5 Tips For Visiting The Taj Mahal in Agra, India

The Taj Mahal is one of the new seven wonders of the world. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site. It was built in the 16th century by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The Taj Mahal is used to house the remains of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is located in Agra, India, and took over 22 years to build.

Here are five tips to make your visit to the Taj Mahal one to remember.

1. Go Early
I arrived at around 5:30 am, and there were quite a few people there, but the number of people quadrupled by the time I left. There are lines at a few of the hot spots to take pictures, but none of the lines had a long wait. If you get there later, you run the risk of a longer wait time to get the shot directly in front of the Taj Mahal. The area surrounding the Taj is huge, and there are many places to take pictures.

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2. Hire a Guide
A local guide will help speed up the process of getting your tickets and navigating through and around the Taj Mahal. The biggest plus is that they are experts and will give you a history lesson as you explore the Taj.

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3. Be Patient
There is a little bit of walking, in the beginning, to get to the Taj, please be patient. Also, some will take a little bit longer than usual when taking their photos. Hopefully, you have been working on your patience because you will be tested. I was fortunate enough to witness a shouting match while I was there.

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4. Dress The Part
You will most likely only visit the Taj Mahal once in your lifetime, take advantage of the opportunity. If you choose to dress casual, that is fine too. I wore a dress that I purchased in Jerusalem. Many like to buy traditional Indian clothing, and I’ve noticed that photos pop even more when you choose to decide to dress up. I still wore tennis because a girl must be comfortable.

5. Hire a Local Photographer
Locals know all of the sweet spots for pictures. If you are looking for a way to take a piece of the Taj Mahal with you, a photographer will help make sure that you can turn your photos into keepsake pieces of art.

Have you ever been to the Taj Mahal? Did you fall in love with it like I did?