Taj Mahal Travel Tips: What you need to know before visiting

Real Talk: I read multiple articles calling the Taj Mahal “overrated,” so I set my expectations low before our trip. To be honest, these statements were off-base. Kiefer & I agreed the Taj Mahal was our favorite of the 7 Wonders of the World we’ve visited; this is the 4th and one of the most beautiful. Our only complaint is that they’re restoring the fountains, so they drained the water before our visit. We booked our tour via Taj Club Holiday. Keep reading for my Taj Mahal Travel Tips and what you need to know before visiting.

Taj Mahal Travel: The Logistics

Like any major monument, it’s important to know all the logistics, prices, and opening times before visiting. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting the incredible grounds of the Taj Mahal.

A note on getting to the Taj Mahal: The easiest option for getting there at sunrise is to spend the night in Agra before your visit. We booked our tour with Taj Club Tours, which we recommend.

Price

Pricing varies depending on your nationality. For foreigners, you can expect to pay 1100 Rs, plus 200 for entrance into the Taj Mahal. This comes to $13 with the current Rupee to the Dollar exchange rate. There is no entry fee for children below 15 years (Indian & Foreigner).

It’s helpful to purchase your ticket online before your visit, so you can get a discount and avoid lines at the ticket office and entrance.

Hours

Open sunrise to sunset.
Ticket windows for the Taj Mahal open one hour before Sunrise & close 45 minutes before Sunset.
Arriving as early as 1 hour before sunrise will help you beat the line and get photos with as few people in the background as possible. For us, sunrise was at 6:42, and we arrived around 6:20 and got great content.
The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays.

Entry

You can walk in and around the beautiful gardens and visit the inside of the Taj in around one hour.
Each ticket only allows for 2.5 hours inside

Take the golf cart

Vehicles are not allowed within a 1km radius of the Taj Mahal, so you can hire a Golf Cart to take you to avoid the walk. It’s about a half mile, and the golf carts are available at the entry points of the Taj Mahal and will help you reach the monument easily.
It cost ~50 Rupees each way and was totally worth it.

The History

The Taj Mahal is a Mausoleum complex in Agra, Western Uttar Pradesh state in Northern India. The white marble structure was built between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife. It’s the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage. (via World Heritage Convention). The uniqueness of this building is truly remarkable, and we were honored to be able to experience it. My favorite fun fact was that empower Sahah Jahan originally planned to build a mirror Taj Mahal in black across the river.

Taj Mahal Travel Tips to Keep in Mind:

Go with a GUIDE- they’ll order your tickets in advance and pick you up at your hotel, so you know exactly where to go, skip the line & get touring early!
SKIP THE PHOTOGRAPHER. They have photographers all over the area trying to sell (and upsell) you on packages. We ended up booking one, and while we got lots of photos, the ones you see here were just taken by our guide. As the guides always come, they know all the best angles.
EXPLORE THE GROUNDS. I noticed people tend to cram into the central spots, but there are many beautiful viewpoints and hidden benches to enjoy the sites. (Example: gardens, benches, right and left sides of the taj)
TAKE TIME TO SIT. While you’re only allowed 2.5 hours with your ticket, take at least 10-15 minutes to sit and just take in the breathtaking sights. It might be the only time you’ll experience this incredible place.
DO WEAR TRADITIONAL CLOTHES. Our Indian friends (& our guide) recommended it, and it felt like such a special nod to the culture. We purchased our dresses online before leaving the US as we’re off to a wedding, but there are plenty of shops in Agra where you can pick something up. With this being said, wear comfortable shoes and bring a jacket, it’s chilly in the morning.