no alt text

Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 02 March, 2023
Expert travel writer: Amar Grover

One of the world’s most beautiful buildings is not merely an exquisite tomb but a monument to love. The Taj Mahal was completed after two decades’ labour in 1653 by the great Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to entomb his wife, Mumtaz.

It stands at the head of formal gardens by the Yamuna River. The combination of milky-white marble (much of it inlaid with semi-precious stones, a technique known as pietra dura), a great bulbous dome and four slender minarets lend the mausoleum an astonishing almost ethereal beauty.

Admire it at your leisure – its well-kept gardens coax lingering, relaxed visits.

Mumtaz’s original resting place

What’s rather less well-known is that this isn’t Mumtaz’s original resting place. She died 22 years earlier in Burhanpur (Madhya Pradesh) while in labour, and was interred in a formal pleasure garden. The original – an all but forgotten and extremely modest ‘tomb’ – is still there, long empty since she was moved to Agra and eventually her final resting place in the Taj. Shah Jahan was inconsolable, mourned in seclusion for a year and his hair turned white.

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

East of central Agra and just south of the Yamuna, the Taj’s subsidiary gateways all funnel visitors to the main entrance and its classic archway-framing view of the tomb itself.

The east gate is generally less crowded than the west one, while the south is closed until further notice.

While many visitors arrive on guided tours, independent travellers might wish to use on-the-spot local guides (whose quality varies wildly) or audio guides. Food is not allowed inside the grounds and expect heightened security checks.

Some of the most striking views of the Taj are from the Yamuna River itself or from Mehtab Bagh on its northern banks. River boats with boatmen can usually be found down by the north-eastern side though this appears to be rather ad hoc and unregulated – don’t expect a life jacket. The undulating nearby scrubland also offers good viewpoints.

For Mehtab Bagh (open sunrise to sunset), a part-restored 16th-century Mughal garden that aligns perfectly with the Taj’s profile, it’s a 7km drive to cross the Yamuna River and loop back to within 250m of the mausoleum.

When to do it

The Taj Mahal is open all year round, Saturday to Thursday, from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. It’s closed on Fridays.

Dawn and sunset lend the softest and most atmospheric light, with dawn also having fewer visitors.

October to April offers the most comfortable climate – but is the peak tourist season. May and June are hot and uncomfortable.

Five nights each month, the Taj opens for ‘Full Moon’ viewings between 8.30pm and 12.30am but you’ll need to book in advance.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

From Delhi: Taj Mahal & Agra Fort Private Day Tour with 5 Star Lunch

From Delhi: Taj Mahal & Agra Fort Private Day Tour with 5 Star Lunch

New Delhi

Visit the magnificent history of the Taj and Agra city in the private day tour, get a chance to experience the beauty of the city Agra and l...

$34 | Rating 4.96 / 5 [203 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Private Full Day Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri Tour from Delhi by Car

Private Full Day Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri Tour from Delhi by Car

New Delhi

Discover the treasures of the Mughal Empire of India on a private full-day tour of Agra. See the Taj Mahal, visit the Agra Fort and the ex...

$39 | Rating 4.92 / 5 [91 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Private Guided Tour to Taj Mahal and Agra Fort with Entrance tickets and Lunch,

Private Guided Tour to Taj Mahal and Agra Fort with Entrance tickets and Lunch,

New Delhi

Cherish a lifetime opportunity of exploring the worlds most beautiful monumnent the Taj Mahal by reaching agra through drive .Taj Mahal wasn...

$45 | Rating 4.93 / 5 [170 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
 Private Taj Mahal Day Trip by Express Train With Lunch

Private Taj Mahal Day Trip by Express Train With Lunch

New Delhi

Taj Mahal, a castle in the Air spreading the charm and fragrance of what we call pure love, is a majestic monument located in Agra in the In...

$48 | Rating 4.98 / 5 [402 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra

Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India[1 miles]

Agra’s finest hotel boasts unfussy luxury with uninterrupted views of the Taj Mahal and architecture of refined Mughal and Rajput design.

Official star rating:

Grand Imperial Hotel

Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India[3.3 miles]

One of Agra’s oldest and most characterful hotels revamped for the modern traveller yet retaining its vintage feel and ambience.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Agra

Uttar Pradesh, India

Home to the iconic Taj Mahal, the relentlessly congested and clamourous city of Agra and its hinterland host an array of superb Mughal architecture, along with vigorous bazaars.

Website >
Overview >

Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Agra Fort

Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India[2.1 miles]

A symbol of Mughal military might, this massive, rust-red fort, built by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1573, is an almost self-contained royal city.

Best for ages: 13+ | £8

Website >
Overview >

Kinari Bazaar

Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India[2.9 miles]

One of Agra’s cheeriest markets is a fun and colourful Aladdin’s cave of everything from cosmetics and perfume to decorative knick-knacks and artefacts.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

Website >
Overview >

Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Ud Daulah’s Tomb
Experience

Ud Daulah’s Tomb

Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India[2.3 miles]

Sometimes referred to as the ‘baby Taj’, this outstanding 17th-century noble’s tomb with formal gardens showcases the kind of pietra dura inlay on white marble that reached its apogee with the Taj Mahal.

Best for ages: 18+ | £2

Website >
Overview >

Round-ups that include this experience

101 World’s greatest historic buildings

Multiple countries

The great civilisations of the past have left a legacy of constructions that still stand out and inspire. Built without the wonders of 20th-century technology, many are also monumental feats of engineering; others offer such grace and beauty, that they’ll literally take your breath away.

Website >
Overview >