Visiting the Taj Mahal

Tips for Visiting the Taj Mahal

We all know why you’re visiting Agra… the Taj Mahal! It’s as magical as you think it would be and more! It's actually a little overwhelming being close to one of the 7 wonders of the world, so the day you're going to visit you don't want any stresses that get you further away from the front of the queue! This blog post will share tips on what time to visit, how to avoid ticket stress, and where to get the best pictures.

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#1 Don't Visit on Fridays

We didn't know this before, but luckily we weren't visiting on a Friday. Every Friday the Taj Mahal is CLOSED and only accessible in the afternoon for Muslims to attend prayers in the mosque.

#2 Pre-Book Tickets

Purchase your tickets online or make sure you have enough cash for the ticket office. We didn’t and we had a (minor) mare. Their card machines were down so Sam was sprinting through the streets of Agra at 5am trying to find an ATM! We got there in the end, but it would have been so much less stressful if we had pre-booked, or known the unreliability of the card machines. Seeing people getting their tickets and heading to the queue before us when we were the first there by an hour was very frustrating! Tickets cost Rs. 1,100 to enter the grounds + Rs. 200 to enter the mausoleum. Our friends pre-booked tickets online through yatra.com which we tried to do on the day at the gate but it didn't work for us so either book online a few days in advance, or just make sure you have the cash for the ticket office (you can get a free bottle of water and shoe covers for the mausoleum at the ticket office so if you want that then just go to the ticket office).

#3 Get up EARLY!

We set our alarm for 4:30am and were ready and waiting at the gate by 5.20am (gates open between 5:30am & 6am). It would have been earlier had we not had the ticket stress, but we were still about 5th in the queue. 10 minutes after this each queue (males and females queue separately) was about 20 people deep. The first picture was taken at 5.30am & the second at 7am.

#4 Get the Best Pics

When you’re through the gates, forget taking in the views from the first balcony, you can do this later! March straight down to the bench/ little lake and get snapping! Once you’re done march yourself round the side before everyone else and take in the views alone!

#5 Slow Down, Take it in

Once you’ve got those all-important snaps, SLOW DOWN. Take in your surroundings to truly feel the magic this place holds. Wandering around the mausoleum doesn't take very long, so once you're back out in the grounds, take a seat, relax, and take in the view.

#6 Don't Expect Night Views

This is side note/ FYI. The Taj Mahal is not lit up at night, so don't expect spectacular views if you arrive at night. This is because insects are attracted by the light and sit on the marble and excrete something that leaves a coloured pigment. Daytime views from outside the walls are spectacular though! Read our blog post on how to spend 2 nights in Agra to find out where to stay for a million-dollar view which doesn't cost an arm & a leg. We hope you have an amazing time visiting this spectacular wonder of the world!