Elephanta Island Off The Beaten Path

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We took a ferry for 120/- from the gateway of India at 9 am to the elephanta caves. We decided to explorer the island as the caves were too costly charging tourist 250/- rupees. We walked to the entrance skipping the tourist trap the small toy train. Then walked to the caves and instead of taking a left to the caves we took a right. After walking uphill you come to a point where there are 2 paths one to the left and one going straight ahead. Taking both the paths lead to the same point but the left is tougher and comes close the to barbed wire, separating the caves from the rest of the hill. We took the left at this time of the year the grass is dry and there is a lot of scree. This on following some really tiny paths and out instinct we climbed uphill along a ravine and came the to entrances of the Concrete bunkers made in the hill above which the cannons were located. When then walked down the ridge trying to get the water face. There are a lot of cobwebs and thorny bushes and surprising to see cactus. There was not a soul around probably everyone had gone to see the caves. The view from the top was awesome with and island in the mist and clear calm seas which looked like New Zealand or Hawaii and not Mumbai!.There is a hidden hamlet on the other side of the island didn’t figure out how to reach there and there seems to be a port on the other side of the island.Lots of interesting birds and eagles to see . There was a white breasted eagle .Getting of the beaten track is dengerous unless you have some trekking experience and know how to navigate through thick bush and forest .