Please comment my 3-day Agra agenda

DB1st

We are looking forward to our first trip to India. We have booked 3 nights at Gardenvilla Homestay in Agra. One major reason we picked this B&B is because of the positive info about it on the web and the proprietor has been known to be helpful in various ways incuding agenda. We came up with our original agenda. He re-arranged a bit and made a few additions (underlined in agenda). Below is the modified version. Any comments or advice will be much appreciated.

Fri Oct 2(Taj Mahal closed)

08:07AM Arrive Agra CANTT (train 2002A/BHOPAL SHIBDI from Delhi NDLS)
Pre-arranged train station pickup to Gardenvilla Homestay
Check in
Akbar's Mausoleum in Sikandra (10 km NW of Agra Fort)
Ram Bagh
Chini-Ka-Rauza Persian-style riverside tomb
ITMAD-UD-DAULAH (Baby Taj)
Taj Mahal by sunset from Mehtab Bangh (outside view)

Sat Oct 3

Sunrise Taj Mahal
Purchase Taj Mahal night view ticket for next night
Return to B&B for breakfast
Agra Fort (incl Nagina Masjid=Gem Mosque)
Jama Masjid mosque
Kinari Bazaar (Old Town)
Rawat para (spice market)

Sun Oct 4 (Full moon)

Bahartpur Bird Santuary
Fatehpur Sikri (40 km W of Agra)
Taj Mahal by moon light (which 30-min time slot between 20:30-00:30 is best?)

Mon Oct 5

Check out
Pre-arranged Agra CANTT train station dropoff
07:57AM Depart Agra CANTT (train 2433/RAJDHANI EXP to Delhi NZM)

We will have a hired car for Fri-Sun.

We are thinking of hiring a tour guide for the 3 days. Gardenvilla suggested that we "take the guide only at selected monuments. This gives us more freedom". One of the reasons we would like the guide for the whole day is to help ward of touts. Does this mean we hire one impromptu right on the spot and not pre-arranged? We prefer a referral instead of picking an unknown. Any suggestions?

Thank you very much in advance!!

vko

Looks very well-planned to me. You've done good research. Kudos!

-Vikas

rajered

Why not ask the homestay guys to arrange for a guide?

Any slot after 20:00 should be good.

paratmoshe

Excellent plan! There is so much to see around Agra, it is such a pity that most people just rush to the Taj and back in one day! Have a wonderful time!

wonderwomanusa

It would be really good if you can stay in Bharatpur on the night of 3 October, and see the birds first thing in the morning. If you are lucky and the area has a lot more rain than it has had up to now, there should be plenty of migratory birds around that time. Then you could drive back to Agra, have a rest and then see the Taj by full-moon light.

__________________
The map is not the territory. --Alfred Korzybski

DB1st

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions!!

DEBO..NAIR

hi ,
one genuine piece of advice. do not eat outside the taj...food is awful..with flies all around.also better to arrange the guide from your resort. video cameras are not allowed beyond the entrance gate.
have a wonderful trip.

edwardseco

I am with #4 on this, a first rate effort instead of the usual punch a ticket at the Taj & back on another grotty bus. Most sensible. You may even get to appreciate the modest charms of Agra. While putting down a cold one one evening an eight year old boy kindly showed me how to get electricity in Agra with a pole..

pachmarhi

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/n...ow/5004279.cms

Looks like this may not be the year to visit Bharatpur!

DB1st

pachmarhi--Thank you very much for the update. No, the bird situation does not sound too good--worse for the birds than for humans who admire them.

Any suggestions for alternative place(s) to visit?

Thanks!

zsonia2993

Hi DB1st, we have booked Gardenvilla homestay for our trip to Agra this december. Please let us know your experiences at the homestay and in the city, after you get back from there.

Our trip is similar to yours, except that we dont have the 3rd day (no bharatpur or moonlight taj as we are not going on the full moon night).

Thanks.

DB1st

Hi Zsonia2993. Will do. Will enter our input and experience here.

delhiwala

It's way too distant from city centre....

__________________
Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone. - The Dhammapada

zsonia2993

On google maps, it seems like it is 2.5 miles away from Taj Mahal. Is that too much because of traffic??

Do they have autos in Agra? How close to Taj can we go in an auto/cab?

Also, we were thinking of walking from Taj Mahal to Agra Fort (2 miles) and maybe Agra Fort to Mehtab Bagh (3 miles).
Is that advisable, if not why?

Will we be able to find an auto at Mehtab bagh to get back?

pachmarhi

No alternatives to suggest, never been there. Planning a visit of almost exactly the same length as yours, for December, hence looked through your proposed itinerary. Will have two 8-year olds in tow though, so don't think we can pack in too much.

Was wondering that myself, though I liked the idea of the kitchen facility or option for home cooking. Still looking for accommodation. Anyone know any midprice hotels with family rooms, near the Taj?