After trying to plan a trip to Agra for a long time, we finally managed to make the trip last weekend (july-end). We had apprehensions about the weather, with monsoon right here, but we decided to go for it anyway. It was a pretty satisfactory trip overall, I'll try to share some of my experiences which might help others planning the same trip.
The distance from NOIDA is about 200 kms. We planned to leave early morning, but it was 9 am by the time we left. We took a short break for tea near the UP border, in a place called "Apni Haveli". It looked decent from outside, but was pretty shabby inside, would definitely not suggest to anyone. In fact, there is a cafe coffee day right around there, which would have been a much better choice.
We were in agra by about 2 PM, we got a lot of traffic inside Agra. Our hotel was Clarke Shiraz, which is supposed to be a five star. It is nice, but the rooms look old, I would have expected more from a five star. But at INR 5K per night, it was a decent deal. The ITDC Mughal seemed to be a much better hotel for a slighty higher price.
After lunch and some rest, we set about to visit the Taj Mahal. Only battery operated vehicles are allowed within 2 kms of Taj Mahal. So, our taxi parked at the designated parking lot (INR 50 for parking) and we were immediately accosted by Tangawallas (horse-drawn carriage) and a shabby battery van. They told us they would charge INR 200 for the round trip to Taj Mahal. It was a bit high, but we thought Tanga would be a new experience for the kids, so hired one. We later found that govt run battery operated van provides round trip for INR 20 per person, and it much more comfortable.
Meanwhile, a chap started giving us all kinds of free advice citing that he is a government employee. He took me to the ticket booth and facilitated the purchase. After all that, he finally told me that he is a guide and we would have to pay him INR 350, which is the govt approved rate. I told him I was not interested, but since he seemed helpful (and out of job), I told him that he could "guide" us for INR 100. He finally agreed at INR 200. Later, we found out that he was slightly retarded, and mainly used him as a photographer, which he did a decent job of :). Personally, I don't think you really need a guide for Taj Mahal, just seeing and experiencing it is quite satisfying.
It was getting dark by the time we were done, and we decided to spend some time in the local market and dine at a nice restaurant since the food at Clarke's was not so great (it was okay). We bought some decoration items, and after asking around, learnt about a restaurant called "Pinch of Spice". We found the food excellent and the decor was nice and seating comfortable. I would definitely recommend it to anyone traveling to Agra.
Next day, we decided to visit the Dayal Bagh in Agra followed by Fatehpur Sikri. Dayal Bagh was a major disappointment, nothing to really see there and it is poorly maintained. I don't recommend it unless you have extra time to kill. Interestingly the adhoc roadside parking charge here too was INR 50, which is a scam.
On our way out of Agra, we made a quick stop at "Panchhi petha outlet" right on the main road. Panchhi is a very old, well known brand of agra, so we bought some angoori petha and namkeens from them. They don't offer any samples for tasting, but later when we tasted some in the car, it was really good. I'll definitely get more if I ever go there again. Watch out for fakes though, and make sure you find the authentic outlet. Most indian towns have some such legacy, reminds me of chitale bandhu in Pune ...
The drive to Fatehpur Sikri took about an hour and a half, it is about 50 kms from Agra. We were again accosted by a "guide" fella as soon as we got out of the car, but this time I refused right away. But, these guys are very persistent and on my wife's request we retained his services, again for a re-negotiated rate of INR 250. I felt the guide was more relevant here, since Fatehpur Sikri is not that spectacular, so the additional context provided by the guide makes it interesting. There is a mosque (chishti's dargah) right next to it, which we quickly visited also.
Finally, had a late lunch (forgettable) at a resort restaurant nearby and headed home.
Btw, a word about the weather. We didn't run into heavy rains, and the cloudy weather kept the heat out for most part. But, the humidity was very high which made it quite uncomfortable at times, I was sweating profusely most of the time. So, not the best time to make this trip.
