Great Runs in Mumbai
Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is one of the largest cities in the world, with a population of 20 million. It is crowded, dense, noisy, hot, and polluted — not a runner’s haven. But it is possible to find some good spots and get a flavor of the city.
This is our guide to the best places to run in Mumbai, India. There are two major sections of Mumbai: Mumbai City District (South Mumbai), where the majority of businesses are concentrated around Nariman Point; and Mumbai Suburban District, which is where Navi Mumbai, Powai, and other suburbs are located.
Running in Mumbai is a bit of a different scene. You can’t just expect to walk out your hotel or office door and run on a random road — as most roads are very crowded, traffic-ey, and lack a proper sidewalk or shoulder. So one has to actually plan on going to a particular running spot. Fortunately, there is a series of ‘jogers parks’, which are small pedestrian green spaces interspersed throughout the city with 1–2 km jogging tracks. Some require a modest admission and are open set hours.
We’ve organized the Mumbai running guide by area. See the overview section, which has a list of running spots by area and by type (Joger Park, track, road). Some of South Mumbai’s running highlights are, in South Mumbai: Marine Drive, and Versova/Juhu Beach, along the water; Worli Sea Face; and the unique Mahalaxmi Race Course. In Navi Mumbai: Palm Beach Rd., Rajiv Gandhi Jogers Park, Vashi; and the Five Gardens area. There are also some good running spots in Powai, north of the city and near the Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
