3-Day Taj Mahal Trip - India

This morning, you’ll begin your journey from Jaipur to Agra, first heading east towards Galta, a secluded mystical spot. The Monkey Temple here is a pilgrimage site that attracts flocks of brightly-robed devotees every day. People bathe and sing on the steps (Ghats) that lead down into the pools. Their voices echo through the rocky gorge, which opens into a wider valley dotted with temples overrun with monkeys.

After Galta, you’ll continue to the Bharatpur wetlands, home to hundreds of rare birds including the rare Siberian crane. The next stop is Fatehpur Sikri, an eye-opening and atmospheric ghost city, home to flocks of green parrots and troops of monkeys. Afterwards, you’ll drive on to Agra, where you’ll arrive at the home of Vandna and Gopal Singh, close to the Taj Mahal.

If you’re a bit of a twitcher and fancy spending longer in the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, otherwise known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, then we can add an overnight stop into your trip. This way you’ll be able to visit the bird sanctuary in the late afternoon and early morning when the wildlife is at its most active. This’ll give you a much better chance of spotting birds than just passing through the park on a brief visit.

Today, you’ll visit two breathtaking sites. First, in the morning you’re free to visit the Taj Mahal – a highlight of any trip to India. Standing serenely in the first light of the morning, we’re sure that this building will beat all your expectations. No postcard can possibly do it justice. Built by Shah Jahan as a token of his love for his deceased wife, it is the most romantic burial site in the world.

After visiting the Taj Mahal by yourselves, you’ll be collected and taken to Agra Fort. In the golden light of the afternoon you’ll see the sunshine slant through the pillars and galleries. From its majestic walls and through its arches, you can see the Taj Mahal, just as Shah Jahan would have done centuries ago, when he was imprisoned here by his son.

From here you’ll cross the River Yamuna and visit Itimad-ud-Daulah’s tomb – better known as the Baby Taj. Albeit not on the scale of the Taj Mahal itself, this peaceful building also features the marble inlay work for which Agra is famous. Finally you’ll visit Mehtab Bagh, a formally laid out Moghul garden which offers stupendous views of the Taj Mahal. The next day this trip comes to an end and you’ll depart for your next destination.