Tick It Before You Kick It

Tips for Visiting the Taj Mahal

• Alexandra Lauren | The Bucket List Mermaid • Season 1 • Episode 32

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Join us as we explore the majestic Taj Mahal in India, sharing essential tips for getting the most magical experience at this iconic bucket-list destination. 

Visit the show notes for photos, tour guide recommendations, and more 👉 https://thebucketlistmermaid.com/visiting-the-taj-mahal-tips/

🔔 Stay tuned for the best insider tips for visiting the Taj Mahal and checking this off of your bucket list!

• Arrive extremely early before sunrise and be first in line at the East Gate for crowd-free photos
• Choose the East Gate for shorter lines; avoid the South Gate, which doesn't open until after 8 am
• Consider purchasing tickets online (approximately $15-18) or booking through Viator to skip lines
• Dress respectfully by covering shoulders and knees; consider wearing a traditional sari for a special experience
• Hire a guide or use an audio tour to appreciate the historical significance and symbolism
• Capture iconic photos from the entrance platform and explore unique angles as lighting changes
• Pack light for security checks and be mindful of the weather (summers can exceed 40°C/104°F)
• Visit nearby attractions like Agra Fort, Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb, and Mehtab Bagh for sunset views

💗If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform so you don't miss another bucket list adventure.



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Alexandra:

Hello, my wild adventurers. My name is Alexandra and welcome to Ticket Before you Kick it the podcast where we talk about everything that should be on your adventure bucket list. This week we are going to be talking about a very iconic one visiting the Taj Mahal in India. I'm going to be going over all the tips and tricks that I have learned from checking this off of my own bucket list so that this can be a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for you. Again, learn from my mistakes. That's why we're all here, because this can be a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for you. Again, learn from my mistakes. That's why we're all here, because this is on a lot of people's bucket list and I can see why. So stay tuned for all of my tips and tricks, what I thought about it and more.

Alexandra:

Let's get started Now. My number one tip is arrive early for the sunrise magic. Now, my first point with getting there early is that the sunrises are magical and they also have fewer crowds and they're unforgettable because, as the light changes, it just casts this beautiful hue on the white marble. That is just unreal and just plain unforgettable. Now, when I say go for sunrise, I also mean that you need to be the very first person in the line. Now I know that your eyes are rolling to the back of your head right now because, honestly, mine were too. I said come on, I know we're getting up early, but do we have to get there so early that I'm waiting for like an hour to an hour and a half on the street in India, just at this East gate, just waiting there before they're even letting us in? And the answer is yes, because what did I get for my efforts? I got me standing in a sari with the Taj Mahal smack dab right behind me, with zero people. This is unheard of. This is a very touristy place, it's a very crowded place and to get this kind of photo is madness. How did I achieve it? I got up early, as I said, I rolled my eyes to the back of my head, I gritted my teeth and I just waited there in the street for part of the night. So, unfortunately, this is kind of what it takes to really, really avoid the crowds. And, as I said, even if you are like the second or third group in line, it still makes a difference, because that second or third group is going to take their pictures and then they're going to go towards the Taj Mahal and you're going to get them in your photos. So, if you want that magic photo, get there early and be the first person in line Now. With that being said, most of the gates open about an hour to 45 minutes before the sunrise. So, again, plan to be there bright and early. Be prepared, and I was so shocked to see that a queue was forming before the gates were even there. So be prepared for that chaoticness. But is it worth it for that one photo? Yeah, kind of is.

Alexandra:

Now number two choose the right entrance gate. There are three main gates. There's the east, the west and the south. I would recommend the east gate because it has shorter lines and it's closer to some of the best hotels in Agra. The one that I would recommend, the East Gate, because it has shorter lines and it's closer to some of the best hotels in Agra. The one that I would avoid like the Plague is the South Gate because it doesn't open until after 8 am. So if you're aiming for that sunrise visit, steer clear of the South Gate.

Alexandra:

Now number three consider buying your tickets online to skip the line. Now there is normally a queue to get a ticket at the gate, especially if you are visiting during peak tourist seasons, which is about from October to March. I think I ended up paying around $15 to $18, plus an additional fee for entering the main mausoleum. Fortunately, indian citizens do have a separate lower pricing tier. Another thing that I would recommend is just buying a Viator tour. These are really really cheap. Cheap, and you might be able to use a guy, but we'll talk about that later. Yes, if you do want to see the Viator Tours, I will link them in the show notes for you to purchase directly from this podcast.

Alexandra:

Now next, dressed comfortably and respectfully. There wasn't really a strict dress code, however, it's just respectful to cover your shoulders and knees. This is considered a holy site, so modest attire is appreciated. Now this brings me to my next point, which me and a bunch of friends we actually, before visiting the Taj Mahal, we went to a little Indian shop that made saris for us. If you don't know what a sari is, this is traditional Indian clothing and you know, sometimes this is a little controversial, because sometimes people don't want to dress in the cultural, traditional attire when you are not from there.

Alexandra:

However, my experience with this was very, very positive. Dressing like this in such an iconic spot was just epic. And not only that, but it actually got me to talk to a lot of locals, because a lot of locals were at the Taj Mahal, which was kind of cool. I thought it would be like all tourists, but it wasn't. There was a lot of people and they were in saris themselves, so I had a lot of people actually stop me and say, oh my gosh, that's beautiful. Thank you so much for respecting my culture, and that was really, really cool to me.

Alexandra:

I did have a lot of people take pictures of me, so that is one thing If you do dress in a sari at the Tasma Hall, you will get your picture taken a lot. I also had a lot of people ask to take pictures with me, and a lot of them were older Indian women who just really really liked how my sari was made. Now I hate to toot my own horn. Actually, it's not even my horn that I'm tooting, it's the people who made the sari. This sari is stunning, and when I say stunning, it's incredible. It's made with this really rich, deep teal and gold, and I have red hair and blue eyes and very pale skin. So the contrast between the sari and my skin tone was just absolutely incredible. Now I do have some Indian family One of my second cousins or whatever, married into an Indian family, so, as I said, I felt comfortable. I sent all the pictures to them. They were in awe of this sari, so I'm not sure if they were taking pictures because of the of me or just of the beauty of the sari itself. They killed it. It was amazing and again, I would highly encourage you to go to those show notes and look at these pictures, because again there's a picture of me in this sari with nobody in it, right at sunrise looking over the Taj Mahal, and my jaw had to be picked up from the floor after seeing this, one of my favorite travel pictures. Please go give it some love.

Alexandra:

Now, speaking of footwear, you do need to remove your shoes or use shoe covers inside of the mausoleum, so just be aware of that. You might want to wear some lightweight slip-on shoes. Now I had been doing this for a while in India and I actually cracked heels and I actually got cellulitis, so I was walking around the Taj Mahal with an infection in my foot because of this, so that made it a little interesting but still abided by the rules. Just wore some covers just to make sure everything was safe. Now number five.

Alexandra:

My next tip is to hire a guide or use an audio tour. A guide can just enrich your experience and I don't know, I just feel like you appreciate it a whole lot more when you hear the historical details and symbolism of the Taj Mahal. Now, I'm not going to go into that, because it's not that type of podcast Plus. I just want you to go experience it for yourself rather than listen to me ramble on about it. If you're not comfortable taking a tour, there are self-guided audio tours that can give you independence but still provide context. Would 100% recommend this because it's just more meaningful that way and you learn something. Now, if you aren't going through a thing like Viator or anything like you're just going from somebody off the street because there are a lot of people on the street that are, you know, going to be like haggling you for giving you tours and all that stuff, because it's India and that's what makes India beautiful, just make sure that you agree on a price with your guide in advance if you are hiring a guide on site, just to avoid any misunderstandings. I have heard of some people getting into a little bit of trouble with this, so just have a clear price and go for it or, honestly, just use one of the Viator tours that I have linked in the show notes. That might be a little safer.

Alexandra:

Now, next, some photography tips, because, in addition to being an adventure blogger, I also talk about photography. So some of the best angles are taken right from the entrance gate, at that platform, right above the main garden and the riverbanks. Again, this is where that iconic photo of me and that sari is taken from, again with no people. It was worth waking up early. There it is, so that's going to be the most iconic photo that you are going to get Again. If you do want to get that photo with no people maybe with no people get there early, because it can get very, very crowded, especially if you're taking it from that angle. However, I would also try to venture to get more unique angles. Maybe try see if you can find a space with no people and then go there and try to get it and then just hope that your Photoshop skills for Photoshopping people out of there is on par. For example, I actually, once the sun came out and started really shining brightly on that white marble. I ended up going a little bit to the side and I took a picture of me sitting down with the sari Again, you can see that in the show notes, but that was another good thing, and there wasn't that many people there. It was still morning. So there are ways to do it.

Alexandra:

Now just be mindful of the rules. Tripods and drones are not allowed. You can bring like a compact camera bag or your smartphone and, of course, just be respectful. When photographing other visitors. I try to avoid that unless I have strict permission from them. Be aware of your surroundings. If you don't want to be photographed, probably other people won't either. And seven pack light and be ready for the security checks. This is a very highly regulated tourist area and that means that security can be pretty tight. They do not allow large books, bags, snacks or anything that might be considered distracting to the atmosphere, so only bring essentials. You might be able to bring a water bottle, but just double check that everything that you are bringing in will be permitted at the gate. As I said, I was one of the first people in here, so security was pretty much a breeze, but I still did have to go through a security check.

Alexandra:

Now, number eight be mindful of the weather. India has very hot and humid summers. Agra summers can get I'm going to use the word sweltering Ooh vocabulary, but it is sweltering. It can rise above 40 degrees Celsius. It's like 104 degrees. So if you visit during this time, again that early morning is going to be key and late afternoons are going to be your friends. Just avoid midday. Funny story I have never passed out because of the heat, but I did pass out in Delhi and it was so weird because I've just never done it before, I've never fainted or anything like that before India did it for me. I actually did pass out. I was there in June, so very hot and humid, felt like a convection bake oven the entire time. Cold water was so hard to come by, but I would literally rather have cold water than food. So let that be your guide to whether you can handle the hot summers. Now, if you are going in winter between like December and January, there can be fog early in the morning and this can sometimes obscure the taj until the sun burns it off around mid-morning. But maybe that's what you're going for, like you're going for those like spooky, eerie photos. If you are a photographer, I can vibe with it. Go for it Now.

Alexandra:

Next, just be respectful of the culture and spiritual importance of this site. You know like, don't touch the walls. The marble is delicate and protected, so just avoid touching surfaces because sometimes the oils from our skin can degrade the stones over time. And then also, if you do decide to go into the mausoleum, just keep your voices low. Be respectful. It is a quiet zone and, as I said, I was really expecting a bunch of tourists to be here, but it is a site of great cultural and historical significance. So just be respectful at all times. Be respectful of the locals who are coming there to pay their respects and going there for those cultural reasons.

Alexandra:

And next, if you do want some nearby attractions, here were some things that I decided to do that were really super cool. So the Agra Fort is also nearby and that's really cool. And also, oh gosh, oh, these pronunciations kill me, but Itimad Ud-Dulaz Tomb, I'm going to go with it. It's sometimes called the Baby Taj or the Jewel Box. I got a really cool picture of me here meditating. It was very, very cool.

Alexandra:

Another idea if you don't want to go into the craziness of Taj Mahal. There's this thing called Metabah I'm going to go with that and this is a beautiful garden with views of the Taj Mahal across the river and, honestly, this is a really cool perspective of the Taj Mahal. If you do want to get a different perspective and avoid all the craziness of going inside Now, pro tip, the sunset views from this park offer a totally different perspective of the Taj Mahal. Just look it up on Google. That will really get my point across of the amazingness of this. So now's the point.

Alexandra:

I want to hear your thoughts. If you want to contact me on social media, I am at the Bucket List, mermaid. I would love to hear if this is on your bucket list. If you've already conquered this off of your bucket list, what were your thoughts? Was it overhyped? Were you just in awe the entire time? I want to hear about it. So definitely feel free to get in touch and I also just love cheering people on when they're checking off their bucket list. If you do want to see those pictures, go ahead and check. Go to the show notes. It is on thebucketlistmermaidcom where you can bookmark this for later and you can do all these tips once you're actually in India. Thank you so much for listening. If you did enjoy this podcast or you did find it helpful or inspiring, it would mean the world to this traveling mermaid if you just subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform so that you don't miss another bucket list episode. Thank you guys again. Keep adventuring and we will see you next time.

Alexandra:

Taj Mahal is just such a place of beauty, history, emotion, and it's just easy to see why people call it a monument to love. So just take your time, soak it all in and let yourself feel transported just by its utter grandeur. This place blew my mind. You see it in all these postcards and you just can't really believe it's real. And then you look at it and you're like, oh my gosh, it's huge. It's just amazing from an architectural standpoint and just from a cultural standpoint. It's absolutely beautiful and I do think that it is worth to have on your bucket list.