{ India Tours } -- {Taj Mahal Tour
}
Short Taj Mahal Tour
DELHI AGRA (203 kms. 4 hrs. 30 min. approx.)Once the seat of Mughal rulers, Agra has several uncanny specimens that were much ahead of their times in terms of art and architecture. The enshrined romance of Taj Mahal is one of the loveliest buildings in the world. Am elegy in stone, it took 20 years for 20,000 skilled artisans to create this white marble wonder, inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones. The art finds its peak at Agra, a city that is deeply connected to its past and retains the old world charm of the bygone era.
The little octagonal tower that was once the prison of Shah Jehan, the Mughal Emperor who built Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal, still moves the hearts of tourists who listen lovingly to the story of how the Emperor was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb here, only to allow him to see the glimpse of beautiful Taj Mahal from across the river.
0630 to 1245 hours
You will start early in the morning from Delhi and proceed to Agra, past the countryside area of authentic and true India. At Agra, you will proceed straight to the unparalleled Crown Palace or Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. A fine example of seamless blending of several architectural styles that flourished at the time in India and Persia, Taj Mahal is known for its optical illusion of expanding as one reaches the edifice as well as its perfect symmetry.
1300 to 1400 hours
After a memorable visit to Taj, you will proceed to Hotel Trident, where you will be treated with a sumptuous buffet lunch that displays best traditional cuisine of Northern India and highlighting Mughlai delicacies.
1400 to 1500 hours
After lunch, you will visit the imposing stronghold of Mughals built in red sandstone, known as Agra Fort. A predecessor of Delhi’s Red Fort, Agra Fort is not as well planned as its more popular cousin but then, it is 100 years older too. Yet, there is nothing much to complain about as the grandiose palaces and the magnificent Hall of Public and Chamber of Private Audience set amidst landscaped gardens offer enough tourist attractions at the fort. The octagonal tower offering the majestic view of Taj across River Yamuna transports you to the time when imprisoned and old Shah Jehan looked at it lovingly and reminisced about the days when he and his queen lived with regal splendor.
1500 to 1530 hours
Shah Jehan’s passion for sophisticated white marble in evident from the extensive use of the stone in all the mosques, palaces and structures built by him. The tradition of producing stunning marble artwork flourishes in the marble factories of Agra. Visit a marble factory to see for yourself, the precision and techniques required to inlay precious and semi-precious stones in marble to produce that perfect effect.
1600 to 1630 hours
While returning to Delhi, you will visit Sikandra enroute, the garden tomb of the greatest Mughal Emperor Akbar. It is said that Akbar started building the tomb when he was still alive but it was given the final touches by his son Jehangir. You will stop midway for refreshments and most probably, return to Delhu by 2130 hours.
