7-day India tour during Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai, with Elephanta, Ajanta and Ellora caves, Daulatabad Fort and Mumbai's dabbawalas, led by Khun Pap.
Trip highlights
- Join the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in India, the land where the faith began
- Explore the art and architecture of the Ellora and Ajanta caves
- Experience the diversity and distinctive daily life of India first-hand
Led by historiansEvery trip travels with an expert history lecturer who brings each site to life in plain language.
Off the beaten pathCentral Asia, the Middle East, the Himalayas — places most tour companies never go.
Private groups, no rushingRight-sized groups and unhurried time at the places that matter most.
Beyond ordinary travelEvery tour is designed by writers and professional travellers to create experiences that reflect who you are — for travellers who want more than an ordinary holiday.
About this tour
The Spirit of India: Ganesh Chaturthi is a 7-day, 5-night tour that takes in Mumbai during the festival celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesh, followed by the UNESCO-listed caves around Aurangabad. Mumbai hosts India's largest Ganesh Chaturthi, with up to 150,000 idols immersed each year. The most recent departure ran 12–18 September 2024.
In Mumbai the program includes the Elephanta Caves by ferry, the Gateway of India, the festival pandals and aarti ceremony, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the dabbawalas, Dhobi Ghat, the Prince of Wales Museum, Colaba and Bandra Bandstand. Near Aurangabad it visits the Ajanta and Ellora caves and Daulatabad Fort. On the final afternoon guests can choose between joining the Visarjan procession or shopping at Phoenix Mall.
The tour is led in person by Pongsorn Phumiwat (Khun Pap) of The Wild Chronicles. Hotels are rated 4 to 5 stars, and dinners are free choice.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Bangkok – Mumbai
Meet at 15:30 at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thai Airways counters (Row H - J). Flight TG317 departs at 18:55 and arrives in Mumbai at 21:55 (India is 1.5 hours behind Thailand). Transfer to the hotel.
Day 2Elephanta Caves – Gateway of India – Ganesh Chaturthi
Take a ferry to the Elephanta Caves, an ancient cave temple complex on an island about 10 km from Mumbai, probably carved in the 5th - 8th centuries and dedicated to Shiva (UNESCO World Heritage). Visit the Gateway of India at Wellington Pier, built to commemorate the 1911 visit of King George V and Queen Mary, in a blend of Hindu, Muslim, Gothic and neoclassical styles. Join the Ganesh Chaturthi festival with the aarti lamp ceremony, and see the pandals, the bamboo, wood and cloth shrines decorated with flowers that house the Ganesh idols, with devotees offering modaks, coconuts, fruit and flowers.
Day 3Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus – Dabbawalas – Dhobi Ghat – Colaba
Visit Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly Victoria Terminus, completed in 1887 for Queen Victoria's 50th jubilee year (UNESCO World Heritage). See the dabbawalas, the lunchbox delivery system running since 1890 that delivers about 200,000 boxes a day, and Dhobi Ghat, one of the largest open-air laundries in the world. Visit the Prince of Wales Museum (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum) with more than 70,000 objects, then enjoy free time in the Colaba area.
Day 4Mumbai – Aurangabad – Ajanta Caves
Check out at 05:15 and fly to Aurangabad on IndiGo 6E6227 (about 1 hour), arriving 06:15. After hotel check-in, visit the Ajanta Caves, among the oldest and finest Buddhist cave temples in the world, carved from the 2nd - 6th centuries, with over 30 chambers of monasteries, halls and prayer rooms decorated with wall paintings of Buddhist stories (UNESCO World Heritage). Wear comfortable shoes, carry water and expect stairs.
Day 5Ellora Caves – Daulatabad Fort
Visit the Ellora Caves (UNESCO World Heritage), more than 34 caves cut into the Charanandri hill and combining Hindu, Buddhist and Jain art: 12 Buddhist (caves 1 - 12), 17 Hindu (13 - 29) and 5 Jain (30 - 34). The highlight is the Kailasa temple. Then climb Daulatabad Fort, a 12th-century medieval fortress built by King Bhillama V of the Yadava dynasty on a hill over 200 m high, with complex entrances and a moat that could be filled or drained. Wear comfortable shoes and carry water.
Day 6Aurangabad – Mumbai – Bangkok
Check out at 06:45 and fly IndiGo 6E5158, arriving in Mumbai at 07:40. Stroll Bandra Bandstand, a palm-lined seafront promenade on the Arabian Sea, and, if time allows, Juhu Beach. In the afternoon choose between two options: (A) join the Visarjan procession, which escorts Ganesh back to Mount Kailash on the festival's final day (the walk there and back may take about 2 hours because vehicles are banned), or (B) shop at Phoenix Mall. Meet at Mumbai airport at 20:35 for Thai Airways TG318 departing 23:35.
Day 7Arrival in Bangkok
Arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 05:35.
Included
- International and domestic round-trip economy flights
- Baggage allowance: international (Thai Airways) one checked bag up to 20 kg and one carry-on up to 7 kg; domestic (IndiGo) one checked bag up to 20 kg and one carry-on up to 7 kg
- Transfers and sightseeing by vehicle with an experienced driver
- Accommodation as per the program, two guests per room
- Entrance fees as per the program
- Meals as per the program (dinners free choice)
- Experienced local guide
- Experienced Thai lecturer and tour leader
- Travel accident insurance, coverage up to THB 1,000,000 per person (per policy terms)
- Entry visa fee
Not included
- Dinners (free choice)
- International round-trip business class flights
- Personal expenses such as passport fees, phone, internet, laundry, minibar, food and drinks outside the program, excess baggage, medical costs for pre-existing conditions
- Tips for tour leader, local guide and driver (recommended USD 60)
- 7% VAT, 3% withholding tax and other taxes
- Fuel surcharges and airport taxes if the airline raises them
About this tour
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The Spirit of India: Ganesh Chaturthi - Mumbai, Ajanta and Ellora Caves
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