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Four unhurried nights for those who want to see the Taj Mahal properly: two sunrises, sunset from Mehtab Bagh, moonlight viewing when dates allow, Agra Fort and the Baby Taj, Fatehpur Sikri, and a day in Krishna's Vrindavan. Two nights at The Oberoi Amarvilas, two at ITC Mughal.
Most visitors give the Taj Mahal a few hours. This journey gives it four days and sees it in every light: from inside the gardens at sunrise, from across the river at sunset, from the Musamman Burj at Agra Fort and, on five nights around each full moon, under moonlight. Between visits there is time for Agra's other monuments, its marble inlay workshops and two very different day trips.
The first two nights are at The Oberoi Amarvilas, a short ride from the Taj's east gate, with the monument in view from every room. The last two are at ITC Mughal, whose gardens and spa make a calm base for the day trips. We arrange the days so no Taj visit falls on a Friday, when the monument is closed, and use that day for Vrindavan or Fatehpur Sikri.
Highlights
Day by day
Your driver meets you at Delhi airport and drives to Agra on the Yamuna Expressway. Check in at The Oberoi Amarvilas and watch the Taj change colour from your balcony through the afternoon. If your dates fall on a full-moon night or two nights either side, and it is not a Friday or Ramadan, your guide collects your night viewing tickets in advance for one of the evenings.
Enter the Taj Mahal at opening for the first sunrise, walking through the gateway, the gardens and onto the platform, and into the main chamber to see the cenotaphs and the carved screen. Breakfast back at the hotel. In the afternoon, explore Agra Fort and Itmad-ud-Daulah, then cross to Mehtab Bagh for sunset over the Taj from the far bank.
A second sunrise at the Taj, this time with time to sit and look: the calligraphy around the arches, the inlaid flowers and the mosque and guest hall on either side. After breakfast, move to ITC Mughal, then drive to Fatehpur Sikri for Akbar's palaces and the tomb of Salim Chishti. Afternoon at the Kaya Kalp spa. If dates allow, moonlight viewing of the Taj tonight.
Drive about 1.5 hours to Vrindavan, Krishna's town, and walk its temple lanes with a local guide, from Banke Bihari to the ISKCON temple, with lunch at the ISKCON restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Mathura's Government Museum for its early Buddhist and Hindu sculpture, and watch the Yamuna aarti at Vishram Ghat from a boat before returning to Agra. This is our usual plan for a Friday.
A morning at a marble inlay workshop, watching the craft used on the Taj, and a visit to Akbar's tomb at Sikandra on the way out of Agra. Drive back to Delhi on the Yamuna Expressway, arriving at the airport or your Delhi hotel by mid-afternoon.
Included
Not included
Where you sleep
The closest luxury hotel to the Taj Mahal, about 600 m from the east gate, with views of the monument from every room. Its Mughal-style terraces, …
A large luxury hotel set in Mughal-style gardens a short drive from the Taj Mahal, with a long pool, the Kaya Kalp spa and plenty of …
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Questions travellers ask
To see the Taj Mahal in different lights and without hurry: two sunrises, a sunset from across the river and, when dates allow, moonlight. Four nights also allow Fatehpur Sikri and Vrindavan as day trips and protect against fog or a Friday closure. Most guests find it far more rewarding than a quick visit.
On the full-moon night and two nights either side, except Fridays and during Ramadan, small groups of about 50 enter for 30 minutes between 8:30 pm and midnight. You view from the red sandstone platform, not up close. Tickets are limited and sold a day ahead at the ASI office. Check current status before you travel.
The Oberoi Amarvilas is best for the Taj itself, with views from every room and quick access to the east gate. ITC Mughal has larger gardens and a big spa, which suit the day-trip half of the stay. You can stay at either for all four nights if you prefer.
Yes. The first visit is often about taking it in; the second lets you look closely at details and sit quietly. In December and January, it also guards against a sunrise lost to fog. The light differs each morning. Many guests say the second morning is the one they remember best.
Yes, and we usually plan it that way, since the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays. The temples of Vrindavan and Mathura are open, though Friday is a normal working day and crowds are moderate. Fatehpur Sikri is also open on Fridays.
Yes. The pace is unhurried, with rest in the middle of each day. The Taj involves some walking and steps onto the platform, and Vrindavan's lanes are crowded and uneven, but your guide adapts the walking. Buggies take you to the Taj's east gate.
Yes. Agra links to Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri, about 4 to 5 hours, and to Varanasi via a Delhi flight or a drive through Lucknow. Many guests use this as the Agra part of a longer journey. We plan the connections so no Taj sunrise falls on a Friday.
October to March, with November and February the most reliable. December and January bring cold and morning fog. Full-moon dates in the winter months are popular for night viewing; tell us early if you want to time your stay around one.
Photography is allowed during night viewing from the platform, but tripods are not permitted and the light is low, so a fast lens and steady hands are needed. Many guests prefer simply to watch. The Amarvilas balconies give a night view too.
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