Top tips for Taj Mahal at sunrise

Having visited the Taj Mahal two days in a row (due to poor weather on our first day - you may find it a bit misty in November so visit in Sept/Oct to get clearer air if you can), we felt the need to share our top tips for seeing the Taj and getting those postcard perfect photos! 

However, don't expect to get into the Taj for sunrise, or be allowed to stay for sunset - they don't open the doors until 7:50 (in November).  But it is still worth the effort to get up early, as you will have the opportunity to get photos of the Taj with no-one in the way and the light will still change to allow you to get those colour changes.

Our top tips for visiting the Taj at sunrise

1. Only the west and east gates are open for sunrise, but the ticket office for the east gate is over 1km away from the gate so go to the west gate. If you have tickets though you may find a shorter queue at the east gate. South gate opens much later.

2. Stay nearby so you don't have to get up too early or travel far in the morning. We stayed at Hotel Sidhartha which was right by the West Gate and perfectly fine.

3. Get your tickets the day before if you can (they are not date stamped until you go through the entrance gate so you can actually buy them at any time). This will allow you to get straight into the entrance queue and ahead of the tour groups and school groups which arrive en-mass from about 6:30am.

4. If you don't manage to get your tickets the day before don't worry, just get to the West Gate ticket office early (tourist ticket kiosk is on the far right) to make sure you first in the queue. We got there for about shoeam and were right at the front.

5. Split yourselves! The ticket line is split into two - one for women and one for men. The queue for women is normally shorter.

6. Split again to ensure you get the pictures with no-one in them! One in the ticket queue to get the tickets for your group and the rest of you in the entrance queue with the cameras (oh and yes you are a 'High Value' ticket holder if you are a foreigner). You hopefully will be at the front of both queues if you've arrived at 6am! Even though it says you need ID... you don't... just 750 INR in cash per person. If you do this you will still need to join the correct queue so give the camera to the person who joins the queue first, then catch up with them inside.

7. Grab a bottle of water and shoe covers (included in the price of your ticket).  I understand what LP say about the shoe covers and the environment, but it can be cold and on the cool marble you may want to keep your shoes on.

Shoes glorious shoes

8. When you queue join the shortest line. Even though they are split high value (tourist) and low/normal (local) tickets, the ticket people don't seem to care. Depending on if there is a school group or a tour group in the queue (hopefully you will be at the front so you will not have this problem) choose the quickest queue.

9. Don't take a bag of any size. Bag searches take a long time so go with just your camera and a bottle of water. You will not need anything else. If you do need to take a bag, give it to the man in your group. The way the queuing is set up means (bizarrely) men get to the front of the bag check queue quicker than the women.  Also, more women will have handbags, which ALL need to be checked. Alternatively, you can leave your bags in a locker, but do this before you join the queue as otherwise you will need to queue again if you decide to use the lockers after you have gone through security.

10.  Don't take a torch or anything electrical apart from your camera - they will take it off you!

11. When you get inside, go past the first balcony where everyone stops to take photos and go straight to the raised platform about half way down the fountains to where the 'Diana' bench is.  You will then get the view (and photos) with no-one in them!

Platform half way down

12. The ticket you get gives you a discount at a number of different sites around Agra if visited on the same day.  Note that the same discount applies without a ticket to the other sites on a Friday when the Taj is closed.

13.  Never take the first price for a auto-rickshaw - it should be no more that 50R (still a western price) between the Taj and Agra Fort. Agree a price BEFORE you get into the vehicle.  You may need to try a few to get this price.

14.  If you want a quick getaway after the Taj but are a little hungry, a cheap and okay place is Hotel Sidhartha just 50m up the road from the west gate. There are Autos at the top of this road which are generally reasonable.

We hope these little tips and tricks help you get the best Taj experience - it is so beautiful and well worth the effort! Best of luck.