Shirdi darshan queue is the one variable nobody can control.
- 5:30 AM
Pickup in Pune
Door-to-door from your residence, or direct from Pune Airport.
- 7:00 AM
Tea halt
A short stop en route to Morgaon.
- 8:00 AM
Morgaon — Mayureshwar (1st)
68 kmWhere the circuit properly begins. Allow 45 minutes including the pradakshina.
- 10:00 AM
Drive to Siddhatek
82 kmAcross into Ahmednagar district.
- 12:00 PM
Siddhatek — Siddhivinayak (2nd)
The only right-turned trunk among the eight. The 1.3 km hill pradakshina is optional.
- 1:30 PM
Lunch at Daund
20 kmOwn arrangement.
- 3:00 PM
Rest of Day 1 at leisure
You settle into your own accommodation near Daund or Siddhatek; the driver halts separately. The unhurried pace is the point of this package.
- 5:30 AM
Day 2 — pickup from your stay
An early start; this is the long ghat-crossing day.
- 9:00 AM
Pali — Ballaleshwar (3rd)
165 kmAcross the Sahyadri into Raigad district.
- 10:30 AM
Drive to Mahad
25 km - 11:15 AM
Mahad — Varadvinayak (4th)
Sanctum entry is permitted here — you receive darshan directly.
- 12:30 PM
Lunch at Khopoli
30 kmOwn arrangement, en route.
- 1:30 PM
Back across the ghats toward Theur
110 kmThe second ghat crossing — the price of keeping the scriptural order.
- 5:00 PM
Theur — Chintamani (5th)
Peshwa Madhavrao's samadhi is inside the complex.
- 6:30 PM
Overnight near Theur
We drop you at your accommodation east of Pune; the driver halts separately.
- 6:00 AM
Day 3 — pickup from your stay
The last three temples, and home by evening.
- 8:00 AM
Lenyadri — Girijatmaj (6th)
95 km307 steep stone steps to the cave temple. Allow 90 minutes for the climb, darshan and descent.
- 10:30 AM
Drive to Ozar
15 km - 11:00 AM
Ozar — Vighnahar (7th)
The golden shikhara given by Chimaji Appa after the Vasai victory of 1739.
- 12:30 PM
Lunch at Narayangaon
15 kmOwn arrangement.
- 2:30 PM
Ranjangaon — Mahaganpati (8th and final)
50 kmThe circuit closes here, in the prescribed order.
- 4:00 PM
Return to Pune
50 km - 5:30 PM
Drop in Pune
Door-to-door at your residence.
Temple Guide
What to expect at each darshan — timings, dress code and the practical details.
Shri Mayureshwar, Morgaon
Shri Mayureshwar Ganpati (1st in shastrokta order)The starting and closing point of the traditional Ashtavinayak circuit. Ganesha is said to have taken form here riding a peacock to defeat the demon Sindhurasur — hence Mayureshwar, lord of the peacock. The temple sits on the bank of the Karha river behind a fortified wall with four minarets.
- Hours
- 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM, open all days
- Aarti
- 7:00 AM — Kakad aarti · 12:00 PM — Madhyahna aarti · 8:00 PM — Sandhya aarti
- Darshan & passes
- Darshan is open to all and the temple does not operate a paid pass system. Poojas such as Sankalp and Abhishek are booked at the temple counter on the day, at the trust's published rates.
- Dress code
- Modest attire. Full-length trousers or sarees, shoulders covered.
- Photography
- Mobile photography is allowed in the outer hall. No photography of the garbhagriha or the main idol.
- Seniors
- Four stone steps to the main hall and a five-minute walk from parking. Wheelchair access is limited.
- Busiest days
- Bhadrapad Ganesh Chaturthi week (Aug–Sep) draws the heaviest crowds of the year.
- Official site
- mayureshwarmorgaon.com ↗
Shri Siddhivinayak, Siddhatek
Shri Siddhivinayak (2nd)The only Ashtavinayak whose trunk turns to the right — considered the most difficult form to propitiate and, by tradition, the most powerful. It stands on a hillock across the Bhima river in Ahmednagar district.
- Hours
- 5:00 AM – 9:30 PM, open all days
- Aarti
- 7:00 AM — Kakad aarti · 8:00 PM — Sandhya aarti
- Darshan & passes
- No pass system. The temple is run simply and darshan is open to all. Poojas are arranged at the counter inside.
- Dress code
- Modest attire. The pradakshina runs over a kilometre — wear comfortable footwear.
- Photography
- No photography inside the garbhagriha.
- Seniors
- About 25 stone steps. The full hill pradakshina is 1.3 km and optional; a bullock cart is usually available.
- Busiest days
- Monsoon months (Jul–Sep) — Bhima river flooding can affect road access.
- Official site
- ashtavinayak.in ↗
Shri Ballaleshwar, Pali
Shri Ballaleshwar (3rd)The only Ashtavinayak named after a devotee rather than a form of the deity. The boy Ballal worshipped a stone as Ganpati with such conviction that the deity took the name. Rebuilt in stone by Shri Phadnis in 1773, it sits between the Sarvatadi and Aamba hills in Raigad district.
- Hours
- 5:00 AM – 9:30 PM, open all days
- Aarti
- 7:00 AM — Kakad aarti · 12:30 PM — Madhyahna aarti · 8:00 PM — Sandhya aarti
- Darshan & passes
- Darshan is open to all with no pass system. Poojas are booked at the temple counter.
- Dress code
- Modest attire. The halls are covered, so weather is less of a factor here.
- Photography
- Permitted in the outer mandap. Not in the sanctum.
- Seniors
- Step-free to the outer mandap, with a few steps at the sanctum threshold.
- Busiest days
- Bhadrapad Chaturthi week sees very heavy footfall.
- Official site
- ashtavinayak.in ↗
Shri Varadvinayak, Mahad
Shri Varadvinayak (4th)The granter of boons. The idol was discovered in the adjoining lake in the 18th century by Shri Dhondu Paudkar. A nandadeep — a perpetually burning oil lamp — has been alight here without interruption since 1892.
- Hours
- 5:00 AM – 9:30 PM, open all days
- Aarti
- 6:00 AM — Kakad aarti · 12:00 PM — Madhyahna aarti · 8:00 PM — Sandhya aarti
- Darshan & passes
- No pass system. Unusually among the eight, devotees are permitted to step inside the sanctum for direct darshan.
- Dress code
- Modest attire. Shoulders covered.
- Photography
- No photography inside the sanctum, even though entry is permitted.
- Seniors
- Step-free entrance and suitable for wheelchairs — the easiest of the eight.
- Busiest days
- Bhadrapad Chaturthi week and Magh Chaturthi day.
- Official site
- ashtavinayak.in ↗
Shri Chintamani, Theur
Shri Chintamani Ganpati (5th)Where Ganesha recovered the Chintamani jewel from the greedy prince Guna. The temple stands where the Mula, Mutha and Bhima rivers meet. Peshwa Madhavrao I died here in 1772 and his samadhi is inside the complex — worth the few minutes it takes.
- Hours
- 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM, open all days
- Aarti
- 7:00 AM — Kakad aarti · 12:00 PM — Madhyahna aarti · 8:00 PM — Sandhya aarti
- Darshan & passes
- Darshan is open to all and no pass is required. Poojas are arranged at the counter.
- Dress code
- Modest attire. Shoulders covered.
- Photography
- Permitted in the outer mandap. No photographs of the idol.
- Seniors
- Mostly step-free, and there is a side entrance that avoids the main steps.
- Busiest days
- Magh Chaturthi day if you want a quiet darshan — beautiful, but very crowded.
- Official site
- ashtavinayak.in ↗
Shri Girijatmaj, Lenyadri
Shri Girijatmaj (6th)The only Ashtavinayak set inside a rock-cut Buddhist cave complex — the 18th of some 30 caves hewn out of basalt around the 1st century CE. The hall is carved from a single rock with no supporting pillars, and the shrine faces north.
- Hours
- 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, open all days
- Aarti
- 7:30 AM — Morning aarti · 5:00 PM — Evening aarti
- Darshan & passes
- No pass system. There is a nominal state-monument entry fee at the cave complex.
- Dress code
- Modest but comfortable clothing. Wear proper walking shoes for the climb.
- Photography
- Permitted in the cave complex. Not of the idol itself.
- Seniors
- This is the hard one. 307 steep stone steps with no lift and no alternative route. Not advisable for anyone with knee trouble, a heart condition or breathing difficulty — plan to wait at the base while the rest of the group climbs.
- Busiest days
- Bhadrapad Chaturthi week for crowds, and mid-summer afternoons for heat on the exposed steps.
- Official site
- ashtavinayak.in ↗
Shri Vighnahar, Ozar
Shri Vighnahar / Vighneshwar (7th)The remover of obstacles, where Ganesha defeated the demon Vighnasura. The golden shikhara was given by Chimaji Appa after the Maratha victory at Vasai in 1739. The compound sits on the bank of the Kukdi river and is among the best-kept of the eight.
- Hours
- 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM, open all days
- Aarti
- 7:00 AM — Kakad aarti · 12:00 PM — Madhyahna aarti · 8:30 PM — Sandhya aarti
- Darshan & passes
- Darshan is open to all with no pass system. The temple trust also runs a bhaktiniwas for pilgrims, booked directly with the trust.
- Dress code
- Modest attire. Shoulders covered.
- Photography
- The gold shikhara photographs well from the compound. No photography inside the sanctum.
- Seniors
- Mostly step-free and comfortable. The trust bhaktiniwas is close by.
- Busiest days
- Bhadrapad Chaturthi week.
- Official site
- ashtavinayak.in ↗
Shri Mahaganpati, Ranjangaon
Shri Mahaganpati (8th)Held to be the most powerful of the eight forms — Shiva is said to have worshipped Ganesha here before facing the demon Tripurasura. The temple is built so that the sun's rays fall directly on the idol from Dakshinayan onwards, and the original idol is believed to be concealed in a vault beneath the one on display.
- Hours
- 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM, open all days
- Aarti
- 7:00 AM — Kakad aarti · 12:00 PM — Madhyahna aarti · 8:00 PM — Sandhya aarti
- Darshan & passes
- No pass system and darshan is open to all. Poojas are booked at the temple counter.
- Dress code
- Modest attire. Shoulders covered.
- Photography
- Welcomed in the outer compound and mandap. Not in the sanctum.
- Seniors
- Step-free entry and a wide compound — among the easiest of the eight.
- Busiest days
- Bhadrapad Chaturthi week.
- Official site
- ashtavinayak.in ↗
Before You Book
Timings are indicative, not guaranteed
The hour-by-hour plan above is built on normal traffic and normal darshan queues, and both vary a great deal. A festival day, a long queue, roadworks on the ghat sections or heavy rain will all move the clock, so arrival and departure at each stop will differ on the day. What stays fixed is the list of temples and their order — your driver adjusts the running plan on the road so every darshan fits. If a delay means a temple would be reached after closing, we tell you early and adjust with you rather than rush a darshan.
This is the longer route, by choice
Keeping the scriptural sequence means crossing the Sahyadri ghats twice — Pune-side to Raigad and back again — instead of once. That is roughly a full extra day of driving compared with the geographic route. If your priority is the least time on the road rather than the prescribed order, our 2-day Optimized Route covers the same eight temples.
Lenyadri needs a degree of fitness
307 steep stone steps, with no lift and no alternative route to the cave. Anyone with knee trouble, a heart condition or breathing difficulty should plan to wait at the base while the rest of the group climbs. Tell us in advance and the driver plans the day around it.
Day 2 is the demanding one
About 330 km with both ghat crossings and three temples. Days 1 and 3 are deliberately lighter — Day 1 ends mid-afternoon and leaves the evening free. That shape is intentional: it is what the extra day buys you.
We do not book your accommodation
Both overnight halts are yours to arrange — near Daund or Siddhatek after Day 1, and east of Pune near Theur after Day 2. Tell us where you are staying so the driver knows each morning's pickup point. We are happy to suggest options.
We are a cab service, not a tour operator
We provide the vehicle and driver. We do not arrange darshan passes, priests, poojas, guides, meals or accommodation, and we cannot shorten a darshan queue. Everything inside the temple is yours to arrange.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the itinerary timings guaranteed?
No — they are indicative. The plan assumes normal traffic and normal darshan queues, and both vary a great deal. A festival day, a long queue, roadworks on the ghat sections or heavy rain will all move the clock, so arrival and departure at each stop will differ on the day. What stays fixed is the list of temples and their scriptural order: your driver adjusts on the road so every darshan fits. If a delay means a temple would be reached after closing, we tell you early and adjust with you rather than rush a darshan.
What makes this different from the 2-day package?
The order. This package follows the shastrokta sequence 1 → 8 — Morgaon, Siddhatek, Pali, Mahad, Theur, Lenyadri, Ozar, Ranjangaon — which many yatris hold is what makes the pilgrimage complete. Keeping that order means crossing the Sahyadri ghats twice, so it needs three days and about 725 km. The 2-day package visits the same eight temples grouped by geography, crossing the ghats once.
Does the package include meals or accommodation?
No. The fare covers the vehicle, driver, fuel, tolls, parking and both overnight driver halts. Your own accommodation on both nights and all meals are arranged by you and paid on your own. We are happy to suggest options at each halt.
Do we need to return to Morgaon at the end?
By strict tradition the circuit closes with a return to Morgaon, where it began. This package ends at Ranjangaon, the eighth temple, and returns to Pune from there. If you want the closing Morgaon darshan included we can add it — tell us when booking and we will quote the extra leg.
Can senior travellers manage this circuit?
Better than the 2-day version — that is much of the point of the third day. Six of the eight temples are step-free or close to it. Lenyadri, with 307 steep steps, is the one real obstacle, and anyone not climbing waits comfortably at the base. Tell us about any mobility constraints when booking.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes. Tolls, parking, fuel and both driver halts are inside the quoted figure, and there is no surge pricing on any date. The only variable is if you ask to add a stop that is not on the route — the closing Morgaon darshan, for instance.
Can you pick us up from Pune Airport?
Yes. We pick you up directly from Pune Airport with 30 minutes of free waiting included — share your flight number when you book and we plan the pickup around it. This package starts from Pune only; we do not run it from Mumbai or Navi Mumbai airports.
Ready for this yatra?
All-inclusive from ₹19,999 · 725 km · Tolls, parking & charging included