Private Taj Mahal Day Tour with Same Day Flights from Mumbai

This amazing tour is organized by a courteous and helpful gentleman, Mr. Khan. He got in touch promptly through WhatsApp upon booking at Viator.com in order to help plan the flights from Mumbai to Delhi and back again. He makes sure to pick times that work with your schedule, and I recommend leaving at 6am from Mumbai Airport and returning on an approximately 11:05pm flight from Delhi to Mumbai. Any earlier departure time will shorten considerably your time in Agra to see the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort. A driver holding a placard with my name on it was waiting at the airport upon arrival in Delhi, and while the ride to Agra will be at around 3.5 - 4 hours, the vehicle was a very comfortable, spacious, and air-conditioned van. The Indian countryside is very beautiful along the drive, and he will stop if you need restroom facilities. Upon arrival in Agra I met the tour guide, Hilal Ahmad, who joined the car and directed the driver to the Taj Mahal site. Mr. Ahmad is a fantastic, enthusiastic and kind guide, full of knowledge and stories about the history of the Taj and the King who built it to house the body of his beloved Queen. And in addition to being a guide, Mr. Ahmad is also an expert and former professional photographer, and knows all of the perfect angles and compositions for amazing photographs in front of the Taj Mahal and other buildings. He will suggest and take pictures for you, as many as you would like, so you are guaranteed to come away with some incredible photos. There is ample time to explore the grounds and enter the Taj itself. Lunch is next and included in the cost of the tour! at a great restaurant with a diverse menu. The owner is kind and will accommodate any dietary restrictions you might have. Then we visited a marble shop where the descendants of the original craftsmen who helped work on all of the stonework of the Taj Mahal still practice their craft and sell their beautiful creations in an expansive store on the second floor. We then visited the amazing and gargantuan Agra Fort, built of striking red sandstone, where Mr. Ahmad continued his excellent and informative commentary on the history of the Fort and the different palaces within its grounds that housed Indian Kings and Queens for generations. After a few last photos and a gaze across the river towards the Taj Mahal on the horizon, it was time to get back to the car and say good-bye to Mr. Ahmad and settle in for the ride back to Delhi for the flight to Mumbai. All in all, there is approximately 5 hours to accomplish everything in Agra, which is just enough time to be fully immersed in the history of both the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort. Everything was included in the cost of this tour, including entry tickets, and with Mr. Ahmad's great connections there is no waiting in line to enter, which is a huge plus! This tour and the guide, Mr. Ahmad, are highly and enthusiastically recommended! The combination of the two, and the value for the money and the convenience, sets this tour apart from the dozen or so day trips from Mumbai to Agra that are currently on Viator. While it is a very long day and a long way to travel by air and car, it is worth it to explore the beauty of these two historic sights, which will live up to every expectation you have. Pro tip - bring extra snacks for the car ride back to Delhi airport at the end of the day, as there really isn't time for dinner and there may be limited time to grab something at the airport before your flight!