Roads Best Travelledpresents

The Best Way to Visit the

Taj Mahal

There are few images in the world that can compare to the iconic and beautiful Taj Mahal in India. One might reasonably think that it could be disappointing upon arrival, and not live up to the countless stunning photographs that have been published over the decades. But the Taj Mahal does not disappoint: in person it is both breathtaking and marvelous.

WHERE TO STAY:

First off, few people actually stay in the town of Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located. There is an Oberoi just down the road from the Taj Mahal (if money is no object) and a few scattered low-star hotels, but there’s not much charm in Agra (other than the Taj Mahal) to warrant spending the night. Most visitors simply stay overnight in New Delhi and visit Agra as a day trip, despite the 5 hour drive in each direction.

We stayed at the Westin Gurgaon New Delhi, located approximately 15 minutes on outskirts of the city, in the “suburban” business district, and convenient to the airport. As a bonus, this hotel is in the direction of Agra, shaving some time off the long car trip to Agra. Our room rate was 8,160 Rs (~$127USD) plus 17.42% room and luxury tax.

You simply can’t do better for your dollar: this hotel is sleek and modern, immaculately clean, has elegant rooms with plenty of nice touches, and the most comfortable bed of my entire month in India. The pool is lovely and the spa has a wonderful array of services, at reasonable prices. The staff bends over backwards to be helpful and accommodating. Upon departure when I realized I left my passport in the room safe, the front desk manager even sent my passport with a bellhop by car to the airport for me — what a lifesaver!

Website: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1710

Westin Gurgaon New Delhi

TRANSPORTATION:

Don't book transportation through the hotel for airport pickup or drop off or any taxi services -- you will pay 50% more to almost double the rates you can get by booking directly through a local car service. A friend who travels to India regularly for business suggested we use Eco Rent A Car while in Delhi for all of our transportation needs, and we could not have been more delighted with their services.

General info is: info@ecorentacar.com / +91-11-4075-4979

Regional Manager for Delhi: Mr. G.S. Dhanoa, reachable at:

gurjinder@ecorentacar.com / 95-8259-9301

All of the Eco Rent A Car drivers we had in Delhi were extremely polite, accommodating, well dressed in uniforms, and spoke limited English. All of the cars were brand new, top-notch, immaculately clean, with perfect air-conditioning -- in short MUCH nicer than the Town Cars one gets from the average car service in NYC.

Eco Rent A Car’s Pledge of Quality Service

ECO RENT A CAR RATES:

• Airport pickup, driver waiting with sign at exit, to the Westin Gurgaon: 1500 Rs (~$23usd)

• Sightseeing in Delhi (parking fees and tolls extra):• Toyota Innova: 2000 Rs, plus 20 Rs per km over the first 80 km and 200 Rs per hour over the 1st 8 hrs

• Basic car: 1600 Rs, plus 16 Rs per km over the first 80 km and 200 Rs per hour over the 1st 8 hrs

• Day trip to Agra: 10,000 Rs (~$156usd) for Toyota Etios or 12,000 (~$187usd) for Toyota Innova (plus service tax). We took the Etios rate but have no idea what kind of car they actually sent -- but it was nice and comfy and absolutely brand new.

Confirm in advance via email that your Agra car/driver/tour includes the following:

1. Private tour guide, fluent English-speaking, in Agra upon arrival

2. Horse & buggy transfer from parking lot to entrance of Taj Mahal

3. Private Guided Tour of Taj Mahal, up to 3 hours

4. Private Guided Tour of Agra Fort, up to 2 hours

5. Optional stop at marble factory *NOTE: The marble factory workers give a short demonstration and then bring you into the showroom which is filled with beautiful works of art, all for sale at understandably high prices. Alert your car service booker in advance if you wish to skip this stop. Some visitors love it, others aren't interested. The drivers get a commission on anything you buy, so they'll always want to bring you here.

Car & Driver from Eco Rent A Car, New Delhi

SUGGESTIONS for visiting the Taj Mahal:

Schedule your pickup for 5am. You want to arrive by 9 or 10am, to beat the heat and the crowds, and the drive can take 4 to 5 hours depending on how much traffic there is. The hotel will pack a boxed breakfast for you to snack on during the trip. TIP: bring a pillow from the hotel so you can nap comfortably during the long drive.

SUGGESTIONS for visiting the Taj Mahal:

Your tour guide probably already has a professional photographer friend waiting to make a deal with you to take photos and have them developed, printed on high quality photo paper, and burned to a CD by the time your tour is complete. Don't forget to negotiate! We got the price down to almost half of the opening offer. Don't spend more than you think the photos will be worth. That being said, our photographer was amazing -- he ordered people standing by to get out of our shots, and knew all the right spots to get the best pictures. Plus he carried around our camera and took pictures with both cameras, which ended up being worth it. Remember: you're probably not coming back anytime soon, so a few extra dollars on high-quality pictures could be the best decision you make.

SUGGESTIONS for visiting the Taj Mahal:

Wear comfortably shoes, because there is a LOT of walking involved. The grounds of the Tag Mahal are quite large, and under the blazing sun you'll tire quickly. After your tour, ask your guide and driver to bring you to the beautiful –and air conditioned – Oberoi Hotel for an early lunch, served all day.

SUGGESTIONS for visiting the Taj Mahal:

Tackle the impressive Agra Fort after you've cooled down at lunch, or if your feet need a rest, go to the marble factory next if you're keen to shop. Keep in mind the Agra Fort is massive in size, so you've got a lot more walking to do!

SUGGESTIONS for visiting the Taj Mahal:

If you can stay awake for the long car ride home, soak in the scenery. Overwhelming and sad at time, there is beauty within the chaos of the road to Agra, and you don't want to miss it.

Enjoy your trip to the Taj Mahal!

Questions? Email us: RoadsBestTravelled@gmail.com