Cultural Tours in Mumbai

Explore the neighborhood made famous by the 2008 film "Slumdog Millionaire" with a resident guide to illuminate the challenges and issues facing residents who make their home there. Walk through Dharavi and see the way residents make their living, including plastic recycling, soap production, pottery, and other methods. Stop by local schools and churches to get a sense of the community while listening to your guide's sensitive commentary.

Escape the tourist crowds and enjoy an authentic local experience in Mumbai (Bombay) on this 2.5-hour. Travel by train, bus and taxi as you hop between city neighborhoods and enjoy people watching at the UNESCO-listed Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, famously seen in the film' Slumdog Millionaire'. Get a glimpse of traditional life in Dhobi Ghat, admire the colorful blooms at the Dadar flower market and browse the stalls at the Chor Bazaar or Nul Bazaar. This small-group tour has a maximum of seven people for a personalised experience.

Take a walking tour of the Dharavi Slums in Mumbai accompanied by your own local guide to observe daily life for the people who live there. Home to more about one million people, Dharavi is one of the largest slums in Asia, and the filming site for the movie 'Slumdog Millionaire.' Visit some of the filming locations during a walk that lasts about two hours, and hear commentary from your guide about Dharavi's history and residents. Your tour includes private guide and vehicle, snacks, and hotel pickup and drop-off.

Spend the evening at one of Mumbai's most extraordinary temples on this Shree Siddhivinayak and Bandra-Worli Sea Link tour. Participate in an evening Aarti ceremony and learn about age-old traditions from you local guide, then drive across India's longest bridge and take in the site of the city glittering at night. This tour highlights the best of Mumbai and is not to be missed!

India has a long, rich tradition of dance, and with this tour you'll get to learn about dance past and present. You'll start with a visit to the Elephanta Caves just off the coast of Mumbai, featuring rock-hewn temples, many dedicated to Shiva, the lord of the dance. You'll then return to Mumbai to watch a Bharatnatyam dance performance.

Around 60% of the citizens of Mumbai live in slums and Dharavi, with a population of at least half a million. Also experience Bollywood Tour, India is still the largest film producer of the world, producing an average of 1000 films a year. Since 1931, when the talkies were introduced, India has produced more than 67,000 films in more than 30 languages.

Take a 3-hour walking tour of the Dharavi slum in Mumbai with an informative guide who shares a new perspective on life in one of India's largest cities. Glimpse a hidden side of urban India and discover a place that's alive with small-scale industries and community spirit.

Go on a journey back into time at Kanheri Caves, located deep inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. With our local expert you will retrace the ancient origins of Buddhism in Mumbai, marvel over the impressive methods used to build the caves and experience the daily life of the National Park's local inhabitants.Swadesee tours are different because we believe in co-curating the experience with a local expert who has a tangible connection to the heritage. We believe that to truly understand and appreciate a place, you must see it from the perspective of a local. As such, our Kanheri Caves visit includes a visit of a local settlement inside the park where one can not only learn about ancient history, but also its impact on the locals in the region. 

Trade the bustle of fast-paced Mumbai for a serene and contemplative setting in Borivali National Park. The ultimate mythological extravaganza, this full-day guided tour combines a visit to the ancient rock-cut caves of Kanheri with a classical Bharatanatyam dance performance by a leading Indian dance troupe. Tours include a tasty lunch and enriching commentary from your guide - a trained art historian.

Visit the Elephanta Caves and Gateway of India on a 5-hour tour from Mumbai. Marvel at the intricate artwork of the Elephanta Caves, which are situated on Elephanta Island in Mumbai Harbor and reached by a 1-hour ferry trip. Your guide shares commentary about the sculptural reliefs and rock-cut architecture that have placed the site on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Your tour includes round-trip ferry tickets, optional train ride on the island, local guide, entrance fees, and hotel pickup and drop-off.

Watch the city come to life on this three-hour tour that highlights the incredible work done by Mumabi's dabbawalas and Dhobis. Your expert guide will share insight and information into how the lunch-pail men who deliver freshly made food from people's homes to offices with 100 percent accuracy. Then you'll see Dhobis--Mumbai's traditional laundrymen--washing customer's clothes in the massive open-air ghat. This unique tour showcases two of the city's most interesting professions and offers insight into the daily life of locals in this thriving city. 

The word "Dabbawala" can be interpreted as "box-carrier" or "lunchpail-man". Watch how these men carry usually a cylindrical aluminium container & who carries and delivers freshly made food from home in lunch boxes to office workers. Experience ride in a mumbai local train in a less crowded route, finish off your tour with visit to world famous rock cut Elephanta caves

A tour with triple bonanza , "Dabbawala" tour, ride in Mumbai local train & a lavish Bollywood tour. Experience how "Dabbawala-man" usually carrying a cylindrical aluminium container who carries and delivers freshly made food from home in lunch boxes to office workers. Experience a ride in the lifeline of Mumbai, its local train (we travel in less crowded route). Tour to Bollywood studios also introducing to the guests about the origin and evolution of the Indian Film Industry (Bollywood) ranging from the silent era to talkies to current date.

See a different side of Mumbai on this 2.5-hour walking tour of the Dharavi slum. Visit the community center and tour the textiles, recycling, and leather tanning businesses run by the local residents. With numbers limited to six on this small-group tour, you'll enjoy personalized attention from your guide and round-trip transport is available as an optional upgrade. Proceeds from your tour go back into the local community to support a variety of projects on education, health, and livelihood.