7 Fascinating Mumbai Tours

Mumbai's Dharavi slum has the dubious honor of being the largest slum in Asia, and you can explore this seething mass of humanity for yourself on one of these tours. Rather than being a depressing experience, the tour aims to break the negative stereotype associated with the slum. Put aside your initial apprehensions and you'll discover a place that's alive with small scale industries and high community spirit. What's even better is that 80% of the profits from these tours are given to local organizations who work for the less privileged members of society.

• Tour Operator: Reality Tours and Travel.
• Duration: Short 2.5 hour tours and long 4.5 hour tours are both available daily.
• Cost: $10 for a short tour and $20 for a long tour.

According to this walking tour, Mumbai's heart lies not in its monuments but in its bazaars. You'll be expertly guided through the vibrant but chaotic bazaars of Kalbadevi and Bhuleshwar, where it's otherwise easy to get lost. The area is a fascinating mix of shops, stalls, noise and activity, as well as mosques, temples, peace and tranquility. The tour includes Crawford Market (fruit and veg market), Mangaldas Market (cotton/silk market), Jama Masjid (mosque), Zaveri Bazaar (gold market), Mumbadevi temple (Hindu temple), Bombay Panjrapole (Cow Shelter) and Madhav Baug (peaceful courtyard). You can even try Mumbai's famous street food!

• Tour Operator: Reality Tours and Travels.
• Duration: 2 hours, from 4 p.m. daily.
• Cost: 700 rupees ($15).

This tour is perfect for those who like to step out of their comfort zones and experience the local way of living. You'll be shown all of Mumbai's best attractions on the tour, but you'll get to travel around using the city's famous black and yellow taxis, double decker red buses, local trains, and on foot. At the end, you can look forward to sampling some real Mumbai tea (chai) and snacks. Heartwarmingly, the tour is lead by three enthusiastic young people from the Akanksha Foundation, who come from underprivileged backgrounds but were trained for three months to become tour guides.

• Tour Operator: Mumbai Magic
• Duration: 4 hours starting from 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. daily, from the Gateway of India.
• Cost: 2,000 rupees ($45).

Anyone who loves Indian food and wants to experience true Indian home cooking (it tastes so much more delicious than what you get in a restaurant!) will also love this tour. You'll be taken into an Indian home where you'll be able to watch a three course Indian meal being prepared -- and of course get to taste it at the end. You'll also be shown around a local market where you can learn about the essential ingredients for Indian cooking. Fascinating!

• Tour Operator: Mumbai Magic
• Duration: 3 hours with flexible timings daily.
• Cost: Based on the number of people doing the tour. Contact the company for pricing.

Mumbai is a melting pot of different faiths and cultures. On this tour you'll get to visit the areas where they all live and learn about their clothes, religion, food and ways of life. Communities include the Kolis (fisher folk), Parsis, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists. That's quite a mix! The tour visits churches, mosques, and other religious monuments so you can also get a glimpse of the rituals that make up their daily lives. This is a very interesting tour.

• Tour Operator: Mumbai Magic
• Duration: 4 hours with flexible timings daily.
• Cost: Based on the number of people doing the tour. Contact the company for pricing.

Traditional dance and music are important parts of Indian life, and this tour takes you to where it all starts -- the dance schools in Mumbai where the Bharatanatyam classical style of dance is taught without the use of mirrors. Bharatanatyam is one of India's oldest styles of dance and is very popular in south India. You'll be able to see young dancers learning this art form, as well as find out the best places to see musical performances in Mumbai. Special demonstrations on Indian music can also be arranged if desired.

• Tour Operator: Mumbai Magic
• Duration: 2 hours between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Sundays.
• Cost: Based on the number of people doing the tour. Contact the company for pricing.

Mumbai is the center of India's booming "Bollywood" film industry. Over 100 films are produced each year there. Take this guided tour of Film City, where many movies are made, and have a brush with the stars. The tour includes lunch inside the studio, as well as a drive past famous Bollywood actors' houses. You'll be picked up from your hotel, and dropped off there after the tour is over.

• Tour Operator: Special Holidays Travel
• Duration: Full day.
• Cost: $75