Dharavi Tour & Mumbai Sightseeing

Dharavi is known to many as ‘one of the largest slums in Asia’. It is home to about one million inhabitants and has about 10,000 small scale businesses with an annual turnover of approximately US$ 665 million to US$ 1 billion.

We conduct this real-life educational tour with a strong urge to give visitors a unique and untouched experience of people’s daily life. We provide a tool through which our guests experience and develop an understanding of a wide range of business activities like recycling, embroidery, bakery, soap factory, leather tanning, papadum-making, pottery-making and many more. 

In the afternoon we will show you some fascinating traditional sights like Gateway of India (the iconic sight of Mumbai), Marine Drive, Hanging Garden, Dhobi Ghat, Antillia ( 2 billion $ house ), Victoria terminus train station and many more. Your personalised guide will design the itinerary entirely according to your interest and taste. 

Please feel free to send us an inquiry on Mumbai@boundlessexplorism.com  OR you can also send us a WhatsApp message.    

Notice: We have no photography policy in Dharavi to protect people’s privacy and to keep locals comfortable with visitors.

Tour Details

Availability

Everyday
8 hrs tour in an air-conditioned vehicle

Timings
Flexible (but we suggest 9 am would be an ideal time to start the tour)

Please note: Available spots are limited so please book now!

Cost

INR 12,000 (extra charges applicable for pickup from airport or nearby location. 
(private tour up to 4 people with free pickup and drop from and to your hotel).

Group size
4 people maximum in a car
(For large groups we can organize mini buses please get in touch)

Inclusive

✔ English speaking guide
✔ Air-conditioned car with driver
✔ Packaged drinking water
✔ All taxes

Itinerary

Your tour guide will design a suitable itinerary for you according to your taste &  preferences at the beginning of the tour

Meeting point location

Meeting point: As this is a private tour we offer you free pick-up and drop from and to your place.

FAQ'S

There are a lot of people in Dharavi (one million approximately in an area of 0.7 square miles) and there is a strong police presence in the area. Dharavi is generally full of hard-working, honest people, although for security purposes we ask you not to take valuables with you on the tour. Although we cannot take responsibility, we believe that the places that we visit are very safe.
In the small alleys you have to be careful of low hanging roofs, open drains, and occasionally exposed electrical wires. Also, in some of the factories that we visit some fumes can be hazardous.

We focus on the small scale businesses in Dharavi, such as recycling, the making of clay pots, embroidery, bakery, soap factory, leather factory, papad (poppadom) making and many others, most of which take place in very small spaces. We also pass by the residential areas, where you get a feel of how the people live and the sense of community that exists in the area.
People from all over India and from all religions live in Dharavi, and you will see this diversity. On the tour, you will pass Hindu temples, mosques, churches in the area and when open we also visit a local school of Dharavi.

With the very high density of population and the limited infrastructure and sanitation facilities, there are areas which are quite dirty and smelly. We ask you to wear covered shoes.

We recommend that you wear covered shoes as some areas can be dirty, especially during the monsoon months from June to mid-September. We ask visitors to dress modestly which means no sleeveless shirts, short dresses, or low tops.

There are health hazards highlighted above which children need to be very aware of. Otherwise, we see no problem with bringing children of any age on the tour. Indians are very welcoming and receptive to young people.

We have a strict no-camera policy to respect the privacy of the residents. Dharavi has received a lot of attention from the media and the residents are very wary of being exploited. The policy may be considered strict but our relationship with the Dharavi community has been built over many years based on mutual respect. We do not wish for even the occasional photo as it could be incorrectly perceived as our starting to permit general photography on our tours. We can, however, send you a link to Dharavi photos which can be downloaded.

We don’t want you to feel obliged to buy anything. If there is anything in particular that you find interesting on the tour, then, by all means, you can speak to the guide and he can help you buy it.

Yes, it is possible to visit Dharavi on your own, and in our opinion, it is safe to do so. However you will not know the best places to go, the area is like a maze and you will not gain the same insight as with one of our guides.

Absolutely! Our tour timings were decided with this in mind. Have a look at the timings for the tours and let us know!

Yes, you have an option of booking a private tour in which your guide can customise the tour according to your requirements.

Generally, people are very busy with their work over there but you may find many occasions to speak to the locals. You also have an option of selecting Dharavi tour with family lunch or cooking experience. In which we visit a family and have food with them.