The Ferry to Elephanta Island offers a scenic journey across the Arabian Sea from 10 kilometers east of Mumbai’s Gateway of India. With a short ride of about an hour, visitors are transported to the UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its antique Elephanta cave temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. It’s a popular tour for both tourists and locals seeking a glimpse into India’s rich cultural heritage amid natural splendor.

There are two ferry points to Elephanta from Mumbai. The popular & frequent ferry service is from Gateway of India. The second ferry point is Belapur Jetty in Navi Mumbai.

Also Read : Best Places to Visit in Mumbai With Fees & Timing https://www.yourvacationtrip.com/best-places-to-visit-in-mumbai/

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Ferry to Elephanta Island

2 Ferry Points to Elephanta Boat Ferry:

Read More At : https://elephanta.co.in/ferry-to-elephanta

Gateway of India :

This is the most popular ferry point for Elephanta from Mumbai city. This ferry point is well-connected & very popular tourist attraction in Mumbai.
Two popular railway stations- Churchgate Station & Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus ( CSTM) – are about 2km (1.2 miles) from this ferry point for Elephanta.
The frequency of ferry service higher (every 30 min a boat leaves).
The downside is the crowd. You may have to stand for about 30 to 60 minutes to buy the ferry ticket and board a boat. No online booking facility for this ferry service. See more details about Gateway of India-Elephanta Ferry here. The boat takes about 1 hour to reach Elephanta from Gateway of India.

CBD Belapur Jetty :

Belapur-Elephanta ferry point is located at CBD Belapur Jetty in the Navi Mumbai area. They operate both catamaran (50+ seater) and speed boats (20 to 32 seaters) from CBD Belapur Jetty to Elephanta. Some operators take advance online bookings for the pre-scheduled trip ( check myboatride.com). Also for large batches (say 6 to 20 people) you can hire a private water taxi to Elephanta from CBD Belapur Jetty. This big plus point for the CBD Belapur ferry point compared to the Gateway of India ferry.
The main downside of CBD Belapur Jetty is less frequent services to Elephanta compared to Gateway of India ferry point.
On weekdays, four round trips of catamaran boats are operated. On weekends & peak season days, they add a few more trips. Typically there are 2 or 3 round-speed boat ( shared water-taxi) services to Elephanta from CBD Belapur ( Departure: 9.15 am & 2.15 am).
Speed boat is a 20-minute trip while the catamaran takes about 45 minutes to reach Elephanta from CBD Belapur.

Elephanta Ferry Timings :-

Ferry timings to Elephanta :

The first boat leaves from the Gateway of India for Elephanta at 9 am. The last boat leaves for elephanta leaves at 3.30 pm.

Every 30 minutes or so a boat leaves for Elephanta. Also note, Elephanta Caves & ferry service to Elephanta island is closed on Mondays.

The ferry travel time is about an hour from the point.

Ferry timings from Elephanta :

The return ferry schedules from Elephanta typically looks like: the first return boat leaves Elephanta to Gateway of India by 12 noon. The last one at 5.30 pm. There’s a return boat approximately in every 30 minutes.

Ferry To Elephanta Ticket Price :-

CBD Belapur Jetty :

For catamaran its Rs660 for a round trip ticket.(50+ seater)
For the speed boat cost is Rs825 for a return trip. (20 to 32 seaters)
For shared water-taxi ticket costs about Rs750 for a round trip.

Gateway of India :

About Rs260 for a round trip ticket

How to reach Elephanta Caves:

Take a train to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CST) or Churchgate Railway Station, which are well-connected to the network of suburban trains.
The Gateway of India is approximately 2.5 kilometers away from there. You have the option of taking a taxi, or you can walk to the Gateway of India if you prefer.
buy ferry tickets to Elephanta Island. The ferry ride takes about an hour and offers beautiful views of the Arabian Sea.

About Elephanta Caves:-

The Elephanta Caves, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stand as a remarkable example of medieval rock-cut art and architecture in India. Situated on the Elephanta or Gharapuri Island, approximately 11 km from Mumbai, these caves, locally known as Gharapurichi Leni, showcase the remnants of intricately painted artworks. Offering a captivating view of the Mumbai skyline, the caves are accessible via a ferry ride from the Gateway of India.