Happiness, Home Delivered: The Dhobis and Dabbawalas of Mumbai

Mumbai, India
Duration2h 30m
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Private tourOnly your group will participate
Pickup offeredSee the meeting and pickup details below

Overview

Some bring home clothes empty of stains, some take away wholesomeness in the trains. Meet the people who keep Mumbai shining with joy. You can interact with the Dabbawalas closely.

What's included

  • GST (Goods and Services Tax)
  • Lunch

What to expect

  1. Dhobi Ghat
    5h · Admission ticket included
    This is a walk around the bustling heart of Mumbai for an inside look into the workings of those who this dependable city depends on. How? By experiencing a day in the hectic life of the washermen of Dhobi Ghaat and the dabbawalas.

    Our walk is led by Ramanand with whom there is never a dull moment. He makes sure you look at things you wouldn't normally pay attention to, and he knows of all the best eating places few others know.

    Dhobi Ghaat at Cuffe Parade is unlike any laundry service you have ever seen. Washermen are hard at work beating the dirt out of clothes at stone cubicles, while others hang a kaleidoscope of clothes out to dry on makeshift lines quite ingeniously, without the help of clothes pins. Whether it is two thousand white sheets a day for the Four Seasons Hotel, or the saris of women from high-rises across the city, these dhobis get the job done cheerily and efficiently.

    You haven't experienced Mumbai if you haven't used its lifeline - its public transport. On this experience, you will enjoy unusual views in all-too famous local train. Feel the sea breeze on your face as you whizz past Marine Drive on your way to Churchgate to meet with the dabbawallas.

    A word of caution: those guys don't have the time for interviews and photographs. You will just about manage to scramble into their compartment on the train , where the floor is covered by tiffins and lunch packs of every possible shape and size. It's fascinating to see those dabbas carted from one end of the city to the other, and to everywhere in between. The footpath outside Churchgate station serves as a reconnaissance point, where the men in Gandhi topis wade among rows of hundreds of dabbas, and take them to offices where hungry executives wait in earnest for their home cooked meal to arrive, each day.

    Discover a league of Mumbaikars who are as intrinsic to the city as its own soul.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point
End point
Pickup details

We can pick up guests from anywhere in the city or meet at a point convenient for the guests

Additional information

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
From
$80.00 per person
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  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
  • Instant confirmation
  • You'll choose your date and travelers and pay on viator.com. Prices vary by date, group size and option.
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