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The Taj Mahal is the most visited site in all of India and witnessing this visual masterpiece with your own eyes is something I passionately believe everyone should do in their lifetime.
The world’s most famous tomb, one of the 7 New Wonders of the World and the finest example of Mughal architecture on the planet attracts over one million people every single year. That’s a mind boggling statistic, but it really is no wonder (get it…?) that this epic structure is a bucket list travel destination for so many worldwide.
The iconic white marble mausoleum is unquestionably a must-see attraction while on a trip in India and in this guide I’ll explain everything you need to know before you go, accompanied by some inspiring photography and handy tips along the way!
- Country: India
- Population: 2.2 million
- Language: Both Hindi and English are widely spoken across India.
- Currency: Indian rupees (INR). £1/$1 = 100/82 INR
- SIM cards: I highly recommend getting a SIM card for your travels in India. This means you can use apps like Uber or Ola for cheaper taxi fares but it also means you’re always connected to the world, never needing to rely on WiFi. Get an E-SIM here: India: eSIM Roaming Mobile Data Plan
- Visa info: Getting into India isn’t the most straight forward process. Unless you’re Indian, you’ll need to apply for an E-visa before arriving which you can do online.
A brief history of the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal took Mughal Emperor Shah Jahān 21 years to construct, starting in 1632 and finishing in 1653 AD.
The white marble Taj was built in dedication to his wife Mumtaz Mahal as a mausoleum for her body after she died in 1631 while giving birth to her 14th child. Not long after the Taj Mahal was completed, the emperor’s own health took a turn and his son actually declared himself emperor and put his father in prison for his outlandish spending. He was a prisoner for eight years until he died in 1666, with his body being placed beside his wife’s in the mausoleum which you can see today.
In total, around 20,000 workers were employed from across Asia to build the structure which comprises of Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles and was decorated in all kinds of pearls, diamonds and jewels. It has a 42 acre garden and around 1,000 elephants were used to transport materials to help construct it.
In 1983, the Taj Mahal was declared UNESCO World Heritage Site and has since been named as one of the Modern Seven Wonders of the World.
Where is it
Check it out on the interactive map below.
How to get there
Coming from Delhi or Jaipur there are dozens of trains running daily. Find cheap train tickets to Agra on 12Go here.
From Delhi you also have a few day tour options to see the Taj with a local guide, although I do recommend spending a few days in Agra to see its other attractions.
Check out this tour from Delhi if you’re pushed for time:
- Uber or Ola
India has two ride-share apps: Uber and Ola. This is the option I recommend and a ride should cost around just 200 INR from the city. With Uber you don’t need to worry about magical price changes and scams like you would in a taxi because payment is usually made automatically through the App.
- Taxi or rickshaw/tuktuk
Rickshaws may offer a cheaper price than Grab or Ola, but I had some problems in India where I would reach my destination and they would ask for more money, causing an issue. They also like to try and stop at their friend’s shops to encourage you to buy souvenirs and things like that.
- Book a tour
The most comfortable yet most expensive option is to book a small group tour. Guided tours are a great way to get around, especially somewhere as crazy as an Indian city. Travel in an air conditioned vehicle with a knowledgeable local guide and learn lots during the day.
Companies like GetYourGuide and Viator offer great tours in Agra.
Expected costs
The entrance fee for the Taj Mahal differs depending on your nationality, something that is very common in India.
- For foreigners the price is 1100 INR ($14)
- For Indians the price is 250 INR ($3)
- An additional fee of 200 INR ($2.50) is applied to everyone who wants to enter the mausoleum
Tickets can be purchased at the east or west gates of the complex, but I highly recommend buying your tickets in advance online. This avoids long queues (and I mean LONG) and potential hassle from unofficial ticket salesman near the entrances.
10+ Taj Mahal tips
Which season to visit in
Aim to see the Taj in the dry winter months of October to March for the best weather and temperatures. I visited in early February and as you can see from my pictures, I got pretty lucky with the weather. There is often a thick fog that consumes the area in the mornings in these months, but it’s pretty hit or miss. This is still the best time of year to visit.
Between April and May the summer heat is close to unbearable and May to September pose the threat of being caught in a typical monsoon season downpour.
Visit at sunrise
Tick off “watch an unforgettable sunrise at the Taj Mahal” from your bucket list by arriving early in the morning. If that’s not already on your bucket list, it should be!
To see the Taj with as few people as possible and catch the most beautiful light of day, aim to arrive half an hour before sunrise. This is one of the most famous tourist attractions on the entire planet, so it goes without saying that it gets super busy super fast and less than 30 minutes after sunrise the place will be jam-packed at any time of year.
The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays
This one is pretty self-explanatory, but don’t do what I did and arrive in Agra on a Thursday with the intention of visiting the Taj the next day – it’s closed on Fridays so that Muslims can worship at the on-site mosque in peace.
Try to avoid Saturdays as well because, just like most things in the world, this is the busiest day of the week.
Mondays are the quietest days
Mondays are your best bet for visiting the Taj with as few visitors as possible, meaning you won’t need to queue for as long or have as many people spoiling your photos.
Taj Mahal security
The security checks on entrance to the complex are quite strict, so don’t take anything you don’t absolutely need.
Expect a full-on security shakedown upon entry and for your bag to completely emptied. You won’t be allowed to take in any food, tripods, spare camera lenses, drones and so on. Any large backpacks will also not be permitted. All you really need is a camera, so pack light to avoid anything being confiscated.
Remove your shoes
You must remove your shoes to walk around the actual Taj Mahal area.
You can keep them on through the entrance and until you reach the Taj, but then you must either give them to the shoe guy, put on some shoe covers (for a donation) or store them in your backpack.
How much time to allow
You might be surprised how quickly you can see all that the Taj has to offer, but to explore the grounds and see inside the mausoleum I would recommend allowing at least a couple of hours.
You don’t want to rush through your morning at such an iconic place, so milk the hell out of it and don’t go home with any regrets!
Photography is banned inside the Taj Mahal
As you’ll see in the next tip, this isn’t actually as irritating as you may imagine.
Don’t expect much from the interior
Unfortunately, a harsh reality of visiting the Taj Mahal is that there isn’t actually an awful lot to see inside.
You can view the tombs off Shah Jahān and his beloved wife, but that’s honestly about it for points of interest. Externally the building is simply phenomenal, but the inside is admittedly slightly disappointing. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I was expecting more!
Dressing appropriately
Although there isn’t actually an enforced dress code at the Taj Mahal, it’s always important be be respectful at religious sites and holy places.
To avoid unwelcome stares, heckles and general hassle I’d recommend picking something other than short shorts and revealing tops to wear. Keeping your shoulders and knees covered is a good rule to remain respectful around local people.
Quiet photo locations
The most famous view of the Taj is the one you’ll see as you enter, but you can be creative here.
To escape the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds on the main promenade from the south, head towards the Taj and then veer left to the mosque building. It has some breathtaking arches and quieter locations for shooting photos with hardly anybody else around.
If you do this straight after sunrise, you’ll be all alone.
To get a guide or not to get a guide
This can be a tricky one. There are hundreds of “guides” desperately trying to get your attention (and realistically your money) at the entrance, most often applying aggressive sales tactics to do so.
Although I didn’t get a guide at the Taj Mahal, my overall experience of guides in India was not great. They are friendly and informative until it’s time to pay, at which point they’ll squeeze you for all you’re worth and make you feel bad about how much you’ve giving. It’s sad to say, but at the end of the day you just feel like a walking ATM to some people here, and all they’re after is “more money”.
For a reliable (and non-pushy) guide, I’d recommend booking an official group tour like either of these ones:
Don’t get me wrong, having a guide to explain every detail would be a fantastic and worthwhile experience I’m sure, but I didn’t have one and I was very satisfied with my visit. I guess it just depends on how much you want to be told and how much you can teach yourself online beforehand.
Pay a visit to the Baby Taj in Agra
During your stay in Agra I really recommend stopping by the Baby Taj (actually called the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah) in the city too.
Think of it as the Taj Mahal but on a much smaller scale, providing a much more personal experience. It was built 25 year before the completion of the Taj Mahal and shares some striking similarities with it’s big (or little, I guess) brother down the road. It is said to have been used as inspiration for the Taj Mahal’s design.
My experience at the Taj Mahal
I visited the Taj Mahal in February 2019 during a 10 day trip through India, in which time I spent 3 days in Agra.
There’s no getting around the fact that it was, and always will be, ridiculously busy here. If you come expecting that then you should be alright, otherwise you’ll get a very unwelcome early morning surprise. I arrived just after sunrise and it wasn’t too bad considering, but by the time I left it was hectic. I can’t imagine the scenes of arriving here at midday!
My favourite view was from the mosque on the west side of the complex. Here you can get a stunning view of the symmetrical Taj Mahal through the arches with (somehow) no one else around.
Aside from the in-your-face tour guides, constant selfie requests and security overkill at the entrance (all of which I expected), the only thing that slightly disappointed me was the interior of the mausoleum. When I said “don’t expect much” earlier, I really mean it. You’d think there was loads to see inside because of the size of the thing, when in fact there’s literally just one big empty room that tourists are allowed in.
Overall, the Taj Mahal was unreal to see with my own eyes. I think it’s something everyone should see and I’m so glad I got to witness it at least once in my life. If it isn’t on your bucket list – add it now!
Where to stay in Agra
Affordable accommodation is something India does very well, and in Agra you’re spoiled for choice no matter what your budget is.
Booking.com and Hostelworld are the best travel resources for getting the best deals on accommodation.
Packing essentials
Respectable clothing: Don’t forget to take something to cover your shoulders and knees while visiting the Taj Mahal!
Travel camera: Pack a compact travel camera to take nicer photos than a phone and document your time in Agra. I use this one which, for me, is an essential item everywhere I go.
Water: Make sure you pack a reusable water bottle and plenty of water to fight the humidity.
Portable charger: You’ll be taking lots of pictures around Agra so pack a portable charger to charge your phone and devices on the move.
Hat, sunscreen and sunglasses: Gotta’ stay protected!
Best tours in Agra
Thank you for reading this travel guide – I hope you found it helpful! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible 
Happy travelling!
HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR PLANNING YOUR TRIP
Accommodation: Booking.com, Hostelworld
Tours: GetYourGuide, Viator, Klook, TripAdvisor
Transport: 12Go, Omio, Trip.com, Rome2Rio
WHO IN THE WORLD IS JAMES?
Click below to learn more about my story, including 5 random facts about me, some travel FAQ’s and my entire travel history.
