Elephanta Island Elephanta Caves Gateway of India

Port Bombay/Mumbai • Level of difficulties Moderate • Type Sightseeing, Cultural, Drink included • Price Adults € • Duration in hours 5 Hrs. • Shore excursion code

Description

An adventurous tour to the caves of Elephanta Island, where we can admire the bas-relief statues sculpted in stone that recount Indian myths and legends, the perfect excursion for those who wish to learn more about the Hindu religion.

What we will see

• Elephanta Island
• Elephanta Caves
• Gateway of India

What we will do

• We leave the port by coach and head towards the Gateway of India where we board the ferry that takes us to the cave temples of Elephanta island.
• When we reach the island, we have to walk for about 20 minutes or take a 5 minute train ride to where the caves are located and then climb up 120 steps to the entrance of the caves.
• In the caves we can admire the temples carved out of the rock that date back to the 8th century AD. The bas-relief statues that are sculpted in the stone are brought to life as the guides recount the Indian myths and legends that animate them. The cave carvings are centred around the life of Shiva the destroyer. The most impressive ones, however, are dedicated to the Trimurti of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva: the creator, the preserver and the destroyer.
• We return to the Gateway of India by ferry and then board the coach which takes us back to the ship.

What you need to know

• The ferry boat crossing to Elephanta Island takes approximately 1 hour.
• There is only one train to the Elephanta caves; in the unlikely event that it is not running we have to walk for 20-25 minutes before we can climb the 120 steps to the entrance to the caves. The same applies on the way back. Comfortable shoes with rubber soles are therefore recommended.
• Places on this excursion are limited. We recommend booking early.
• You need to be physically fit to take part in this excursion.
• This excursion is not recommended for guests with mobility problems.

The Elephanta caves and the city of Mumbai

Port Bombay/Mumbai • Level of difficulties Moderate • Type Sightseeing, Nature excursion, Cultural, Meal included • Price Adults • Duration in hours 8.5 Hrs. • Shore excursion code

Description 

The ideal excursion for those who wish to embark on a journey into the heart of the Hindu religion and explore the places that are fundamental for an understand of this fascinating city, complete with a visit to the caves on the island of Elephanta.What we will see
• Gateway of India (photo stop)
• Elephanta Caves
• Lunch
• Panoramic drive by bus: Prince of Wales Museum, Jehangir Art Gallery, University of Mumbai, High Court Building, Rajabai Clock Tower, Marina Drive, Chowpatty Beach, Hanging Gardens, Parsi Towers of Silence, Chatrapati Shivaji, Asiatic Society Library
• Dhobi Ghat (photo stop)
• Mani Bhavan Museum

What we will do

• We leave the port by coach and head to the Gateway of India where we board a motor boat for Elephanta island.
• When we reach the island, we take a 5 minute train ride or, if the train is not running, a 20 minute walk to a point below the caves from where 120 steps lead us to the entrance of the caves.
• The caves, which date back to the 8thcentury AD, contain incredible sculptures depicting scenes from Indian mythology. Our guide illustrates the hidden story behind every sculpture, the most impressive of which is without doubt the one depicting the trilogy of Brahma (The Creator), Vishnu (The Preserver) and Shiva (The Destroyer).
• At the end of the visit our boat takes us back to the Gateway of India, where we proceed to the restaurant.
• After lunch, we set off to explore Mumbai’s most important sites. Walking through the city, we’ll see the Prince of Wales Museum with its enormous dome which is said to have been inspired by the Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur, and the Jehangir Art Gallery. We then pass by the University of Mumbai and the Supreme Court Building and head for the Rajabai Clock Tower, designed by a British architect and modelled on Big Ben in London. A short distance from Chowpatty beach we stop to admire Marina Drive, also known as the “Queen’s Necklace”, a long coastal road that earned its nickname because at night its street lights look like a pearl necklace. Our visit proceeds past the Jain Temple and the Hanging Gardens up to Dhobi Ghat: an enormous open-air washhouse where there is an incessant flurry of washing by hand, a custom that is still popular among locals despite the advent of modern washing machines. We stop briefly in this area to take photos, a perfect opportunity to take a picture of the Parsi Towers of Silence, a sacred place for the Parsi community and therefore inaccessible to other people.
• The next stop is the Mani Bhavan museum, once the residence of the “Father of the Nation” Mahatma Ghandi who lived in Mumbai from 1917 to 1934.
• Finally, before returning to the port, we pass Chatrapati Shivaji, the old railway station and the city’s most imposing Gothic building, and the Asiatic Society Library.

What you need to know

• There is only one train to the Elephanta caves; in the unlikely event that it is not running we have to walk for 20-25 minutes before we can climb the 120 steps to the entrance to the caves. The same applies on the way back. Comfortable shoes with rubber soles are therefore recommended.
• Places on this excursion are limited. We recommend booking early.
• You need to be physically fit to take part in this excursion.
• This excursion is not recommended for guests with mobility problems.

The Elephanta caves and the city of Mumbai

The best of Mumbai tour

Port Bombay/Mumbai • Level of difficulties Difficult • Type Cultural, Shopping, Meal included • Price Adults € • Duration in hours 7 Hrs. • Shore excursion code

Description

Discover the many faces of Mumbai! Learn more about its history from the Fort district and from its imposing buildings and learn about local customs while we mingle with residents at the market and watch the faithful at prayer in the small and characteristic temples.

What we will see

• Asiatic Society Library
• Flora Fountain
• Horniman Circle
• St. Thomas Cathedral
• General Post Office Building
• High Court Building
• University of Mumbai
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
• Dobhi Ghat, Cuffe Parade
• Gateway of India
• Crawford Market
• Banganga tank and Walkeshwar temple complex

What we will do

• We begin our tour at the Fort district where, despite the name, there is no fort today but only breathtakingly beautiful buildings of great historical importance.
• We begin our walking tour at the Asiatic Society Library, which was once the city hall. We arrive at the Flora Fountain, the graceful stone fountain dedicated to the Roman goddess, passing by the Horniman Circle, the park inaugurated in 1869 with an ornamental wrought iron fence enclosing magnificent gardens. We proceed with St. Thomas Cathedral which we visit only from the outside, and then head towards the General Post Office Building, the Supreme Court Building and finally the University of Mumbai, which we visit from the outside.
• At the end of this part of the excursion, we visit a typical Indian example of Victorian Gothic architecture: the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, built in 1837 and christened Victoria Terminus, to commemorate the Jubilee of the British Queen.
• From here we move on to the Dobhi Ghat at Cuffe Parade
• Our last stop before lunch is at the Gateway of India, the symbol of Mumbai, and the only entrance to the city before the advent of aeroplanes. Built to celebrate King George and Queen Mary’s visit to India in 1911, this imposing 26-metre-high arch situated opposite the Taj Mahal Hotel is an unmissable point of reference for those who arrive at the city by ship.
• After lunch at a hotel, we can do some shopping at the Crawford Market. Caught between two worlds, the Fort district and the narrow streets of the old city, the market probably represents the last outpost of British Bombay, as it explicitly recalls Victorian London with its smell of hay and its 15-metre-high awnings.
• Lastly, we visit the Banganga tank and the Walkeshwar Temple Complex.

What you need to know

• Dress code that is appropriate for the places of worship to be visited is recommended.
• You need to be physically fit to take part in this excursion.
• This excursion is not recommended for guests with mobility problems.
• The excursion involves lots of walking, it is therefore recommended to wear comfortable shoes.
• Places on this excursion are limited. We recommend booking early.