I still cannot quite believe it but last month I finally managed to visit the beautiful Taj Mahal after nearly twenty one years of patiently waiting. I had lost count at the amount of times that I have been to Delhi over the years but never made it to Agra as plans had never quite worked out. Then the world shut down and I wondered if I would ever have the opportunity again to visit any of these places that I had dreamed of seeing for so long but sometimes the best things happen when you least expect it.

The Taj Mahal is one of the most recognisable buildings in the world and is located in the Indian city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh and is one of the Seven New Wonders of the Modern World as well as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The day before I finally visited the Taj Mahal I had no idea I was even going to India the following morning but that is exactly what happened. Even though I had not slept well, I arrived at Heathrow and found out that a colleague had organised a driver to go to the Taj Mahal after landing into Delhi and was asking if anyone else wanted to go. I knew this was finally my chance and I made sure I grabbed that opportunity with both hands.

The whole flight to Delhi I was so excited at knowing that I would finally be seeing the Taj Mahal a few hours later and all my colleagues who had already visited kept telling me I would love it and I was so hoping that would be true as I was a little worried that it would not live up to these huge expectations that I had built up in my head.

After arriving into Delhi and having a quick shower at the hotel, our driver picked the four of us up at 3:30am for the three hour drive on the Yamuna Expressway to Agra which would get us there for sunrise. If you are also doing a day trip to the Taj Mahal from Delhi, make sure to take a drink and some snacks with you for the long drive as well as a power bank to keep your phone charged as the last thing you want is a flat battery when you arrive.

If you need to access mobile data whilst visiting India, you can purchase a travel E-Sim through Airalo. If you would like to use my referral code NIKKI8866 when signing up, you will receive £2.50 / US$3 off your first purchase.

However for the majority of the drive from Delhi to Agra, we had thick fog and we all worried about the possibility of not even being able to see the Taj Mahal when we finally got there – though it would have been a funny albeit heartbreaking story to tell. Even though I was tired, I could not sleep during the journey as I was so excited and I spent the whole time looking for any signs saying Agra and wondering how much further we had to go.

Whilst I had read bits and pieces over the years about visiting the Taj Mahal, this was probably the least prepared I have ever been visiting somewhere due to the last minute and unexpected nature of the trip. However in this case I was happy that we had a guide meeting us when we arrived in Agra so we did not need to worry or even think about where we had to go or what we needed to do.

This blog will not be one of my normal travel guides but I will try to include as much up to date information as I can from my trip to the Taj Mahal including everything you need to know as well as any helpful tips and tricks that I can think of so you can have an incredible visit.

If I had not been visiting the Taj Mahal on a very quick day trip from Delhi, then I would always recommend to anyone to stay overnight in Agra – it’s definitely how I had always pictured my first visit to the Taj Mahal happening.

We finally arrived in Agra just over three and a half hours later (the fog had slowed us down considerably but was thankfully starting to lift) and met our guide who was waiting for us. No cars are allowed within 1km of the entrance to the Taj Mahal but thankfully there are electric buggies that can drive you the rest of the way.

There was no one waiting in the foreigner line at the East Gate ticket office when we arrived at 7:15am so I think we definitely missed the early morning rush by arriving that little bit later. As of February 2023, entrance to the Taj Mahal is 1300 Rupees – ₹1100 plus ₹200 to enter the mausoleum (£13 / US$16) – and make sure that you have small notes or the correct money when paying as they do not always have change to give you. The foreigner entrance fee also includes a bottle of water as well as shoe covers (you need them to enter the mausoleum) and there was also no line to collect these. Another handy thing to know is that there are also clean toilets located behind the ticket office at the East Gate.

If you are planning to be at the Taj Mahal as soon as it opens, the ticket offices at both the East and West Gates open one hour before sunrise – this is when there are long lines of people waiting to buy tickets. You can also purchase tickets online ahead of time – the details of which can be found on the official Taj Mahal website.

The best time of the year to visit the Taj Mahal is during the winter months as even though there is a risk of fog, the temperatures are a lot more comfortable than the sweltering hot summer months and a lot nicer than monsoon season. The Taj Mahal is open every day of the week from sunrise to sunset except for Fridays when it is closed and the best time to visit is on a weekday. We visited on a Saturday (one of the busiest days to visit) but thankfully it only started to get really busy just as we were leaving.

As the Taj Mahal is not a religious site, there is no dress code but you should still be respectful when visiting – try to cover your knees and shoulders at least. I wore a pair of jeans with a vest top and flip flops with a cardigan over the top which was the only clothes I had with me which worked perfectly. However the day we visited I noticed that a lot of people were wearing red as the Taj Mahal is a symbol of love and it had been Valentine’s Day earlier that week.

There are three entrances to the Taj Mahal – the East Gate, West Gate and South Gate – and I know that people always wonder which one to use although you currently cannot enter through the South Gate as it is exit only. We used the East Gate (as that was the one that our guide took us to so we trusted his local knowledge) and there was no wait to enter and no line at security when we got there at 7:30am.

You have to go through security to enter the Taj Mahal and there are separate lines for men and women so make a plan of where to meet once you are through. Large bags and backpacks are not allowed inside but you can take a small bag with you which will be x-rayed and searched so it is best to bring as little as possible so you can get through security quicker. There is a long list of items that are not allowed at the Taj Mahal including tripods, selfie sticks, power banks, headphones, cables, food, cigarettes, flowers, flags, books, make-up and stuffed toys (so leave your little travel companion at your hotel) but thankfully when we had arrived in Agra that morning, our guide had helped us out by telling us what we each needed to leave in the car with our driver.

We gave our tickets to our guide who kept hold of them so he could show them when needed and once inside the gates of the Taj Mahal, it immediately feels like you are a world away from the busy and noisy streets of Agra just outside. We slowly walked towards the red sandstone coloured Darwaza-e-Rauza (the Great Gate) and even though it was still a little foggy and hazy, the view of the Taj Mahal as we walked through the archway was perfect.

The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum that was built in 1632 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal who died in 1631 after giving birth to their fourteenth child. It took twenty two years and over twenty thousand workers to complete and is simply one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

After taking a few photos as soon as we walked through the archway, we started to walk through the gardens and towards the Taj Mahal itself. It really was a “pinch myself” moment and I was holding back the tears as I could not believe that I was finally here and seeing it with my own eyes after all these years.

Unless you are one of the first people through the gate when the Taj Mahal opens, you will not be able to get photos without anyone else in them as certain spots will get busy very quickly. One of the most crowded areas is where everyone is waiting to get the famous photo sitting on “Diana’s Bench” even though they are all taking the photo at the wrong bench – if you look at the actual photo of Diana, she is actually sitting on the other bench on the opposite side of the pool closest to the Taj Mahal. If you do want to get photos from one of the most popular spots, make sure to have a little patience as you will have to wait and just know in advance that you will always get at least one other person standing in the way – that’s just the way it is.

Thankfully as it was still early, it was not as busy as I had feared it would be and it was very easy to avoid the crowds and find some peaceful spots to enjoy the view by walking off towards the side of the gardens where you could easily get some photos with hardly anyone else in them which is what I did. Even though there are photographers available for a fee at the Taj Mahal, your guide will be able to help take any photos for you.

Despite being in absolute awe at where I was and taking so many photos, I also made sure to take a few minutes just to look around and take everything in. It truly was perfect and it felt even more wonderful knowing how unexpected this trip had been – the day before I was sat at home with no idea of where I would end up twenty four hours later! If I had known that I would finally be visiting the Taj Mahal that weekend, I would had definitely had my SLR or mirrorless camera with me and not just my phone!

After fitting our shoe covers and walking up the stairs to the plinth, the line to enter the mausoleum moved quickly. This was actually my least favourite bit of the day as it was so crowded inside as well as being surprisingly very noisy.

After leaving the mausoleum and walking back outside, I took so many photos from every angle trying to take as much as possible in. The Taj Mahal is so incredibly detailed close up with intricate carvings of flowers, semi precious stones set into the marble as well as calligraphy of different verses from the Quran.

After being awake for over twenty four hours, the tiredness seemed to hit all of us at once so two hours after we arrived, it was time to say goodbye to the beautiful Taj Mahal. Even as we were slowly making our way towards the exit, I could not stop looking back and as tired as I was, I simply did not want to leave.

It was definitely getting much busier as well as a lot warmer as we were leaving at 9:30am so I am so happy that we visited the Taj Mahal early in the morning as it really was the best time to be there. After finding our driver and thanking our guide, we started the journey back to Delhi which when you were as tired as we all were seemed to take forever.

There was thankfully no traffic until we got back to Delhi where the roads were completely gridlocked so the drive took a lot longer than originally planned. The best tip I can give anyone is to not squeeze three people into the back seat of the car as we did as it makes for a very uncomfortable journey – it is definitely doable but your back will hate you for it! I was fast asleep the second I reached the bed in my hotel room and I happily slept for the rest of the day only waking up to get some much needed food before flying home to London late that night.

The Taj Mahal is simply somewhere you have to visit when travelling to India and it completely lived up to every expectation that I had and more. Even if you are only staying in Delhi for a short time as we were, it is completely possible and very easy to see the Taj Mahal whilst you are there on a quick day trip.

Whilst this blog may not have the best information and I cannot tell you absolutely everything about the Taj Mahal, I can talk about how amazing it was to finally visit after all this time. It still does not seem real and I really cannot believe how lucky I am that I can finally say that I have seen it with my own eyes!

Since this blog post was written back in 2023, some of the information may no longer be accurate or up to date. Be sure to do your own research and check official websites for the latest details before making any of your own travel plans.

Support Me and Buy Me a Coffee
Follow Me on Instagram
Pin this Blog Post on Pinterest
Follow Me on Bloglovin’