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Watch sunrise over Taj Mahal
Visiting the Taj Mahal has been a constant dream for us , so you can imagine how excited we were to visit this wonder of the world. We are not really early wakers but to catch the sunrise over Taj Mahal was a big time agenda in this trip. Sunrise is by far the best time to visit the Taj Mahal.
Visit the Symbol of Regime of Mughals - Agra Fort
The Agra Fort is a magnificent fort with a history of its own. It was previously known as Badalgarh. The special thing about this fort is that all the emperors of the Mughal era until the year 1638 have resided here at least once. It is the 2nd most visited place in Agra after Taj Mahal.
Catch the North View of Taj Mahal at Mehtab Bagh
Did you ever though that since There are three entrances to the Taj Mahal: the east, west and south. What about the north? The north is occupied by Mehtab Bagh(Moon light Garden), which was to be the site of a second Taj Mahal had the emperor not been imprisoned by his son.
See the Replica of Taj Mahal Known as - Baby Taj
What if we told you that there is a Baby Taj in Agra? Believe us or not, the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah, what we consider to be the inspiration for the famous monument everyone comes to Agra to see. The Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb is one of the most remarkable architectural wonders of the city of Agra.
Do Not Miss Out Akbar's Mausoleum - Sikandara
TheTomb of Akbar is another important architectural masterwork of the Mughal era. Located in Sikandra, a suburb of Agra, the tomb is believed to be the final resting place for the great Mughal Emperor.
Visit Sadar Bazaar and Satisfy Your Taste Buds
If you are big foodie and a huge shopping spree, do not miss to visit Sadar Bazaar in Agra. Chaat Gali in Sadar Bazaar serves some delicious street food that will definitely satisfy your taste buds.
We went to Agra on budget for the same reason that every traveler does: to see the Taj Mahal - the one attraction that sits at the top of every visitor's Agra travel itinerary. What else to do in Agra? - One of the seven Wonders of the Modern World is the symbol of undying love is and one of the most beautiful buildings in India.
Located on the banks of Yamuna, Agra is best known for the iconic Taj Mahal. However, the appeal of this historic city is not limited to this magnificent monument alone. There's a lot to explore and experience, from monuments and mausoleums to parks and bazaars.
We are sharing our complete guide on how to visit Agra on Budget for 2 days .Here's the Breakup of our Budget: You can choose to spend more or less depending on your need and choice. The Budget break up below is for per person.
Getting to Agra
Agra by Road: Approx. 240 Kms from New Delhi . We booked our cab from Delhi to Agra from Makemytrip.com. It costed us around 1700 one way. You can also choose to travel from Jaipur to Agra. Distance is Approx. 230 Kms . From Gwalior, Road distance to Agra is around 130Kms.
Agra by Train: The Agra Cantonment, Agra Fort and Raja ki Mandi are the three main railway stations in Agra that connects the city with other destinations. The luxury trains - the Palace on Wheels, and the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels also stop at Agra on their eight-day round trip of tourist destinations in Rajasthan and Agra.
Agra by flight: Nearest Airports are New Delhi Airport and Jaipur Airport.
Getting around Agra
The best way to get around Agra is by auto-rickshaw. They can navigate the city streets at a surprising pace and are reasonably priced. Walking between top attractions just isn't possible due to the distance. Auto rickshaws are widely available and will take you anywhere you request, as long as you agree to a price beforehand.
Negotiate the prices with them before taking the ride. You can also choose to book Ola/Uber Cabs in Agra to visit the attractions if you are travelling in a big group. We prefer local transportation and hence always chose to visit attractions in Auto or Ola cabs. It was quite pocket friendly.
Where to Stay in Agra
There are many options to stay in Agra starting from Luxurious hotels to Pocket friendly family hotels to Hostels. If you're only visiting to see the Taj Mahal, Surprisingly, the cheap and best hotels in Agra are just outside of the Taj Mahal . Not All cheap hotels are that great, but make sure to read the reviews before booking.
For your Luxurious stay we recommend staying in:
The Oberoi, Ambarvilas. ITC Mughal Radisson Double tree by Hilton.
For the Budget hotels, we recommend
Shanti Palace Kamal House Hotel Atithi Hotel Ashish Palace
Things to do in Agra
We probably know Agra City is famous for - The Taj Mahal . This place in Agra is the most visited tourist attraction in India. Other than this, there are a lot of things to do in the city that can make your trip a memorable experience for a long time.
Not just because the early morning light turns the dome of the temple a soft, golden hue, but Also because this is the time when there are the least amount of tourists and if you get in early enough, you might even get some perfect pictures with no people in them.
We reached at the East Gate by 6.15 sharp at the opening time of the gates and Trust us, there were only handful people around us to get in . Once you walk through the main gates, you will no doubt stand in awe for a few moments at your first glimpse go one of the world's most beautiful buildings. it really is a sight to behold, so beautiful and so perfect that it looks photo shopped no matter what angle you look at it from!
Entry Fee:Local Tourist Adult : INR 20 Child (below 15 years of age) : Free .
Foreign Tourist Adult : INR 750
SAARC and BIMSTEC Citizens : INR 510 Child (below 15 years of age) :Free
Night Viewers Local Adults : INR 500
Foreign Adults : INR 750 Child(below 3 years of age) : Free
The fort is a fine example of Islamic and Hindu style of architecture with Gujarati and Bengali architectural structures inside. The Agra Fort was rebuilt to what it looks like today by Akbar's grandson, Shah Jahan (who also built the Taj Mahal).Agra Fort is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Entry Fee:
Local Tourist Adult : INR 40
Foreign Tourist Adult : INR 550
SAARC and BIMSTEC Citizens : INR 40
The Moonlight Garden, believed to have been designed by Shah Jahan to view the Taj on moonlit nights, far away from the maddening crowd, the garden complex is situated on the left bank of Yamuna opposite the Taj Mahal.
If you want to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise or sunset, we highly recommend coming to Mehtab Bagh.
Entry Fee:
Local Tourist Adult : INR 20
Foreign Tourist Adult : INR 210
SAARC and BIMSTEC Citizens : INR 20
For this fact it is known as the "Baby Taj Mahal", as this monument is considered to be the inspiration behind the Taj Mahal. It is the tomb of Mir Gheryas Beg (later known as Itimad-ud-daulah), who was a rector in the court of Shah Jahan. It felt like Visiting Itimad-ud-daulah's Tomb is like taking a step back in time into Agra's history.
Entry Fee :
Local Tourist Adult : INR 20 Child(below 15 years of age) : Free Foreign Tourist Adult : INR 210 Child(below 15 years of age) : Free
SAARC and BIMSTEC citizens : INR 20
From convoluted designs and beautiful patterns over walls of the tomb to its architecturally built minarets and arches, each and every corner certainly deserves to be explored. So, if you are an architecture enthusiast, this age-old building will assuredly interest you to the core.
Entry Fee
Local Tourist Adult : INR 20
Foreign Tourist Adult : INR 210
SAARC and BIMSTEC Citizens : INR 20
Not only that , you can spend an evening in looking for products like handicrafts, garments, some delicious sweets, leather products to find the best possible deals locally.
Where to Eat in Agra
If you really want to be on budget like us , definitely try eating local chaat dishes in Sadar Bazaar. It is quite pocket friendly and delicious. We had our 1st day dinner at Chaat Gully in Sadar bazar which costed around INR 450 for sumptuous and variety of food items. You can also choose Bikaner, Gopaldas to savor the specialty of street foods.
In Agra, it is that the chaat items are prepared in the Mughlai style. This kind of food preparation is authentic to Agra. The chat items like bhel puri, dalmoth, hot paranthas, kachoris, Kesar Petha, Pani-puri, samosas, and sev puri are available in the streets of Agra.
Do not forget to eat local dish call Bedaai for the breakfast. There are quite a few restaurants who serve Bedaai at the breakfast time near Taj Mahal. We recommend trying Bedaai and Jalebi at Devirams Sweets, MG Road or at Pratap Pura
What's on in Agra
We went to Agra in February, And was lucky enough to attend the Taj Mahotsav fair, when artiste and handicraft vendors from all over India come to display their products.
From March through August, you can check out the show at the Kalakriti Cultural Convention Centre, which showcases the different cultural dance forms of India. The cost is INR 1,500.
There are many other attractions in the city including forts, palaces, temples, tombs, mosques, lakes, parks and gardens for one to enjoy. Agra has all the right ingredients to make it a fun-filled holiday destination!
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