A two-day journey for travellers who want one night in a five-star hotel in Agra and the Taj Mahal at sunrise, without a long itinerary around it. You travel by private car with a driver, and a licensed guide meets you in Agra. Cost is sent on request once we know your dates.
Highlights
What stays with you
One night in a five-star hotel in Agra, arranged by category
Agra Fort and Itimad-ud-Daulah on the first afternoon
Mehtab Bagh at sunset, looking across the river to the Taj
The Taj Mahal at sunrise with your licensed guide
Private car and driver from Delhi and back again
Day by day
How the days go
Day1
Delhi to Agra
Drive: roughly three and a half hours
Your driver meets you at your Delhi hotel or the airport in the late morning, and the car takes the expressway to Agra, roughly three and a half hours with a stop on the way.
You arrive at your five-star hotel, arranged by us in that category, with time to check in and rest.
Your guide joins you for Agra Fort, the red sandstone fort of the Mughal court, where a terrace looks along the river toward the Taj.
The car then goes to Itimad-ud-Daulah, a small marble tomb with delicate inlay work, usually a quiet stop.
Toward the end of the day you drive to Mehtab Bagh, the garden on the far bank of the Yamuna, to watch the light change on the Taj from a distance.
You then return to the hotel.
Anything you would like from the hotel itself, such as a particular dinner or a room request, can be discussed when we plan.
An early night helps, because day two begins before dawn.
Day2
Agra to Delhi
Drive: roughly three and a half hours
Your driver takes you to the Taj Mahal before sunrise, at a time we confirm with you the evening before.
Your guide has the entry arranged and walks with you through the security check and the main gateway, where the Taj comes into view at the end of the garden.
You then walk the reflecting pool and the marble platform as the colour moves from grey to pale gold.
The first hours are the calmest, so take your time.
Allow about two hours in all.
Back at the hotel there is a slow breakfast and time to change before check-out.
The car then drives to Delhi, roughly three and a half hours with a break, and you are dropped at your hotel, the airport or a station for your onward trip.
Please share any flight or train times when we plan.
In December and January fog can flatten the sunrise, and we would adjust the timing on the morning.
Note. The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays, so the order of days may shift. December and January fog can flatten a sunrise.
Practical
Good to know
The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays, so this overnight should not start on a Thursday.
The hotel is arranged in the five-star category; specific features can be discussed when we plan.
Winter fog in December and January can flatten the sunrise and slow the early road.
Flights are not included, and the driver can take you to the airport or an onward train on day two.
Entry tickets are arranged for you, and the cost of the journey is sent on request.
The details
Included, and not
Included
Private air-conditioned car and driver throughout
Licensed local guide in each city
Hotels in your chosen category, breakfast daily
Airport or hotel pickup and drop
Bottled water in the car
WhatsApp support from our Agra team
Not included
International and domestic flights
Monument entry tickets (we arrange them at cost)
Lunches and dinners
Tips for guides and driver
Travel insurance and visas
Questions
Good to know
Is the hotel a named five-star property?
No, we arrange the hotel by category, a five-star in Agra, rather than naming one in advance. Tell us what matters to you, such as a quiet room or a view, and we will talk it through when we plan.
Will I see the Taj Mahal from the hotel?
We cannot promise a view from any room, since that depends on the property and the dates. If a view matters to you, say so and we will discuss what is possible when we plan.
Which days of the week can this overnight start?
Any day from Saturday to Wednesday works, since the Taj visit falls on day two. A Thursday start would put the Taj on a Friday, when it is closed.
How do I get the cost for this journey?
Send us your dates and the number of travellers, and we reply with the cost for your plan. It is not shown on this page because it depends on the hotel category and the time of year.
