Must-SeeSight · Sacred SitePaidOutdoors

Elephanta Caves

Rock-cut Shiva temples on a harbor island, with the great three-headed Trimurti, a World Heritage Site.

Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0
Open
Tuesday to Sunday
Price
Caves ticketed, with a higher fee for foreign visitors; ferry is separate
Time Needed
Half a day
Address
Elephanta Caves, Gharapuri, Maharashtra 400094Directions
Getting There
Ferry from the Gateway of India jetty, about 1 hour each way.

Why Go

Carved around the 5th to 8th centuries, the main cave holds the 6 m Trimurti, one of the finest sculptures in India. The trip itself, about an hour by boat from the Gateway, is half the fun.

Expect about 120 steps up from the jetty, with stalls and monkeys along the way.

Tips

  • Take an early boat, and check the last ferry back.

Nearby

Gateway of India1 min walk · Must-SeeTaj Mahal Palace2 min walkChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya10 min walk · Must-SeeKala Ghoda16 min walk

Something wrong or out of date?

Traveler Reviews

Sign in and mark Elephanta Caves as visited to write a review.