reality tourism in mumbai

yatrayatra

Has anyone taken the Reality Tourism Tour of Dharavi of Mumbai http://www.realitytoursandtravel.com/slumtours.html?

What about the Salaam Balaak Trust in Delhi http://www.salaambaalaktrust.com/?

Finally, are there other such voluntary organizations ?

Thanks

Nick-H

I read an article about it (the Mumbai tour) in the newspaper the other day --- maybe you saw the same article? It would have been either The Hindu or The New Indian Express, if you didn't see it it might be useful for you to try and find it on their websites.

It was very intersting, and it certainly looks as if one of these tours would dispell any preconceptions about such a place being full of nothing but filth and slime.

aadil

There have been quite a few articles that I read too in the local papers and it seems they are charging quite a lot for the one day trip (Rs4000) but most of it is supposed to be given for sponsoring the education and upbringing of the locals in these slums so it is a good cause I suppose. Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Aadil.

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mumbaikaar

The slum tours charge according to the distance and ranges from 1400-4000

yatrayatra

The Salaam Balaak Trust

Interesting links and yes, it seems great ! They got a mention on PBS in USA.

American Jewish World Service
A contact point is a place where street children can come to get help from the Salaam Balak Trust. (Salaam Balak is Hindi for "salute the children.") ...
http://www.ajws.org/index.cfm?sectio...14&page_id=403

Magic Bus - Our Children
SALAAM BALAK TRUST, Education and shelter for street and slum children. SHELTER DON BOSCO, Open house shelter for street boys ...
www.magicbusindia.org/htm/ourchildren.htm

SALAAM BAALAK TRUST
Looking for Salaam Baalak Trust, Mumbai, please click here.

Bangladesh Arts & Entertainment News - Media Monitoring Service by ...
... of Salaam Balak ( Salute the Children ) , a film made by Mira Nair ... It's Back to Basics On ' Sesame Street Beginning August 14 On PBS Kids 16 Jun ...
http://www.einnews.com/bangladesh/ne...13103&offset=0

Well, this plays out in Delhi and could very well be Mumbai and other cities of India !

I guess the thread can be opened to more such initiatives from all over India, despite its title that refers to Mumbai !
www.salaambaalaktrust.com/

yatrayatra

Aadil - it is not so expensive ! This is the text from the website:

Slum Tours

We think that Dharavi, the biggest slum in Asia, is one of the most interesting places to see in Mumbai. A few visitors have been to Dharavi, including Prince Charles and Bill Clinton recently, and it is by no means dangerous to go alone, but the beauty of Dharavi lies not on the main roads but in the small alleys where thousands work and live in a number of small enterprises, where goats eat bits of cardboard and where children play with carefree abandon.

In these small alleys, you will see why Dharavi is the heart of small scale industries in Mumbai (annual turnover is approximately US$ 665 million) and on the tour we show you a wide range of these activities- from making clay pots and leather bags to recycling plastic.

We are very aware of not wanting to invade and disturb the residents of Dharavi. We try and ensure this by explaining to them what we are doing, by having a group size of five maximum and we have a strict NO CAMERAS POLICY. We appreciate that this is a disappointment to many, but it avoids any problems with the residents.

There will be some walking involved- the only way to really see Dharavi is on foot- but it will not be very strenuous.
There are three types of slum tour:

*
Long Tour (by car)
On this tour you travel in the comfort of an a/c car. We leave from outside the office in Colaba (or pick up those staying in hotels outside Colaba) and head to Dharavi, passing areas of interest en route such as a boys′ shelter, Kamathipura (red light area) and Dhobi Ghat (big open air laundry).

Throughout the tour, we want to show and explain to you areas that are not in the tourist guides, but give an insight about issues facing the less privileged members of society.

Cost is Rs 600 per person, or Rs 2,400 to hire the car to yourselves (max capacity = 5 tourists). The whole tour takes approximately 4 12hours.

Tours run every day starting at 8.30am from Colaba or from your hotel. They will run in the afternoon from 2.00pm if the morning tour is full.
*
Short Tour
The other tour is where we pick you up from the local train station Mahim (we explain how to get there- very easy) and show you just Dharavi (2 12 hours).

Cost is Rs 300 per person. Tours start at 10am (and at 2pm if necessary).
*
Slum and Sightseeing tour (by car)
On this tour you have the whole day to do the Long Tour (as above) and we will also show you the other sites that Mumbai has to offer.

This tour is individually designed for you, and you can do and see as little or as much as you please. The tour guide, who also has detailed knowledge of the more "touristic" sites, will be with you for the day. He will explain what you can do, and then it is completely up to you. If you want, he can also help you bargain for gifts in the local markets (not a bad idea in Mumbai!)

We will suggest suitable restaurants to have lunch (if you so wish!) according to your taste and budget. Food is a highlight for tourists to India, but knowing where to go is very important.

This tour is ideally suited for people who have limited time in Mumbai and want to do get the most out of the city (slum tour, sightseeing, shopping) in one day.

To do this you need to book the car (max capacity = 5 tourists) for the day (10 hours). Total cost is Rs 4,000.

80% of profits from these slum tours will be donated to local NGOs (charities).

For enquiries and bookings, please contact us by email, by phone, or by visiting us at the office.

http://www.realitytoursandtravel.com/slumtours.html - I had posted this link in the lead post - did you see the website ? Anyways, seeing as you are in Mumbai can you stop by and give us some live feedback ?

Merchant

In case you haven't connected the dots, the Salaam Baalak Trust in Mumbai is the organization Mira Nair founded to help street kids after she made the movie "Salaam Bombay."

aadil

Sorry, I just mentioned the maximum amount they charge for the tour. I am sure it will be a nice thing to go for one but I have been there myself without a guide a couple of times. Did not feel the need to go there with a guide as it becomes something very commercial. I am sure it will be worth it for the visitors to Mumbai though for some good photo opportunities as well as seeing things from a close up when otherwise they would be hassled by the locals if they went on their own.

Cheers,
Aadil.

yatrayatra

anyone having experience of more such tours and more such organizations - I think this should be encouraged warmly ! The hear t melts at such news items !

yatrayatra

This is based out of Mumbai ,any feedback from Mumbai members ?

http://www.soulitudesinc.com/

To quote from their website

Soulitudes is our effort to bring glimpses of India's consciousness to you. A renowned Indian saint Swami Vivekananda said that every nation has a reason for being, and India's is spirituality. Soulitudes will be the platform to embrace that spirit through travel, adventure and learning.