From Mumbai: Kanheri Cave Half-Day Tour
ID: GYG119521-174079
Category:
Country: India
Duration:
05:00 hours
Description
Explore Kanheri caves to see Buddhist sculptures and relief carvings, paintings and inscriptions, dating from the 1st century B.C. Benefit from a hotel transfer and local English-speaking guide as you learn about Buddhist history.
Start your private tour with a pickup from your accommodation in Mumbai, head to the Kanheri Caves, located deep within the green forests of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, one of Asia’s major national parks. The caves are a marvelous architectural feat. All 109 of them were chiseled and carved out of a huge basaltic rock outcrop. The smaller caves, known as viharas, served as resting places for the monks. The larger caves, known as chaityas, are lined with various exquisitely carved Buddhist sculptures and were commonly used as places for worship.
Depending on your hotel location and the traffic conditions, the drive to Kanheri Caves takes about 1 to 1.5-hours. Relax in a comfortable air-conditioned car till you are dropped off at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, where the caves are situated. Your guide will take you around five of the biggest and most significant caves. You will also have some free time to explore and walk around on your own.
In the main hall stands the towering figure of the Lord Buddha measuring about 7 meters in height. The interior has a colonnade of 34 majestically carved pillars. The eleven-headed Avalokiteshwara is the most distinctive motif. There are about 100 inscriptions in different scripts - Brahmi, Devnagri, Pallavi, and Sanskrit.
At the end of your tour, head back to your accommodation in Mumbai with excellent memories of the day.
Highlights
- Explore Buddhist sculptures and relief carvings, paintings and inscriptions
- Walk through the historical timeline of Buddhism
- Visit Kanheri caves for an insight into the history and culture of Buddhist monks in India
Guiding languages
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Tips are not included
Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair; comfortable walking shoes are recommended
Guests are requested to wear modest clothing as this site is of spiritual and religious significance. Please avoid wearing sleeveless tops and short shorts
This tours runs all year. During the rainy season, guests are recommended to carry raincoats/umbrellas and wear comfortable walking shoes with a firm grip to avoid slippery surfaces
You must keep social distance while in vehicles
The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds
All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
You will receive a mandatory temperature check
You are required to bring and wear a mask
Hotel pick up available from airport, station or hotel located in Mumbai. Guests are requested to wait at the hotel lobby ten minutes before the scheduled pick up time.
When should I book?
To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.
Cancellations
This excursion you can cancel with no cost up to 48 hours before the start of the trip. If you cancel it after 48 hours or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity. Being late on pick-up or departure will be considered as not showing up.
