AJANTA, ELLORA & ELEPHANTA CAVES
Temples cut downwards out of solid basalt, some of them the size of a cathedral. These 15 sort the long days from Aurangabad and the ferry trip out of Mumbai, with prices, driving hours and the days each site closes.
Travel from Mumbai to Elephanta Island with an English-speaking guide such as Rajat or Manoj. Expect a ferry ride, a hot climb of roughly 100 to 250 steps, and a close look at Shiva sculptures, Buddhist remains, and living worship in a UNESCO site.
“We really enjoyed visiting the Elephanta caves. Our guide was very informative and we enjoyed learning about the history of the caves.”
Take a ferry from Mumbai to Elephanta Island, then follow an English-speaking guide through three basalt-carved caves. Learn the meaning of Shiva sculptures, see the great three-headed statue, ride the island toy train, and return by ferry. Hotel pickup is optional.
“The Elephanta caves tour was great! Our guide Dave was so knowledgeable and friendly, and took amazing pictures of us. Highly recommend!”
Travel by ferry from Mumbai’s Gateway of India to Elephanta Island, then climb about 120 steps to sixth- and seventh-century caves. A guide such as Harish, Daivat, David, or Krupesh explains the sculptures, including the famous three-headed Shiva. Ferry tickets and cave entry are included.
“Great tour we were extremely well looked after by our excellent guide Krupesh. He was most informative and catered to our needs wonderfully. Just did not get the opportunity to say goodbye as our ferry left. Really recommend this trip”
Take a ferry from Mumbai’s Gateway of India to Elephanta Island, then explore its UNESCO-listed rock-cut temples with a local guide. Expect a handoff between guides, a climb to the caves, the huge Trimurti sculpture, optional Cannon Hill views, and help with ferry tickets and transfers.
“Great organisation by Danish dk and Sintu to beat the queues on one of the busiest days of the year, as well as little bits of help all along the way”
See Mumbai with a private car, English-speaking guides, and a choice of city sights, Elephanta Caves, and Dharavi. Guides such as Daivat and Dinesh explain the cave carvings, laundry work, and local life. Allow up to 10 hours for the full program, including the ferry.
“The whole trip was great, I liked the Mumbai city tour very much and we had a very knowledgeable guide. Elephanta island was very interesting and beautiful and our guide Harish knew everything about the island and the caves. If you have the chance, then book this tour!”
Spend two days visiting Ajanta and Ellora from Aurangabad in a private air-conditioned car for up to five people. Choose transfers alone or add local guides such as Deepak, Siraj, or Nasir. Ajanta takes a full day, while Ellora pairs with Bibi Ka Maqbara.
“My two day car only experience to visit Ellora and Ajanta was executed well by my driver Samad who was flexible and on time. Samad was a great driver and took good care of me. I would book again.”
Meet near Regal Cinema, take the public ferry from the Gateway of India, and explore Elephanta Island’s Shiva Cave with a private guide. Sameer and other local guides are praised for clear explanations and photography. Allow four hours, plus a one-hour boat ride each way.
“Unfortunately, the tour to the Elephant Cave was cancelled, because the ferry was cancelled due to the visit of the President Modi to Mumbai, but this tour company offered an excellent back-up plan for me. They let me join the Dharavi slum tour, and I enjoyed it a lot.”
Spend 9 to 10 hours with a private guide such as Naina, Subha, or Chetan, combining Elephanta Island’s Shiva carvings with Mumbai highlights. Hotel, airport, and cruise-port pickup, private air-conditioned transport, ferry tickets, and the island toy train are included. Meals and attraction fees cost extra.
“Naina guided us through the wonderful sights and sounds of Mumbai, and the Elephanta caves, giving us an excellent overview with lots of interesting detail. really happy with Naina who was very well informed and knew the answer to any question we asked. spoke English really well. highly recommended.”
Visit Kanheri Caves in Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the Golden Vipassana Pagoda with an English-speaking guide such as Aryan, Nikhil, or Kavita. Expect private transport, Buddhist history, hillside steps, scenic views, and possibly a short meditation session.
“We had an amazing time on this tour. Shuaib and JQ picked us up from our hotel and handled all the transportation for the day so we could focus on seeing the sights. Shuaib was our guide and was very knowledgeable about the Kanheri Caves and the Golden Pagoda. His commentary on the trip added so much information that we would not have know if we were to visit these places on our own. It was great to have a local with us and Shuaib was a better guide than we ever could have expected. I recommend that anyone visiting Mumbai book this activity!”
Spend 7 to 8 hours with a private English-speaking guide exploring Elephanta Caves and South Mumbai landmarks, from the Gateway of India and CSMT to Marine Drive, Dhobi Ghat, and Mani Bhavan. Pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, and fees are included.
“I had an amazing tour in Mumbai and everything was perfectly organized from start to finish. The timing was spot on, the selection of sights was excellent, and I really enjoyed trying typical local snacks along the way. Our stops were very inforRead more”
Travel in a private air-conditioned car from Aurangabad to Ajanta and Ellora, with Daulatabad Fort and Bibi-Ka-Maqbara on day two. Driver Habeeb or Shabaz may handle the route, while cave guides, tickets, meals, and lodging are arranged separately.
“Top Service, very nice driver, patient and punctual. If you have short time to visit Ellora and Ajanta Caves is a must do. Pick up and drop off from the airport, clean A/C car. Good suggestions for food and other places of interest around Aurangabad.”
Travel from Mumbai to Elephanta Island by ferry, then explore its ancient rock-cut temples with an English-speaking guide. Rajat, Sam, Manoj, and other local guides explain the Shiva sculptures, island life, and cave design. Hotel pickup, ferry tickets, entrance, and water are included.
“We enjoyed our trip to the Elephant Caves and temple. Meet downtown, hop on a public ferryboat that our guide Ronit bought tickets for, ride about an hour on the water, then about 90 minutes on the island. Ronit handed us over to another guide, Manuch, who lives on the island and did that part of the tour. There's a lot about Hindu gods, so to make sense of all the statues in the temple, you might want to do a quick review of the Wikipedia page on Hinduism before you go! :-) It's a climb up uneven stone stairs to the top, but not too arduous. Buy a bottle…”
Take a private half-day trip from Mumbai to Elephanta Island by ferry, then explore ancient Hindu and Buddhist caves with a local guide. Expect Gateway of India views, a short island train ride, steep steps, striking Shiva carvings, and hotel pickup. Guides may include Chetan, Sameer, or Avinash.
“The experience was great! The guide was very knowledgeable and attentive. There was also someone guiding me on the boat. But the best part of the experience was Mukesh, my driver. He has very good driving skills, is very knowledgeable about Mumbai and I learnt a lot about the city. He‘s going the extra mile so that their guests can get the maximum out of this tour! Thank you once again!!!”
Spend 4 to 8 hours exploring Kanheri’s Buddhist caves inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park, then visit the Global Vipassana Pagoda near Gorai Beach. English-speaking guides such as Fahad, Hamid, Abdul, and Nadeem explain the carvings, inscriptions, meditation cells, and Buddhist traditions.
“My experience was unique—everything was perfect. My guide was the best! he gave me a tour of the cave and provided detailed descriptions. I highly recommend them—they are simply the best.”
Spend 7 to 8 hours with a private driver visiting Ellora Caves, Daulatabad Fort, Bibi Ka Maqbara, a historic water mill, and Khuldabad’s Valley of Saints. Hotel pickup, air conditioning, private transport, and bottled water are included. A guide is not included.
By boat, by ladder, by staircase or on a rope.
