2 days in Mumbai

Day by day

1. Day 1: Gateway of India and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus

   Gateway of India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Elephanta Caves and Marine Drive, then Bandra Bandstand and Bandra Fort in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Gateway of India

      It faces the harbour beside the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, and ferries to Elephanta and Alibaug leave from the jetties below.

   2. Late morning

      Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus

      It still handles enormous numbers of suburban and long-distance passengers every day.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Vada pav

      Stalls outside railway stations, especially around Dadar and CSMT, and roadside carts across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Elephanta Caves

      The highlight is the six-metre Trimurti, a three-headed carving in the main cave. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and reached by about 120 steps from the jetty.

   5. Late afternoon

      Marine Drive

      At night its street lights form the 'Queen's Necklace', and the sea wall fills with walkers, joggers and couples at sunset.

   6. Evening

      Bandra Bandstand and Bandra Fort

      Come at sunset when the Sea Link is lit up, then walk to Bandra's cafés and bars.

2. Day 2: Haji Ali Dargah and Shree Siddhivinayak Temple

   Haji Ali Dargah, Shree Siddhivinayak Temple, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya and Kala Ghoda Art District, then Juhu Beach in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Haji Ali Dargah

      Pilgrims of all faiths visit, and qawwali is often sung inside.

   2. Late morning

      Shree Siddhivinayak Temple

      Film stars and politicians are among the devotees, and Tuesdays bring very long queues.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pav bhaji

      Stalls at Juhu Beach and Girgaon Chowpatty, and long-established pav bhaji restaurants in Tardeo.

   4. Afternoon

      Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

      Collections include Indus Valley artefacts, Buddhist and Hindu sculpture, Mughal and Rajput miniature paintings, and decorative arts.

   5. Late afternoon

      Kala Ghoda Art District

      Boutiques and restaurants fill the lanes between them.

   6. Evening

      Juhu Beach

      Come for sunset and street food rather than swimming; the sea is polluted and currents can be strong.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Mani Bhavan (Gamdevi): Combine it with Banganga Tank and the Malabar Hill viewpoints on the same morning.
• Swap in Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum and Byculla Zoo (Byculla): Visit the museum first, then let children see the penguins in the air-conditioned enclosure in the zoo.
• Swap in Bollywood studio tour (Goregaon): Book through the official Film City tour or an established operator, and set aside half a day for the travel to Goregaon.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 13–18 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11 hours in December to 13.3 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Train. Suburban 'local' trains run from Churchgate and CSMT north through the city and are fast and cheap, but extremely crowded at rush hour.

More or fewer days

• One day in Mumbai
• 3 days in Mumbai
• 5 days in Mumbai

Questions travellers ask