Agra needs no introduction to most visitors to India, but there is plenty to see beyond the Taj – read my Agra travel guide for all my top Agra travel tips for getting the most out of your time here, enjoying your stay, and discovering the best of Agra beyond the Taj (and crowds!)
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What's in this Guide: hideIf there’s one place in India that every traveller eventually makes it to, it has to be Agra.
For some – it’s the highlight of a long awaited India trip. For others, it’s with more reluctance or version of I can’t really leave India without seeing the Taj kind of sentiment.
My own story with Agra was fairly simple. Having seen the major tourist sights in Agra on my early trips to India – and witnessed a fair amount of the over-tourism and hassle, I wasn’t really in any hurry to return. It’s not for nothing that Agra has something of a bad reputation among tourists to India for the number of touts and scams that prevail(ed) here.
That was until I came across Ekaa Villa in Agra and their work to show visitors a different side of Agra – one with fewer crowds, less focus on the Taj Mahal, and more focus on culture, community-centric tourism. Reason enough to tempt me back to see how Agra had changed over the years, as a result of the Pandemic, and to find out if my opinion of Agra would fare better a few years on (spoiler – it did)!
In this Agra travel blog I’ll cover where to visit, my top travel tips for visiting Agra, advice for female travellers and much more – read on for what you need to know while planning your trip to Agra!
Set in the heart of northern-central India, Agra sees similar weather to Delhi, but with more variation in heat and cold. At time of writing this blog in May, temperatures in Agra are up to almost 50 degrees celsius at the height of summer, as India is experiencing a heat wave. Suffice to say, I do not recommend visiting Agra in April, May or June as these are when temperatures soar.
The most popular (and best weather-wise) time to visit Agra is between late October and early March. In December & January, Agra gets cold (as in you’ll need a coat cold) and this is when Agra also sees a lot of morning fog. For ideal misty morning Taj viewing conditions, you want both sun and morning mist (seeing the mist rising and evaporating over the Taj is something quite special), which can be more likely to happen with warmer weather in February than in January, when the mist can hang about.
Visiting Agra in monsoon (July – late September) is another option, but weather can still be very hot and sticky (high humidity), when it’s not raining.
Whichever time of year you choose to come to Agra, I recommend avoiding weekends, as this is when the majority of Indian domestic tourists travel, and the city and major sights get very crowded. Note that the Taj Mahal is closed every Friday, and special fees and conditions apply if you want to see the Taj during the full moon.
For me, this time one of the highlights of my Agra trip was where I chose to stay.
When it comes to choosing between Agra hotels, unfortunately the options are not always inspiring. There’s a dearth of large (and mostly bland) chain hotels that cater to the wedding and conference market in Agra, and there’s the backpacker hostels of Taj Ganj (some with some great rooftop views it has to be said).
But there’s not much in-between, that has character, represents Agra’s culture, or has the real warmth of hospitality that makes travel in India so special. So I was so happy to stumble upon Ekaa Villa Boutique Hotel & Kitchen which is Agra’s first boutique hotel.
Located in the Taj Nagri phase 2 area just 10 drive minutes from the Taj itself, Ekaa Villa is a peaceful retreat away from the tourist throngs and busy streets of Agra. With just 13 beautifully designed rooms, this boutique hotel reflects the city around it in its design and decor, with a contemporary twist. Rooms feature huge comfy beds, Taj frames on the walls and rain showers. There’s a library on the top flor with some great books and photography of Agra (perfect for unwinding on a hot afternoon or after a busy day), and the restaurant area includes a courtyard area for al fresco dining.
Delicious home-cooked food at Ekaa Villa
The hospitality here is second to none, with the staff seeming to know exactly when you really need one of their thirst quenching iced-teas, a winning formula when combined with the knowledge and passion for Agra that is infectious from its owners.
I highly recommend staying here if you can – and try out one of their Experience packages (see more below in getting off the beaten path in Agra).
It’s hard to beat the morning golden light at the Taj Mahal
As a popular tourist destination in India, Agra needs some pre-planning, especially if its one of your first stops in India. Unfortunately as a place that sees a lot of visitors on whistlestop tours who haven’t done their research, over-charging is common practice, and scams are not uncommon.
Here are some of my tips for seeing the better side of Agra. You can find additional considerations for (solo) female travellers below, too.
Agra is dotted with beautiful monuments, the old city, gardens, sunset spots – far more than you might think on an initial glance! As the former capital of Mughal India (from 1501 until 1638 when Shah Jahan built a new capital in Delhi) , there is arguably nowhere better in India to see stunning Mughal architecture.
Ticketing
One thing to note when planning your visits to the various monuments in Agra and around (including Fatehpur Sikri), is that tickets now have to be bought online and are not available at the monuments themselves (you’ll find signs with a QR code that you can scan). Head to this website to buy your tickets – they can be booked up to a week in advance. If you have trouble with your card being accepted, you could ask your hotel to try and book tickets for you on an Indian card and add them to your bill (foreign cards seem to be hit and miss if they are accepted or not).
There may be far more to see in Agra beyond the Taj, but you still won’t want to miss it. No matter how many photos you’ve seen (and even if you’ve visited before), there’s nothing that quite prepares you for the first shining white glimpse of the Taj Mahal through the entrance gate, glinting in the misty morning light.
The best time to visit the Taj Mahal, without question, is for sunrise. The monument is open sunrise to sunset, Saturday to Thursday (the Taj is closed every Friday). Sunrise is a little loose as a time… so it’s worth getting there a bit before. In late march, we arrived at the Taj at 06.30 and were a little late, 6am would have been the perfect time to arrive. The reason why sunrise is the best time is a) for the beautiful morning light and b) it’s the only time of day you’ll see the Taj with fewer crowds.
There are three entrances to the Taj Mahal – South (closest to the budget hotels at Taj Ganj), West, and East (closer to the higher end hotels located in the south east of the city). Note that regular auto-rickshaws are not allowed within 500m of the Taj due to pollution, so you’ll have to walk the last stretch or take an e-rickshaw. At Shilpgram (east entrance) the e-rickshaw cost is included in foreigner ticket prices.
Second only to the Taj Mahal when it comes to top places to visit in Agra, the Agra Fort is one of the finest Mughal forts in India, and a step up on Delhi’s very similar version. Construction of the fort was begun in 1565 by Emperor Akbar, and then finished by his grandson, Shah Jahan, who transformed the military fort into a palace, adding his signature touch of plenty of white marble.
Rising above the Yamuna river, you can easily spend hours wandering around the massive fort. The best time to come is very early morning to avoid the tour groups, preferably while they’re still at the Taj. The fort opens at sunrise. Another bonus for sunrise visitors are the photo ops back over towards the Taj Mahal (you’ll need a decent zoom lens), where if you’re lucky, you’ll catch the sun rising behind the Taj.
Probably my favourite monument in Agra, the tomb of Persian nobleman, Mumtaz Mahal’s grandfather, the “Baby Taj” is a treat for the eyes as well as the crowd-weary. The intricate designs and carved marble lattice screens are impressive examples of Persian architecture, and the river-side location makes for a peaceful spot to take in the Yamuna views of Agra.
Best of all, the traditional Persian style gardens are being restored to their former glory – traditionally these contained cypress trees, roses and flowers according to the Persian traditions around gardens. Cypress trees were used to represent life and death, a figure pointing towards the heavens bridging the life and the afterlife. The gardens follow the traditional ‘char Bagh’ style, divided by four water streams.
There’s an interesting display on the restoration of these gardens to the traditional Persian style with trees and flowers, from the British style grass ‘lawns’ that were imposed during colonial times which destroyed the rich diversity of these and other Mughal gardens in Agra.
The resting place of Emperor Akbar, Sikandra lies 10km to the west of Agra, and is another incredible example of the beautiful Mughal architecture in Agra. Most impressive are the entrance gateway to Sikandra with its four towers, along with the beautifully painted ceilings and walls of the main cenotaph.
The gateway opens out onto expansive lawned gardens (presumably the traditional Persian style was present here before the British lawn-ified them). Deer can be seen wandering around, and the gardens are peaceful spot to relax in.
Unfortunately the tomb itself and several of the outbuildings are a shadow of their former glory, having experienced multiple raids by the local Jat warrior rulers that preceded the Mughal kingdom (the bones of Akbar were removed during one of the Jat raids) – and despite restoration work undertaken by the British during the early twentieth century. But, raids aside, this is still one of the most impressive Agra attractions, which receives a fraction of the visitors compared to other Agra must see sights.
The park across the river from the park (Mehtab Bagh) has long been a favourite sunset viewing point for the Taj, and the gardens provide for a pleasant stroll however a new sunset viewing point has now been put in which runs in front of the park directly next to the river – so your view from the park may be obscured by people in front of you.
The viewing point is paid access (with heavy surcharges for visiting at the full moon), and additional camera charges apply.
In my view, there are much better viewing points for the Taj – as these days the Yamuna river flow is far reduced, with the effect being you are rather looking across damp grass up at the Taj, rather than the sunset river reflection you have in your mind. It’s also worth noting that boat trips to view the Taj are now banned.
As home to the Taj Mahal, Agra, unsurprisingly sees a huge influx of tourists (especially in winter, and on weekends) and the volume of footfall has an impact including over-crowding and over-commercialisation. One of the simplest ways to create a better impact on your trip to Agra, is to stay longer and support local businesses.
A surprisingly high percentage of visitors just come for the day, meaning that they don’t spend at hotels, or much at restaurants, or have time to absorb much of the culture, creating a kind of flood-in-flood-out tourism challenge. By doing the opposite and supporting smaller hotels, restaurants and hiring local guides, the positive effects of tourism are magnified. So, come for at least a couple of days if you can, preferably not at the weekend.
Along with Agra’s “big hitters” (above), there are several lesser known monuments around the city to fill your days with and take in on heritage walks – but, beyond a doubt, my favourite way to experience Agra beyond the crowds was on the experiences (short tours) that Ekaa Villa arranged for us.
A highlight was walking through rural villages on the outskirts of Agra, complete with chai-stops at villagers’ homes, and wandering to the edge of wheat fields for what turned out to be some of the most stunning views of the Taj I’ve seen – with no-one else around.
You also do not want to miss out on Agra’s food scene, and by that I don’t mean sticking to tourist-focused restaurants at hotels. Take a trip to the halwaais and sweet makers in old Agra on a food tour, and make sure there’s room in your stomach for plenty of lassi.
Here are a few responsible tourism related organisations to support on your trip to Agra:
Located in western Uttar Pradesh, Agra is one of India’s more conservative parts of the country, and although many solo female travellers (including me) visit Agra with absolutely no problem, it’s advisable to think and plan ahead to get the best experience out of your trip.
Here are a few tips:
Agra is well connected to Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Varanasi and many other Indian cities.
Train: Agra is very easy to reach by train – but be aware that Agra has several train stations so do check which yours comes into and leaves from. Agra Cantt (Cantonment) is the largest with the majority of trains arriving into and out of. To or from Delhi, the best train to get is the 12050 / 12049 Gatimaan Express – currently one of India’s fastest trains – which runs between Hazrat Nizamuddin in South Delhi to Agra Cantonment.
Or – if you like the sound of going to Agra by train from Delhi but would rather someone else did the planning, you can book this Agra day trip by train tour.
Air: Flights from major Indian cities connect to Agra’s airport, which is located 13kms from Agra city.
Road: Agra is a quick 2-3 hour drive of around 185kms from Delhi along the Delhi-Agra Yamuna expressway. You can book a taxi, inter-city Uber, or take one of the many buses serving the Delhi-Agra route.
The beautiful architecture at Akbar’s Tomb (Sikandra)
October – March is the best time weather-wise. December and January are the coolest months, but also attract the most crowds, so times like late October and late February are a great idea. Whenever you visit, try to avoid weekends if you can.
Agra is located in one of the more conservative areas of India, so I recommend covering your legs down to at least your knees, shoulders and avoid any strappy, low cut revealing clothes. Leave the shorts in your bag for Goa. Maxi dresses (no big slits) are a good option, as are maxi skirts with a t-shirt or top (plus they’ll look good in your photos). Scarves are super-useful for covering up when need be.
The Taj Mahal is open daily except Fridays, and tickets need to be bought in advance, online, using the Architectural Survey of India payment portal (link above). At time of writing (April 2022), the rate for foreign visitors is 2500 rupees. There are 3 entrances (west, south and east), with the most useful depending on where you are coming from (see above). The best time to visit the Taj is at sunrise, for beautiful light and fewer crowds. Separate pricing applies for visiting the Taj during the Full Moon and days surrounding it.
Editorial note: Thank you to Ekaa Villa for hosting my stay with them – as usual this doesn’t affect my thoughts, ideas and recommendations!
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Categories Agra, Uttar Pradesh Tags Legendary IndiaPassionate about all things India travel - journeys of transformation and discovery, local experiences, and getting under the skin of India.
