My name is Barbara, and in this article I’ll be sharing my experiences and providing tips on the Taj Mahal. I’m a traveler from Brazil who just left my country to travel around Asia for a year with my partner, as digital nomads. Our first destination was India, a country I am visiting for the second time.
My passion for travel began when I was little, with lots of encouragement from my father who is a historian. He loved telling me stories about the world and encouraged me to read. But as I didn’t have much financial resources, I didn’t travel much when I was young. When I started working, in the first years of college, I managed to start saving money and so I went on my first backpacking trip to South America for a month.
This trip was transformative. It showed me how immense the world is, and how many interesting people and cultures are out there. After that, I became convinced that I needed to find more ways to travel. As other trips took place, I started offering travel services to family and friends – who saw in me the ability to create cool and accessible travel itineraries. I’ve always wanted to show people that travel doesn’t have to be expensive.
After a 10-year journey in the corporate world, I made a professional transition and turned my passion into work. I currently work in tourism and take Brazilians abroad, including to India. I’ve always been more interested in countries that are a little off the traditional path. There’s something about “culture shock” that interests me. And this is where India comes in.
There is a cool saying that states: “You don’t choose when to travel to India, it calls you when it has to”. And it was like that for me. My desire to get to know the country came out of nowhere. The spark ignited before the pandemic, after I took a long trip to Southeast Asia. I became enchanted by Eastern culture and the positive cultural shock it gave me.
I then started reading a lot about the country, and became enchanted by its history and culture. As soon as the pandemic ended, I took my first trip to India in October 2022. And now I’m doing the second one in May 2024.
My Travel Experiences Around India
During my first visit, I explored India for two weeks and on this second trip I stayed for a month. I visited cities in the north and south, starting in the north with Delhi (the political capital with many interesting monuments), Jaipur (the capital of Rajasthan where the Indian maharajas lived), Agra (home to the Taj Mahal and other monuments from the Mughal era), Varanasi (the spiritual capital of India where cremations take place on the ghats of the River Ganges) and Rishikesh (the global capital of yoga).
After this period, I went to the south where I visited four cities in the coastal state of Kerala. It’s famous for its Ayurvedic treatments, with numerous resorts/clinics that promote treatments and retreats. Kerala also boasts a super interesting history and is actually connected with Brazil (my country of origin) because this state was once a Portuguese colony.
There are two completely different Indias and it was interesting to see this contrast. If the country had already won me over on my first trip, this time the enchantment was only consolidated. India is a country rich in culture and history. It’s a melting pot where the traveler experiences an explosion of stimuli at all times: with many colors, smells, flavors, people, animals, cars, tuk tuks, etc. Everything goes together and gets mixed up.
Visiting India is intense, but transformative if you come with an open heart and mind – with an observant and non-judgmental attitude. This is difficult to do in today’s world but it’s so necessary. Nothing here makes sense to a linear mind and that is precisely the fun of the trip. Overall, India is an incredible country with a lot to teach people who visit it.
Why the Taj Mahal is So Special
The Taj Mahal is everything we hear about and more. Even though everyone has seen pictures of it, nothing compares to visiting it in person. It’s one of the most magnificent and impressive works ever made by man. The details and symmetry of the construction impresses all who visit it. The two times I visited the complex, I felt a unique energy.
As I work in tourism, I organized the entire trip myself in partnership with a local operator. I highly recommend hiring a guide for your visit to the Taj Mahal. The history of the monument is quite interesting, and it’s worth it to have someone there who can show you around and share all the details.
10 Tips for Visiting the Taj Mahal
1. Arrive Early to the Taj Mahal
The most important of all the Taj Mahal tips is to arrive early. Depending on the time of year, the gates open at 5am and a queue starts even before that. We woke up at 4am to get there before opening and to be able to explore it empty. It was great to have mild temperatures and, as a bonus, watch the sunrise – illuminating one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
2. Hire a Local Guide
As I mentioned, the story behind the construction of the Taj Mahal is super interesting and worth being told by a guide. They will give you all the details and curiosities about the monument. Additionally, a guide can help with entry to the complex, tips for the best photos and other things. You also contribute to local tourism which is nice.
3. Choose the Right Time of Year to Visit
This is a tip that not only applies to the Taj Mahal but to the country as a whole. If possible, choose to visit India between October and April, when the temperatures are milder and the possibility of rain is lower. In the middle months of the year, temperatures can exceed 45 degrees celsius.
4. Use Insect Repellent at the Taj Mahal
In the early hours of the morning, it’s common to see many mosquitoes at the entrance and inside the complex. This varies depending on the time of year you go but it’s worth bringing all year round to avoid bites.
5. Make Preparations for Photos
For photography lovers, the Taj Mahal is a treat – offering different angles for amazing photos. One of the coolest angles is just in front of an elevated platform where you can position yourself in front of the mausoleum, with the stream of water and trees in perfect symmetry behind you.
Another good angle is inside the mosque which is on the left side of the monument (when looking at the Taj Mahal). Even if the access is closed, keep an eye out to see if there are any employees nearby. They will take you aside and offer to take this photo for you in exchange for a small tip.
6. Consider Getting Professional Photos
There are many photographers stationed at the complex who offer to make a small book of photos for you to take home. The photos usually look good (you can see them as the shoot is done and ask for adjustments) and they deliver them printed for a reasonable price – around 1000 rupees (around 12 dollars) for 10 to 15 photos. It’s a cool souvenir. It’s also worth noting that visitors cannot enter the complex with professional cameras or tripods.
7. Dress Appropriately for the Taj Mahal
There are no specific clothing requirements for a Taj Mahal visit but as for any trip to India, common sense is always highly recommended – make sure you respect the local culture. Women shouldn’t wear any tight-fitting clothes, low-cut clothes, or anything with their knees or shoulders showing.
In relation to the photos, as the mausoleum is so white, it’s worth investing in colored clothing (such as red or yellow) for greater contrast. It’s also possible to buy or rent traditional Indian clothes, such as Saris, for even more traditional looking photos. Another note worth mentioning is that big bags aren’t allowed inside the complex, only small purses and bags.
8. Head Inside the Mausoleum
Many visitors just end up staying outside, taking photos and observing the monument. But it’s also possible to go inside for an additional fee, paid on the spot. However, photography is not allowed. Inside, you can see the only asymmetry of the entire complex: the emperor’s tomb next to his wife’s.
9. Pay Attention to the Rules
Visited by thousands of people every day, rules of good conduct had to be created and activities such as recording videos with dancing, singing and doing yoga poses are prohibited. To give you an idea of the problem: TikTok was banned in India. Check the rules at the entrance to avoid problems.
10. Watch the Sunset from Mehtab Bagh
In addition to the main visit at the Taj Mahal complex, there is another cool place to get an interesting view of the mausoleum. Just behind it passes the Yamuna River and on the other side of the stream there is a garden called Mehtab Bagh – a beautiful spot to watch the sunset over the Taj.
To find the exact location, just search for the name of the garden or “Yamuna View Point ADA” on Google Maps. Furthermore, on full moon nights, it’s also possible to visit the complex at night. Consult with your hotel or guide for more information about this experience.
Best Places to Stay in Agra
To visit the Taj Mahal, you must stay in Agra for at least one night. It’s possible to do a day tour from Delhi but I do not recommend this. If you can, stay in Agra for two nights, so you can wake up early and visit the mausoleum in the morning and then in the afternoon also visit the Red Fort. The two times I went to Agra, I stayed at the Clarks Shiraz and Jaypee Palace hotels. I recommend them both, especially Jaypee Palace.
Amazing Memories at the Taj Mahal
The first time I visited the Taj Mahal, I was very anxious and had butterflies. It was like the realization of a dream I didn’t even know I had. The entrance is through an arch-shaped door – and the image of the mausoleum emerges little by little as you advance through the entrance gate, giving you just a taste of the main view that you will have on the other side.
I remember being moved by that view, as it slowly formed in front of me. As soon as I entered, I didn’t take photos right away. I remained silent for a few minutes, contemplating the monument and feeling the emotion.
After a while, I picked up my phone and called my mother who was thousands of kilometers away – literally on the other side of the planet. The phone rang a few times and there was no answer. It was quite late in Brazil and I thought she might be sleeping. Finally she answered, looking sleepy.
When she saw what was on the other side of the camera, she gave me a big smile and got emotional. I was happy to have shared this moment with her, even if virtually. She opened doors for me in my life and always supported me – present for everything, even through my craziest dreams.
I would have also called my father but, unfortunately, he passed away during the pandemic. So I also dedicated this moment to him and all the encouragement he always gave me to explore the world. That was a very special memory for me at the Taj Mahal and it will stay in my heart forever.
