Weekend Gateways

Travel to Bombay and check out the exciting weekend getaways from Bombay, the commercial capital of India. If the hustle and bustle of Bombay gets too much for you, there's respite just outside the city. Many wildlife sanctuaries, heritage sites, hill stations and quaint little towns surround Bombay. Of historical, religious and contemporary interests, these tourists spots are easily accessible and worth a visit when you travel to Bombay. Take your pick and you can be sure of being far from madding crowd of Bombay city.

Elephanta Caves: Located about an hour's ride by boat across the Arabian Sea from the Gateway of India, lies the exotic testimony of the Konkan Mauryas, the caves of Elephanta. Anciently known as Gharapuri (fortress city), this island capital of the erstwhile Mauryas was built in the 7th century. It was the Portuguese who named it Elephanta in the 16th century, after a huge rock-cut elephant with its baby perched on the back, which originally stood on a knoll a little to the east of the Gharapuri village. Today, the caves of Elephanta are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This place is a must-visit if you are planning to travel to Bombay.

Khandala: Nestled amidst the hills and valleys of the Sahyadri mountain range, Khandala is one of the picturesque and popular hill stations in the state of Maharashtra. Endowed with abundant natural beauty, Khandala is situated 101 km southeast of Bombay and 69 km from Pune, and is a popular gateway from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Lonavla: Located at a distance of 120 kilometres from Bombay, Lonavla is a favourite hilly destination around Bombay. Ideal for a day or weekend trip, Lonavla is beautiful and cool hill station decorated with gurgling streams and quiet glided walks. The waterfalls of Tungarly or trek up to the Duke's Nose (a gigantic hillock) will evoke a feeling of being close to mother nature.

Matheran: One of the nearest hill stations of Bombay, Matheran was discovered in 1850. This quaint little hill-station provides lovely views of the nearby places from the Hart point. A human buggy is the main mode of transport in Matheran. Interestingly one thing that dominates the market is chikki, a confection made of gram flour, jaggery and cashew nut. You can also buy this universally popular sweetmeat in large quantity to carry back home. Matheran has retained the tranquility and peace of a hill station by not allowing any kind of motor vehicle into the town.

Karla Caves: Rock-cut structures are one of the most primitive forms of architecture found in several parts of India. The Karla Caves in Maharashtra are one of the finest examples of this architectural style. The caves are located high in the surrounding hills. A narrow winding path, leads up to them. Built by Buddhist monks, the caves are in keeping with the Buddhist ideas of simplicity. The caves are characterised by many halls and a huge stone stupa along with the 2000-year-old teak wood ceiling which is still intact. Outside the cave is a pillar crowned with lions. This was an emblem of the Buddhist King Ashoka, now adopted by the Indian Government as the state emblem.

Kanheri Caves: A must visit excursion spot during your vacations in Bombay are the Kanheri Caves. Situated four miles away from Bombay, the famous caves are believed to have been carved out by Buddhist monks between the 2nd and 9th centuries and have many interesting facts related to them. Situated in the centre of Bombay's Borivili National Park, the Kanheri caves are also regarded as one of the biggest Buddhist monastic establishment on the Konkan coast.