So just to back up a bit, we had arrived at the Leela from Hyderabad around 11 am, checked in, washed up, and then took the 4 hour tour of Delhi as aforesaid. We then had dinner at the hotel restaurant and went for a stroll through a local market. After that, it was time for bed, and we woke up, had breakfast at the hotel, and were off to Agra. Almost. The Leela had wanted nearly USD $600 for the 3 hour car trip to Agra in a BMW 5 series (7 series was USD $750), and that was appalling, so instead I came up with the bright idea of hiring an Uber Mercedes s550 limousine to take us there. However, as soon as we got in to the car and told him where we were going (fully prepared to pay for the empty return trip as well, which still would have been much, much cheaper), he told us he was not licensed to go to Agra. Even after expressing our willingness to make it worth his while, he still advised that he was unable to do it. We were quite unprepared for the embarrassment of having to go back to the Leela to get a car, after turning down their $600 ride and telling them that we had obtained our own car! But thankfully, our Uber driver managed to take us to a friend of his who was a taxi driver and he took us there It was a brand new highway and was a very pleasant ride, although we were stopped by the police almost immediately for speeding. The driver quickly negotiated a ‘cash discount with immediate payment’, for the photo radar ticket, and off we went. The highway was so empty and new that really one doesn’t need a fancy car for this trip at all as it turns out. I wonder what the speeding ticket would have cost had we been in the s550.
In Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located, we reserved a suite at the Oberoi Amarvilas. Again, with the assistance of DavidO and the guidance of The Gallivanters Guide’s Ms. Middlehurst, we had a splendid stay. We were offered an upgrade to a balcony room or to a suite, however we chose the suite without a balcony and this was the right decision for us as it gave us more room and we didn’t have time to spend on the balcony. The view from our suite however, was incredible, as expected.
We found the suite to be very comfortable, clean, and it felt kind of historic, although the hotel itself is fairly new. The pictures really don’t demonstrate how nice the suite was however. We were entirely happy with it. The pool area however, was the real show stopper. It was perhaps the nicest pool area that we have seen.
We had arranged a dinner at the Amarvilas Indian restaurant. The chef came over and introduced himself and gave us his card and he helped us select a thali, which would be the first of many that we had in India, all delicious. The restaurant itself although comfortable was not the most attractive one we had seen, although the great food and incredible service more than made up for it. After dinner, the chef gave us a tour of the back of the house, and we were astounded to see how many people were working in the kitchen to prepare the great meals for a handful of guests in the restaurant. We were even more surprised when the real executive chef introduced himself to us! Anyhow, we were ecstatic with the sumptuous thali we received, but in the end, as great as it was, it was not nearly as good as the meal that we had at Taj Falaknuma and was not nearly as good as what we would have at Amanbagh either, which we would travel to shortly.
The next morning we woke up before dawn and met our appointed guide who we had arranged through the hotel beforehand. The idea here is to get to the Taj Mahal at sunrise, and before the out of town crowds. The guide displayed an extensive knowledge of the Taj, an incredible pride of it as an Indian, and provided an insightful tour that was not dumbed down nor did it feel rehearsed although obviously he had done thousands of these tours. We could not have hoped for a better guide. We were taken by buggy to the line up to enter the Taj. A small cue had formed of people who had also come to be there for its opening.
We entered the Taj compound through security gates, and were overwhelmed by the majesty of this structure and the workmanship. There is no doubt this is a true wonder of the world, unlike for example, Niagara Falls. This is truly something worth seeing for oneself, in person.
After returning to the hotel, it was time for breakfast at the Oberoi Amarvilas. It was a fabulous breakfast buffet although I only got a shot of the omelet I ordered. As you may realize, we had been having no concerns about food or drink whatsoever. We were taking probiotics daily and Travelan before every meal, but other than that, we felt free to eat and drink whatever we wanted. It was not on our minds whatsoever, and we experienced no stomach trouble whatsoever throughout the trip.
After breakfast, we checked out of the Amarvilas, and our Amanbagh driver picked us up to take us to Amanbagh. On the way we had arranged for a stop at the fort along the way.
By then we had just about had our fill of forts and sightseeing and we were ready to relax a bit at Amanbagh, which was intended as the highlight of the trip. We then continued along for the long car journey to Amanbagh. If I recall correctly it took over 4 hours but the driver was excellent as usual for Amanresorts. The car and driver was not cheap, but really that was the only viable option for getting there, as we certainly wanted to have a driver who precisely knew where he was going.