Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), also called Borivali National Park, is a forest park in Mumbai with a lion and tiger safari, nature trails, a boating lake and the Kanheri Caves inside it. From Navi Mumbai it is a long cross-city trip, so it needs planning. This guide covers the park-wide visit: weekly access, the separate charges to ask about, how to reach the Borivali East gate from Navi Mumbai by road and by train, getting around inside, and two visit plans. The caves have their own page, the Kanheri Caves guide.
The park’s tariff and timings are published by the park, and online guides disagree on them. This guide therefore does not give a ticket price. Check the official visitor information on the SGNP website or ask at the gate. This guide is independent and is not run by the Maharashtra Forest Department.
Quick visitor summary
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where is it? | Borivali, Mumbai. The main entrance is at Borivali East, off the Western Express Highway, according to the LBB guide. |
| Monday | Official pages differ on Monday access. See the next section. |
| Ticket price | Not given here. Check the current tariff on the official site or at the gate. |
| Safari | A bus ride through an enclosed forest area. It has its own ticket and operating hours. |
| Kanheri Caves | Inside the park, with a separate monument ticket. See the Kanheri Caves guide. |
| Nearest railway station | Borivali on the Western line. |
Timings and weekly access
For a visit centred on activities, plan for Tuesday to Sunday. Government pages differ on Monday: the national tourism site lists Monday as a closed day for the park and for Kanheri Caves, while the park’s own homepage says activities do not operate on Mondays, with exceptions that include the Gandhi Tekdi viewpoint and the Kanheri Caves. Confirm directly with the park before you plan a Monday visit.
| What to find out | What guides say |
|---|---|
| General entry hours | About 7:30 am to 6:30 pm in one guide and 9 am to 6 pm in another. |
| Last admission | One guide gives 5 pm for entry. |
| When you must leave | Not stated in the guides. Ask at the gate. |
| Safari hours | LBB lists about 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. |
| Activity breaks | Not stated. Ask for the schedule of the activity you want. |
| Kanheri access and return transport | Guides give caves hours between about 7:30 am and 5:30 pm. Check the last return from the caves. See the Kanheri Caves guide. |
Tickets and separate charges
There is no single ticket for everything. Expect separate charges for park entry, the safari, other activities, parking and the Kanheri Caves, and ask at the gate which apply on the day. Online guides give different figures for each, which may reflect different years or visitor categories. A news report in May 2026 described proposed tariff changes that were put on hold, so figures quoted online may not be current, and proposed figures should not be treated as the price either.
| Item | What to find out |
|---|---|
| Park admission | The current tariff, and the age bands and exemptions for children. |
| Safari | The ticket for your category of visitor, and the operating hours. |
| Kanheri Caves | The monument ticket, which is sold separately from park entry. The Archaeological Survey of India (asi.nic.in) is the official source for monument tickets. |
| Parking | The parking tariff, which is separate from permission to drive inside. |
| Other activities | Whether the boating lake, cycling and the Van Rani toy train are running, and their tickets. |
The park’s homepage links to online booking. Which activities can be booked online varies, so start from the official visitor information.
Activities and current availability
- The lion and tiger safari, a bus ride through an enclosed forest area, not a walk in open forest.
- Kanheri Caves, a group of Buddhist rock-cut caves reached from the main gate. See the Kanheri Caves guide.
- Nature trails and walks, where the park allows them.
- Van Rani, the park’s toy train, which is one of its listed attractions. Confirm its current operation, departure times and ticket availability before you plan your visit around it.
- Boating, a butterfly garden and a nature interpretation centre are also listed by guides. Check what is open.
Getting there from Navi Mumbai
By road
These are road distances from each railway station to the start of Kanheri Caves Road near the Borivali East gate, a map point and not a verified visitor entrance. They describe the selected road routes from those stations, not every part of Navi Mumbai, and they are distances and not driving times. Source: OpenStreetMap data and the OSRM routing service, checked on 22 October 2026.
| Starting point | Road distance to the Borivali East gate area |
|---|---|
| Airoli railway station | About 33 km (route) |
| Vashi railway station | About 41 km (route) |
| CBD Belapur railway station | About 47 km (route) |
| Kharghar railway station | About 49 km (route) |
Drivers can read the Navi Mumbai toll plazas guide. Read the next section before you drive: parking and driving inside the park are different questions.
By train
One route is to take a Harbour line train from Navi Mumbai towards Andheri or Goregaon, change there to the Western line and travel on to Borivali, then take an auto or taxi from the east side of the station to the park gate, as LBB describes. Not every Harbour line train runs that far, so check the destination board and the live timetable. See the Mumbai local train guide and the Airoli railway station guide for connections.
Metro Line 7 runs along the Western Express Highway and appears to serve the area near the park. Check the operator’s station information for the nearest station and the final approach before you rely on it.
Parking, driving and getting around inside
| Question | What to ask or check |
|---|---|
| Where can visitors park? | LBB places parking near the main entrance. Confirm the exact location. |
| What does parking cost? | The current parking tariff, at the gate. |
| Can visitors drive beyond the gate? | One guide says private vehicles are not allowed in the main park area. Confirm the current rule and any exceptions before you drive across Mumbai. |
| How do visitors reach the safari and the caves? | Transport inside the park changed in 2026. The BEST service to Kanheri was discontinued in January 2026, and park-run electric buses replaced it, with a reported adult fare of ₹100 in February 2026. Confirm the park-operated bus or buggy service, the current fare and the return arrangements at the main gate. |
| Is return transport available? | Ask for the boarding point and the last service before you set off for the caves. |
Do not assume you can walk the approach road to the caves. Walk it only if staff confirm that pedestrians are allowed that day, and families with young children, older visitors and anyone who cannot walk far should confirm the transport before they commit to the caves. See the Kanheri Caves guide.
Two ways to plan the visit
| Plan | Suggested structure |
|---|---|
| Family activity visit | Confirm which activities are available on arrival. Choose the safari or the toy train as the main activity, then add a nearby attraction. |
| Kanheri-focused visit | Confirm the outward and return transport first. Put the caves first, and add another activity only if there is time. |
Choose your main activity first, then allow for internal transport and queues before you add another. Avoid fixed schedules until the day’s operating hours are confirmed. Food options inside, and whether leaving the park means buying a new entry ticket, vary, so carry water and snacks, and ask at the gate before you plan lunch outside.
Facilities and visitor rules
- Maharashtra Tourism advises visitors to stay on designated trails, avoid feeding wildlife and follow park rules (maharashtratourism.gov.in).
- Ask at the gate about toilets, drinking water, food stalls, what you can bring, accessible routes, and which trails need permission or a guide.
- Heavy rain changes conditions, so check before you go in the monsoon.
- The park is not a place for unrestricted picnics or for walking anywhere you like.
For other outings, see the weekend getaways guide, the parks and gardens guide, the Karnala Bird Sanctuary guide and the Wonders Park Nerul guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sanjay Gandhi National Park closed on Mondays?
Official pages differ. The national tourism site lists Monday as closed, while the park’s homepage says activities do not operate on Mondays, with exceptions that include Gandhi Tekdi and Kanheri Caves. Plan for Tuesday to Sunday and confirm with the park before a Monday visit.
What are the Sanjay Gandhi National Park timings?
Guides give about 7:30 am to 6:30 pm or 9 am to 6 pm for general entry, with the safari from about 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. Last admission and exit times should be confirmed at the gate.
What is the Sanjay Gandhi National Park ticket price?
The current tariff is not given here because online guides disagree and a proposed tariff change was reported to be on hold. Check the official SGNP website or the gate. The safari, parking and Kanheri Caves are charged separately.
Is the Van Rani toy train running?
It is one of the park’s listed attractions. Confirm current operations, departure times and ticket availability before you plan around it.
Can I drive inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park?
Parking near the entrance and permission to drive inside are different questions. One guide says private vehicles are not allowed in the main park area. Confirm the current rule at the gate before you drive.
Are Kanheri Caves included in the park ticket?
No. The caves have a separate monument ticket. See the Kanheri Caves guide.
How do I reach Sanjay Gandhi National Park from Navi Mumbai?
By road, the Borivali East gate area is about 33 to 49 km from Airoli, Vashi, CBD Belapur and Kharghar railway stations by the selected routes. By train, a Harbour line train towards Andheri or Goregaon, a change to the Western line to Borivali and an auto or taxi to the gate is one route.
Sources and a note on accuracy
Reviewed on 22 October 2026: the park’s own website for its homepage notice on Mondays and activities; Maharashtra Tourism for visitor rules; the LBB guide and Time Out Mumbai for hours and the gate; and Wikipedia for background. Online guides disagree on prices and hours and are undated, so this guide gives no price. Reviewing a source does not mean the park reconfirmed its figures. Road distances are OpenStreetMap estimates.
Featured photo: Entrance gate of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai by सुबोध कुलकर्णी, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons, cropped and resized.
NaviMumbai.com is an independent information site and is not affiliated with Sanjay Gandhi National Park or the Maharashtra Forest Department.
