Full Day City Tour of Mumbai - AHM : 1169
We start for the Full Day Sightseeing Tour of Mumbai. You are picked up at 09:30 hrs from the hotel and proceed with an accompanied English Speaking Guide.
Your tour will include the British-built arch called the Gateway of India, one of Mumbai's most famous landmarks. It was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary for the Delhi Durbar in 1911.
Next you will visit the Prince of Wales Museum, which was built between 1904 and 1914 and was used as a hospital during World War I. The huge structure can be spotted from a distance as sunshine sparkles on its massive marble dome. The museum houses a priceless collection of art that is considered to be one of the best in all India. It includes a rich display of miniature paintings, ancient sculptures, jade, china and much more.
We drive past University of Bombay, High Court of Bombay, Crawford Market. You will also visit the Hanging Gardens, which are located on the crest of Malabar Hill. The gardens are a welcome oasis of green in a city built almost entirely of concrete and cement.
Next you will drive through the residential area of Mumbai's rich and famous on Malabar Hill. You will also visit the renowned Gandhi Memorial Museum ( Mani Bhawan ) and Jain Temple.
We now visit the famous Dhobi Ghat – Open Air Laundry. Known as the world's largest outdoor laundry, Dhobi Ghat is where Mumbai's traditional washer folk -- or dhobis -- provide a wonderful service, collecting dirty laundry, washing it, and returning it neatly pressed, all for a very small fee.
Stubborn stains are removed by soaking garments in a boiling vat of caustic soda; drying takes place on long, brightly cooled lines; and heavy wood-burning irons are used for pressing. At the very least, it's a great photo opportunity, though most locals think it rather amusing that their everyday work arouses such curiosity.
After this we proceed to have a glimpse of Hajji Ali Dargah . This early 18th century shrine contains the tomb of HAZRATH HAJI ALI, a Muslim Sufi saint. There are two local legends which claim to trace the Hazrath's antecedents.
One story has it that Hajji Ali was a rich, local businessman who gave up materialism after a visit to Mecca and then took up meditation. We stop here for a photo from outside as there is a narrow pathway build which leads to the Dargah which is a good walk and it submerges in the water during high tide in monsoon period. Time constraint does not allow us to visit the shrine, however if you insist we shall take you there.
We than proceed to Siddhivinayak Temple (GaneshTemple) and have a view of the temple from outside. We later take the BandraWolli Sea Link and visit the Bandra Band Stand where most of the renowned Bollywood Star stays. This is one of the most expensive locality in Mumbai. We then visit Juhu Beach and Iskcon Temple.
Evening we will return to the hotel by approx 1800 hrs via Marine Drive, popularly known as the Queen's Necklace, which offers a breathtaking view of the beautiful Arabian Sea.
Tour Ends