I hope to set you up for a spectacular visit to the Taj Mahal with these insider Taj Mahal tips. In this Taj Mahal guide, you will learn crucial information such as the Taj Mahal dress code to the best time to visit the Taj Mahal.
Visiting the Taj Mahal is magical experience and far more impressive than in pictures. Don’t get me wrong, I have seen numerous amazing images of the Taj Mahal, but seeing the white Indian marble shimmering in the sunlight is an experience I will never forget. In the video below, you can see the sure splendor and amazement in our eyes. By using these Taj Mahal tips you can experience the same joy and astonishment.
- History of the Taj Mahal
- The best time to visit the Taj Mahal
- Why you should visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise
- Taj Mahal dress code
- How to get to the Taj Mahal
- Practical information about the Taj Mahal: visiting days and hours, price of admission, and where to enter the Taj Mahal
- Why you should hire a tour guide
- Items banned at the Taj Mahal
- Ten things you should do at the Taj Mahal
- Ten things to avoid at the Taj Mahal
History of the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a tribute to the love shared between a husband and wife. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal in 1632 to honor his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child. Legend tells us that with her dying breath, Mumtaz Mahal asked Shah Jahan to build her the most beautiful mausoleum in the world. And so he did.
The Taj Mahal was completed twenty years later on the southern bank of the Yamuna River in Agra, India. It is renowned for its stunning example of Mughal architecture. White marble is inlaid with semi-precious stones (including jade, crystal, lapis lazuli, amethyst, and turquoise) and covers the Taj Mahal.
Shah Jahan was dethroned by one of his sons after he fell ill in 1658. Shah Jahan lived out his last years under house arrest at the Agra Fort, where he could look across the river and see the Taj Mahal. When he died in 1666, he was laid to rest next to his wife inside the Taj Mahal.
When is the Best Time to Visit the Taj Mahal?
According to the official Taj Mahal website, the best time of year to visit the Taj Mahal from October to March. The best time of day to visit the Taj Mahal is at sunrise.
There are two other popular times to visit the Taj Mahal: during a full moon and sunset. The full moon viewing occurs five nights in a month, including the night of the full moon as well as two days before and two days after the full moon except for Fridays and the month of Ramzan. About 400 tourists are permitted at the Taj Mahal when it is open for the full moon viewing. For more information about visiting the Taj Mahal during the full moon, click here.
The weather is likely to be more pleasant during a sunrise tour. The afternoons at the Taj Mahal can be hot, while the early mornings tend to be cooler. The day we visited the Taj Mahal, the morning was pleasant.
When planning a trip to the Taj Mahal, keep these months and times of day in mind for the best viewing opportunities.
- Taj Mahal Tip
Consider getting to the Taj Mahal 30 minutes before sunrise to beat the line for tickets, the heat, and the crowds.
Should I visit the Taj Mahal at Sunrise?
One of my top Taj Mahal tips is to visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise. Seeing the Taj Mahal as the sun rises is an unbelievable experience. Sunrise provides an opportunity to take advantage of the morning light as a backdrop for beautiful pictures.
Seeing the sun glistening on the white marble and the jeweled inlay is spectacular.
In addition to the sheer beauty this time of day, the crowds are also smaller. During the early morning hours, you can see the Taj Mahal with fewer lines. However, as the day gets later, the lines and the number of visitors increase.
Crowds will start to gather inside the mausoleum to view the cenotaph, or false tomb, of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. These are false tombs because the sarcophagus containing their actual remains lay directly below in a crypt that is not generally accessible to the public.
If you are traveling without a tour guide, I suggest you head towards the tombs as soon as possible. It is a sight to see and a real feat of engineering. The central dome towers 240 feet (73 meters). It is amazing the tower is so tall and symmetrical given the difference in construction tools and equipment from the 1600’s to today.
Once inside, I saw a few people paying a small fee to watch someone behind the rope use what appears to be a flashlight to light up the translucent properties of the stones surrounding the tombs in the mausoleum. Seeing the translucent properties of the marble and semiprecious stones up close added to the overall experience.
- Taj Mahal Tip
We didn’t pay the fee to see, but stood next to someone who did. We were able to enjoy the same view. However, don’t bring your own flashlight. They are strictly prohibited and are on the banned items list in the chart below.
What is the Taj Mahal Dress Code for Women?
The Taj Mahal does not have a dress code, but in general, India is a conservative country, and people dress accordingly. You might be wondering what that means. To fit in, rather than stand out, here are a few Taj Mahal dress code tips.
When visiting a foreign country, it’s important to dress respectfully. One way to dress respectfully at the Taj Mahal is to wear a saree.
A saree is not mandatory, and in fact, I did not wear one during my entire visit to India. For a novice, a saree can be challenging to put on correctly. The last thing I wanted was for my saree to come undone at the Taj Mahal. Could you imagine how embarrassing and inappropriate that would be. Yikes! However, if you have time, you can have hooks sewn into the saree to prevent a wardrobe malfunction.
Here are a few sample sarees you could wear at the Taj Mahal.
Another typical outfit women wear at the Taj Mahal is leggings or loose pants with a long, loose-fitting shirt that extends past your knees.
What Color Should I Wear to the Taj Mahal?
Brightly colored outfits look best in Taj Mahal pictures. For example, I picked a bright orange Tunic, similar to the ones below, which was a great compliment to the white stone color of the Taj Mahal!
If you, like me, didn’t have anything in your closet, you can purchase these items shown above before you leave for India. Alternatively, if you are in a city for more than a day or two, you might be able to have something made and delivered to your hotel.
What is the Dress Code for Men at the Taj Mahal?
The appropriate Taj Mahal dress code for men is more straightforward. There is no male dress code, but in general, men in India tend to wear dress pants and button-down shirts. With the hot and humid weather, you might want to consider a moisture wicking dress shirt. Below are a few examples of dress shirts for men.
How Do I Get to the Taj Mahal?
Many tourists visit the Taj Mahal as part of their Golden Triangle tour. The Golden Triangle tour (whether on a private or group trip or you do it on your own) is a popular route and includes New Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur.
However, if you are not on a prearranged tour, you can reach Agra by plane, rail, or car. The quickest way to travel to Agra is by airplane. The closet airport to the Taj Mahal is in the City of Taj in Agra. The airport is about 7 km from the city center. Indian Airlines operates flights daily.
If you are traveling by train to Agra, several trains run to/from Delhi and Agra. These trains are the Palace on Wheels, Shatabdi, Rajdhani, and Taj Express.
You can also hire a driver or take a bus to the Taj Mahal.
Practical Tips for Your Taj Mahal Visit:
The following Taj Mahal tips will help guide you through the practicalities of your visit.
- Taj Mahal hours: The Taj Mahal opens 30 minutes before sunrise and closes 30 minutes before sunset during regular operating days.
- Operating Days: Monday – Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. The Taj Mahal is not open on Fridays.
- Driving to the Taj Mahal is tricky. The government does not allow diesel and petrol vehicles within 1640 feet (500 meters) of the Taj Mahal due to the impact of air pollution on the Taj Mahal’s beautiful white marble. However, you can reach the Taj Mahal by battery-operated buses, horse-driven tongas, rickshaws, electric golf carts, or other pollution-free vehicles.
- How to enter and exit the Taj Mahal:
- Taj Mahal Western Gate: You may purchase tickets at the Western Gate near Saheli Burj one hour before sunrise and up to 45 minutes before sunset.
- Taj Mahal Eastern Gate: You may purchase tickets at the Eastern Gate of Taj Mahal one hour before sunrise and up to 45 minutes before sunset.
- Taj Mahal Southern Gate: The Southern Gate is an exit only gate.
- Price of a ticket and what it includes: An entrance ticket for a foreign tourist is 1100 Rupees (approximately $15.40). Access to the main mausoleum is possible and highly recommended for an additional charge of 200 Rupees (roughly $2.80).
- Purchasing a ticket online: The official websites for buying tickets online are asi.payumoney.com/ and www.asiagracircle.in.
- Line queues: There are separate queues with signs for foreign tourists and domestic tourists at the Taj Mahal as well as separate lines for men and women.
Should I Hire a Tour Guide for the Taj Mahal?
One of my best Taj Mahal tips is to hire a tour guide. The Taj Mahal is a unique excursion that can be lost on you if you don’t do your research before your visit and / or you forgo a tour guide. While the tomb itself is magnificent, its history told by a knowledgeable tour guide, makes the Taj Mahal come to life.
Benefits of Hiring a Taj Mahal Tour Guide
In our case, we opted for a professional tour guide. Gary, our tour guide, created a fantastic experience for us at the Taj Mahal. His knowledge of the history of the Taj Mahal, the grounds themselves, and his photography skills made for an exceptional experience at the Taj Mahal. He has the best Taj Mahal photography tips. I would highly recommend his services. He was also our tour guide for the Agra Fort and the ancient city of Fatehpur Sikri.
By using an official tour guide, we didn’t have to think about how to get to the Taj Mahal, where to find the ticket entrance, what time the ticket window opened, or which gate we should use to enter the Taj Mahal. All of the logistics were taken care of for us. Plus, Gary, our tour guide, knew the best spots to see the sunrise over the Taj Mahal and was there to take our picture.
If you are interested in hiring Gary, you can contact him by email at [email protected] or by using his WhatsApp number: +919927035559.
Please tell him I said hello!
Items banned at the Taj Mahal
There are numerous items banned at the Taj Mahal, some of which might be a surprise, like headphones or a tripod. Check out the list below before you head to the Taj Mahal.
Food and drinks | Toys | Smoking items/matchbox/Gurkha, etc. |
Flag/banner/promotional items | Flowers/garland/religious items/religious books | Drone |
Microphone | Headphones | Weapons/explosives |
Sketch pen/pencil and color | Tools | Plants |
Alcohol | Mat/carpet | Inflammable products |
Torch/flashlight | Helmet | Big bag and briefcase |
Tripod | Mobile phone chargers |
*For night viewing the following items are also banned: mobile phones, video cameras, and extra batteries. Still cameras are permitted after the security check for night viewing of the Taj Mahal.
Ten Taj Mahal Tips: Things to do at the Taj Mahal
In this Taj Mahal guide, you will find tips for elevating your visit.
- Hire an approved tour guide and / or photographer with identity cards. There are people impersonating tour guides and you want to make sure you hire a legitimate guide who has studied to be a tour guide.
- Take the sunrise tour.
- Bring your camera and take lots of pictures. There are a few iconic places to take pictures such as the entrance, the bench in front of the reflective pond, and using the arches of the sandstone mosque to frame your photos of the Taj Mahal.
4. Dress appropriately. Scroll down to the end of this post for more information on how to dress at the Taj Mahal.
5. Be respectful. There is a mosque at the Taj Mahal, and it is essential to be considerate of worshipers and those around you.
6. Wear comfortable shoes and socks. The grounds at the Taj Mahal are vast. Visitors will do a lot of walking while exploring the Taj Mahal. So, you will want to wear comfortable shoes.
Before entering the main mausoleum, you will need to either remove your shoes or wear shoe coverings. In the picture below, you can see our shoe coverings.
7. There will be many vendors trying to sell keepsakes and mementos. If you do not plan to purchase anything, be clear with the vendor, and the vendor will likely move on.
8. Leave the items on the “banned” list at your hotel.
9. Wear bright colors. The Taj Mahal is white, and a bright color will enhance your pictures.
10. Have fun!
Ten Taj Mahal Tips for Things to Avoid at the Taj Mahal
- You are not permitted to take pictures in the mausoleum.
- Don’t talk while in the mausoleum, and remember to turn your cell phone on silent.
- Jumping at the Taj Mahal is not allowed. Although we now know it is forbidden, we did get a fun shot.
4. Don’t dress provocatively.
5. Don’t feed the monkeys. There is actually a sign asking tourists to stay away from the monkeys.
6. Do not promise to buy anything from a vendor if you don’t plan to make a purchase. The vendors can be aggressive, and you don’t want to give them mixed signals.
7. Don’t bring a purse or camera bag to the Taj Mahal if you can avoid it. Without a purse or camera bag, you can take advantage of a quicker security line.
8. Don’t bring anything on the banned item list.
9. Don’t be an easy mark. Be aware of your surroundings and your belongings. The Taj Mahal draws tourists from all over the world, and you don’t want to be a target for a thief.
10. Do not touch or scratch the walls of the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal has been around since 1652, and we want to preserve it for as long as possible.
I hope you enjoyed these Taj Mahal tips. I encourage you to add the Taj Mahal to your must-see list. You won’t regret it!
Learn how to choose a luxury hotel in Agra, with views of the Taj Mahal, or if you are staying in India, check out my guide to Jaipur.
Thank you for sharing the useful information in your blog.
Wow, I’ve always wanted to visit the Taj Mahal! I had no idea about not being able to drive up, or not being allowed to jump though! THanks for the post – hopefully we’ll be able to visit sometime soon!
I hope you get to visit the Taj Mahal!
Would definitely like to make it to the Taj Mahal someday. Was surprised by the no jumping…I don’t think I’ve ever seen that called out at a location before.
I was surprised too!
It’s definitely good to know that you can’t just drive right up to the Taj Mahal. I’m sure the sunrise is beautiful there!
I hope you get to see it for yourself one day!
Wow! Looks amazing and thank you for your thorough blog about visiting the site. Super helpful to feel prepared to enjoy the day.
I am so happy you found my tips helpful!
Great tips especially the one about wearing colors because the Taj Mahal is white. This is one place I have never been and unfortunately probably won’t get to. Thanks for the great post.
Thanks! The Taj Mahal is a magical place. Our tour guide at the Taj Mahal (who was amazing) is now offering virtual live tours to give people the opportunity to see the Taj Mahal up close, even if it’s from their living room. In case you are interested, here is a link to his site: https://www.garysindia.com/