The Best Day Trips From Mumbai

Mumbai; hip, enigmatic, and always happening, is a difficult place to leave behind. Yet, even the most sincere Mumbaikar could do with a day or so away from the city, for more greenery, less concrete, better air, or for art that isn’t on display at a gallery. Here are five different day trips to undertake from Mumbai, whatever your reason may be for wanting a break from the city.

Alibag: For the Beach-Lover

Less than two hours and a scenic ferry ride away from the Gateway of India is the sunny beach town of Alibag. You can visit the old fish market, indulge in freshly caught and delicately spiced shrimp at the famous Fulora restaurant, or just soak in some sun at sparkling white-sanded Varsoli Beach.

Alibag is also home to several historic monuments including the 300-year-old Kolaba Fort, a historic military fortress built by the Maratha kings. The Revdanda Fort, built by the Portuguese in the 1500s, and located just 20 minutes south of the city, is another must-see for the beach-loving history enthusiast.

Wishing those stairs that you are sweating profusely to climb were the rocky edges of a hill instead? Wishing for less concrete, more nature? Harishchandragad, one of India’s most popular hiking destinations, is located less than three hours outside of Mumbai’s suburb of Kalyan. You can either take a cab from Kalyan, or a bus headed to Malshej Ghat and get off at the base village of Khubi Phata.

The trek will begin from the village of Khubi Phata, from where you can also find the hiking guide of your dreams, and drink copious amounts of finely spiced chai. Harishchandragad offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced level treks ranging from hours to two days. Make sure to ask your guide to point you to the temple of Lord Shiva, lodged within several caves, and partly immersed in water almost year-round.

Kanheri Caves: History and Some Fresh Air

Art history enthusiasts in Mumbai are never short of picks for a fix of Buddhist caves. Ajanta and Ellora caves, over two thousand years old, are just an overnight bus or train ride away from the city. However, few Mumbaikars are aware of the Kanheri caves, dating to the 1st century B.C., in the city’s very own northern suburbs in Borivali. These caves, believed to have once been Buddhist shrines and places of meditation and study, are adorned with paintings of the Buddha and ancient Indian carvings that will intrigue history, art, and architecture buffs alike.

The caves are located within the lush green Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali. You can take a train bound to Borivali from Churchgate, after which you can walk or take an auto-rickshaw to the park. While shuttle buses run from the park’s main gate to the caves every 20 minutes or so, the short trek to the caves offers a therapeutic calm amidst this maddeningly busy city.

Sula Vineyards: For the Wine Enthusiast

Drown your work blues in a glass of wine as you spend your day wine-tasting at the Sula Vineyards in Nashik, just three hours outside Mumbai. The vineyard offers tours, tasting packages and even features an annual three-day music festival in February. Restaurants around the vineyard offer a choice of cuisines, but Little Italy offers Italian dishes paired with Sula wines that are worth experiencing.

There are plenty of open spaces nearby should you like to picnic near the vineyard. The Gangapur Dam and Nashik’s backwaters, accessible by cab from the Vineyard, provide a calming, scenic spot to meditate after your wine splurge.

Matheran: Ride a Mini-Train Through a No-Pollution Forest

Matheran, Maharashtra’s no-pollution hill station, offers you fresh air and greenery like none other. You will find no motorized vehicles in this tiny town. But you will find the famous ‘toy train’, a mini train that covers much of the scenic Matheran forest.

Start your day by taking a train from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus bound to Neral junction from where you can transfer to a Matheran-bound toy train. You may also want to trek around the forest, birdwatch or observe its rich wildlife.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.