One day 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

      Come early in the morning for photographs without crowds, or at dusk when the arch and the Taj are lit up. Allow 30 minutes.

   2. Late morning

      Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus

      Photograph the facade from the crossing opposite, and return after dark when the building is illuminated. Allow 45 minutes.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Vada pav

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

   4. Afternoon

      Elephanta Caves

      Take an early ferry to beat the heat and the crowds, and carry water; ferries can be suspended in rough monsoon weather. Allow Half a day.

   5. Late afternoon

      Marine Drive

      Walk from Nariman Point to Chowpatty around sunset and finish with bhel puri on the beach; view the necklace from Malabar Hill after dark. Allow 1–2 hours.

   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.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (Fort and Kala Ghoda): Rent the audio guide and focus on the sculpture gallery and the miniature paintings on the upper floor.
• 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.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 6–8 hours of visiting over one day, 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

• 2 days in Mumbai
• 3 days in Mumbai
• 5 days in Mumbai

Questions travellers ask