India Days 1-3 follow the 3-day itinerary. Days 4-5 add an Aurangabad overnight to visit the Ajanta Caves (Buddhist, 2nd century BC-6th century AD) and Ellora Caves (Buddhist, Hindu and Jain, 6th-10th century) — both UNESCO sites and the major reason to extend the trip beyond the city itself.
Five days hits the sweet spot for Mumbai — three days for the major districts, plus two days for nearby destinations that show a different side of the country. The pace stays relaxed, you get more variety in your photo album, and the day trips break up the urban intensity nicely.
5-Day Total Budget at a Glance
Budget
$450
Per person, flights excl.
Mid-Range
$1,090
Per person, flights excl.
Luxury
$2,600
Per person, flights excl.
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Day-by-Day Detailed Schedule
Gateway, Colaba & Marine Drive
Heritage coreActivities
- 09:00 Day 1 — see the 3-day itinerary 12 hours
Gateway, Taj walk-around, Leopold lunch, Colaba Causeway, Marine Drive sunset, Cafe Mondegar nightcap.
Cost: ₹1,500-15,000 TIP: Full details under the 3-day plan, Day 1.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel
Colaba · ₹300-800
Light.
Lunch
Leopold Cafe
Colaba · ₹500-1,500
1871 institution.
Dinner
Wasabi or Jimmy Boy
Colaba / Fort · ₹500-12,000
Luxury or affordable Parsi.
Walking + taxi.
DAY 1 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Elephanta + Dharavi
Cultural dayActivities
- 09:00 Day 2 — see the 3-day itinerary 13 hours
Elephanta ferry, Trishna lunch, Dharavi tour, Bademiya late-night kebabs.
Cost: ₹4,000-12,000 TIP: Pre-book the Reality Tours Dharavi slot.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel
Colaba · ₹300-800
Light.
Lunch
Trishna
Fort · ₹2,000-5,000
Coastal seafood.
Dinner
Bademiya
Colaba · ₹300-800
Late-night kebabs.
Ferry + tour van.
DAY 2 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Bollywood + Bandra
Bollywood + trendyActivities
- 09:00 Day 3 — see the 3-day itinerary 12 hours
Film City studio tour, Pali Village lunch, Bandra walk, Olive or Bastian dinner.
Cost: ₹3,500-12,000 TIP: Pre-book studio tour.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel
Colaba · ₹300-800
Light.
Lunch
Pali Village Cafe
Bandra · ₹800-2,000
Modern European.
Dinner
Olive or Bastian
Bandra · ₹1,500-5,000
Bandra trendy.
Taxi/Uber.
DAY 3 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Fly to Aurangabad — Ajanta Caves UNESCO
Ajanta UNESCOActivities
- 07:00 Mumbai → Aurangabad (1h flight) 1.5 hours
IndiGo and Air India operate the 1-hour BOM-IXU route. Booking 2-3 weeks ahead keeps round-trip fares under $80.
Cost: ₹3,000-8,000 RT TIP: Same-day flight + caves is doable but tight. Land by 09:30 to make the cave site by midday. - 10:00 Ajanta Caves UNESCO (2nd century BC-6th century AD) 6 hours
30 rock-cut Buddhist cave temples carved into a horseshoe cliff above the Waghora River. The frescoes in Caves 1, 2, 16 and 17 are the masterpieces — Jataka tales painted in pigments still vivid 1,500 years later. Rediscovered by a British hunting party in 1819.
Cost: ₹600 ($7) + transport TIP: Pre-book a day-tour van from Aurangabad ($30-50 with driver). Bring water and sun protection — exposed cliff path. Caves close 17:30. - 18:00 Aurangabad overnight + dinner 3 hours
Most travelers stay at Vivanta by Taj Aurangabad or Lemon Tree — both have decent restaurants. Aurangabad has a Mughlai food tradition worth trying at Bhoj or Tandoor.
Cost: ₹500-2,500 TIP: Hotels around $50-100/night, 2-3 stars. Naan-and-tandoor is the move.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Mumbai hotel
Mumbai · ₹300-800
Early.
Lunch
Ajanta cafeteria
Ajanta · ₹300-1,000
On-site basic.
Dinner
Bhoj or Tandoor
Aurangabad · ₹500-2,500
Mughlai.
Mumbai-Aurangabad flight + day-tour van to Ajanta.
DAY 4 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Ellora Caves UNESCO + return to Mumbai
Ellora & farewellActivities
- 08:00 Ellora Caves UNESCO (6th-10th century) 5 hours
34 caves carved over 400 years across three religions — Buddhist (caves 1-12), Hindu (13-29) and Jain (30-34). The masterpiece is the Kailasa Temple (Cave 16), carved top-down out of a single rock — the largest monolithic structure on earth.
Cost: ₹600 ($7) + transport TIP: Closer to Aurangabad than Ajanta (30km vs 100km). Day-tour van $30-50. Kailasa Temple alone is worth the trip — allow 90 min for it. - 14:00 Aurangabad → Mumbai (1h flight) 2 hours
Return flight afternoon. Lands BOM in 60 minutes; allow 45 min on the Aurangabad end for security.
Cost: Included in RT TIP: Pre-book the return slot together with the outbound. - 17:00 Final Mumbai evening + airport 4 hours
Time for one last meal — Britannia at Fort (if a weekday lunch is still doable) or a final round at Leopold or Mondegar before heading to the airport.
Cost: ₹1,000-5,000 TIP: Allow 90 min from South Mumbai to BOM in evening traffic.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Aurangabad hotel
Aurangabad · Included
Early.
Lunch
Ellora cafeteria
Ellora · ₹300-1,000
On-site basic.
Dinner
South Mumbai farewell
Mumbai · ₹1,000-5,000
Last meal.
Aurangabad-Mumbai flight + taxi to airport.
DAY 5 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Book Mumbai Tours & Tickets
Packing Checklist
- ✓ Conservative cover-up for temples
- ✓ Light cottons Nov-Mar; heat-tolerant Apr-Oct
- ✓ Stomach medication
- ✓ Cash rupees
- ✓ Plug type C/D/M, 230V
- ✓ e-Visa pre-approved
- ✓ Travel insurance with medical evacuation
- ✓ Don't drink tap water
Mumbai 5-Day Itinerary FAQ
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Why you can trust 5-day itinerary
Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.