Sacred Elephanta: Private Caves & Breathtaking Island Escape

We organized this trip ourselves after being let down on another trip the night before so we went to the Gateway to India (10 min walk from our hotel) and got on a ferry to the island 300 rupee each then 10 rupee to see the sights and we also paid 2000 rupee to have a guide who explained every thing to us as we walked around but be aware that there is a lot of steps to climb so trainers needed, watch out for the monkeys they may want your bottle of water, its about 1 hour on the ferry and you have a great view of Mumbai as you come back,

Manoj was a very knowledgeable and friendly guide. It was a very historical and fulfilling experience. Manoj also took great pictures with clear understanding of angle and lighting. I would highly recommend Manoj as a guide.

The caves are a one-hour boat ride from the port in Mumbai (next to the “Gateway of India” and the Taj Mahal hotel). There are fast-boat rides available that take only 15 minutes, of desired. Our first tour guide, Riya, used that time to tell us more about Mumbai, what to expect at the caves, and about life in India. Upon arrival at the island, you can walk the pier or wait for a small tram - we walked and it was faster to reach the 121 steps up to the caves. The carvings of Hindu and Buddhist temples in the rocks are incredible. The carvings date back hundreds of years and only natural light is available. Our second tour guide, Mahesh, is an island native and very knowledgeable about the carvings and shared his perspective. Of all the sights to see in Mumbai, this was number 1 on our list and should be a must-see!

A lot of steep walking. Very scary restrooms. Guide was okay but not great. Wasn’t the safest off condition on boat and train.

A must- see location and experience! Highly recommend doing this specific excursion as the speedboat gets you there earlier before all of the crowds! Our guide, Manoj, was absolutely fantastic and taught us so much! Bring bananas for the monkeys and biscuits for the pups! But spend time really absorbing the healing peace of this amazing place and celebrating Sheba!

Excellant viewing but lengthy boat ride out . Was worth the wait but made it a long day. Guides were excellent

The tour with Sam of the Elephanta Caves was excellent. The statues carved into the mountain inside the cave are spectacular. More than 1600 yrs old.

We had a wonderful save trip. All involved were fun and made for a wonderful experience. We recommend.

The pick up from the port was perfect. Transfer to and escort (Cash) onto ferry. Pleasant one hour crossing. Our own guide welcomed us onto the island. Strenuous climb up 250 steps to caves. Too much for some on hot/humid conditions. Our guide Raoul was very informative and enthusiastic. Really enjoyed the tour. Return journey back port/ship was easy. Great experience!

Our guide through Linda tours was named Sam and he took us around the caves and explained everything to us. A lot of steps up in the heat but it was well worth it. Our escort on the boat Handi was also very kind. We also saw monkeys up here and our first Indian cow.