Located nine kilometres by sea from the Gateway of India, are the Elephanta Caves, a place you must include in your excursion itinerary. The Elephanta Caves are characterised by rock temples carved out of two hills that emerge from the centre of the island. It is said that the Portuguese named this island after the stone elephant they found here. At Elephanta you can see the cave shrine to Lord Shiva, which belongs to the sixth century, and a massive three-headed sculpture representing Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. You can also find the other interesting sculptures here include those that depict the marriage of Shiva and Parvati

A small trip of about four miles will take you to the famous Kanheri Caves a must visit excursion spot of Mumbai. The caves are believed to have been carved out by Buddhist monks between the 2nd and 9th centuries and have many interesting facts related to them. Situated in the centre of Mumbai's Borivili National Park, the Kanheri caves are also regarded as one of the biggest Buddhist monastic establishment on the Konkan coast. An unusual feature at Kanheri is the number of open benches cut out of rocks. Almost all the caves have benches in their verandahs or front courts. Sit down on one of these. And with the evening breeze that comes from the sea refreshing you, you realise their purpose at once.

Rock-cut structures are one of the most primitive forms of architecture found in several parts of India. The Karla Caves in Maharashtra are one of the finest examples of this architectural style. The Caves are located high in the surrounding hills. A narrow winding path, leads up to them. Built by Buddhist monks, the caves are in keeping with the Buddhist ideas of simplicity. The caves are characterised by many halls and a huge stone stupa along with the 2000-year-old teak wood ceiling which is still intact. Outside the cave is a pillar crowned with lions. This was an emblem of the Buddhist King Ashoka, now adopted by the Indian Government as the state emblem.

Once you are in Mumbai, the list of sites to visit is endless. First of all the twinkling lights from the skyscrapers itself will keep your eyes wide open with excitement and wonder. And to add up to your excitement you have a number of sites to visit that could be teamed up as historical sites, contemporary wonders, archaeological sites, religious sites and natural wonders. The Gateway of India is the main attraction of Mumbai city. Built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary for the Delhi Durbar in the year 1911, this massive historical monument makes a must visit during your Mumbai sightseeing. Moreover, there are sites like the Mani Bhawan or the Gandhi memorial, Prince of Wales Museum, Marine Drive and Juhu that give you the feeling of being in the commercial capital of India. The gardens like the Hanging Garden and the Kamla Nehru Garden will provide you the much needed rest between your sightseeing trips and the Chowpatty gives you the view of one of the most happening beaches of Mumbai.

This is a popular beach where celebration of festivals such as Coconut Day and the Ganesh Chaturthi immersions take place. Besides the little kiosks selling Mumbai's special snacks, Bhelpuri, A Kulfi, one can find professional masseurs, pony-leaders, beebee-gun shooting galleries, contortionists, snake charmers, monkey-trainers, balloon sellers, flower-girls and lots more. On the beach there are statues of India's freedom fighters, Lokmanya Tilak and Vallabh Bhai Patel who symbolise the freedom struggle. Chowpatty occupies a special place in the life of Mumbai, having been the venue of mass political meetings in the pre-independence era.

Formerly known as the Crawford Market it was constructed in 1867. This is principally a fresh produce wholesale market with shops selling flowers, fruits, vegetables, meat and fish all under one roof. At the hub of the market is a fountain by Lockwood Kipling (father of Rudyard Kipling).

This is the poshest area of Mumbai. Malabar Hill has attractive residences, including the Chief Minister's house and a palatial state guest house. Also here, are the ruins of Walkeshwar temple that were built sometime between 810 and 1260 AD. It is believed that Lord Ram who was on his way to rescue his wife Sita, stopped here and made a lingam (phallic totem) out of sand to worship Lord Shiv.

Popularly known as Hanging gardens they were renamed after the national barrister Pherozshah Mehta. The gardens were laid out in 1881 on top of the reservoir which supplies water to Mumbai. A special feature of the gardens are the hedges which are cut into animal shapes along with the flower clock. In the early hours of the morning it is inhabited with people doing yoga, calisthenics or just taking a walk, while at sunset one can get a stunning view of the city the harbour and hills beyond.