Kailasa Temple Opening Hours & Closing Days
ASI describes visiting hours for the Ellora Caves as sunrise to sunset, with a weekly closure on Tuesdays. Kailasa Temple follows the property’s access, not its own independent timetable.
Google Maps ↗ ASI source listing ↗
Independent guide · Page reviewed 9 November 2026 · ASI listing consulted 2026-10-29
Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) is one monument within the UNESCO-listed Ellora Caves. Prices, opening status and routes are dated listings to re-check, not live confirmations.
What the ASI listing says
The ASI Ellora Caves page consulted on 29 October 2026 lists sunrise-to-sunset visiting and a weekly Tuesday closure. Because sunrise and sunset shift through the year, this is a daylight rule rather than a fixed clock time.
A Google Maps snapshot taken the same day displayed an 18:00 closing time. That third-party listing is not an official closing hour, a last-admission time or a promise of access to Cave 16 at that time.
Reviewed 9 November 2026. The ASI page showed no clear update date; treat the hours as a listing to re-check, not a live schedule.
Planning around a daylight-only window
Daylight opening means that entry procedures, the walk to Cave 16, time inside the monument and the return to your vehicle all have to fit before sunset. Arriving late in the day compresses the visit even if the gate is still open.
Conservation work, weather, special orders and partial closures can restrict individual caves or routes within the property. A general opening listing cannot confirm that the exact area you want is reachable.
- Confirm the weekly closure and any public-holiday exceptions before fixing a travel date.
- Ask ASI or the official ticket service about the current last-admission time.
- Do not plan sunrise or sunset photography outside permitted admission hours.
Where to verify on the day
Check the ASI site and the official ticket service for current conditions, then confirm at the entrance. This guide does not monitor gate status and does not publish a live opening board.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kailasa Temple open on Tuesdays?
The ASI listing consulted on 29 October 2026 gives a weekly Tuesday closure for the Ellora Caves. Kailasa is Cave 16 within that property, so plan around the closure and confirm current exceptions.
What time does the temple close?
ASI lists sunrise to sunset rather than a fixed hour. A Maps 18:00 snapshot is a third-party listing, not an official closing or last-ticket time.
Can I visit for sunset?
Sunset defines the end of the listed visiting window. Do not assume late entry or after-hours photography is permitted; confirm last admission with ASI.
Sources and review limits
Page reviewed 9 November 2026. The ASI Ellora Caves page was consulted 2026-10-29; that review is not an on-site inspection, and no clear page-update date was visible on the ASI listing. A Google Maps snapshot or a UNESCO property coordinate is not a verified entrance, ticket counter or accessibility survey.
- Archaeological Survey of India: Ellora Caves — identity, historical attribution, listed opening hours and admission categories.
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Ellora Caves — the 1983 inscription, the ensemble and its artistic significance.
- ASI official ticket service — check the actual visit date, eligibility and current charge.
- Google Maps: Kailasa Temple — dated manual snapshot, not site-collected reviews.
No business name, price, timetable, distance, star rating or review score is published here without verification. Temporary closures, conservation work and special orders may override any general listing.