Elephanta Island Caves Tour
About this tour
Escape the city’s hustle on an unforgettable Elephanta Caves Tour, one of Mumbai’s most iconic cultural experiences. Enjoy a scenic ferry ride across Mumbai Harbour to Elephanta Island, home to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed rock-cut caves, renowned for their ancient sculptures, intricate carvings and centuries-old temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Explore the caves with knowledgeable local guides who bring their history, mythology and architecture to life. Marvel at the stone carvings, including the world-famous Trimurti Shiva sculpture, while learning about the island’s heritage and its place in Indian history.
Ideal for history enthusiasts, photographers, families and first-time visitors, this tour combines harbour views, ancient heritage and expert local storytelling into one memorable day trip.
What you will experience
- Boat ride from the Gateway of India with stunning views of Mumbai's historic coastline
- Trimurti Sadashiva: the iconic 5.45-metre three-faced sculpture of Lord Shiva representing creation, protection and destruction
- Hindu legends in stone: intricate carvings including Nataraja, Lord of Dance, and Yogishvara, Lord of Yogis
- Hindu-Buddhist fusion: how the caves blend Hindu deities and mythology with Buddhist symbols and design
- Mandala-inspired layout: a temple complex arranged in a sacred pattern reflecting ancient beliefs about divinity and space
What is included
- Return ferry tickets from the Gateway of India
- Elephanta Caves site entry fee, Rs350 per person, paid by us
- Expert English-speaking local guide
- Boat tickets from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island and back
- Guided tour of the caves and main sculptures, including Trimurti, Nataraja and Yogishvara
- Bottled drinking water
- All entrance and local taxes
- Insider stories on history, legends and art
What you will see
What our guests say
5.0 out of 5 · 1,388 reviews across TripAdvisor and Google
This was a wildly interesting tour, one of my favorite experiences in India so far. Balaji was amazing and took great care to explain and show us the books and crannies of the slum. It was safe, informative,…
We recently did the “slum tour” with the tour guide Balaji. I cannot reccomend this tour enough. Balaji was very friendly and knowledgable and happy to answer all our questions in great depths. He made us feel very…
Really interesting and eye opening tour of the Mumbai slum, would definitely Recommend. Our tour guide was Shivam who was really nice and gave us lots of information with really good English!
Meeting point
Common questions
Yes. The return ferry from the Gateway of India and the Rs350 UNESCO site entry fee are both included in the price and paid by us. Children are charged the same site entry fee by the authorities, which is why the child rate on this tour is higher than on our walking tours.
Approximately 5 hours, including ferry travel, guided exploration and leisure time.
The caves are open Tuesday to Sunday. They are closed on Mondays.
Yes. All tours include a professional guide who provides historical, cultural and architectural insight into the caves.
The ferry departs from the Gateway of India and takes approximately one hour to reach Elephanta Island.
Yes, the tour is family-friendly and suitable for children. Please note the walk to the caves involves climbing steps.
Yes, there are small eateries and snack shops on the island, but it is worth carrying water and snacks for convenience.
You can book directly on our website, email info@mumbaiexperiences.com, or contact us on WhatsApp at +91 73043 00233.
2-Day Mumbai Explorer
Two days covering Dharavi, the city's landmarks, street food and Elephanta Island. Our most complete package.
Often booked together
Booking more than one tour? Contact us and we will build a combined itinerary with a single guide across your day.