Same Day Agra Tour from Delhi by Shatabdi Train is one of the most coveted day tours in India for the business and corporate professionals. This one day Agra & Fatehpur Sikri Tour spans over 16 hours. The tour commences from and ends at New Delhi. The guest is picked up from the hotel to be transferred to the railway station to board Shatabdi Express Train, one of India’s premium trains. On arrival at Agra, again a representative receives the guest at the railway station and taken for the visit to Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri in chauffeur – driven air-conditioned with destination-specific tour guide.
You will be picked up at 5:00 am by our representative and transferred to New Delhi Railway Station to board Shatabdi Express
train to depart for Agra. On arrival at Agra, at 8:00 am, you will be received by our representative with chauffeur-driven
air-conditioned car in your service. He will introduce you with Agra tour guide who will accompany you during
One Day Agra Tour by Shatabdi Train and explain and enlighten about the three UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Agra- Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Agra was the main capital of the Mughal rulers and therefore the privileged place to build monuments glorifying their cultural domination.
The first monument to be visited will be Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is the symbol of zenith of Mughal architecture, a tomb of unique architecture that every tourist dreams of visiting one day. Bereaved of the tragic death of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, Mughal ruler Shah Jahan built a mausoleum of this magnitude to express to the world the love for her. The Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful monuments and one of the most visited. Between 10,000 to 15,000 tourists visit Taj Mahal per day. The construction of the Taj Mahal started in 1631, involving 20,000 workers and craftsmen, and completed in 1653. Shah Jahan did not skimp on the quality of the materials: marble, red sandstone, crystal, precious stones, etc. After having removed from your pockets all the prohibited objects during the visit, go under the porch of red sandstone on which are engraved verses of the Koran in Arabic, recalling the origin of the Mughal people. The Taj Mahal is revealed at the end of a long alley, with its enormous main dome (44 m high) and four smaller ones on each side, all in marble. The long central water channel reflects the building, ideal for the photo cliché of the Taj Mahal. Inside, everything is rigorously symmetrical, except the tomb of Shah Jahan which was added by his son.
After visiting Taj Mahal for about two hours, Agra tour guide will take you to Agra Fort. The red fort of Agra is better preserved and more impressive than its namesake. It was built in 1565 by Mughal ruler Akbar. The location of the fort is ideal, at the edge of the Yamuna, offering a privileged view of the Taj Mahal on the opposite bank. You will have to cross the thick walls of red sandstone to access the interior of Agra Fort. Destined to be a military base, the fort was transformed into a chain of palaces by Shah Jahan. Shah Jahan added the marble buildings, a material he loved very much. Each Mughal ruler, from Akbar to Aurangzeb, added his personal touch to the building, making the fort an unprecedented colonial showcase in the region. There is only one entrance to the fort, the gate of Amar Singh. On your right is the palace of the emperor Jahangir, son of Akbar, covered with the omnipresent red stone. Admire the small turrets that served as observation post for the women to see outside world without being seen. The Khas Mahal is a palace of marble where Shah Jahan and his wife resided. Ironically, it is the same building where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his own son, Aurangzeb. The palace of mirrors, Shish Mahal, has the peculiarity of having its walls covered with tiny mirrors from Syria. The light is exceptional. Obviously, you will have access to the public and private auditoriums of emperors where marble is used in profusion, as well as semi-precious stones.
It’s lunch time by the time you complete the sightseeing of Agra Fort. You will be taken for a buffet lunch in a
five star hotel’s restaurant. After lunch, visit tomb of It Mad ud Daula, also called Baby Taj. This Mughal era monument
has been inspiration for Taj Mahal.
Hereinafter, depart for Fatehpur Sikri, about 40 km from Agra. Beautifully restored and preserved by the Indian authorities, you will be amazed by so much beauty and by the quality of the work performed at the time (between 1571 and 1585). It is the best of Mogul art which is presented to you with its palaces, mosques and pavilions. Start with the great mosque, Jama Masjid with Persian and Hindu influences. You can reach it by the main gate, Buland Darwaza, 54 m high, symbol of Akbar's victory over Gujarat, a territory in western India. Inside, stands the marble tomb of Saint Salim Chisti, who had foretold to Akbar the birth of his three sons. The Place has become a place of prayer for women wishing to have children. Fatehpur Sikri is all the more interesting as it’s a palette of arts representing the Jain, Mughal, Persian, Hindu, Turkish and Buddhist cultures.
After visiting Fatehpur Sikri, return to Agra. Explore the bustling market of Agra, famous for marble products,
carpets, jewelry and leather articles. Shopping in Agra is a sheer pleasure. After leisurely exploration of the market and local culture, you will be transferred to Agra railway station to board Shatabdi Express train to reach Delhi. On arrival at New Delhi railway station, you will be received and transferred back to your hotel. Thus, your Same Day Taj Mahal Tour By Shatabdi Express Train ends now.