Mumbai

Caves in Mumbai

Mumbai has two cave sites worth planning a day around: the Shiva temples of Elephanta, an hour's ferry across the harbour, and the Buddhist monastery of Kanheri, more than a hundred caves cut into one hill inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Three smaller cave temples survive in the suburbs between flyovers and apartment blocks. Here is how they differ, how to reach each, and what to plan for.

Kanheri CavesA 2,000-year-old rock-cut monastery hidden inside the city's own national parkDetails →

Elephanta CavesIsland temples to ShivaDetails →

Elephanta or Kanheri

They are different in faith, setting and effort. If there is time for only one, Elephanta has the greater sculpture, Kanheri the greater sense of scale and of daily monastic life.

Elephanta: Shiva across the harbour

The island, also called Gharapuri, lies in Mumbai Harbour. The Archaeological Survey of India counts seven cave excavations and dates them to about the 6th–7th centuries CE; UNESCO places the rock-cut caves in about the mid-5th to 6th centuries. Cave 1 holds the Maheshamurti, a colossal bust of three aspects of Shiva: fierce Aghora, meditative Tatpurusha and gentle Vamadeva. Around it are panels of Ardhanarishvara, Shiva and Parvati playing chausar, the cosmic dance and Ravana shaking Mount Kailasa. The Portuguese named the island after a stone elephant found there; the elephant now stands in Jijamata Udyan, better known as Rani Baug. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Details on the Elephanta Caves page.

Kanheri: a monastery of 109 caves

Kanheri, from the Sanskrit Krishnagiri, the black mountain, is a basalt outcrop in the forest of Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali East. Its 109 caves were cut and used from the 1st century BCE to the 10th century CE, and most were viharas, cells where monks lived, studied and meditated, each with a stone plinth for a bed. The great chaitya, the prayer hall, keeps its carved pillars and standing Buddhas, and rock-cut channels and cisterns show how the monks stored monsoon rain. More on the Kanheri Caves page.

How to get there

Both sites close on Mondays, and both are best started early.

Elephanta by ferry
Boats leave the Gateway of India in Colaba for an hour-long crossing; a return ticket costs approximately ₹260. From the jetty there is a short walk or a toy-train ride, then stepped lanes lined with stalls and the island's monkeys. Allow half a day. In the monsoon, sailings depend on the weather, so check before you set out.
Kanheri through the national park
The caves sit inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali East, in the north of the city, so you pay the park entry and then a small ASI fee at the caves, higher for foreign visitors. The caves close at about 17:00; opening times given by different sources vary, so check at the park gate.

Three smaller caves in the suburbs

These are short stops rather than day trips, protected as monuments but hemmed in by the city around them.

Jogeshwari Caves (Jogeshwari, off the Western Express Highway): a 6th-century Shiva cave temple reached down a long flight of stairs into a pillared hall with a lingam at the far end. The art historian Walter Spink called it the earliest major cave temple in India. The cave also holds an image and footprints of the goddess Jogeshwari, after whom the suburb is named.

Mahakali Caves, also called Kondivite (Andheri East, near the Jogeshwari–Vikhroli Link Road): nineteen Buddhist caves in two groups, the largest with a stupa and figures of the Buddha, carved out of the same black basalt.

Mandapeshwar Caves (Borivali): a rock-cut Shiva shrine that began as a Buddhist vihara, with panels of Nataraja and Ardhanarishvara, and the ruins of a Portuguese church on top.

Caves near Mumbai

The best-known Buddhist caves beyond the city are on the old trade route up the Western Ghats towards Pune. Karla, near Lonavala, has the Grand Chaitya, the largest and most completely preserved prayer hall of its period, with shrines from the 2nd century BCE to the 5th century CE. Bhaja, nearby, is a group of 22 caves from the 2nd century BCE, 400 feet above its village. Ajanta and Ellora are much farther inland and need a separate trip.

Before you go

A few things decide whether the day works.

Not on a Monday — Elephanta and Kanheri are both closed on Mondays, and the Elephanta ferries do not run that day either.
Two prices at the gate — ASI charges foreign visitors more. At Elephanta most foreign visitors pay approximately ₹600 (₹550 online) and visitors from SAARC and BIMSTEC countries approximately ₹40 (₹35 online); children under 15 enter free.
Shoes for steps — Both sites mean climbing: stepped lanes on Elephanta, rock-cut stairs between the caves at Kanheri.
Monsoon — June to September is the monsoon, and Elephanta sailings are cancelled when the weather turns; check on the morning before you go.

FAQ

Which caves are in Mumbai?

Elephanta Caves on an island in the harbour and Kanheri Caves in Sanjay Gandhi National Park are the two major sites. Smaller cave temples survive at Jogeshwari, Mahakali (Andheri East) and Mandapeshwar (Borivali).

Are the Elephanta Caves open on Monday?

No. The caves are open from 9:00 to 17:00 and closed on Mondays, when the ferries from the Gateway of India do not run either.

How do I get to the Elephanta Caves?

By boat from the Gateway of India in Colaba, about an hour each way; a return ticket is approximately ₹260. Plan half a day for the trip.

Who damaged the Elephanta Caves?

Scholars disagree. Some trace the damage to the Sultanate period, citing a Persian inscription at the main cave; others blame Portuguese soldiers, who set up a base on the island; after their arrival it ceased to be a place of worship.

How many caves are there at Kanheri?

109, cut into a single basalt hill between the 1st century BCE and the 10th century CE. Most were monks' living cells; the larger halls were for worship.

Are there caves near Mumbai for a day trip?

Karla and Bhaja, Buddhist cave groups begun in the 2nd century BCE, stand near Lonavala on the route to Pune. Ajanta and Ellora are much farther inland.

Sources (11)

Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.

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