
Agra: Skip-the-Line Taj Mahal with Mausoleum Admission
- Skip the ticket line
- Duration: 3 hours
From
US$ 7.90
per person
One of the world's largest mausoleums, the Taj Mahal was completed in 1643 under Shah Jahan, who commissioned it in memory of his most beloved wife who died in childbirth. So what are the top architectural features you should watch out for?
Perhaps the most distinguishing part of the Taj Mahal, this massive feature crowning the building is popular not only in Islamic architecture but also Russian Orthodox.
The Taj Mahal is flanked by four tall minarets. In recent years, the Indian Archeological Society has expressed concern at the fact that they are beginning to tilt slightly!
The iwans are the pointed arches at the sides. If you take a closer look, you'll see they are decorated with intricate Koranic calligraphy.
The awesome tessellating patterns and sweeping geometry covering the inner walls of the Taj Mahal are proof of the confluence of science and art.
The Taj Mahal's white marble changes color with the time of day. Pastel pink or blue, dazzling white - if you spend the whole day there, you will experience the whole spectrum.
Please remember that the Taj Mahal is an Islamic building. Although no specific dress code is enforced, it's best to dress modestly out of respect - this means covering knees and shoulders.
If you want to avoid the lines, it's best to arrive at the Taj Mahal at the crack of dawn. If you're not a morning lark, don't worry - this is one of the most beautiful times of day to view the monument and its gardens.
Lockers are available, but please note that your bag is likely to be searched - no food is allowed to be brought into the Taj Mahal.
Although you might be stopping at the Taj Mahal via New Delhi, the nearby city of Agra is worth a visit, too. It's easy to combine your Taj Mahal trip with a tour to Akhbar's fort and the ghost town of Fatehpur Sikri.
We were picked up on time and our driver was good. Our tour guide Shain was extremely friendly and helpful, we would recommend taking a tour with him at any time. The sunrise tour was a great option because there weren't as many tourists crowding, and we thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the history at the Agra Fort. I especially enjoyed how Shain always offered to take our picture and showed us the best photo opportunities. Thanks for the wonderful experience!
Private car, driver and guide was absolutely great. I unfortunately lost the name of our driver but he was very nice and kind. Took us to breakfast before the long 3.5 hours to Agra. Once in Agra we picked up our guide Akil who was fantastic. Showed us all around the Taj, baby Taj and the Agra Fort. Lunch was at a great restaurant. Overall a great value for the $ and we tipped well! Definitely worth a day trip so I recommend making the time!
Shahid was a great driver, showed up on time and had fantastic English. Cozi Khan was a great tour guide, telling interesting stories at the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort, and taking beautiful pictures along the way. Both made me feel very comfortable while traveling alone, and didn’t pressure me to buy anything or stop in any shops. Thank you for the wonderful day exploring Agra!
Our guide was very knowledgeable and approachable. We would recommend him to other travellers. Our driver was exceptional. My only disappointment was that the Tarj Mahal tour was described as a sunrise tour so we expected to see the sunrise over the Tarj however, by the time we arrived the sun was already up?
The organisation for our trip was fantastic. We were booked at the same time as Holi Festival which meant the monuments were closed on one of the days. Our driver and guide reorganised the itinerary which meant we could participate in the festival as well as see the amazing sights.