Mumbai: Elephanta Caves Private Tour & Ferry from Gateway of India

Four Hours, One Ferry, and the Shiva Cave's 20-Foot Trimurti

You take a ferry from Mumbai's Gateway of India across to Elephanta Island, where a licensed guide leads you through Hindu and Buddhist caves carved into rock. You see the main Shiva Cave with its massive Trimurti sculpture and walls of carved stories, ride a toy train up the hillside if you need it, and optionally eat lunch in a local home. The whole tour runs 4 hours and includes ferry, entry fees, guide and village tax.

Step-by-step itinerary

Elephanta Caves tour from Mumbai

• Meet tour guide at Gateway of India
• Boat ride to Elephanta Island
• Explore outer Hindu caves
• Visit smaller Buddhist caves
• Tour main Shiva Cave sculptures
• See shrines of Kartikeya and Ganesh

The experience

You're at the Gateway of India, and the boat leaves in minutes. Your guide meets you there (licensed, English or Spanish or German depending on what you booked), and then it's an hour across the water to Elephanta Island. The ferry ride itself is part of the thing. You're moving away from the city noise, and by the time you step off at the dock, the air feels different. The caves are waiting on the hillside, and you've got a guide who knows which ones matter and why.

The Elephanta Caves are Hindu and Buddhist both, carved into the rock centuries ago. The main one, the Shiva Cave, is where you'll spend most of your time. There's a Trimurti sculpture in there that's roughly 20 feet tall, and the walls around it are covered in carvings that tell stories: Lord Shiva's wedding, his battle with Andhaka, scenes from his life carved so deep into stone they've lasted this long. Other wings have shrines to Shiva's sons, Kartikeya and Ganesh. Your guide walks you through what you're looking at and why it matters, which makes the difference between seeing old rock and understanding what you're seeing. The outer caves were used for worship until the Portuguese came through. The inner ones are smaller, Buddhist caves. It's a UNESCO site, and it shows.

There's a toy train that runs up the hill if you don't want to walk the whole way, the ticket's included, and the village on the south side of the island, Gharapuri, is where lunch happens if you've chosen the lunch option. It's a local family's home, not a restaurant, which changes what you're eating and who you're eating it with. The whole thing takes about 4 hours from start to finish, and you need to be comfortable walking on uneven ground and climbing a bit. Wear shoes that grip, bring sunscreen and a hat or scarf if you're going to be in the sun for that long, and dress respectfully for a place of worship. Nothing too bare. A minimum of two people per booking, and kids need to be at least 10 years old, though younger children can come if they're in a stroller.

What’s included

• Your tour includes ferry transport from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island and back, entry fees to the caves, a government-approved licensed guide who speaks English, Spanish or German, a toy train ticket for the uphill section, and village tax.
• If you select the lunch option, you'll eat at a local family's home on the island.
• Comfortable shoes and sun protection are essential but not provided.

Options for this experience

2 options

Cave tour that comes with a family lunchUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English · 6 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 14:00

Speed FerryUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English, Spanish or German · 10 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 14:00Speedboat trip with a luxury service

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 4h, runs Tuesday to Sunday, 10 start times, from US$ 108 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and German, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesTuesday to Sunday10 departure times: 09:00, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30 and 14:00Another time? ›

GroupPrivate3 group tours ›

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and GermanOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Under 10: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Mystical Mumbai

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the Elephanta Caves without arranging your own ferry, guide or tickets: the 4-hour format fits a half-day from Mumbai, and a licensed guide makes the carvings and history legible instead of just old stone.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and German.

How long is the ferry ride to Elephanta Island?

About one hour each way from the Gateway of India.

What's included in the tour?

Ferry to the island, licensed guide (English, Spanish or German), cave entry fees, toy train ticket, village tax, and optional local lunch in a family home.

Is lunch included in the price?

Lunch is only included if you select the lunch option when booking. It's eaten at a local family's home on the island.

How much walking is involved?

A moderate amount. There's a toy train available if you want to skip the uphill walk, but exploring the caves themselves requires climbing and walking on uneven ground.

What's the minimum age for this tour?

Minimum age is 10 years old. Infants and small children can come in a stroller or pram.

What should I wear?

Comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat or scarf are recommended. Dress respectfully for a place of worship: avoid spaghetti straps and short shorts.

How many people do I need to book?

A minimum of 2 people per booking.

What's the Trimurti sculpture?

A 20-foot-tall carving of the three aspects of Lord Shiva in the main Shiva Cave. It's one of the most significant sculptures in the caves.