Agra, the city of Taj Mahal, is one of the most popular places people visit from all corners of the world. It would not be wrong to say that Agra is a synonym for the Taj Mahal. The city is famous because of this spectacular monument, the Taj Mahal – the 7th Wonder of the World. I have seen this place many times. And I must say it is not on the list of places where I would like to go again and again.
One time visit is good enough for me. But I end up going there every time for two reasons. One, it is near my place and is like a day’s trip/weekend gateway from Delhi NCR, and two, because of the company. More than visiting the wonder “The Taj Mahal,” I am attracted to the people I am going.
It was no different this time than seeing the place I was excited to go to with my Leh friends. These unknown beauties became my friends during my Leh-Ladakh trip, hence the name “Leh friends.”
The Journey to Taj
The morning was exciting, and I was waiting for my friends to pick me up from my place. I prepared breakfast for my family and carried some for our travel. Mine was the last pick-up point, and everyone looked pleased and excited about our trip to Agra. The fact that we were going together was more interesting than the place.
I always wanted to go on a road trip with girlfriends like this, drive the car all by ourselves, and manage things independently.
We reached Agra by noon and decided to check in first and then visit a few places.
Day 1: Fatehpur-Sikri
After freshening up, we left for Fatehpur-Sikri and carried a takeaway lunch to save time. Upon reaching, we parked our car at the parking and hired a guide who would take us to both these forts.
Note: You will have to park your vehicle in the parking. And you will have to take the bus at a nominal ticket price, starting from the parking only.
Tip: Hire a guide for a smooth experience. The guide cost is quite reasonable. Not only will they give you information about these forts, but they will also assist you with all tickets and buses.
First, we went to fort Fateh followed by fort Sikri. We usually call it Fatehpur Sikri together as one fort. But in reality, they are two distinct forts. The two forts have quite an interesting story behind them.
The Fateh Fort: Here Akbar, his three wives, his son Salim, Minister Birbal, and other ministers used to Stay here.
Jodha Bai was his most beloved wife among his 3 wives. Not only Queen Jodha bai had the biggest Mahal to stay in, but she also was the only queen to give king Akbar his heir.
The Sikri Fort: Here, King Akbar prayed to God for his Heir, and he was blessed with the child. Hence, the locals believe that if you pray with all your heart, your wishes will be blessed.
The famous Bulund Darwaza (lofty gate) is amazing and is made from red & buff sandstone
After clicking unlimited pictures here, we returned to Agra and had a lovely dinner before resting the day.
Day 2: Agra
After having a lavish breakfast at the hotel, we decided to visit the places in Agra. We shortlisted to go to Mehtab Garden for some awesome pictures and then to the taj Mahal and other tourist spots.
Mehtab Garden was beautiful, with greenery all around and the Taj in front of you. We clicked infinite pictures with the Taj Mahal in the background.
The garden was all quiet and peaceful, with only a handful of people. The Taj looked so beautiful from this place. We also saw huge queues to enter the Taj, so we decided to skip going there and spend the rest of the time at this place only.
This was the first time I visited the Mehtab Garden. I always avoided this place as I thought it to be some shady place, and it was on the opposite side of the river Jamna. Though the garden is on the back side of the Taj with the river in between, you have to take the road route to reach the places that make it quite far. But to my surprise, this place is extremely beautiful and safe with guards. Many people come here for pre-wedding photoshoots.
It was the best decision to stay here and not go Taj Mahal.
Note: You will have to park your car in the parking lot, which is a little far away from the garden. Either you can walk down or take a rickshaw to reach here. There are 2-3 tourist points like Mehtab Garden, Taj View, and the river, which can be seen.
Tip: Do not carry a tripod or selfie stand, as it is prohibited inside the garden. Only a hand selfie stick is allowed.
Our last stop was Petha shopping from the world-famous petha shop before returning to our respective homes.
This was one of the most memorable trips I had, filled with lots of fun and girly things 😊
Tips:
- Visit the Taj Mahal early in the morning as it is less crowded.
- Mehtab garden is must visit for good photographs (no photo bombers)
- The best time to visit Agra is from August to Mar (when the climate is comparatively cooler). During summer, the flooring gets very hot to walk (as you need to remove your shoes if you want to enter the mosque).
- There is a separate ticket for mosque entry. Honestly, there is nothing to be seen inside other than artwork on the walls and the tomb inside. You can only take the entry ticket and visit the outside of the Taj Mahal
Itinerary Option (2D,1N)
Day 1
- Taj mahal
- Itimad-ud-Daulah’s tomb (located near the Taj Mahal)
- Mehtab Garden (for photography)
- Agra Fort. s a typical example of Mughal architecture. The Fort is made of Red Sandstone which looks beautiful during the daytime under the sun’s rays. The fort includes Sheesh Mahal (full of mirrors), Moti Masjid (pearl), and Diwan-e-Am/khas (halls for public & private audiences), which is definitely worth visiting at least once
- Akbar Tomb Sikandra (it takes half an hour from Agra to reach here)
Day 2
- Fatehpur Sikri (Buland Darwaza, Jami Masjid, Jodha Mahal, Birbal Palace, Panch Mahal).