Mathura–Vrindavan Yatra with Agra

Highlights & Route

Braj, the country around Mathura where Krishna was born and spent his childhood, rewards slow travel. Its temples open and close to their own schedule, its lanes are best walked in the early morning and evening, and its holiest places, Govardhan hill, Gokul and the ghats of the Yamuna, are spread across a wide area. This yatra gives Braj three full nights before moving an hour down the road to Agra for two nights among the Mughal monuments.

In Mathura you see the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi, the Dwarkadhish temple and Vishram Ghat, and attend the evening Yamuna aarti. A day is kept for Vrindavan, with Banke Bihari, Prem Mandir, ISKCON’s Krishna Balaram temple, the Rangji temple and Katyayani Peeth. Another half day covers Govardhan and Gokul. In Agra the Taj Mahal is seen at sunrise, followed by Agra Fort, Sikandra, the Itmad-ud-Daulah tomb, Fatehpur Sikri and the Mankameshwar Mahadev temple in the old city.

The pace is set for families with elderly members and children: one or two main visits in the morning, rest in the afternoon, a temple or aarti in the evening. A private AC vehicle stays with you from Delhi airport or railway station to the drop. Hotel breakfast and dinner are included, lunch is on your own, and all food on this route is easily available vegetarian.

Route

Delhi → Mathura (3 nights) → Vrindavan, Govardhan and Gokul (day visits) → Agra (2 nights) → Fatehpur Sikri (day visit) → Delhi drop

Good to know before you book

The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays. The itinerary is arranged so your Agra days avoid a Friday; if your dates make this impossible we swap the Agra local darshan order.
Taj Mahal tickets for Indian citizens are inexpensive, with a separate add-on for the main mausoleum; buying online at asi.payumoney.com saves the counter queue.
Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan opens in two sessions (morning and evening) and the lanes around it are extremely crowded on weekends and festival days; weekday mornings are easier.
Phones and bags are not allowed inside the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi complex, where security is strict; lockers are available outside.
Monkeys in Vrindavan snatch spectacles, phones and food; carry them inside a bag and avoid wearing glasses in the open lanes.
Janmashtami (August–September), Holi (March) and the Kartik month bring huge crowds to Braj; October to March is otherwise the comfortable season.

Yatra Highlights

Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi, Dwarkadhish and the Yamuna aarti at Mathura
Banke Bihari, Prem Mandir and the temples of Vrindavan; Govardhan and Gokul
Taj Mahal at sunrise, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri

Day 1 :

Delhi to Mathura, Yamuna aarti

Pickup at your arrival point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the agreed time at Delhi airport or railway station and a drive of about 160 km on the Yamuna Expressway, roughly three hours. Check in and rest. In the evening we go to Vishram Ghat, where Krishna is said to have rested after defeating Kansa, for the Yamuna aarti as lamps are floated on the river. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Mathura

Day 2 :

Mathura temples, Govardhan and Gokul

Morning darshan at the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi, the temple complex built at the birthplace, with the prison-cell shrine. Then the Dwarkadhish temple in the old city, and the Government Museum with its Mathura-school sculptures for those interested. After lunch we drive about 25 km to Govardhan, where pilgrims circle the sacred hill; we visit the Daan Ghati temple and Mansi Ganga, and those who wish can do a short part of the parikrama. On the way back we stop at Gokul, Krishna's childhood home across the Yamuna, for Nand Bhavan and the Thakurani Ghat. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Mathura

Day 3 :

Vrindavan

A full day in Vrindavan, 15 km from Mathura. We start with Banke Bihari in the morning session, then the Rangji temple with its south Indian gopuram, Radha Raman and the Katyayani Peeth near Radha Bagh. After lunch and rest, the ISKCON Krishna Balaram temple for the afternoon kirtan, the Jugal Kishore temple near Kesi Ghat, and finally Prem Mandir, which is lit up after sunset with a musical fountain show. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Mathura

Day 4 :

Mathura to Agra, Mankameshwar, Agra bazaars

After breakfast we drive about 60 km to Agra, an hour and a half. Check in, lunch on your own, then darshan at the Mankameshwar Mahadev temple near the Jama Masjid, one of the old Shiva shrines of the city. The evening is free for Sadar Bazaar and Kinari Bazaar, known for leather, marble inlay and petha. Early night for the sunrise visit tomorrow. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Agra

Day 5 :

Taj Mahal at sunrise, Agra Fort, Sikandra, Itmad-ud-Daulah, Fatehpur Sikri

We reach the Taj Mahal gate before sunrise, when the light is soft and the crowd thin, and spend about two hours there. Back to the hotel for breakfast, then Agra Fort, the red sandstone palace fort of Akbar and Shah Jahan. After lunch we visit Akbar's tomb at Sikandra and the small marble tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah on the far bank, often called the Baby Taj. If the group has energy, we continue to Fatehpur Sikri, 40 km away, for Akbar's abandoned capital and the Salim Chishti dargah; otherwise it moves to Day 6 morning. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Agra

Day 6 :

Agra to Delhi, departure

A relaxed breakfast, and Fatehpur Sikri if not covered on Day 5. We then drive about 230 km to Delhi on the Yamuna Expressway, four to five hours with a lunch stop, for the drop at your departure point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the airport or railway station. Please plan departures after 6 pm.

Overnight: none (yatra ends)

Night	Place	Hotel (or similar)	Room type
1	Mathura	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
2	Mathura	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
3	Mathura	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
4	Agra	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
5	Agra	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

Can we take phones into Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi on this yatra?

No. Phones and bags are not allowed inside the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi complex, where security is strict, so we visit on the morning of Day 2 with only essentials and use the lockers outside. In Vrindavan, keep spectacles, phones and food inside a bag, because monkeys snatch them. The lanes around Banke Bihari, visited on Day 3, are also easiest on weekday mornings.

Is the Taj Mahal open every day?

No. It is closed to visitors on Fridays, and open from about half an hour before sunrise to half an hour before sunset on other days. We plan your Agra nights so that Day 5 is not a Friday.

What are the Taj Mahal ticket charges for Indians?

At the time of writing, Indian citizens pay Rs 50 for entry and a further Rs 200 to enter the main mausoleum; children under 15 enter free. Tickets can be bought online at asi.payumoney.com with a small discount, and we help you with this before the visit.

Which is the best season?

October to March. Janmashtami in Mathura and Holi in Braj are unforgettable but very crowded; book months ahead for those. Summer is very hot, and the Taj at sunrise is the only comfortable outdoor hour in May and June.

Can we attend the Banke Bihari darshan?

Yes, the Vrindavan day begins with the morning session at Banke Bihari. The temple is open in two sessions and closes in the afternoon; weekends and festival days bring very heavy crowds, so our driver and local contact guide you to the quieter entry.

Are the meals vegetarian?

Yes. Hotel breakfasts and dinners are vegetarian, and Mathura and Vrindavan are entirely vegetarian towns. In Agra too we book vegetarian-friendly hotels and point you to pure vegetarian restaurants.

Can elderly parents manage the Govardhan parikrama?

The full parikrama is 21 km and takes most of a day, so it is not part of the plan. We visit the Daan Ghati temple and Mansi Ganga by vehicle, and those who wish can walk a short stretch of the path. A full parikrama can be added as an extra day for fit yatris.

Can the yatra start in Agra and end in Delhi, or include Delhi temples?

Yes to both. The route can be reversed to begin in Agra, and a Delhi day with Akshardham, Birla Mandir and Chhatarpur temple can be added at the start or end. Ask us for the revised plan.

Yatra	Duration	Starts from	Price
Mathura–Vrindavan Yatra with Agra (this page)	6 days / 5 nights	Delhi	From ₹35,000
Answer the Divine Call With Mata Vaishno Devi Pilgrimage	3 days / 2 nights	Jammu	From ₹25,000
Braj Chaurasi Kos Yatra	7 days / 6 nights	Delhi	On request
Delhi Haridwar Pind Daan Yatra	3 days / 2 nights	Delhi	From ₹25,000
Haridwar Rishikesh Yatra	3 days / 2 nights	Haridwar	On request
Himachal Devi Darshan Yatra	3 days / 2 nights	Chandigarh	From ₹20,000
Jaipur Pushkar Yatra	6 days / 5 nights	Delhi	On request
Kailash Kund Yatra (Trek)	4 days / 3 nights	Jammu	From ₹30,000

Mathura–Vrindavan Yatra with Agra

Highlights & Route

Route

Good to know before you book

Yatra Highlights

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Inclusions & Exclusions

Included

Not included

Hotels

Documents & Fitness

Documents to carry

Fitness and health

Cancellation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

Book this yatra

Compare similar yatras

You can send your enquiry via the form below.