A Day in the Life: Mumbai on the Move Approximately 4¼ Hours $$ Enjoyed it? 4 out of 5 Value 3 out of 5 1 out of 1(100%)reviewers would recommend this product to a friend. Read 1 review | Write a review Experience the real, everyday Mumbai, including the highlights of this fascinating city, with its Western monuments and Eastern sensibilities. Begin at the beginning, with the Gateway of India. This is the city’s most famous landmark—an Indo-Saracenic archway built in 1911 to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary. It was originally conceived as an entry point for passengers arriving on P&O steamers from England; today, it is remembered more often as the place from which the British staged their final departure. You will stop here for photographs. Continue your excursion with an orientation drive through Mumbai passing prominent landmarks such as Flora Fountain, the university and Victoria Terminus. The latter is a most remarkable railway station, inspired by St Pancras Station in London. It was built during Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee year and is an extraordinary conglomeration of domes, spires, Corinthian columns and minarets in a style described by journalist James Cameron as Victorian- Gothic-Saracenic-Italianate-Oriental-St Pancras-Baroque. The first train in India left from this station in 1853; today, half-a-million commuters use the station every day. At theMani Bhawan Gandhi Museum you’ll visit the site that was Mahatma Gandhi’s Bombay base between 1917 and 1934. A series of tiny dioramas tell Gandhi’s life story. Photos covering the walls capture historic events, and a sitting room and bedroom preserved behind glass take you back through time. Personal artifacts offer insights into Gandhi’s hopes and struggles. One letter is addressed to Hitler, asking him to refrain from war. Gandhi also corresponded with Roosevelt, Tolstoy and Einstein. Continue your drive to the Churchgate Railway Station. Spend some time watching the dabba-wallahs—members of the Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association. Every day 4,000 of these intrepid entrepreneurs deliver fresh, home-cooked food from 100,000 suburban kitchens to offices in the downtown area. Each lunch is prepared by a loving wife or mother, and packed into a set of stackable aluminum boxes. The meals are carried, dangling from shoulder-poles and bicycle handlebars, or stacked on decorated handcarts, to their hungry recipients. Tins are rarely, if ever, lost, and always find their way home again to be washed for the next day’s lunch. Board a local train to experience the life of a typical Mumbaikar—it’s a short ride to Mahalaxmi Station, another one of Mumbai’s busiest hubs on the local train network. Nobody likes dirty laundry, but here you’ll be fascinated by the Dhobi Ghat. Each morning, laundry from all over Mumbai is brought here to be soaped, soaked, boiled, beaten, and thrashed. The next day, after being aired, pressed, folded and wrapped, the bundles are returned to their owners. The secret that keeps the operation running smoothly is the coded symbol that each dhobi-wallah places on every item. Invisible to the untrained eye, this mark ensures that nothing is lost. This is a fascinating photo stop and is unique to Mumbai. Notes: Dabba-wallahs do not work on Sundays and Hindu festival days. The train that is taken to Mahalaxmi Station is a public train—there are no reserved seats or carriages; you will sit with the local people. The train is not air-conditioned. Your carriage may be first class by Indian standards but is very basic by Western standards. This option is available to guests who are returning to the ship. Banganga & Khotachiwadi Heritage Approximately 3½ Hours $$ Be the first to write a review Start your day with a visit to the temple complex of Banganga—one of Mumbai’s holiest sites and the oldest surviving structure in the city. Near the edge of Arabian Sea, at the southern tip of Malabar Hill, several small, crumbling, stone-turreted temples and flower-garlanded shrines surround a rectangular pool of holy water—an oasis in an area of encroaching urbanization. Ritual bathers believe the pool’s mossy waters have healing powers. The source of the spring is said to be an underground offshoot of the Ganges, and the waters are considered just as sacred as those of the great river itself. In the shadow of one of present-day Mumbai’s most prosperous neighborhoods, Banganga continues to function as a timeless devotional hub. Its tolling bells and chanting pujaris draw devotees to worship. Next, you will drive to the neighborhood of Khotachiwadi to view a cluster ofPortuguese-style homes that have stood here since the late 17th century or early 18th century. You will visit one of the homes and enjoy beverages and light snacks while listening to nostalgic stories from its resident—fashion designer James Ferriera. These age-old homes are inhabited primarily by the East Indian Roman Catholic Community, who migrated to the city from the neighboring suburbs such as Vasai, Virar, and Gorai at a time when these areas were sprawling paddy fields. Most of the inhabitants held clerical jobs in the British Government and the East India Company. There are also a number of Maharashtrian families residing here. Some of the houses have now been sold to the Marwari community. End this wonderful morning passing through the Gateway of India en route back to the ship. Notes: Entrance to James Ferriera’s house and refreshments are not available on Sundays and public holidays. Elephanta Caves Approximately 4 hours $$ Be the first to write a review More than a thousand years ago, Hindu craftsmen carved columns and sculptures out of a series of caves located on an island off the shores of Mumbai, creating a temple complex dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Portuguese named the island Elephanta, after the large statue of an elephant they found near the spot where they docked their ships. Come discover the unique beauty and intriguing tales of these temple caves with today’s memorable excursion. Travel by motor coach to the Gateway of India, the city’s most recognized landmark. Built in 1911 to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary, the archway was originally conceived as an entry point for people arriving on steamers from England. Today, the gateway serves as a launching point for your own exploration of the Elephanta Temple. Boarding a motor boat, enjoy the approximately 45-minute cruise to the Elephanta landing. From this staging area, a long stairway leads to the top of the hill, where the caves are located. As you enter, you will see a magnificent sculpture of Shiva as Nataraj, showing an enraptured expression as he removes the veil of ignorance. The most outstanding sculpture is a bust of Trimurti—the three-faced Shiva representing the Hindu trinity, Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. In other panels, Shiva is depicted in service to humanity as he brings the River Ganges to Earth, and at his most fearsome as he crushes the demon of Andhaka. Later, board the motor boat for return cruise to the Gateway and re-board the motor coach for the transfer back to the ship. Notes: Wear comfortable non-skid walking shoes. There are approximately 125 stairs to negotiate both up and down. Tour does not operate on Mondays. Marvels of Mumbai Approximately 4¾ hours $$ Enjoyed it? 4 out of 5 Value 3.5 out of 5 2 out of 2(100%)reviewers would recommend this product to a friend. Read all 2 reviews | Write a review To experience the highlights of Mumbai, you must start with the city’s most famous landmark—the Gateway of India. This Indo-Saracenic archway was built in 1911. Continue on to the Victoria Terminus railway station, built during Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee year. It is an extraordinary conglomeration of domes, spires, Corinthian columns and minarets in a style described by journalist James Cameron as Victorian-Gothic-Saracenic-Italianate-Oriental-St. Pancras-Baroque. The first train in India left from this station in 1853; now, half a million commuters pass through the station every day. Next, you’ll stop at Mani Bhavan—Mahatma Gandhi’s Bombay base from 1917 to 1934. This building is now a museum and memorial to the famous leader of ‘non-violent non-cooperation’. The room he slept in has remained unchanged and still contains his bed and many of his personal possessions. From here you will drive to Dhobi Ghat where you can take advantage of a unique and colourful photo opportunity— laundry from all over Mumbai is brought to be soaped, soaked, boiled and beaten here. You will also visit the Prince of Wales Museum with its white Mughal-style dome by architect George Wittet. Inside, you will find displays of jade, Mughal Empire weapons, 3rd-century BC terra cotta figures from Gandhara—a former colony of Alexander the Great. However, the museum’s main attraction is a superb collection of Indian paintings, illustrated manuscripts and exquisite miniatures. Mumbai Heritage Walk Approximately 3 Hours $ Be the first to write a review A walking tour is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the culture, architecture and heritage of the historic city of Mumbai. Travel by coach to the Fort area, passing many architecturally impressive buildings, including the General Post Office, Victoria Terminus, the Municipal Corporation Building, St Xavier’s College and St Thomas’ Cathedral. Step inside St Thomas’— Mumbai’s first Anglican church—before setting out on foot with your guide.