Pune to Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Tour Package — One-Day Round Trip Cab
Bhimashankar Jyotirling, the nearest of the twelve to Pune: darshan and home the same day, from your door
- No toll, parking or charging extra
- No driver halt charges
- Fixed at booking — zero surge
About This Trip
A one-day Bhimashankar cab from Pune costs ₹4,999 in the MG ZS EV, ₹5,999 in the Kia Clavis EV and ₹7,499 in the Toyota Innova Hycross. The fare is all-inclusive of tolls, parking, charging or fuel and the driver's allowance, and includes 300 km — the route itself is about 220 km, which leaves room for local running without an extra charge. A 5:30 AM pickup gets you to the temple by 8:30 AM, with a full four hours allowed for the darshan, and back in Pune by late afternoon. Bhimashankar is the closest of the twelve Jyotirlingas to Pune, and the darshan involves about 200 steps down to the sanctum and back up.
| Vehicle | Seats | Package fare | Km included | Route changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MG ZS EV | 4 | ₹4,999 | 300 km | Quoted if the route changes |
| Kia Clavis EV | 6 | ₹5,999 | 300 km | Quoted if the route changes |
| Toyota Innova Hycross | 6 | ₹7,499 | 300 km | Quoted if the route changes |
The price is per car, not per person. ₹5,999 in the Kia Clavis EV for up to 6 people works out to about ₹1,000 each.
Bhimashankar is the sixth Jyotirlinga and the only one close enough to Pune to do properly in a single day. The drive is about three hours each way on a genuine ghat road, so an early start matters — leave at half past five and you are at the temple by half past eight, with a full four hours set aside for the darshan itself. That is deliberate: the queue can run two hours on an ordinary day, and the temple sits below road level, so the darshan is a climb of around 200 steps down and back up. You are home in Pune by late afternoon.
Choose Your Vehicle
Every fare is all-inclusive for the whole trip, for a private cab that carries your group only. On the electric cars the driver charges while you are inside for darshan, so it costs you no travel time.
Kia Clavis EV
6 seats · AC 4 cabin bags (6 seats) · 4 check-in + 4 cabin (3rd row folded)Electric MPV, most luggage of our EVs
Toyota Innova Hycross
6 seats · AC 2 check-in + 2 cabin (6 seats) · 4 check-in + 4 cabin (3rd row folded)Hybrid MPV, the largest cabin
Looking for an Innova Crysta? We run the newer Toyota Innova Hycross (hybrid, 6 seats). See the Innova Hycross: seats, bags and fares.
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
- 300 km included — the route is about 220 km, so there is room to spare
- All tolls, parking and charging or fuel within the included distance
- Driver allowance for the full day
- Air-conditioned vehicle with drinking water on board
- Driver contact shared the night before pickup
What's Not Included
This package is the cab and driver only, so the following are never part of it.
- Meals, refreshments and personal expenses
- Darshan passes, poojas, offerings and temple donations
- Doli (palanquin) charges at the temple, if you use one
- Accommodation and driver halt charges if you extend to two days
- 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 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. The early start is what buys you an unhurried darshan.
- 7:00 AM
Tea halt en route
A short stop before the ghat section begins.
- 8:30 AM
Bhimashankar — arrive at the temple
110 kmAround 200 steps down to the sanctum and the same back up.
- 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Darshan and time at the temple
We allow a full four hours here. The queue alone can run two hours on a normal day and far longer on a Monday, in Shravan or at Mahashivratri, and the climb down and back up is slow going for most groups. If the queue moves quickly you have the time spare for the Hanuman Lake and Gupt Bhimashankar walks, or simply to sit in the forest — the shrine is inside a declared wildlife sanctuary.
- 12:30 PM
Lunch at Bhimashankar or en route
Own arrangement. Simple options near the temple; better choices once back down the ghat.
- 1:30 PM
Begin the return drive to Pune
110 km - 4:30 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. Timings can change on festival days and for special rituals; check the official website linked on each card before you travel.
Shri Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga
Lord Shiva — Bhimashankar (6th of the twelve)The sixth Jyotirlinga and the source of the Bhima river, set deep in the Sahyadri hills. The nagara-style temple, with later Nana Phadnavis additions, marks where Lord Shiva is said to have slain the demon Tripurasura. The surrounding forest is a declared wildlife sanctuary and home to the Indian giant squirrel, Maharashtra's state animal.
- Hours
- Changed several times in 2026 (5:00 AM – 9:30 PM through Shravan). Confirm with the trust on 02135 222 880 before you travel
- Aarti
- 5:00 AM — Morning puja · 2:45 PM — Afternoon puja · 7:30 PM — Evening aarti
- Darshan & passes
- Free darshan is always available by joining the general queue. The temple trust also runs an official online darshan pass on its own website, shreebhimashankar.com — book there directly rather than through any agent or third-party app. The trust relaxed the mandatory-booking rule in 2026 after devotees reported technical problems, and direct darshan has been allowed without registration since 18 June 2026. Abhishek and other poojas are arranged at the counter on the day. Hours changed several times in 2026 and the trust's website still shows a construction-period notice, so call the trust on 02135 222 880 before you travel.
- Dress code
- Modest attire with covered shoulders and full-length clothing for the sanctum. The hill setting is cold and misty — carry a layer even in summer.
- Photography
- No photography of the garbhagriha or the Jyotirlinga. The outer temple and forest surroundings are fine.
- Seniors
- The temple sits below road level — roughly 200 descending steps from parking to the sanctum, then the same back up. This is the most physically demanding darshan of the five. Doli (palanquin) carriers are sometimes available at the top.
- Busiest days
- Mahashivratri (Feb–Mar) and Shravan month Mondays (Jul–Aug) — peak Shiva-darshan crowds.
- Official site
- shreebhimashankar.com ↗
Before You Book
Timings are indicative, not guaranteed
The plan above assumes normal traffic and a normal darshan queue. Mondays, Shravan month and Mahashivratri change that completely — the queue can run several hours rather than one. The ghat road can also slow in heavy monsoon rain. We have built four hours at the temple into the plan precisely because the queue is unpredictable, but Mahashivratri and Shravan Mondays can outrun even that. Your driver will keep you posted on the day; please keep the evening flexible rather than booking something for 5 PM.
The darshan is a climb
Bhimashankar sits below road level, so it is around 200 steps down from the parking to the sanctum and the same back up. There is no lift and no vehicle access closer. Doli (palanquin) carriers are sometimes available at the top but cannot be guaranteed or pre-booked. Anyone with knee trouble, a heart condition or breathing difficulty should plan for that honestly before booking.
Book the Bhimashankar darshan pass yourself, on the official site
The temple trust runs an official online darshan pass at shreebhimashankar.com. Book it directly there — never through an agent or a third-party app, several of which are not sanctioned by the trust. The trust relaxed the mandatory-booking rule in 2026 after devotees hit technical problems, so free darshan in the general queue is always available, but a pass is still worth having on a Monday or in Shravan. One thing to know: the trust's website still carries a restricted-timings notice left over from the 2026 construction work, and hours have changed several times this year — call the trust on 02135 222 880 before you travel. We are a cab service and cannot book a pass for you.
Carry a layer, even in summer
The temple is high in the Sahyadri and the mornings are cold and misty for much of the year. In the monsoon the steps get properly slippery — sensible footwear matters more here than at most temples.
300 km is included, and the route does not use it all
The Pune–Bhimashankar–Pune run is about 220 km, so the 300 km included in your fare leaves roughly 80 km spare. That is deliberate — it covers a different pickup point, a detour to Hanuman Lake, or a diversion if the ghat road is closed, without anyone doing sums at the end of the day. The fare is a package fare, not a meter: what we quote is what you pay.
We are a cab service, not a tour operator
We provide the vehicle and driver. We do not arrange darshan passes, priests, poojas or guides, and we cannot shorten a darshan queue. Everything inside the temple is yours to arrange.
Want to see more Jyotirlingas?
Bhimashankar is one of five Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra. Our 2-day package adds Trimbakeshwar and Shirdi; the 4-day Panch Jyotirlinga package covers all five. Both start from the same Pune pickup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the itinerary timings guaranteed?
No — they are indicative. The plan assumes normal traffic and a normal darshan queue, and Mondays, Shravan month and Mahashivratri change that completely. Heavy monsoon rain also slows the ghat section. Your driver keeps you posted through the day. Please keep the afternoon flexible rather than planning something for 4 PM sharp.
How difficult is the Bhimashankar darshan?
The temple is below road level, so it is roughly 200 steps down from the parking to the sanctum and the same back up. That is the hardest part of the trip by far — the drive itself is comfortable. Doli carriers are sometimes available at the top but cannot be guaranteed or booked in advance. If someone in the group cannot manage stairs, they can wait comfortably at the top while the rest go down.
Can this be done comfortably in one day?
Yes, and it is the only Maharashtra Jyotirlinga where that is genuinely true. It is about 110 km each way and roughly three hours' driving in each direction on a ghat road. A 5:30 AM pickup puts you at the temple by about 8:30 AM for a morning darshan, and back in Pune around 4:30 PM.
What is the best time of year to go?
October to February is the most comfortable. The monsoon is spectacular here — the forest and waterfalls are at their best — but the steps get slippery and the ghat road slows down, so it is a harder trip for seniors. Mahashivratri and Shravan Mondays draw the largest gatherings — choose another day if you would like a quieter darshan.
Does the fare include meals or darshan passes?
No. The fare covers the vehicle, driver, fuel, tolls, parking and the driver's allowance. Meals, poojas, offerings and donations are at your own cost. Darshan at Bhimashankar is free in the general queue, and direct darshan has been allowed without online registration since June 2026. If passes return, book only on the trust's own site, shreebhimashankar.com.
What distance is included?
300 km. The Pune–Bhimashankar–Pune route is about 220 km, so there is roughly 80 km spare — enough for a different pickup point, a detour to Hanuman Lake, or a diversion if the ghat road is closed. This is a package fare rather than a meter, so you are not watching an odometer all day.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes. Tolls, parking, charging or fuel and the driver's allowance are all 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, which we would quote before the day.
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.
How do we reach Bhimashankar from Pune?
Three ways. By bus: MSRTC state buses run from Pune to Bhimashankar. They are the cheapest option but slower than a car, with limited departures, so check the return timing before you go. By your own car: about 110 km each way, and the last stretch is a narrow ghat road that is slow in fog and monsoon rain; parking is at the top, above the temple. By cab: a private car from your door and back, which is what this package is. The driver waits through the darshan and you are not tied to a bus timetable.
Is this a one-way or round-trip fare?
Round trip. The package starts and ends at your door in Pune (or at Pune Airport), and the fare covers the drive back. If you only need a one-way drop to the temple town, message us on WhatsApp and we will quote it separately.
Is there a sharing cab from Pune to Bhimashankar, or a per-person price?
No. Every booking is a private cab for your group only, and we never seat other passengers with you. The fare is for the whole car, not per person. Split across the seats it comes down quickly: ₹5,999 in the Kia Clavis EV for up to 6 people works out to about ₹1,000 each.
Ready for this yatra?
All-inclusive from ₹4,999 · 220 km · Tolls, parking & charging included