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15 Best Mumbai Tours to Really Get to Know the City

Multi-faceted Mumbai is the most cosmopolitan city in India. Numerous migrant communities have influenced its development since the 17th century, when the British gained the seven Bombay islands from the Portuguese. These insightful Mumbai tours offer unique opportunities to really get to know the city .

21 Best in Mumbai Tour

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Visiting Mumbai but only have one day to go sightseeing? Take this comprehensive tour. You'll get to see 21 of the top attractions in Mumbai including the Gateway of India , Taj Palace hotel, dhobi ghat open-air laundry, Victoria Terminus railway station (Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus), Crawford Market, Rajabai Clock Tower, Bombay High Court, and the exterior of businessman Mukesh Ambani's towering $2 billion home. There's no other tour like it!

• Tour Operator: Grand Mumbai
• Duration: Full day.
• Cost: Based on the number of people doing the tour. Contact the company for pricing.

Dharavi Slum

Mumbai's Dharavi slum may have the dubious honor of being the largest slum in Asia but it's hardly the depressing place you may expect. Be prepared to be amazed and impressed as this tour aims to break the negative stereotype associated with the slum. Put aside your initial apprehensions and you'll discover a place that's alive with small scale industries and high community spirit. The tour is lead by local Dharavi residents, who refer to the slum as the "Land of Opportunity". Read about why you MUST go on a Dharavi slum tour .

• Tour Operator: Various options including Be The Local Tours and Travels , Reality Tours & Travel, and Mohammad's Dharavi Slum Tours .
• Duration: About two hours. Some tours provide the option to have lunch with a local family afterwards.
• Cost: From 800 rupees per person.

Khaki Tours Urban Safari

Ever been on an urban safari? Now, you can in Mumbai! This offbeat and unique new tour will take you through some of Mumbai's top heritage precincts in an open-top jeep. The most popular one is the imperial Fort Ride, covering more than 100 heritage buildings from the time of the British in Mumbai. Read more about the Fort Ride Urban Safari. The company also conducts immersive heritage walks across the city.

• Tour Operator: Khaki Tours.
• Duration: Two and half or four hours.
• Cost: From 2,200 rupees per person.

Mumbai by Dawn

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Experience Mumbai come to life on this special morning tour, which visits many of Mumbai's bustling early morning markets. These include the fish market at Sassoon Dock, flower market, wholesale fruit and vegetable market, and herb market with vendors sitting atop a bridge. You'll also get to see newspapers being sorted and distributed. No Footprints is renowned for telling the city's stories, and this is one of their most in demand tours despite the early starting time.

• Tour Operator: No Footprints.
• Duration: Three hours, from 5.30 a.m. to 8.30 a.m.
• Cost: Depends on the number of people. Expect to pay about 8,500 rupees for a solo tour, with the per person rate reducing accordingly for more participants.

The Sights of Mumbai Using Local Transport

This tour is perfect for those who like to step out of their comfort zones and experience the local way of living. You'll be shown many of Mumbai's famous attractions but you'll travel around using the city's black and yellow taxis, double-decker red buses, local trains , and on foot. At the end, you can look forward to sampling some authentic Mumbai chai (tea) and snacks. The tour is lead by enthusiastic young people from the Akanksha Foundation, who come from underprivileged backgrounds but were trained to become tour guides.

• Tour Operator: Mumbai Magic.
• Duration: Four hours starting from 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. daily, from the Gateway of India.
• Cost: 2,500 rupees per person.

Bazaars and Markets of Mumbai

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According to this walking tour, Mumbai's heart lies not in its monuments but in its markets. You'll be expertly guided through the vibrant but chaotic bazaars of Kalbadevi and Bhuleshwar, where it's otherwise easy to get lost. The area is a fascinating mix of shops, stalls, noise and activity, mosques, temples , and tranquility. The tour includes Crawford Market (fruit, vegetable and spice market), Mangaldas Market (cloth market), Zaveri Bazaar (gold market), and Mumbadevi temple (an ancient Hindu temple from which the city derived its name).

• Tour Operator: Mumbai Magic or Grand Mumbai.
• Duration: Two hours, daily except Sundays.
• Cost: Depends on group size. Expect to pay 3,000 rupees for a solo tour.

Mumbai's Street Food

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Mumbai has some distinctive street food that's different to the rest of India, and you'll get to learn about it and try it on this tour. The tour will explore some of Mumbai's renowned street food destinations and khao gallis (food lanes), such as Mohammad Ali Road and Marine Drive Chowpatty (beach).

• Tour Operator: Various options including No Footprints , Amaze Tours , and Reality Tours & Travel .
• Duration: Four hours in the evening from 5.30 p.m.
• Cost: 1,800-1,900 rupees per person. This includes food.

A Day with the Dabbawalas

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Mumbai's iconic dabbawalas are an essential part of the city's functionality. These men carry and deliver about 200,000 dabbas (tiffins/lunch boxes) to the city's office workers every day. The concept was started to meet the needs of British rulers. However, it's continued on to cater to Indian businessmen who can't get home for lunch. This tour starts with an informative talk by the Chief of the Dabbawala Association. After this, you'll be involved in sorting and delivering the tiffins with the dabbawalas .

• Duration: Half day, ending with lunch at 12.30 p.m.
• Cost: Depends on the number of people.  

Mumbai by Night

Mumbai has a very different vibe at night and you'll be able to enjoy it on this tour. Visit Marine Drive Chowpatty, Banganga Tank , the Jain temple, businessman Mukesh Ambani's $2 billion home, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway Terminus.

• Tour Operator: Reality Tours & Travel.
• Duration: Two and a half hours, from 7 p.m. daily except Sunday.
• Cost: 1,300 rupees per person.

Bollywood Tour

Mumbai is the center of India's booming Bollywood film industry. More than 100 films are produced each year there. It's possible to visit Film City (where many movies are made), go inside TV shooting studios, take a drive past Bollywood stars' homes, and see a Bollywood dance show.

• Tour Operator: Bollywood Tours.
• Duration: Half and full day. Can be combined with other sightseeing tours.
• Cost: Varies depending on the tour.

Mumbai's Ganesh Festival

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The Ganesh Festival is the biggest festival in Mumbai and it takes place on an epic scale in late August or September each year. It's worth planning your trip around when it happens. There are various ways of experiencing the festival including seeing the statues of Lord Ganesh being made , seeing the statues on display, and attending the immersion of statues on the last day.

• Tour Operator: Mumbai Magic , Grand Mumbai , Reality Tours & Travel , and Breakaway .
• Duration: Flexible.
• Cost: Varies depending on the tour and number of people.

The People of Mumbai

Sharell Cook

Mumbai is a melting pot of different faiths and cultures. This tour will take you through the neighborhoods where they all live. You'll learn about their clothes, religion, food and ways of life. Communities include the Kolis (fisher folk), Parsis, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists. That's quite a mix! The tour visits churches, mosques, and other religious monuments. It's a very interesting tour.

• Duration: Four hours, with flexible timings daily.

Worli Fishing Village

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Get a peek into the daily lives and rituals of the koli fishing community, Mumbai's original inhabitants, on this walking tour. The fishing village is located on what was one of Mumbai's seven islands. It was recently given a colorful makeover, when a group of young city residents painted its buildings as part of an ongoing slum beautification project. Another significant but little-known attraction there is the remains of historical Worli fort.

• Duration: Two hours, daily from 10 a.m.
• Cost: Depends on the number of people. Expect to pay 3,000 rupees for a solo tour, with the per person rate reducing accordingly for more participants.

Bandra, from Village to Metro

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One of Mumbai's cool neighborhoods and "Queen of the Suburbs", Bandra was originally a Portuguese settlement that continued to exist after the British gained possession of the Bombay islands further south. The neighborhood's liberal attitudes have made it a firm favorite with the city's hipsters and celebrities. Portuguese-style heritage bungalows, modern street art, historical churches, fort remains, and groovy cafes are some of the eclectic attractions .

• Duration: Four hours, daily. Recommended starting times are 9 a.m. or 2 p.m.
• Cost: Depends on the number of people. Expect to pay 3,000 rupees for a solo tour.

Cultural and Heritage Tour of Vasai

Have a day to spare and want to go somewhere offbeat on the outskirts of Mumbai? Take this tour of Vasai! Most likely, you haven't head of Vasai. It's hard to believe but it was a headquarters of Portuguese rule and a thriving fort city in the 16th and 17th centuries, when Mumbai was merely a string undeveloped islands. These days, it remains delightfully cutoff from the city's urban sprawl and feels more like Goa. Read more about the Cultural and Heritage Tour of Vasai .

• Tour Operator: Amaze Tours.
• Duration: Full day, 10 hours.
• Cost: 3,500 rupees per person.

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As we arrived at Mumbai Airport early in the morning and needed to kill some time before checking in at our hotel, we decided to go for a private Mumbai tour. Sahil and Sam picked us up from the airport and showed us around town, covering all the major sights. They were super friendly and easy to talk to. They knew a lot about the history and culture of Mumbai and answered all our questions. Sam’s style of driving was very comfortable and careful, no use of horn and sticking to all the rules. This made us relax quickly as we always felt safe with them. We really had a great time and would recommend this tour to everyone. Sahil and Sam did an amazing job.

Dharavi – An Unique Experience of World’s Third Largest Slum

Everyone who visits Mumbai should do this tour. It started with being collected from our hotel by Sahil. Sahil is the prefect guide – he is a good bloke (as we Brits say) and is very knowledgeable. We travelled to the slum by bus and train. Taking public transport in India was a first for us and was so much fun. It was an experience that we would not have had independently as taxis are so affordable and easy – I am delighted that we took the bus and train as part of this tour. Our 2 hour walk through Dharavi was possibly the most fascinating of all – whatever I expected from the word slum, it was not this. Dharavi is a fully functioning, self-sufficient town with a real sense of community. We learned a lot from Sahil and the people in Dharavi and loved every minute. The tour company donates some of the fees for the tour to an NGO and at no point did we feel that our presence if Dharavi was exploitative – the guys who run these tours are local and live in the area. We were welcome and, if you were wondering, felt very safe and secure at all times – please do this tour – it is like no other.

Best Tour Operator In Mumbai

Experiencing Mumbai with Magical Mumbai tours definitely exceeded my expectations.

Communication was excellent and the tour was exactly what I requested… and more. Samir, my guide, and his accompanying driver, were professional but fun and so enjoyable to be with as a solo traveler. I had never experienced Mumbai traffic so an additional shout-out to our driver for his skills and making me feel safe! Samir is a great guide. Learned so much about the slums as other guests have described and all the sites of Mumbai. What I really appreciate about this tour company was again, the ease in booking and the sense of welcoming I felt in being a solo traveler.

A Must Thing To Do In Mumbai

Magical Mumbai Tours did a great job organising the tour. It lets you see Mumbai’s most iconic and historical places. You are well taken care of, from the tour reservations to hotel pick-up and drop-off. It was a wonderful experience, and I learned interesting facts about the area thanks to my knowledgeable guide, Sahil, who animatedly told the story behind the name or how the infrastructure was made. Shoutout to Sam, who answered my queries timely and patiently, and Shubham, the tour driver, who knows the roads of Mumbai like the back of his hand.

Kudos to the team! This tour is definitely recommended for solo travellers.

Private Guided Tour of Mumbai & Dharavi Slums

Sahil and Sam were both such wonderful guides to have. We felt lucky to be with two guides who knew the city so well and had so many interesting things to share. We did the full city day tour + Dharavi tour which took about 8 hours and the whole time we felt like we were learning so much.

Travel tour arrangements were also made super easy and appreciate the responsiveness of the team.

This tour really made our first time in Mumbai memorable.

See the Reality of Dharavi

This is my first visit to Mumbai, and I had heard about this tour from a friend. I was with my wife on a cruise, so I booked a private tour. I was picked up from the green gate promptly by my tour guide Ravi and the driver, Nasir. From the moment I was in the car, Ravi did an excellent job of educating me about Mumbai and Dharavi. His English is flawless and the tour was very informative. He was born in Dharavi and has knowledge about the area as only an insider would. I feel that I gained knowledge about the people and the industry within the city that only a tour like this could give. Ravi is a very smart young man, and I would highly recommend this tour!

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Make Memories With The Best Tour & Travel Agency In Mumbai

Planning a vacation can be a bit overwhelming. That’s where Magical Mumbai Tours comes in! We help you explore the most iconic parts of Mumbai and experience life as a Mumbaikar on our fun and hassle-free Mumbai City tour. At Magical Mumbai Tours, the people make all the difference. As the best tour agency in Mumbai, our Mumbai tour guides craft the perfect tours like the Mumbai sightseeing tour, Dharavi slum tour, Elephanta caves tour, Mumbai food tour, and many more. Don’t wait any longer, book your Mumbai tour today!

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Home › Mumbai Private Tours

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Our Mumbai Tour Company offers the Best Day Tours in Mumbai with English speaking Mumbai Tour Guides. Our Mumbai Tour Packages are conducted in Chauffeur Driven Air Conditioned Toyota Innova Cars and AC Buses. Om Namaha Shivaya.

Our Private Tour Guides in Mumbai are highly Knowledgeable and Professional. Please feel free to read about what our Guests have to say about their Mumbai Tour Experience with Grand Mumbai Tours, on TripAdvisor . Om Ganganpataye Namaha.

We have listed some of our most popular Private Guided Day Tours in Mumbai below. Please send us a quick WhatsApp or an Email through our Contact Form . Om Parvati Mata Prasanna.

Mumbai Day Tour  

Our Mumbai Day Tour is a Five Hour Mumbai Tour covering Gateway of India, Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai University, Rajabai Clock Tower, Bombay High Court, Victoria Terminus Train Station, Mumbai Municipal Corporation Building, Crawford Market, Dhobi Ghat Open Air Laundry, Super Rich Neighbourhoods of Mumbai, Hanging Gardens, Kamla Nehru Park, Marine Drive Queens Necklace, Art Galleries, Mani Bhavan Mahatma Gandhi Museum and more.

Mumbai Dawn Tour  

Our Mumbai Dawn Tour is an Early Morning Sunrise Tour, where our guests would see how the Newspaper Vendors sort Thousands of Newspapers to be delivered to Homes & Offices. We will also visit the Biggest Flower Market of Mumbai, the Largest Wholesale Farmers Market, the Sacred Banganga of Mumbai that has the same water as the River Ganga. This Spiritual Water Body used by Hindu's for performing Spiritual Ceremonies is surrounded by many Old Temples.

Mumbai Shore Excursions  

Our Mumbai Shore Tours are Cultural Tours of Mumbai specially created for Travelers visiting Mumbai on Cruise Lines.

Mumbai Highlights Tour  

Mumbai Highlights Tour is a Four Hour Mumbai City Tour Covering The Most Important Sights of Mumbai.

Mumbai Festival Tours  

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Our Private Mumbai Tour Guides, speak Excellent English, are highly Knowledgeable & Professional Fourth Generation Mumbaikars. Our Tour Guides in Mumbai are Passionate about Mumbai's History & Indian Culture. Our Mumbai Guides come from Highly Cultured Maharashtrian Families & have Graduated from the Prestigeous University of Mumbai with Professional Educational Degrees. Our Mumbai Private Guides, have chosen to quit their high paying Jobs in order to follow their Passion towards Indian History & their Love to Promote Cultural Tourism in India. Jai Shree Ram. Om Namo Bhagwate Vasudevaya. Om Namaha Shivaya.

During our Private Guided Tours in Mumbai, we treat our guests as we would treat our own Family. We do not have connections with any Shops or Tourist Traps. We do not take our guests to Shops or Tourist Traps, during our Tours of Mumbai. We strongly believe in the Traditional Indian Quote of "Atithi Devo Bhava" which means "Guests are Gods". We believe that God comes to Us in the Form of our Guests and We Must Treat Our Guests As We Would Treat Our Gods. Om Shree Panchamukhi Hanuman Suraksha Kavacham.

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Our Mumbai tours begin from a meeting location in South Mumbai.

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If your hotel is in Central Mumbai or in North Mumbai, we recommend you to take an UBER and meet us at the meeting location in South Mumbai. UBER would cost about Rs 400 from Central Mumbai to South Mumbai and about Rs 600 from North Mumbai based hotels near the airport.

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Home » Travel Guides » India » 15 Best Day Trips from Mumbai

15 Best Day Trips from Mumbai

Mumbai is a sprawling, monstrous city that seems to be constantly expanding and almost never-ending.

It’s a place of history, culture, and too often, mayhem as well.

While the city is a must-visit place during any trip to India, the size, scale, noise, and pollution of Mumbai can be all too overwhelming, all too quickly.

Luckily, the city does end, and in the surrounding area – outside the urban mass of apartments and suburbs and slums – you can easily escape Mumbai for the day to find some peace and refreshing, clean air along the way.

There are plenty of interesting day trips to make – from exploring ancient Buddhist caves to adventuring into India’s very own wine region.

There are beaches, waterfalls and national parks to discover, amongst much, much more.

Here are our favorite day trips to make from Mumbai.

1. Elephanta Caves

The Elephanta Caves are a spectacular and intriguing UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s found just a short journey outside of the city center of Mumbai.

The caves are found on Elephanta Island – located in the Mumbai Bay – which was used as an important religious site by Buddhists and then Hindus.

The caves are cut from the rock itself.

Inside the many different, ancient caverns can be found an array of sculptures and inscriptions that depict Hindu epics and deities.

Even today, the caves are a place of worship and pilgrimage for many Hindus in the Mumbai area, and you can expect to experience a colorful display of culture and religion when you visit.

Recommended tour : Half-Day Mumbai Elephanta Caves Tour

Nashik is located a few hours to the northeast of Mumbai and makes for a wonderful day trip away from the city.

This is an area of rolling hills and lush, green valleys.

Importantly, though, Nashik is also India’s premier wine-producing region.

Although many visitors may not be expecting to find fine wine when they visit the country, in Nashik, they are guaranteed to be pleasantly surprised.

Wine production here is a relatively new art form, but already the locals of Nashik are competing with the biggest international players.

There are several wineries to visit, with the most popular being the Sula Winery – is the nation’s largest and most well-known domestic wine producer.

You can call in for tastings and to see the vineyard in action.

Available tour : Nashik: Private Full-Day Wine Tour with Tastings From Mumbai

Alibaug is found overlooking the ocean to the south of Mumbai.

There are great connections – by road, train or ferry from Mumbai – making this the perfect place to spend the day.

Alibaug is known for its variety of beaches and unique seafront; surrounding the town are many stretches of sand – from black sand beaches to extreme tidal areas.

A favorite tourist spot is the Kolaba Fort, which is built a few kilometers out from the shore; it has long played a historic role in the region.

Spend the day enjoying the sights and lounging on the beaches, but make sure you stay for the sunset before returning to Mumbai, as the sunsets over Alibaug are some of the most beautiful on the coast.

4. Matheran

Matheran is a small hill station that has become one of Mumbai’s most loved day trips.

Matheran, in stark contrast to Mumbai, has been declared pollution free.

This charming hill station has banned all cars, and being 88 meters above sea level, offers a much-needed respite from the humid, polluted city below.

To get here, you must take the train, as no private vehicles are allowed in the town itself.

There are many other forms of transport inside the town though, from handcarts to rickshaws, but really, the best way to get around is to hike along the spectacular trails that offer dramatic viewpoints out over the surrounding green, landscapes.

5. Kanheri Caves

Just to the north of Mumbai’s center, you can find the historic Kanheri Caves.

Located within the boundaries of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, this is a vast complex of over one hundred caves, many of which have been shaped and carved by hand over centuries into the shape they are today.

The area was originally used by Buddhists – as far back as the 1st century BC – and then Hindu worshippers added their own layers of sculpture and worship to the caves.

A lengthy, rock-hewn staircase leads to the cave entrance, which you will find is impressively pillared and hewn straight from the rock itself.

It’s a mammoth feat of engineering that will leave you bewildered and humbled.

Recommended tour : Kanheri Caves: 5-Hour Excursion from Mumbai

Karnala is a small area of protected land that’s found extremely close to the city of Mumbai, making it an excellent location to escape the chaos of the city and find some small level of solitude.

Karnala is home to a bird sanctuary, which, although very tiny in area – just a few square kilometers – is full of wildlife and greenery.

There are hundreds of species of bird that flock to Karnala, and many hikers and outdoor lovers are drawn here for the wild beauty too.

The sanctuary is found around the remains of an ancient fort that stands atop a huge pinnacle of rock, making for a dramatic sight.

The fort can be reached along a lovely trail that will take you through the bird sanctuary and to the top of the peak.

7. Pawna Lake

Pawna Lake is found close to the city of Pune, to the southeast of Mumbai.

It’s an excellent outdoor location, perfect for hiking, strolling, picnicking, or simply relaxing and enjoying the calm, tranquil waters.

Although it’s artificial, you will find it is still very much a beautiful, green and outdoorsy place to visit.

A favorite local hobby in the area is to bring a tent and camp out under the stars, to wake up to the lapping waters in the morning.

It’s definitely a place that’s worth a trip from Mumbai, even if it’s just for the day.

Pune is another sprawling city, so if you are looking for a relaxing escape from Mumbai, then this might not be the best place to visit.

If, however, you are looking to experience one of the most fascinating cities in this part of India, then a day trip to Pune is very much worth it.

This is a historic place – home to the world famous Aga Khan Palace, a lavish display of wealth and power that dates back to the 19th century.

It’s also the site of the Gandhi National Memorial, where the great man’s ashes are preserved.

There are plenty of old forts and museums to visit, while there is a real mix of ancient culture and modern India is visible across the city.

9. Lonavala

Lonavala is a place that’s really like few others near Mumbai.

This beautiful hill station is almost dream-like, with misty mountains and green rolling hills that stretch for mile upon mile.

If you arrive straight from Mumbai, the clean air and cold climes will shock you as much as the spectacular landscapes do.

There’s plenty to do in the hill station and the surrounding area, from visiting the ancient cave system of Karla to the dramatic peaks and cliffs that can be hiked.

10. Khandala

Khandala is another beautiful hill station that’s actually found just a few miles away from Lonavala.

This town is found at an elevated height, overlooking a scenic, green, and misty valley.

It’s a real favorite for those from the nearby cities who are looking to enjoy a spot of hiking; there are some great walking routes that lead to panoramic viewpoints.

Kashid is found along the coast to the south of Mumbai.

This beachside town is a great place to spend the day relaxing on white sands and enjoying the sea.

This is a quiet spot – at least in comparison to Mumbai – and there are even a few resorts where you can get food or enjoy a drink, or spend the night if you really want a longer break from Mumbai.

Vasai is a city to the north of Mumbai, found on the other side of the Vasai River.

The city is full of colonial relics, including the famous Vasai Fort, which was built hundreds of years ago by the Portuguese.

13. Silvassa

Found to the north of Mumbai, Silvassa is a unique city to visit; for years, this was a Portuguese colonial city.

There are still a lot of remnants of Portuguese rule, and a very distinct history waiting to be discovered.

The surrounding area has many natural wonders too, including some incredible waterfalls.

14. Rajmachi

Rajmachi is an old ruined fort that’s found in a breathtaking location atop verdant, green cliffs.

The fort was an important defensive structure against the British when they began their conquest of India, but ultimately, it fell.

It’s now a protected monument and well worth a day trip from Mumbai.

15. Trimbak

Trimbak is a fantastically cultural town that’s found away from Mumbai, close to the nearby town of Nashik.

Trimbak is the site of Trimbakeshwar, a Hindu temple that holds an incredibly sacred place in the religion.

It’s very much an important pilgrimage site and held to be very sacred.

As such, the whole town is a culturally vibrant and exciting place to visit.

15 Best Day Trips from Mumbai:

• Elephanta Caves
• Kanheri Caves