Elephanta Caves & Island Guided Private Tour
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Mumbai, India
- 5 to 6 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Take a trip out to the Elephanta Caves, a group of rock-hewn cave temples believed to have been carved some 1500 years ago, with this guided tour. Your driver will pick you up and take you to the port, where you'll take a boat ride out to the famous caves. You'll then spend time visiting and learning about the caves' history from your guide before returning to shore.
- Visit Elephanta Islands with an English-speaking guide
- Round-trip transfers from your hotel or the port will be provided
- Ferry tickets and admission fees are included
- Private tour ensures personal attention from your guide
What's Included
- Expert Guide (English,Hindi,Marathi Language )
- Hotel / Port pickup and drop-off(not offers to option small Group Tour)
- Air-Conditioned Vehicle(not offers to option Small Group Tour)
- Entry/Admission - Elephanta Caves,Ferry Tickets
- Mineral Water Bottles
- Gratuities
- Food and Drinks
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
1
Elephanta Caves
5 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 1,467 reviews
William_E, Apr 2026
My wife and I had a fantastic time on the trip. The caves were fascinating and our tour guide Rajat was a native of the island and incredibly friendly, interesting and informative. Would highly recommend.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback!
We’re delighted to hear that you and your wife had such a fantastic time on the trip and enjoyed exploring the fascinating caves. Rajat will be especially pleased to know that his local knowledge, friendliness, and informative guidance made your experience so memorable.
Your recommendation truly means a lot to us. We hope to welcome you both again for another incredible experience in the future!
Sarah_C, Mar 2026
This trip was phenomenal! Rajat was the best guide - I met him at the Gate of India and we headed over to the island. His knowledge is fantastic as a local to the island and he spent a ton of time explaining the history, background and culture. Plus he is a 5 star photo taker - I can’t wait to share the experience with friends. As a solo work traveler looking for something to do for a day, this was the absolute right tour and best tour guide. 5 stars to Rajat!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your amazing feedback!
We’re thrilled you had a phenomenal experience with Rajat and enjoyed the history, culture, and those great photo moments.
So glad it was the perfect choice for your day in Mumbai—hope to welcome you again soon!
Emilia_Z, Mar 2026
The tour was a very good experience. The guide from the island was amazing - he explained us the history of the place and the meaning of particular statues in a very insightful and engaging way. He also helped us with buying souvenirs and getting around the island. Everything was well organized and went smooth.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your kind feedback! 😊
We’re glad you had a great experience and enjoyed the insightful guidance and smooth organization.
Hope to welcome you again soon! 🌆✨
Wendy_G, Mar 2026
What a wonderful way to spend a day with our two brilliant guides Riya and Rajat.
Riya looked after us from the moment she picked us up from our hotel and Rajat gave us his knowledge all about elephanta island and the caves .
It was a great day .
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback! 😊
We’re delighted you had a wonderful day with Riya and Rajat and enjoyed exploring Elephanta Island and the caves.
Hope to welcome you again soon! 🌆✨
Neelesh_S, Mar 2026
Riya and Sam were very courteous. We enjoyed the fast boat and visiting the caves. Sailesh captained the fast boat very well.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your kind feedback! 😊
We’re glad you enjoyed the fast boat ride and visiting the caves, and that Riya, Sam, and Sailesh made the experience enjoyable and safe.
Hope to welcome you again! 🌆✨
Tabitha_J, Mar 2026
Rajat was our tour guide and was very experienced and knowledgeable about the caves. Ancient history! GREAT TOUR!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! 😊
We’re glad you enjoyed the tour with Rajat and appreciated his knowledge of the caves and ancient history.
Hope to welcome you again! 🌆✨
Erin_P, Mar 2026
We had a wonderful experience! Rajat is a wonderful guide, explained the history and stories. And what a photographer!!!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback! 😊
We’re thrilled you had a wonderful experience with Rajat and enjoyed his knowledge, storytelling, and photography skills.
Hope to welcome you again! 🌆✨
LouiseC_C, Mar 2026
Rabat was the most perfect guide; he was informative, plaisant and always made sure we had enough time and that we understood what he was explaining. He was also very good in taking pictures and very original! I totally recommend you taking the tour with Rabat. As well, Abhi was most welcoming and informative! He communicated with us regarding our meeting point and time ! I felt we were very taken care of! I totally recommend Abhi! Thank you to Rajat and Abhi for a great day!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! 😊
We’re thrilled you had such a great day with Rajat and Abhi, enjoyed the informative guidance, original photography, and felt well taken care of throughout.
Thank you for your high recommendation—hope to welcome you again! 🌆✨
Michael_Y, Feb 2026
Just to be aware that there are 120 steps, which normally i would cope with but after 21sm the heat makes them difficult. I had a chair lifted by 4 local guys. It was embarrassing but had to be done. Well worth it. Michigan and Shintie were amazing guides.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your feedback! 😊
We’re glad you still found the visit well worth it and appreciated the amazing guidance from Michigan and Shintie, even with the challenge of the heat and steps.
Hope to welcome you again! 🌆✨
Sraj_G, Feb 2026
Our tour guide was Prem who was simply beyond outstanding. He truly cares about the client's experience and explains everything in detail. We learned so much from Prem in his perfect English. He is also an expert photographer! Great pics! Highly recommend this company for Elephanta tour!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for your amazing feedback! 🌟
We’re thrilled to hear that Prem made your experience so special. His passion, detailed explanations, and photography skills truly make the tour memorable. We’re also glad you enjoyed your visit to the Elephanta Caves.
Your recommendation means a lot to us. We hope to welcome you again soon! 😊
Brian_J, Feb 2026
Sam, our guide once we got off the ferry at Elephanta Caves, seemed completely uninterested and didn’t introduce himself when we arrived. Walked fast in front of us and then only spoke to my wife and kept talking about giving a tip for good luck. Trying to push us into tipping. Then he wanted us to scan a QR code and give him a 5 star review on site so they would keep using him as a guide. Unimpressed and honestly you can do this on your own. Just buy the boat ticket at the Gateway To India and hop on board. Do not recommend Sam as a guide.
Jamil_P, Feb 2026
Our tour to the Elephanta Caves was amazing and a must-do when visiting Mumbai!
Kashaf brought us to the island, and even though it was only his third day on the job, he was incredibly friendly and genuinely interested in getting to know us. I mentioned that I get seasick and was worried about the boat ride (about an hour each way). He reassured me and checked on me several times during the journey, which I really appreciated.
Once we arrived, our guide Rajat took over and he was fantastic. He had so much knowledge about the Elephanta Caves and explained everything clearly and in an engaging way. He’s also a great photographer and kindly took some amazing photos of us on my iPhone, which was such a nice bonus!
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Kashaf and Rajat were both amazing. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed feedback! 🌟
We’re delighted to hear that your visit to the Elephanta Caves was such a memorable experience. It’s especially lovely to know that Kashaf took such thoughtful care of you during the ferry ride — small gestures like that truly make a difference.
We’re also thrilled that Rajat’s knowledge and engaging explanations brought the caves to life for you — and that you loved the photos too! 📸✨
Your kind recommendation means a lot to our entire team. We hope to welcome you back to Mumbai again soon! 😊
Polly_G, Feb 2026
We were collected promptly in a nice car with good driver who dropped us near the port where we met Riya, a very pleasant young woman with good English who knows a lot of history of Mumbai. She explained about the Gateway and kindly took photos. She escorted us both ways on the boats (which are quite basic and busy). It’s about an hour each way. We hadn’t realised it was a special festival so the island had ten times as many visitors as usual! The little train that runs from the port was not in operation either because of the festival, a bit of a pity. We were then given a guide by Sam, a local man. He also bought us a cup of the sugarcane drink which we appreciated! There is a climb up very steep uneaven steps to the caves themselves and I was pleased to have trainers on! On a hot day I could see this being pretty challenging for some. Sam helped us skip queues and took a few photos for us. He is clearly knowledgeable but speaks very quickly and was a little hard to understand, and we did feel a bit rushed. I would have liked to have lingered longer and taken more photos- he kept moving off and leaving me behind! We probably only had about 45 minutes looking at the caves/carvings. He also seemed keen for us to get through the market stalls and visit his cousin’s shop- we made a purchase and I think probably paid over the odds. He did pressure us slightly to write a review before leaving the island too which we declined to do. We then had a short wait in a bar with him while Ria met some other guests from the boat who Sam was guiding next. As usual I found seeing starving and ill dogs on the island very upsetting, its a shame the authorities don’t do more to help these poor animals- it does not give a good impression to visitors either. As in much of the city the island and surrounding waters have a lot of litter which is a shame- as someone who litter picks back home I find it astonishing how blind people are to this, especially at. World Heritage site. This isn’t a comment on the tour per se, just a general observation. After boat trip back (where other travellers did their best to hand feed seagulls flocking the boat!) we had to visit a souvenir shop while waiting for our driver (apparently this helps him get free parking). There was some pressure to buy although not too bad. The streets are crazily busy and we were glad to have our guide, I think it would be very overwhelming (though much cheaper) to do it independently. The whole trip took about six hours for really only about half an hour or so looking at the carvings themselves, and cost us over £100. Not my favourite trip ever but Ria was lovely and it was nice to get out of the city, experience the water and see the beautiful carvings.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for sharing your honest and detailed feedback — we truly appreciate it. 🙏
We’re glad to hear that Riya made a positive impression with her knowledge, friendliness, and support throughout the boat transfers and coordination. It’s also nice to know you enjoyed seeing the island, the water experience, and the carvings at the Elephanta Caves despite the heavy festival crowds.
At the same time, we sincerely apologize for the parts of the experience that felt rushed, pressured, or uncomfortable — especially regarding shopping pressure, review requests, and time management. That is not the standard experience we aim to provide. Your feedback about pacing, guiding style, and transparency is important, and we will address it internally to improve quality and guest comfort.
We also understand your concerns about cleanliness, animals, and crowd management. While these are broader local challenges beyond our control, we agree that they impact visitor experience and deserve attention.
Thank you again for your honest review — it helps us grow and improve. We hope that despite the drawbacks, you still carry some positive memories from the visit. 🌿
fxsyl007, Feb 2026
A lot of steep walking. Very scary restrooms. Guide was okay but not great. Wasn’t the safest off condition on boat and train.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that parts of your experience didn’t meet expectations. Please note that the walking terrain, public restrooms on the island, and the boat services are government-managed facilities. We will share your comments with the relevant authorities and tourism department for their review and attention.
We also appreciate your note regarding the guide and will use this feedback to improve our service. Guest safety and comfort are very important to us, and we regret that you felt uneasy during portions of the trip.
Warm Regards
Robin_H, Feb 2026
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!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed this must-see experience and appreciated arriving early by speedboat ahead of the crowds. It’s great to know that Manoj’s guidance made the visit both informative and memorable, and that you were able to truly absorb the peaceful and spiritual atmosphere of this special place. We truly appreciate your recommendation.
David_A, Feb 2026
Excellant viewing but lengthy boat ride out . Was worth the wait but made it a long day. Guides were excellent
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad to hear that the views were excellent and that the experience was worth the wait, even though the boat ride made it a long day. We’re especially pleased that you found the guides to be excellent.
Michael_L, Feb 2026
We had a wonderful save trip. All involved were fun and made for a wonderful experience. We recommend.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you had a wonderful and safe trip, and that everyone involved helped make it an enjoyable experience. We truly appreciate your recommendation.
scoverdale, Feb 2026
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!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for your detailed feedback. We’re pleased to hear that the port pickup, ferry transfer, and island arrangements were smooth and well organized. It’s great to know that Raoul’s informative and enthusiastic guidance made the cave visit enjoyable, even with the challenging climb in hot and humid conditions. We’re glad the return journey was easy and that you had a great overall experience.
Pattie_N, Feb 2026
Rajat was very informative and knew how to get through the people for the perfect photos He explained all the carvings and put all the stories together for us.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad to hear that Rajat was informative, helped you get the perfect photos, and explained the carvings with engaging stories. We truly appreciate your kind words.
Laura_C, Jan 2026
Guide Rabat,communicated well on
Itinerary, sires enroute and especially on history, uniqueness and amazing art&architrcture of Elaphanta. He did well in answering our questions and allowing a bit extra time at some areas of the caves
He also provided help in getting very good photographs at the caves.
We would recommend him to others for visiting the Elephanta Caves. Groups of 4-6 maximum recommended
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your detailed feedback! 😊
We’re delighted to hear that Rabat made your Elephanta Caves tour informative, enjoyable, and well-paced, with great insights into the history, art, and architecture. It’s wonderful that he helped capture memorable photos and answered all your questions.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again with Linda Tours Mumbai!
Odalys_G, Jan 2026
I highly recommend this tour. We had a wonderful tour guide Rajat. He is extremely knowledgeable and took his time explaining everything to us so we could understand. He is also an awesome photographer who took wonderful pictures of us for our memories. I highly recommend this tour and don't forget to request Rajat.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! 😊
We’re delighted to hear that Rajat made your tour so informative and memorable, taking the time to explain everything clearly and capture beautiful photos for you.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again with Linda Tours Mumbai!
Madhulika_N, Jan 2026
We had a great experience on this tour . The driver Arjun was on time and very courteous. Our guide Nikhil was extremely knowledgeable, patient, and friendly. The site has been maintained beautifully and the caves are breathtaking. Would highly recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you had a great experience on the tour. Arjun will be pleased to know you appreciated his punctuality and courtesy, and Nikhil will be happy that his knowledge and guidance made your visit enjoyable. We’re glad you loved the caves and highly appreciate your recommendation. We hope to welcome you on another journey soon!
Rao_G, Dec 2025
Well organized tour . Santosh picked us up from the hotel in a very nice air conditioned car and stayed with us through the trip . We were met by Manoj at the island . He was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful . It was a wonderful experience
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re glad you had a great experience with Santosh and Manoj, and we hope to host you again soon.
Sudhir_C, Dec 2025
It was great tour, Manoj and Riya helped with that. Detailed insight provided by Manoj was amazing. I will recommend this tour
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re glad to hear that Manoj and Riya made your tour enjoyable and that Manoj’s detailed insights were valuable. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you again.
Anne_B, Dec 2025
Elefanta Island is a great destination. The tour itself was super informative and Manoj is a great photographer. It did feel rushed and we got the package lunch with it which was mediocre. I think if I had been more direct and demanding it would have been better. We felt pushed into shopping at a vendor as opposed to choosing a vendor - and they were expensive. I recommend Elefanta Island as a destination but this tour was a bit lack luster.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you found Elephanta Island to be a great destination and appreciated Manoj’s guidance and photography skills. We also appreciate your constructive comments regarding the pacing, lunch, and shopping experience. Your insights will help us improve future tours to ensure a more comfortable and flexible experience for our guests.
Maxine_H, Nov 2025
Amazing Experience very interesting. Our Guide Nicki was excellent.
Well worth a visit. There is a boat trip across to the Island that takes approximately an hour each way
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for sharing your experience!
We’re delighted to hear you had such an amazing and interesting visit. Nicki will be thrilled to know you found her guidance excellent. The boat ride to the island is indeed around an hour each way, and we’re glad it added to your overall experience.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again on another tour!
Emilio_D, Nov 2025
Go in the morning and it’s a hard climb but worth it once you get there.
Our guide was very informative but did not like the end. Our friends wanted to make a purchase and was taken to a shop hoping he would get them a good price but instead they paid 4 times more. I found out he got a kick back from taking them there.
The boat ride felt very unsafe and over crowded.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for sharing your feedback.
We’re glad you found the climb worthwhile and the guide informative. We’re very sorry about your concerns regarding the shop and the boat ride. We take this seriously and will review these issues to ensure a safer, more transparent, and enjoyable experience for all our guests in the future.
We appreciate your honesty and hope to improve based on your comments.
Vinay_S, Nov 2025
Awesome tour!! We learnt so much. Mr Rajat, being a local, informed us about the history and significance of the Temple, in great detail. We loved it. Highly recommended
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that Mr. Rajat made your temple tour so informative and enjoyable. We truly appreciate your recommendation!
Elizabeth_K, Nov 2025
Interesting Unesco temple on an island outside of Mumbai. Very knowledgeable guide on the island. Escort to the island. 100 steps or you can pay to be carried!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you so much for your feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed visiting this fascinating UNESCO temple outside Mumbai. It’s great to hear that you found the island guide knowledgeable and appreciated the escort to the island. And yes — those 100 steps are definitely part of the adventure, though the carry option is always there! We hope to host you again on your next visit.
Fiona_M, Nov 2025
Brilliant tour on beautiful island, Sam our guide was very interesting and we learnt lots of information about the caves. Riya our guide to the island and back looked after us so well, a very friendly welcoming young lady. Last but not least our driver Dinesh was so kind, interesting and funny.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed the tour with Sam, Riya, and Dinesh. The team will be very happy to hear your kind words. We hope to see you again soon!
— Linda Tours Mumbai
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