Cave Temples in and around Bombay

Elephanta caves

contain marvelous high-relief sculptures from the first century AD, and can be reached in about an hour and a half by boat from Bombay. Tourism details can be found in the MTDC writeup.

The Kanheri caves

in the Borivili National Park are the remains of old Buddhist cave temples.

Karla Caves

containing Chaityas from the second century BC, are about 114 kms from Bombay. There are two other complexes of caves close by.

Forts in and around Bombay

General information is available in the section on forts in the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) pages.

Janjira fort

was the island redoubt of the Sidi, an Abyssinian adventurer who played a part in the Maratha-Portuguese war.

Vasai (Bassein) fort

used to guard the second town of Portuguese India (after Goa). It fell to the Marathas in 1739, at the end of the Maratha-Portuguese war.

Wildlife Sanctuaries and Reserves in and around Bombay

General information is available in the section on the Western Ghats in the documentation maintained by the Indira Gandhi Conservation Monitoring Centre (IGCMC). The sanctuaries closest to Bombay are listed below.

Borivili National Park

lies within Greater Bombay and forms part of the catchment area of the Vihar and Powai lakes. It includes a lion safari park and the Kanheri caves.

Karnala Bird Sanctuary

is about 80 kms from Bombay. The protected area contains a historic fort. Apart from over a hundred species of birds, leopards and antelopes can also be spotted in this reserve. Unfortunately, a highway runs through the forest.

Sewri Mangrove Park

lies in the mudflats between Sewri and Trombay. Seven species of mangroves and several hundred species of birds can be seen in this fifteen acre reservation.

Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary

is part of the catchment area of the Tansa lake, and is surrounded by the forests of Shahapur, Khardi and Wada.