Day 01
Delhi to Agra and Fatehpur Sikri Heritage Tour
- Depart from your central Delhi hotel early in the morning by private, air-conditioned vehicle and begin your journey to Agra.
- Along the way, chat with your private driver and gaze out over India's passing landscapes and villages.
- After roughly three hours, arrive in bustling Agra, home to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Taj Mahal. Catch tantalizing glimpses of this incredible 17th-century monument as you approach.
- On arrival, meet your local guide and head inside the grounds of the monument. Walk through the domed gateway and marvel at the exquisite white marble Taj. Commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1632 as a mausoleum for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, this majestic tomb appears almost mirage-like from a distance.
- Stroll around the gardens, terrace, and interior as you learn fascinating facts about its construction and symmetrical design. Hear the tragic love story behind the building.
- Head for lunch at a local restaurant at your own expense, and then visit another UNESCO-protected treasure - Agra Fort. Explore the halls of this 16th-century fort and learn how Shah Jahan was imprisoned and died here in a tower that looked out over the Taj.
- Wrap up your Agra visit at another Mughal masterpiece, the Tomb of I'timad-ud-Daulah, and then begin your return journey to Delhi.
- En route, make a final stop at Fatehpur Sikri, the deserted 16th-century capital of the Mughal Empire. As you walk around the complex, the adjoining Jama Masjid mosque, and the Victory Gate (Buland Darwaza), learn how Fatehpur was built in 1539 and then abandoned just a decade later.
- Your day trip ends with a hotel drop-off back in Delhi.
