We visited in March 2025 and there were no reviews for this trip prior to our date of travel. We added on two nights before and also after the trip in Delhi to allow us to do an in depth private day tour of the city plus visit the national museum and modern art gallery. We also had a little bit of down time at the end of the trip and we opted to stay in the Taj Hotel which was fabulous.
There were only five people in our group and our guide was Ajay Gupta. We had a brand new minibus for travel and we had plenty of room to stretch out. The itinerary is pretty busy and you are never bored. At the time we visited there was absolutely no rain and the temperatures varied between high 20s to low 30s degrees C and these are the temperatures in the shade.
We really enjoyed visiting the various temples and mosques and the walking tour of old Delhi has to be a highlight. We hardly saw another tourist during this walk and our guide was lovely. The noise, colours and smells are exhilarating and we particularly enjoyed the tuk tuk and rickshaw rides. The three cities on this tour are all very different and each has its own charms. The food in India is wonderful and another highlight was the cooking lesson at the family home and then enjoying eating what you had made. The quality of the hotels used was very good and we particularly enjoyed the Neemrana Fort Hotel and the Tigress at Ranthambore.
I really wanted to rate this trip 4.5 stars, but the site will only let me use whole stars. My advice to Exodus is to consider adding on a third, optional game drive at Ranthambore as unfortunately we did not see any tigers as you are pre-allocated a zone for each game drive. Also we did not see the point of the train trip between Bharatpur to Agra as the trains are grubby and overcrowded and we waited around at the station for quite a while before the departure. We were also warned not to use the facilities on board.
Taj Mahal
Sunrise or Sunset at the Taj Mahal?
Taj Mahal Trips
Probably the most extravagant monument ever built for love, the Taj Mahal has become the emblem of India. Known as the jewel in India’s crown, its exquisite white marble dome and beguiling symmetry make it one of the world’s best-loved architectural treasures.
Built by the Emperor Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1648 as a mausoleum for his second wife Mumtaz Mahal, it is the finest existing example of Mughal architecture. It combines intricate Persian, Turkish, Indian and Islamic styles to wonderful effect and seems to appear as immaculate today as when it was first constructed. Its timeless beauty is perhaps best captured in the words of the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore who described it as “a teardrop on the cheek of time”.
Taj Mahal Adventure Holidays
Glenda Horne India’s Taj Mahal and Tigers – Premium Adventure
Kristen Whitla India's Golden TriangleI honestly can’t recommend this trip enough. From start to finish, it was full of unforgettable moments and thoughtful touches. We travelled through Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, and everything was so well organised – it was the perfect introduction to India. One of my favourite memories was being greeted with flower wreaths at a Jaipur flower market—it felt so personal and welcoming. The visit to the Taj Mahal was obviously a highlight, but there were so many other surprises too. Staying at Suroth Mahal, a 600 year old heritage hotel, was something special. After a short cooking demonstration, they even put on a traditional Indian wrestling match in the courtyard, which none of us were expecting! We also had an optional stop at Chand Baori stepwell—recognised it from the Batman film, The Dark Knight! It also wasn’t just bus journeys – we were on camel carts, cycle rickshaws, and it was in these moments you really got to see the chaotic but beautiful pace of life in India. The food was another major highlight for me. I went in expecting curry and naan, but it was so much more varied and regional than I thought. The evening cooking demonstration in Jaipur was a real treat too—we learned how to make things like masala chai, lentil pakoras and korwan aloo, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for the flavours and how fresh everything is. We even got to try some street food chai and sweet jalebi!
Joan Brightwell India's North & South – Premium AdventureThis was a busy itinerary with some early starts and long transfers, but it meant we saw so many amazing places every day. Our memory of the first week in the north, was of the noisy mayhem that is India, with quite a lot of sightseeing to monuments. In contrast the week in Kerala was more relaxed either by the sea or in the mountains. Being a ‘Premium Adventure’ meant we were in good standard hotels, and about half the dinners and some lunches were included in the price, which was appreciated. Also, our leader saw to all the tipping for the whole trip, so we didn’t have to have a kitty (a bit of a bugbear on previous Exodus trips).
Taj Mahal tours: Sunrise or sunset?
Get to the Taj early – sunrise is undoubtedly the best time to avoid the huge crowds and the heat. As the sun rises and the early morning mists clear, the delicately carved white marble walls are slowly unveiled to dazzling effect.
On the other hand… sunset affords the most impressive views of the Taj. As the sun goes down, the white marble first takes on a rich golden sheen, which slowly gives way to rose-pink hues, then deep red and finally blue with the changing light. Mesmerising.
And while in the city of Agra – your base for Taj Mahal tours – visit the Red Fort, a key strategic stronghold of the Mughal Empire. A citadel of over 500 buildings, once you are inside the fortified red walls a palatial city spreads out before you. Fairytale palaces, elegant courtyards and exquisitely crafted mosques create the city within a city.
Meanwhile, just outside Agra is Fatehpur Sikri, another Mughal palace-city. The Emperor Akbar moved his capital there in 1571, with the Red Fort just down the road for protection if it were ever needed. Occupied for just 14 years, its palaces and courtyards feel as though they were left only yesterday.
As far as grand designs go, they don’t come any grander than in Agra.
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