Best Experiences in Agra with Taj Mahal

Agra, located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, is one of the most visited tourist site in India. Apart from the scenic beauty, there are also two of the World Heritage Sites that are located here, one of them being the Red Fort and the other one being the renowned Taj Mahal. Aside from these two historical monuments, there are also several activities that one can indulge in the Indian city of Agra to enjoy and experience the city to the fullest. Listed below are a few of the things that you can do while in Agra.

1. Taj Mahal at Night

Whenever you ask a tourist to close his or her eyes and imagine being in India, the first image that comes to his or her mind is the image of the Taj Mahal in Agra. There is no possible and reasonable way for one to deny the beauty and charm of the Mughal edifice of Taj Mahal.

The marble mausoleum, also famous throughout the world as the epitome of love has more to it than one can imagine by visiting it during the day. The one thing that is more beautiful than the Taj Mahal during the day is the vision of the Taj Mahal during the night. Some tourism companies have taken it upon themselves to provide a complete tour of the Taj Mahal during the night in every month of the year, at least five times per week. The tours are generally conducted on the nights of the full moon and on the two days before and after the full moon.

Below the full moon in the dark night sky, the gigantic structure of the Taj Mahal looks even more fascinating and enchanting. There are numerous travellers who want to visit the Taj Mahal during the night for this specific reason. These people also prefer to visit the Taj Mahal on the night of the full moon to get a taste of the complete magic of the Taj Mahal.

However, visiting the Taj Mahal at night is not an easy deal. Tickets need to be bought beforehand to beat all the others looking to buy the same ticket. You can get these tickets from the Archaeological Survey of India Office, which remains open 10 AM onwards. You need to buy the tickets 24 hours before the beginning of the event to get one.

2. Balloon Safari in Agra

Balloon Safari is one the best ways to get an aerial view of all the things there are to see in Agra. Agra, as a historical city, has had great significance. There are numerous historical monuments here which are built by the Mughals which makes this a must visit city for the tourists and travellers not only in India but all throughout the world. It is especially for the history buffs that Agra will be a magical city.

A Balloon Safari in Agra gives them a chance to not only see the historical monuments from above, but the aerial views gives off a different kind of magical feeling to them.

Suggested tours - Same Day Taj Mahal Tour (Agra) By Car From Delhi

3. Taj Nature Walk

The Taj Nature Walk is located in an actual wilderness of immaculate fauna and flora close to the right coast of the river called Yamuna. There are a lot of colourful butterflies one can see in this tour along many rare birds and various kinds of mammals. A children’s play equipment is also located in this huge park and is one of the major attractions of this place. This park spreads across nearly 180 hectares of land and is located on the Fatehabad road, five hundred metres away from the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Nature Walk is set in an area which has several platofrms and mounds from where the people and enjoy a beautiful view of the Taj Mahal. The distance of the Taj Nature Walk is nine kilometres long and resembles a short hike.

Some examples of the various rare species birds that the eager birdwatchers can find here are paradise flycatchers, bulbuls, golden orioles, Indian flame woodpeckers, tree pies, ringed doves, common green, blue pigeons, small bee-eaters, parakeets, Indian cuckoos numerous others.

The presence of the dancing peacocks in the experience of the Taj Mahal creates a further peaceful atmosphere. Apart from these birds, there are also several animals here which are another sight for the tourists, for example, jackals, hyenas, blue bulls et cetera. The reptiles present in this park are rat snakes, pythons, cobras, and also monitor lizards.

4. Taj Mahotsav

The Taj Mahotsav, also known as the Taj Festival is an annual event that occurs around the date of 18th to 27th February. It is a ten day annual event and occurs in the place called Shilpgram in Agra. The festival is a way of invoking the memories and rituals of the old Mughal Era and also the Nawabi Style that has been existing in Uttar Pradesh since the 18th and 19th centuries.

This event is a mean of around four hundred artisans from different parts of India to showcase their skills. These exhibitions include wood/stone statuettes from Tamil Nadu, cane/bamboo artworks from the North East India, paper mash work from the South of India and also Kashmir. There is also a marble and zardozi exhibitions which are found in Agra itself.

The festival begins with a road procession that is also accompanied by some camels and elephants, trying to resemble the victory parades of the Mughal Emperors in Agra. There are also a few drum beaters, folk dancers, trumpet players and also some skilled craftsmen that join this procession. This event is also used by the Uttar Pradesh State AIDS Control Society and with the help of different folk dancers they spread aids awareness among the visitors.

This event follows a different theme every year. With the help of the themes, they often convey different messages to the people who visit this event. Entry in this event, however, is not free. Usually the entry ticket is around Rs.40 and for children under the age of ten, the entry fee is Rs. 10. For foreign visitors, the entry to this event is free of cost.

5. Spa Treatment at Kaya Kalp

Sightseeing in Agra can be pretty tiring. There are numerous historical monuments in this city, visiting which requires to be travelling constantly. Often this sightseeing leaves the tourists tired and exhausted. Spa treatment in Kaya Kalp is one of the best ways for the tourists to get rejuvenated and refreshed.

Located in the extravagant ITC Mughal Hotel, this spa is a major delight for the tired senses of the tourists. They get the opportunity to live a royal life upon entering this facility. Sparkling shades and a permutation of crimson along with beige will remind the tourists of those fairy-tale palaces. Pomegranate, which was brought to India by the Mughals, is extensively used in the decorations and also in the numerous novel treatments that the tourists can find here.

Suggeste tours - Taj Mahal Sunrise & Agra Fort Tour From Delhi

6. Elephant Watching At Wildlife SOS

There is an Elephant Conservation and Care centre in Agra which provides the tourists with an opportunity of a lifetime. It takes merely two hours to pay a visit to this place. The tourists here get the opportunity to interact with the elephants that were rescued which in turn helps in increasing the knowledge of the tourists about the largest land mammal on the face of earth and is also extremely fun.

The tourists are thus given a complete tour of the facility by a volunteer coordinator. The major fun factor of this tour is that the tourists are also given the chance to feed these elephants. Apart from the educational purpose, this is also a place which is a lot of fun, not only for the kids, but adults too.

7. Light and Sound Show at Agra Fort

Apart from the beauty of the Agra Fort, one feature that enhances the beauty of this fort is the light and sound show that is conducted here. The show is so immensely beautiful that it attracts tourists from all over the world.

The show is conducted every evening and starts from seven in the evening and is organised by the tourism board of Uttar Pradesh. Apart from the charisma of the light and sound show, there is also an educational importance to this show as it portrays stories about the history behind the building of this fort.

Suggested tours - Private Taj Mahal & Agra Tour by Gatimaan Express Train from Delhi

8. Witness the Kalakriti Dance Show

Kalakriti Cultural and Convention Centre in Agra is one such location which is very famous for the theatres and dance shows that are held here. The dances shows executed here are one of the best features of the whole city. When in Agra, you cannot miss the opportunity of witnessing the dance show here.

9. Go for Mughal Heritage Walk

The Mughal Heritage Walk conducted in Agra is another one of the unique activities that provides the tourists with a glimpse of all the Mughal Architecture in Agra along with the historical stories behind them. In this tour, just like its name, the tourists are made to walk through the city from one historical monument to other in the North of the Yamuna River. This walk covers which are known as the three hidden gems of Agra – Gyarah Siddi, Humayun’s Tomb and the Mehtab Bagh. This tour also gives the tourists a very scenic and panoramic view of the Taj Mahal.

The Mughal Heritage Walk is conducted in between the time period of nine in the morning to six in the evening. There are numerous tours as the walk only talks two hours.

Suggested tours - Overnight Agra Tour

10. Yoga at Mehtab Bagh

Yoga is one of the most ancient art forms of Indian heritage that is very popular even in the modern and helps to soothe your mind, soul and body. The practice of Yoga refreshes the mental and physical health of the tourists. Even in Yoga, there are several classifications of yoga; some of them are like Asthanga Yoga, Rajyoga, Sahaj Yoga and more.

The Yoga Package at Mehtab Bagh is also designed in such way that they provide the tourists with a peaceful short break in their busy schedule of sightseeing. There are professional Yoga teachers here who teach the tourists a combined form of Raj Yoga and Asthanga. On the bank of the Yamuna River, they also provide the tourists with a very beautiful as well as peaceful venue for doing Yoga. It is a two hours session and the tourists are also provided with yoga mats, fruit, juice, and more .

11. Enjoy Tonga Ride in Agra

Enjoy the luxury of travelling like a royal in the roads of Agra by riding in a Tonga and enjoy the feel of the city. Tonga, very similar to the horse driven carriages, are very beautifully decorated with flowers to catch the attention of the tourists. This gives the tourists a unique way to learn several facts about the city.

Located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Agra is the home to several historical monuments of India, like the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Humayun Tomb, and others. A journey to Agra would very much seem to feel incomplete without experiencing the Tonga rides at least once. It is one of the major ways of enjoying the feeling of being a royal in Agra. This is a huge deal of fun and takes the tourists to the great monuments in Agra. There are several places that one can visit through the Tonga rides, the most well-known places of these is the Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal, which was built by the Mughal Ruler Shah Jahan, is famous as the final resting place of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is also honoured as one of the seven wonders in the world and is famous as the World Heritage Site. Built in marble, this unique and majestic white structure resembles a symbol of India. Even from the Agra Fort, it is quite easy to point out the Taj Mahal.

Another one of the World Heritage Sites in India, also located in Agra, is the Agra Fort. As it built by red stone and stand, this fort is also known as the Red Fort. The Red Fort successfully exhibitions the features of the Mughal architecture and draws a stark variance between the Southern and Northern styles of construction.

If you have decided to stay in the Gateway Hotel on the Fatehabad Road, you can enjoy the spectacular view of the Taj Mahal from your hotel room itself, sparkling against the city skyline. The Taj Mahal is also considered to be a tribute of the city to love. The architecture of this hotel in Agra is complementary to the architecture of the Taj Mahal.

Suggested tours - Private Day Tour of Taj Mahal & Agra Fort from Agra

12. Go on A Gastronomic Tour through Agra’s Streets

One of the major features of Agra is the street food of this place. Everybody knows about the historical monuments of Taj Mahal and Red Fort in Agra, but not many know about the tasty street food that accompanies these trips. To enjoy these various street foods in Agra, you can also go on a gastronomic tour.

The gastronomic tour in Agra usually doesn’t take more than three hours. In these three hours the tourists can enjoy different arrays of taste that can satisfy their taste palates. There are delightful platters of different types of street foods that can be found in Agra, a few of them are Aloo Tikki, Pani Puri, Dahi Bhalla, Pav Bhaji, Papdi Chat, etc. While enjoying these different types of food, you can also watch the way in which the street vendors prepare these snacks. You might also get to know the history behind some of these foods from the local people.

These are a very few of the interesting things that you can do in Agra. Visit the city and enjoy not only the rich history and heritage here, but also the street food, light shows, elephant watching and several other things here.

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