White marble stone from Rajasthan. Green emeralds from Sri Lanka. Blue gems from Tibet, jasper from Punjab, and crystals from China.
One of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal is a grandiose mausoleum located in Agra, Northern India that will quite literally take your breath away.
What makes the Taj Mahal even more beautiful is the story behind it. Built by the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal who died during childbirth. It took about 22 years to complete with the help of 22,000 labourers!
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1. Getting to the Taj Mahal
I stayed at the Metropolitan Hotel in New Delhi which is a 5* hotel in the heart of the city. I felt extremely safe here, the staff went above and beyond to look after me and ensure I was having a comfortable stay, particularly as I was travelling solo. If you would like to book a stay at The Metropolitan, click here.
I figured the safest and most efficient way to get from New Delhi to Agra was via an organised tour. There were a few non-negotiables when I was looking for a tour – an air-conditioned vehicle was an absolute must, I wanted to see the Taj Mahal before sunrise and wanted to have breakfast included. I found the perfect tour which had everything I wanted and more. Click here to book.
My driver was SO friendly, he picked me up from my hotel at the scheduled time of 2:30am (when my alarm went off, I was wondering if I made the right decision picking such an early tour!!!) The drive was around 3 hours which was spent mostly sleeping, it was a surprisingly comfortable journey.
2. What did I think about the Taj Mahal?
Once we arrived, I couldn’t contain my excitement. My first glance at the Taj Mahal left me totally speechless, I was in complete awe with goosebumps all over my arms, I couldn’t believe I was actually there! Being totally present throughout the day was so important to me so, I took my time and took in the sheer beauty of this building and surrounding elements like the serene Yamuna River.
I found visiting the Taj Mahal to be both an exhilarating and thought-provoking experience. You feel so small in comparison to this grand, iconic monument. As the sun came up, the bright white marble glistened creating an almost ethereal, otherworldly presence. The seamless integration of Islamic and Hindu elements forms this beautiful monument’s multicultural heritage.
However, there is always a but…
Admittedly, my naivety got the better of me as I thought I’d be one of the very few people at the Taj Mahal at sunrise, boy was I wrong! The Taj Mahal’s popularity means it is crowded all day, every day! Sadly over the years, pollution and environmental factors have led to some discoloration of the marble. In Agra, there is a lot of unregulated traffic and burning of tyres which not only stains the Taj but reduces visibility too.
Another thing to look out for are the touts. They are very persuasive and you may find them annoying but having travelled to Turkey & Morocco, I’ve learnt how to navigate them – a smile and a firm “no thanks” tend to do the trick.
However, none of this takes away from the fact that seeing the Taj Mahal in person is such a surreal feeling that everybody should experience at least once in their life.
3. Safety
Not only am I a woman, I am a black woman so I would be lying if I didn’t consider my safety when it came to making the trip out to India. I took precautions that I would take in any country like sharing my location with family members back home, not revealing my detailed plans to strangers etc.
In countries I’ve visited where there aren’t many black people, I have become hyper aware of my skin colour. However, not to the extent that I wouldn’t continue to visit said countries.
Of course, there are the curious stares, the occasional murmurs or even outright questions from the natives probably wondering what on earth I’m doing in Northern India!! I was asked on countless occasions to take photos with some of them, I only agreed if I felt comfortable to do so. Some black solo travellers take offence to photo requests but I personally see it as a compliment. None of these external factors diminished my enjoyment and appreciation of the Taj Mahal’s magnificence.
All in all, I felt extremely safe. Everyone I encountered was very friendly, especially my driver who turned into my personal photographer and made me take cheesy photos like below…
or model-esque photos like below!
4. Conclusion
Seeing the Taj Mahal has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. As a seasoned traveller, I tend to avoid the tourist traps and venture to ‘off the beaten track’ hidden gems but the Taj Mahal is something I believe everyone should see in their lifetime.
The former president of the United States said “There were two kinds of people in the world – those who have seen the Taj Mahal and love it, and those who have not seen the Taj and love it.”
No matter your race, gender, or hair colour, nobody should pass up the opportunity to visit the most majestic building you will ever lay your eyes on. More specifically for the girls who look like me, don’t feel discouraged from exploring particular corners of the earth because of someone else’s negative experiences or hearsay, always go and explore for yourself so you can form your own opinions based on your own experiences.
That’s All 23 Travellers! Thank you for reading. We hope you enjoyed reading through Visiting the Taj Mahal as a solo black female traveller.
23 Travels are Personal Travel Planners who have been creating bespoke travel itineraries for many years. If you would like us to plan your trip to India, or any other worldwide destination for you, please visit 23 Travels Itinerary Services.
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