The Artistic Expression of Love!

Taj Mahal is not just a monument but a symbol of Love!

As we all know February is the month of Love, we decided to visit the most iconic spot of love expression, the Taj Mahal, Agra. We came back to our hometown, Jaipur at the beginning of February month and decided to visit the seventh wonder of the World, the Taj Mahal with our family on a day trip to the Taj Mahal. 

It came out to be one of the best experiences and one of the most happening trips. I am going to share our experiences, tips, transport, places to have food, shopping, and shops to buy sweets (Petha). 

Iconic Taj Mahal

How to reach Agra from Jaipur?

There are many options to reach Agra from Jaipur:

1. By Train: The cheapest and the most convenient way to reach Agra is by Train. The train takes around 3.5 hours to reach Agra station from Jaipur. After reaching Agra station, you can book a cab or taxi to take you to further destinations.

2. By Bus: The other roadway to reach Agra is by bus. There are plenty of options available to opt for a bus from Jaipur to Agra.

3. By Car: Another option is by booking a car/cab from Jaipur to Agra. As we were traveling with our family of 7 members, we opted to book a Car to reach Agra. The journey from the highway was smooth and comfortable. We enjoyed the car drive with family as we had enough time to chit chat and spend quality family time.

What is the route to reach Agra from Jaipur by Car?

The best road route to reach Agra is via Jaipur-Bharatpur-Agra Highway

Route: Jaipur -> Dausa -> Mahwa -> Bharatpur -> Agra (View Map)

How many toll plazas are there between Jaipur and Agra Highway?

There is a total of 5 toll plazas en route on the Jaipur Agra highway and the total return cost will be around 700-750 approx.

Toll plazas on Jaipur Agra highway

1 Day Itinerary

Jaipur-> Morning Breakfast -> Taj Mahal -> Lunch -> Red Fort -> Return to Jaipur

Note: If you have an extra day you can cover Fatehpur Sikri Fort which is on the way to Agra and is only 35KM from the main city.

5AM: Start the Journey

We woke up very early in the morning to prep some snacks for the road trip and started our memorable journey from Jaipur early in the morning. 

8:30AM: Breakfast at Khandelwal Hotel in Mhowa

After completing half of our journey to Agra we took halt for breakfast and refreshment in Khandelwal Dhaba. The place was good as expected. We ordered their special Tandoori aalu paratha and kulhad chai, which was really satisfactory. There was proper shop to buy wrapped chips and packed beverages inside the hotel. Also they had proper parking area and the clean toilets to freshup.

10AM-1:30PM: Taj Mahal Visit

We reached Taj Mahal in the expected time as we had planned. We booked a guide, which costs around Rs.950 as we were 6 members.

Once you come out of the parking area and move towards the Taj Mahal, you can take an e-rikshaw to reach the main gate of the Taj Mahal. We had an insight visit of Taj Mahal with the help of guide.

There are many souvenir shops available, You can purchase a miniature Taj Mahal showcase as a memory of your trip. You can do shoping and do bargain as much as you can.

1:30PM-2:30PM: Lunch at Bon Sizzler

After completing the tour of Taj Mahal, we had lunch at 'Bon Sizzler' which is very near to Taj Mahal. The food was amazing and the restaurant was perfect with great ambiance to have food with family. 

2:30PM -5PM: Agra Fort

Post Lunch we headed towards the Red Fort. Booked our tickets using the QR-Code available outside the Fort. Spend some time visiting the complete Fort. 

There was the option of public toilets if in case you want to use them and they were quite clean as well.

5:30PM: Return to Jaipur

Buy some Petha sweet from famous shop Panchi Petha and Gopal Das Pethe Wale on the way back to Jaipur. 

We would recommend if you only want to buy petha then go for Panchi Petha  and if you intrested to buy some other quality sweets then go for Gopal Das Pethe Wala. 

8:00PM: Halt for dinner

For dinner we took a halt in Khandelwal Dhaba at the same place where we had our breakfast but its on the opposite side of the highway. Although the dhaba is very famous but the food quality that we experienced was not satisfactory.

10PM: Reach Jaipur

We reached Jaipur around 10PM after the long drive from Agra.

Our Taj Mahal Visit Experience

Being one of the Seventh Wonder of the World, the Taj Mahal needs no formal introduction. Marked as one of the most astonishing arts of Mughals, this beautiful monument is located in the city of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Taj Mahal is famous in the whole world not only for its outstanding architecture but also for the incredible love story behind the creation of this masterpiece. Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memories of his wife Mumtaz Mahal after her death. 

Gateway of TajMahal

Once we reached the parking area of the Taj Mahal, there were considerable guides, waiting in the parking area ready to be picked up by the visitors. As we visited on weekend, Saturday, there was a huge crowd of visitors and travelers. We chose a guide for us. He helped us to get tickets, in fact, he took the tickets online for us.

You can book a guide from the parking area itself. The guide will help and explain everything, the terms, and conditions inside the Taj Mahal. He will take you through the entire monument and narrate the entire stories linked to the Taj Mahal. He will explain the architecture and the design, the type of marbles and stones used to make this beautiful piece of art.

The guide will give enough time to take photographs and devour some quality time in the Taj Mahal. 

Important Points:

Entry Fees: Rs. 50 /- Indian Visitor and Rs 1100 /- Foreigner Visitor

For visiting the Taj Mahal from the inside, one has to buy an extra additional ticket of Rs.200 per person.

Timings: The opening time of the Taj Mahal is 30 minutes before sunrise and the closing time is 30 minutes before sunset.

• Taj Mahal is closed every Friday.

• There are no entry fees for children below 15 years of age.

• Only online tickets are available. The ticket counters are closed since COVID.

• Book ticket online from www.asiagracircle.in & www.tajmahal.gov.in

Time Required: The total time required for the complete tour - around is 3-4 hours.

Rating: 10 out of 10 (a must-visit place in India)

Agra Fort Experience

Also known by the name Laal Qila or Qila-i-Akbari displaying the symbol of power and strength. The Fort is grand and huge. After the entry into the fort, you will notice Diwan-i-Am, the hall for the public. The pillars are tall and strong and the architectural design of the fort is really amazing. There is an amazing view of the Yamuna River and Taj Mahal through the windows of the Fort.

Taj Mahal view from the Red Fort

Once we reached the Fort, we parked our car in the parking area, which is just opposite the Fort. We booked our tickets online using the QR code instantly which is available at the entrance gate. As it was the weekend, the Fort was too crowded. We had to stand in the queue to enter the Fort and get our tickets checked. 

The fort was tremendous and crowded with visitors. We sat in the garden area for some time, clicked a satisfactory number of photographs, and had some rest. We checked out the entire Fort. There were many guides available at the front end of the Fort. Although we had not opted for one as we were short of time.

Red Fort Courtyard

Important Points:

Entry Fees: Rs. 50 /- Indian Visitor and Rs 650 /- Foreigner Visitor

Timing: Sunrise to Sunset.

Time Required: The total time required for the complete tour - is 3-4 hours.

Rating:  8 out of 10 

Important Points to keep in mind:

1. Maintain the cleanliness inside the monuments and do not throw the garbage anywhere.

2. Online tickets can be taken for the Taj Mahal and no counters are working post-COVID.

3. The tickets for the Agra Fort can be taken online using the QR code available outside the Fort.

4. Try to wear comfortable clothes and footwear as you have to walk for a long.

5. Try to carry water bottles, especially if visiting during summer.