The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has recently devised a very interesting way of satisfying the wanderlust of those travelling to Mumbai for a brief period. In association with Pawan Hans, the state tourism board will be organising helicopter tours to some of the most popular tourist destinations in and around Mumbai.

Here's what travellers can explore by taking the helicopter rides:

Mumbai

Initially, the helicopter ride will last for a duration of 10 minutes and will give tourists glimpses of the most popular destinations in Mumbai. The flight is mainly designed to give a bird's eye view of the city. Although details haven't been released by the tourism board, we can expect the ride to give you glimpses of the most popular tourist attractions like Juhu Beach, Chowpatty Beach, Marine Drive, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus among the others.

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Elephanta Island

A sculpture in one of the caves in Elephanta Island. Picture courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/Ryan Wenzel A sculpture in one of the caves in Elephanta Island. Picture courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/Ryan Wenzel

After its initial run in Mumbai, MTDC will start these rides in other places of the state as well, and Elephanta Island is one of them. Known as Gharapuri in ancient times, the island got its present name from 16th century Portuguese explorers when they saw a monolithic basalt sculpture of an elephant found near the entrance. The island is home to the historic Elephanta Caves, which are basically ancient cave temples that were carved out of rock sometime between 450 AD and 750 AD.

Ajanta Caves

Ajanta Caves. Picture courtesy: Wikimedia/Dey.sandip/Creative Commons Ajanta Caves. Picture courtesy: Wikimedia/Dey.sandip/Creative Commons

Another destination that will soon be a part of the heli tours, Ajanta Caves refer to a cluster of 32 Buddhist caves attracting tourists for decades because of their architectural splendour. Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, these caves are known for having some of the finest examples of ancient Indian art, in the form of cave paintings. The caves are mainly of two types -- chaityas, which means Buddhist prayer halls, and viharas, which refers to the residence of a Buddhist monk. The caves were built in two phases -- 2nd century BCE to 1st century CE, and 5th century CE.

Shirdi

A part of the Sai Baba temple in Shirdi. Picture courtesy: Flickr/Gopal Aggarwal/Creative Commons A part of the Sai Baba temple in Shirdi. Picture courtesy: Flickr/Gopal Aggarwal/Creative Commons

A heli tour to this place can attract hordes of devotees and tourists alike. Shirdi as we know it, was the home of Sai Baba, the great 20th century saint, whose temple attracts millions of tourists to the place throughout the year. The town is also full of sites having historical and religious references to Sai Baba's presence.

Good to know:

The initial ride will last for 10 minutes and will cost you Rs 3,200 (including taxes).