Breathtakingly beautiful. If I had to describe the Taj Mahal in two words, this would be it. The marble mausoleum has an almost magical appearance and a visit to this wonder of the world is an absolute must if you are in India. I thought it was a really memorable experience and with these 10 tips your visit to the Taj Mahal will also be one to remember.
1. Go early The Taj Mahal attracts thousands of visitors a day, all of whom want to enjoy the most beautiful viewpoints. The only way to avoid the crowds and to be able to admire the monument in peace is to arrive early. And then really early. Today more and more people visit the Taj Mahal during sunrise, which means that there is already a long line before it is open at all. If you want to be one of the first to enter, you must be at the entrance at least 30 minutes before sunrise. Another way to avoid the line is to book a skip-the-line ticket .
2. Choose a hotel nearby If you want to visit the complex around dawn, it's best to sleep in a hotel nearby. That way you only have to walk or drive a short distance, which means you can sleep a little longer - and that's always good news. There are a few good hotels next to the Taj Mahal, but for somewhat cheaper options you can also book a hotel or hostel a few blocks away. Our homestay was about 2 kilometers away and we took about fifteen minutes on foot.
3. Buy your tickets online At the Taj Mahal there are two different rows: one to buy your ticket and one to go inside. When you buy your tickets online, you can skip the first row and immediately join the second row. Valid tickets can only be purchased through the Ministry of Culture website . By the way, don't forget to bring your passport to the Taj Mahal if you have purchased an online ticket. TIP! When you book a private guide through GetYourGuide , he arranges the tickets for you and you don't have to stand in line at all.
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4. Choose the correct gate There are three entries: the West Gate, the East Gate and the South Gate. The first two open at sunrise and the last at 8 a.m. When you come around sunrise, you have to take the western or eastern entrance. Until the end of 2017, the cash register at the East Gate was 750 meters away and that entrance was only useful if you had already purchased tickets. In the meantime you can also buy your tickets at the entrance, making it no longer matter if you go to the West or East Gate in terms of speed. When you arrive after 8 o'clock, the South Gate seems to be the quietest.
5. Dress warmly Most people visit the Taj Mahal in the winter months. The temperature is often lovely during the day, but it can be quite cold at night. Certainly when you come in the early morning, you really have to dress really warm. We stood in line around 6.15 am and it was about 12 degrees at the time - not really nice with bare legs and sandals. In the summer this is not necessary, then it is still very hot even in the middle of the night.
6. Don't bring a backpack There are a lot of things that you can't take inside, such as food, knives, chargers and tripods. When you bring a backpack inside, it is turned completely inside out, so you lose valuable minutes. To prevent this, you better take a handbag or no bag at all. You can read more information about what you can and cannot take with you on the official site of the Taj Mahal .
7. Run! If you want pictures of the Taj Mahal without people, you better put on good shoes and quickly sprint to the iconic viewpoints. Most people linger at the entrance or wait or others who have not yet passed security, so if you walk straight through quickly, chances are that you will have the beautiful tomb completely to yourself.
8. Make sure you ate something You are not allowed to bring any food inside and you cannot buy anything inside the complex either. Since you can walk around for two hours, it is smart to eat something in advance, especially if you arrive early and also have to wait in line for a while.
9. Don't forget the rest The mausoleum is incredibly beautiful and impressive, but the other buildings are also beautiful. Be sure to take the time to admire the mosque on the left of the Taj Mahal and the meeting room on the right, which are almost identical. The large gate that separates the entrances to the complex is beautiful and definitely worth seeing.
10. Say 'no' to selfies The Taj Mahal is mainly visited by domestic tourists, who are all crazy about selfies, especially with whites. In the beginning this can still be fun, but when you are asked for the tenth time, the fun is quickly over. And don't think you can get rid of it with one photo; once you have said 'yes' to someone, there will immediately be a line with other people who also want to be photographed with you. To avoid annoying yourself and making the whole experience a lot less fun, it is better to immediately say 'no' if people want to take a picture with you.
Bonus tips: read in or take a guide The Taj Mahal is so much more beautiful and impressive if you know the story behind it. If you want to know all the details, it is best to take a guide , but if you prefer to explore the complex on your own, I recommend reading some information about the history and construction of the mausoleum in advance.
Practical information The Taj Mahal is open six days a week from sunrise to sunset. The building is closed on Friday. A ticket costs 1000 rupees per person (2017).
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