This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must-see for every traveler to northern India. Taj Mahal tours of its impressive exterior and interior are available year-round and at all times of the day, and can be customized to your interests and the timing of your visit. The easiest and most popular option for travelers wanting to see the Taj Mahal complex is to visit on a full-day group tour or in a private car with an English-speaking tour guide and driver, plus roundtrip transportation.
Guided tours from both Jaipur and New Delhi abound and often also visit other interesting sights and attractions around Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, such as Mehtab Bagh (Moonlight Garden), the “Baby Taj” (Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah), Agra Fort, the Red Fort (Lal Qila), Akbar’s Tomb at Sikandra, and Fatehpur Sikri. Photography tours at sunset or sunrise offer the best view of the Taj and red sandstone mosque and guesthouse. Other excursions, known as Golden Triangle tours, visit Jaipur, New Delhi, and Agra all in one go.
This treasure of Mughal architecture is incredibly popular; it’s best to purchase Taj Mahal tickets in advance to save time.
There is no formal dress code, though it is recommended to dress respectfully.
The Taj Mahal is closed to visitors every Friday, except for those attending prayers.
Located in Agra, India, the Taj Mahal is easily accessible from New Delhi on a journey of about three hours by road. Agra also has its own airport set just four miles (6.4 kilometers) from the city center that receives domestic flights on a regular basis. The city can be reached from New Delhi by train, but you will need additional local transportation to reach the Taj Mahal from the train station.
The Taj Mahal is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Both sunrise and sunset Taj Mahal tours are extremely popular, given that at these times of day, the sun creates an exquisite reflection upon the palace’s white marble structure. It’s even possible to see the palace at both sunrise and sunset as part of a full-day tour of Agra that starts and ends at the Taj.
The Taj Mahal is a popular spot for photography. Raised on a platform, the octagonal marble monument’s only backdrop is the sky, and white minarets flank each of its corners, giving it a three-dimensional effect from each of its perfectly symmetrical sides. Surrounded by a pristine Mughal garden, the central reflecting pool is positioned on a north-south axis to reflect the building in its waters. Head to the banks of the Yamuna River for a unique shot of the water in the palace’s foreground.
