This 2-day yatra from Pune takes you to Bhimashankar and Trimbakeshwar, two of the five Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra, and to Shri Sai Baba's samadhi mandir at Shirdi. The first day asks the most of you. We pick you up at 4:30 AM, give Bhimashankar a full four hours, then cover the long stretch north so you reach Trimbakeshwar with enough time for a calm darshan, and you sleep at Nashik.
The second day is easier. Shirdi comes in the morning, with room kept for the queue, and then the drive back to Pune. If you have already done our one-day Bhimashankar trip, this is the obvious next one. It also works as one half of the full Panch Jyotirlinga circuit for families who find four days too long. If you were looking for a 3 Jyotirlinga tour package from Pune, note that this trip covers two Jyotirlingas plus Shirdi.
What's included
Pickup from your home in Pune and drop back at the same door
Fuel, toll and parking charges for all 668 km
The driver's allowance and night-halt charge
An AC car, with drinking water kept on board
Your driver's mobile number and the vehicle details, sent to you the evening before pickup
Not included
Your Nashik stay, which you book yourself
Food, snacks and any personal spending
Darshan passes, poojas, offerings and donations to the temples
Doli (palanquin) charges at Bhimashankar, if you take one
Travel insurance
Day-by-day itinerary
Hour by hour, temple by temple.
Tap a day to expand. Drive blocks show distance from the previous
stop; temple blocks link to the temple guide below.
Timings below are indicative, not fixed.
Darshan queues, traffic, weather, and road conditions all shift the
day. Your driver adjusts the running order on the road to fit
every temple in — the stops stay the same, the clock moves.
Day 1 · 377 km
Pune → Bhimashankar → Trimbakeshwar → Nashik
A long day with darshan at two Jyotirlingas, ending with a night at Nashik.
4:30 AM
Pickup in Pune
We collect you from your home. This first day really is long, and starting this early is what lets both Jyotirlinga darshans happen at an unhurried pace.
7:30 AM
Bhimashankar: reach the temple
110 km from previous stop
The 6th Jyotirlinga. The sanctum is about 200 steps below the road, with the same climb back up, which makes this the toughest darshan of the trip.
7:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Darshan and time at Bhimashankar
Four full hours, matching the time on our one-day package. On a normal day the queue can take two hours by itself, and far longer on Mondays or during Shravan. Most groups also take the steps slowly. Since this is the first darshan of the trip, we keep the time generous so nobody has to hurry.
11:30 AM
Drive on to Trimbakeshwar, 237 km and roughly 3.5 hours
237 km from previous stop
The longest drive of the trip. The road comes down the Bhimashankar ghat and heads north towards Nashik, and we stop for lunch along the way.
1:00 PM
Lunch on the way
You arrange and pay for lunch yourself.
3:00 PM
Trimbakeshwar: reach the temple
The 10th Jyotirlinga, where the Godavari rises, known for its three-faced lingam.
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Darshan and time at Trimbakeshwar
We allow two and a half hours here. The general queue often takes well over an hour, and the complex is also where Narayan Nagbali, Kaalsarp and Tripindi poojas take place, so it stays crowded and a quick darshan rarely works. The temple stays open till 9:00 PM, so reaching late is never a worry.
5:30 PM
Drive to Nashik
30 km from previous stop
A short drive down from Trimbak.
6:15 PM
Night halt at Nashik
We leave you at your hotel, and the driver stays separately. Nashik has plenty of hotels to choose from. After such a long day, most groups prefer dinner and an early sleep to a visit to the Godavari ghats.
Overnight: Nashik
Indicative schedule. Arrival and departure at each stop
depend on darshan queues, traffic, and conditions on the
day — expect some drift from the times shown.
Day 2 · 291 km
Nashik → Shirdi → Pune
Morning darshan at Shirdi with time kept for the queue, then the drive back to Pune.
7:00 AM
Day 2: pickup from your hotel in Nashik
This day is much easier than Day 1.
8:45 AM
Shirdi: reach the samadhi mandir
91 km from previous stop
You cannot take phones or cameras inside. The deposit counters sit outside the complex, so allow extra time before and after darshan.
8:45 AM – 11:45 AM
Darshan and time at the Shirdi complex
We keep three hours for Shirdi, the hardest queue on this trip to predict. It can be 45 minutes on a quiet morning and more than three hours on a Thursday or festival day. If you finish early, Dwarkamai, Chavadi and Gurusthan are a short walk away and well worth seeing.
11:45 AM
Lunch in Shirdi or on the road
At your own cost. The Sansthan's prasadalaya serves simple, clean food at a very fair price.
12:45 PM
Start the drive back to Pune
200 km from previous stop
Roughly four and a half hours, including halts.
5:45 PM
Drop in Pune
We bring you back to your own door.
Indicative schedule. Arrival and departure at each stop
depend on darshan queues, traffic, and conditions on the
day — expect some drift from the times shown.
Temple guide
Every temple, what to expect.
Notes from drivers who have done this circuit hundreds of times —
timings, dress code, accessibility for elders, and what makes
each temple unique.
01 · Bhimashankar
Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga
Lord Shiva (Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga)
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.
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.
For 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.
Best time: Early morning, and outside the monsoon if mobility is a concern (the steps get slippery). Mondays and Mahashivratri are heaviest.
The tenth Jyotirlinga, at the foot of Brahmagiri near Nashik, and the source of the Godavari. Uniquely the lingam here has three faces: Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. The present black-stone temple was built by Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao in the 18th century and is among the finest nagara buildings in Maharashtra. It is also one of the two sites of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years. The next opens on 31 October 2026.
Sanctum entry for rituals has its own rules — men performing rituals typically enter bare-chested in a dhoti. For general darshan, modest full-length clothing is recommended. Inner-sanctum entry has restricted hours.
Photography
No photography inside the sanctum. The exterior carving photographs well from the courtyard.
For seniors
A few steps to the temple platform; the courtyard is mostly step-free. Manageable for most. The Brahmagiri climb is a separate strenuous trek and is not part of a standard darshan.
Best time: Early morning. Sant-pooja days and Shravan Mondays draw very large crowds.
Avoid: Simhastha Kumbh Mela years, Mahashivratri and Shravan Mondays draw the largest gatherings.
03 · Shirdi
Shri Saibaba Sansthan, Shirdi
Shri Sai Baba
The samadhi mandir of the 19th-century saint whose teaching 'Sabka Malik Ek' — one God governs all — draws pilgrims of every faith. The complex also holds Dwarkamai, the mosque where he lived, and Chavadi.
Modest full-length clothing with shoulders covered. This is enforced at the entrance.
Photography
Phones and cameras are not permitted inside the samadhi mandir and must be deposited at the counters outside. Allow time for this in both directions.
For seniors
Wheelchairs are available and there is a separate queue for senior citizens and the differently abled. Ask at the entrance rather than joining the main line.
Best time: Early morning (after the 5:15 AM Kakad aarti) or late evening for shorter darshan queues. Thursdays are Baba's day and the busiest.
Avoid: Thursday is Shri Sai Baba's day and the busiest of the week. Guru Purnima, Ram Navami and Vijayadashami draw the largest gatherings of the year.
Vehicle & pricing
Pick the vehicle that fits your group.
All prices below are all-inclusive. No tolls, parking, fuel, or
driver halt extra. The price you see is the price you pay.
Toyota Innova Hycross
6 seats · Hybrid · AC
2 check-in + 2 cabin bags with all 6 seats in use · 4 + 4 with the third row folded
Hybrid 6-seater, our largest and most comfortable cabin.
Need a different vehicle or seater configuration? Message us on
WhatsApp — we customise routinely.
Before you book
Know before you go.
**The timings are a guide.** The schedule above is built on normal traffic and ordinary darshan queues. At both Jyotirlingas, Mondays, the month of Shravan and Mahashivratri bring bigger crowds, and the Shirdi queue can surprise you on any day, Thursdays most of all. The temples on the list do not change. Your driver reworks the day's timing so you get every darshan, and if a hold-up means we would reach a temple after it closes, we let you know early and decide the change together, so no darshan is rushed.
**Expect a long first day.** Day 1 covers about 377 km and two darshans. One of them involves a 200-step climb with four hours kept for it, and the day begins at 4:30 AM, so you are out for roughly fourteen hours from door to door. We have kept Day 2 much lighter on purpose. Groups who prefer two equal days can ask us to quote a three-day version with one more night halt.
**Bhimashankar means stairs.** The temple lies below the road, so you walk about 200 steps down to the sanctum and the same number back up, early on Day 1. Doli carriers are sometimes found at the top, but we cannot promise one. Anyone who should not attempt the stairs can rest comfortably at the top.
**Book darshan passes yourself, on the official sites.** Each Jyotirlinga has its own official booking. For Bhimashankar, the online darshan pass is at shreebhimashankar.com. Trimbakeshwar's site, trimbakeshwartrust.com, handles Donation Darshan, Rudrabhishek and Laghurudra pooja bookings and rooms in its own bhaktiniwas. Book only through these temple sites, never through an agent or a third-party app. Please note two things. During Shravan, Trimbakeshwar shuts Donation Darshan and Urgent Donation Darshan on Mondays. Bhimashankar's site still shows a notice about restricted timings from the 2026 construction work, and the hours have changed more than once this year, so phone the trust on 02135 222 880 before you set out. As a cab service, we are unable to book passes for you.
**Leave phones outside at Shirdi.** Phones and cameras are not allowed in the samadhi mandir. The deposit counters are outside the complex, which adds time before and after darshan. Take as little as you can into the queue.
**Thursday is the busiest day at Shirdi.** It is Shri Sai Baba's day, the queue can go past three hours, and your return to Pune then lands well after 5:30 PM. If you can choose your dates, picking any other day makes Day 2 noticeably shorter.
**Your Nashik stay is yours to book.** We do not arrange the overnight hotel. On this route Nashik offers the most hotels, and the evening is free for the Godavari ghats or a vineyard if you wish. Send us your hotel details so the driver knows where to collect you on Day 2.
**We run cabs, we are not a tour operator.** Our part is the car and the driver. Darshan passes, priests, poojas, guides, meals and accommodation are outside what we do. The Trimbakeshwar poojas (Narayan Nagbali, Kaalsarp and Tripindi) are fixed directly with the temple's priests, never through an agent.
Frequently asked
What yatris ask before they book.
Will the trip run exactly to the timings shown?
Not always. The timings are a guide based on normal traffic and ordinary darshan queues. Mondays, Shravan and Mahashivratri bring bigger crowds at both Jyotirlingas. At Shirdi the queue is hard to predict on any day and longest on Thursdays. Your driver reworks the plan as you go so you get every darshan. If a hold-up means a temple would close before we reach it, we tell you early so no darshan is rushed.
What is the Bhimashankar to Trimbakeshwar distance, and why is Day 1 so long?
By road the two Jyotirlingas are 237 km apart, roughly three and a half hours, with a ghat to come down and another to climb, and nothing on the way worth stopping for. You stay in the same car with the same driver, so there is no need to hire a separate cab from Bhimashankar to Trimbakeshwar. Doing both on Day 1 leaves Day 2 relaxed, with time to spare for the Shirdi queue. If you want the two days more even, ask us to quote a three-day version with an extra night halt.
Do you have a Shirdi, Shani Shingnapur and Trimbakeshwar package from Pune?
This trip comes closest. It already includes Trimbakeshwar and Shirdi, and Shani Shingnapur can be added to Day 2. It is about 80 km from Shirdi and adds around two hours with darshan, so you would reach Pune at about 7:30 PM. Mention it when you book and we will give you a quote. If Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur matter more to you than the Jyotirlingas, our one-day Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur package is built for exactly those two.
How hard is the Bhimashankar darshan for elderly pilgrims?
It is the toughest part of this trip. The temple sits below the road, so the sanctum is roughly 200 steps below you, with the same number to climb back, early on Day 1. Doli carriers are sometimes waiting at the top, but they cannot be promised or booked ahead. If someone in your group finds stairs difficult, they can sit and rest at the top while the others go down.
Are meals and the Nashik hotel included?
No. What you pay us covers the car and driver, fuel, tolls and parking, plus the night-halt charge for the driver. Your hotel at Nashik and all your meals are yours to arrange and pay for. We are glad to suggest places to stay in Nashik.
Can you arrange a Narayan Nagbali, Kaalsarp or Tripindi pooja at Trimbakeshwar?
No. Narayan Nagbali, Kaalsarp and Tripindi shanti poojas are booked directly with the Trimbakeshwar temple's priests, never through an agent. We run a cab service and have no tie-up with any temple trust. Once you have booked the pooja yourself, your driver will get you there with time to spare. If it needs an earlier start, just let us know.
Is the fare fixed, or can it change?
It is fixed. Your quote already has tolls, fuel, parking and the driver night-halt charge built in, and we do not charge surge prices on any date. It changes only if you ask for an extra stop off the route, Shani Shingnapur for example.
Is the price for a round trip or one way?
Round trip. We start and finish at your home in Pune, and the drive back is included in the fare. If you just need a one-way cab from Pune to Trimbakeshwar or another temple town, send us a WhatsApp message and we will quote that separately.
Is there a shared cab from Pune to Bhimashankar and Trimbakeshwar, or a per-person rate?
No. Each booking is a private car for your group alone, and no other passengers ever ride with you. You pay one price for the whole car, not per head.
Ready for this yatra?
WhatsApp us your dates and we'll reply with an all-inclusive
quote, your driver's mobile number and vehicle details, and pickup confirmation.
