Full day Mumbai city tour

The best way to see and learn about as much of Mumbai as possible is certainly with a guide.

We booked a private full day city tour which gave us a guide and a driver with pick-up and drop off at our hotel. We had the option beforehand to customise the tour in any way we wanted, but with it being our first trip to Mumbai and even to India, we were happy to put our trust in our guide to show us all the sights the city had to offer.

Being picked up in an air-conditioned car and being introduced to our guide and driver who would be looking after us for the day, we immediately knew we made the right choice.

Our first experience of the day would be exploring the slums of Dharavi. Our guide Ganesh introduced us to the communities inside the slums and showed all the many businesses housed there. The amount of industry which goes on really surprised us.

We then hopped on a local train, which I don’t think we would have braved without a guide! The first train we caught was jam-packed, but we felt very safe with Ganesh who made sure we made it on the train and were close by. He made it a really fun experience. The second train we caught couldn’t have been any different, we easily got a seat on the second journey.

We caught the train to go and see Dhobi Ghat, a famous Mumbai open-air laundry. Walking inside seeing the organisation and work that went on was fascinating.

Ganesh told us all about Dabbawalas, aka lunch men who deliver lunch boxes to homes and workers around the city.

When we arrived at the Colaba district Ganesh took us to get fresh coconuts, they were very refreshing. After drinking the coconut water the flesh was carved out for us to enjoy.

After our refreshment stop we marvelled at the famous Gateway of India. Although during our visit the Gateway was under scaffolding, it didn’t take away from the greatness of the monument.

We went on to explore the harbour with its many coloured fishing boats.

We moved on to the Fort area and feeling the heat decided we fancied a nice cold beer to cool us off. Whilst our driver would have happily taken us to a five-star hotel to enjoy a beverage, we wanted to enjoy a beer at a local bar and Ganesh knew just the place. There was no other tourist in sight. Ganesh stayed with us to help us order, then we sat perfectly positioned under a fan and enjoyed a beautifully cold Kingfisher with the locals.

Feeling peckish we enjoyed a vada pav from a busy street side vendor. The vada pav was a street food we had not tried on our food tour the night before and both wanted to enjoy. It was great, and packed a lovely punch of heat. A deep-fried potato cake in a bread bun may sound a bit strange, but I can confirm it was delicious!

It was also conveniently located opposite the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (the main railway station in Mumbai), which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its striking Victorian Gothic architecture.

Taking in the views of Marine Drive and having a quick photo stop, we enjoyed the sea breeze and views this stop had to offer.

At the beginning of our tour Ganesh asked if we wanted to visit Crawford Market and I jumped at the chance to visit. I love a local market, it’s a true reflection of local life, shopping and produce. There was an abundance of fresh fruit and as we wanted to buy some spices to take home, Ganesh took us to his choice of spice stall where the spices are ground fresh. We stocked up on masala chai, tikka and butter chicken spices.

We then visited Mani Bhavan, Mahatma Gandhi’s residence which has been turned into a museum which guests tour at their leisure.

When we exited, we enjoyed a piping hot masala chai from a local street seller, it was fantastic and I struggled with the temptation of having a second one.

Our final stop was at Kamala Nehru Park, where we enjoyed a gentle stroll around and fed some of the friendly street dogs who we had bought treats for. The park is beautifully maintained and gave some wonderful views over Mumbai.

We saw so much in one day and felt like we got a real insight into Mumbai, local life and the best sights the city has to offer. An excellent tour which we will always remember.

Mumbai: Guided City Sightseeing Tour