We just got back from a 9 day trip to India that was mostly for business. At the end of a long week I could have easily opted to just head home, but my husband had booked this tour of the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort, so I pushed through. It was one of the best decisions of our lives and a day that I will remember forever. Our driver picked us up at our hotel in Dehli bright and early and we bagan the 3.5 hour journey to Agra. It is a long ride with little to see or do. I truly wish there was a better, faster way to get there, but at least this was air conditioned and cool. Our drive spoke no english. In Agra we picked us our guide, Farmaan, and went straight to the Taj Mahal. Farmaan made the literal difference between a confusing and stressful visit and the stress-free, informative and magical once-in-a-lifetime experience we had thanks to him. He got our tickets and guided us through the complex, stopping at perfect photo spots and taking professional quality photos using our iphones. He was super knowledgeable about the history, engineering and design, social relationships and current state of the Taj Mahal itself. And he allowed us to go inside the structure ourselves, taking our time to absorb the magnitude of it all. We then went to the Red Fort (also amazing), shopping (they do take you to their 'friends' shop and you get a high pressure sales experience, which we succumbed to) and then to a delicious lunch with our guide. I asked about a leather shop, which seems to be one of the things Agra is known for, and we got taken to the tiny little shop that it turned out Bill Clinton had gone to. There we bought a couple of belts, though there were some beautiful jackets and shoes in there. The drive home was longer, 4.5 hours, and we were pooped. But we will truly remember this day until we die as one of the most magical of our lives, thanks to this tour and Farmaan. Don't attempt to do this yourself, or make the colossal mistake of missing this World Heritage site like we nearly did - hire this guide service without hesitation. We're so glad we did.