Elephanta Caves

This UNESCO World Heritage site is a boat ride away from the city but well worth the trip. Once you arrive at the small island, you have a walk of about a half mile that includes 120 steps (most of which are lined with souvenir sellers) before you reach the magnificent temple to Shiva that is carved out of the rocks. The fabulous structure, with Hindu and Buddhist figures that date between the 5th and 8th centuries, is a reminder of an ancient and lost civilization. The highlight is the central three-headed Shiva with aspects of the creator, preserver and destroyer. The ferries that leave from the  Gateway to India take about an hour each way, but our Bookings Team can arrange for a private motor boat to cut the travel time to around 20 minutes. The ideal way to visit is to leave the Gateway to India by private boat at 8:15 am and arrive before anyone else so you can explore the temple with only the resident monkeys.