Visiting Taj Mahal Quick Tips

A recent visit to Agra for a Taj Mahal experience was awesome! A few travel tips though couldve elevated it to an out-of-the-world experience. Tip #1: Use the train service between Delhi Agra. Tip #2: Schedule to enjoy Taj at sunset & sunrise. Tip #3: Schedule your Agra visit for a weekday (except Friday). Tip #4: Allocate some non-guide time.

Tip #1: Use the train service between Delhi Agra. Trying to be adventurous, I opted to do this trip by road & wasted almost 10 hours on the road. Road traffic is BAD on both sides of the trip Delhi & Agra. Train service is the preferred option saving you time & effort. Check here for more information on the train options.

Tip #2: Schedule to enjoy Taj at sunset & sunrise.

Day 1 (4-5 pm): Arrive at Agra by early evening (4-5 pm) Day 1 (6-8 pm): Catch a glimpse from across the Yamuna. Get a moonlit view from within the Taj complex. Note that the closing time is 7 pm. Day 2 (6-10 am): Sun rise view followed by a detailed tour of the Taj. Note that the opening time is 6 am. Day 2 (rest of day): Agra Fort & other attractions in / around Agra.

Tip #3: Schedule your Agra visit for a weekday (except Friday). The difference between a Taj experience and a great Taj experience could be the huge tourist crowds. Apart from using a crowd avoiding schedule (like above), you could also plan to visit Taj on a weekday. Note that the Taj complex is closed on Friday.

Tip #4: Allocate some non-guide time. While a good guide is recommended for a truly appreciative & studied experience of the Taj, do allocate for some non-guide time. More often than not, the first few minutes of a visit (especially if it is your first visit) pass by with a dropped jaw, eyes focused on the Taj & you turning deaf to people around you. A non-guide slot will allow you to soak in the beauty of the monument without the verbal or time pressure

1. Hotel Aditya Palace

2. Hotel Amar Yatri Niwas

Daresi No. 1, Near Agra Fort Railway Station Agra, Uttar Pradesh Agra 0562 329 0963

4. Hotel Ajay International

8. Sai Palace
9. www.saipalaceagra.com/ 10. Score: 22 / 30 - 10 Google reviews - Rs. 650 11. 25 - New Agra,, Dayalbagh Road Agra 0562 285 2973

12.

Dayal Lodge

13. www.dayallodge.com/ 14. 3 Google reviews 15. 2/26 Taj Ganj, Taj Mahal, South Gate Agra 011 4572 0331

Itinerary
Here is my version of the perfect Agra Itinerary. (Note: The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays.) Day 1: Have an early breakfast and proceed to Agra. You can either catch the Shatabdi train or hire a car (with driver) and reach Agra by lunch time. Post lunch and a siesta, proceed to the magnificent Taj Mahal. Avoid visiting the Taj in the afternoon since it can get very warm and you have to remove your shoes before entering the main complex. Evenings tend to be quite crowded, but the Taj is extremely beautiful at Dusk. Get a tour from a certified guide so that you become familiar with the history and the significance of this monument. Post the tour, spend the remainder of the time enjoy the Taj as the sun sets. Make sure that you hang around till closing time (7 PM). Avoid the souvenir stores outside the Taj. They are all Tourist Traps. Just walk straight out and to your hotel or a restaurant for an early dinner. Sleep early so that you can wake up real early on Day 2.

Day 2: Wake up in time for an early breakfast and head straight to the Taj Mahal to see it at its best in the early morning sun. Make sure you get there before the gates open (6 AM). For the next couple of hours you will have the place to yourself and a few other early risers. This is the best time to click pictures. The Taj needs to be viewed at both Dusk, Dawn, and I'll leave the last one for later.

Post the AM visit to the Taj, head to a restaurant for a nice breakfast and then to the sprawling Agra Fort. Explore the fort till about noon and then after lunch proceed to Itimad-ud-daulah and Sikandara. Today will be a long day. In the evening, head to Mehtab Garden so that you can view the Taj from across the Yamuna river. Again, have an early dinner and sleep early.

Day 3: Have an early breakfast and head to Fatehpur Sikhri, the first planned city of the Mughals and also the first one designed in Mughal architecture, an amalgamation of Indian architecture, Persian and Islamic architecture. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Return back to Agra in the afternoon and use the remainder of the day to relax or head back to the Taj Mahal !!

Day 4: Have an early breakfast and head back to Delhi.

Sai Palace_Hotel Policies

Hotel Policies
Children and extra beds

All children under 5 years stay free of charge when using existing beds. One older child or adult is charged INR 200 per person per night in an extra bed. The maximum number of extra beds in a room is 1. There is no capacity for cots in the room.

x "Standard Double or Twin Room with Fan"

Cancellation: FREE cancellation before 21 December 2012. If cancelled or modified up to 2 days before date of arrival, no fee will be charged. If cancelled or modified later or in case of no-show, 100 percent of the first night will be charged. Prepayment: No deposit will be charged. Taxes and service charges: A TAX is not applicable A city tax is not applicable A service charge is not applicable

x "Standard Double or Twin Room with Fan"

Cancellation: FREE cancellation before 21 December 2012. If cancelled or modified up to 2 days before date of arrival, no fee will be charged. If cancelled or modified later or in case of no-show, 100 percent of the first night will be charged. Prepayment: No deposit will be charged. Taxes and service charges: A TAX is not applicable A city tax is not applicable A service charge is not applicable