Your driver collects you from your hotel, airport or station in Delhi, Gurugram or Noida. The exact time, between about 2:45 and 4:00 am, is set by that season’s sunrise and confirmed the evening before. The expressway is quiet, with a tea stop on the way, and you can rest in the car.
Your licensed guide meets you in Agra and takes you to the gate as it opens. Spend two to two and a half hours in the gardens and inside the mausoleum while the light moves from grey to gold. In summer the sun rises before you arrive, so you see the Taj in early-morning light instead.
Freshen up and enjoy a relaxed breakfast at a well-reviewed hotel restaurant, with time to ask your guide about Shah Jahan, Mumtaz Mahal and the craftsmen who built the Taj.
Explore the red sandstone walls, halls and marble palaces of Agra Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with views across the river to the Taj. Allow about an hour and a half.
Drive back to Delhi on the Yamuna Expressway, arriving at your hotel or airport around 3:00–3:30 pm, with the rest of the day free.
Add the Baby Taj (about 45 minutes) or Fatehpur Sikri (about 3 hours including the drive) and a lunch stop. With Fatehpur Sikri you are back in Delhi around 6:30–7:00 pm. Tell us when requesting your quote.
Between about 2:45 and 4:00 am, depending on the season. We set the time so you reach the gate as it opens, 30 minutes before sunrise, and your driver confirms it with you the evening before.
Not exactly. From April to September the sun rises before you can drive from Delhi to Agra, so you see the Taj in early-morning light rather than at true sunrise. For a genuine summer sunrise, an overnight stay in Agra is the better choice.
Yes on both counts. As a Taj Mahal tour with guide from Delhi, only your group travels in your vehicle, and a licensed local guide takes you through the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Entrance fees, including the mausoleum ticket, are included.
No. The Taj Mahal is closed to general visitors on Fridays, so the tour runs on the other six days of the week.
The Yamuna Expressway is a modern, well-lit highway and is quiet at that hour. Our drivers are experienced with early runs, and you can rest in the car. If a night start doesn’t suit you, our overnight package gives you the same sunrise after a full night’s sleep.
Prices start at $149 per person (about ₹12,400) for two travelers sharing, with a guide, breakfast and entrance fees included. Solo travelers and larger groups vary with the vehicle size, and add-ons such as Fatehpur Sikri are extra.
