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Taj Mahal

Countries in the atlas · South Asia

India

A whole world: from the Taj Mahal and the beaches of Goa to the high desert of Ladakh at the edge of the Himalayas.

Russian passport: e-visa · 30 daysRussian Foreign Ministry: avoid parts of the countryprices 1.6 times lower than in Russia

Photo: Yann; edited by King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Taj Mahal
Photo: Yann; edited by King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Agra, India · World’s best

Taj Mahal

Access 1/5 · easyJFMAMJJASOND

The Taj Mahal was built in the 17th century on the orders of Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife. Its white marble with stone inlay shifts from pink at dawn to gold at sunset.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is closed to tourists on Fridays; the best light is at dawn, when there are fewer people.

Getting there
From Delhi, about 2 hours on the Gatimaan Express high-speed train or 3–4 hours by car.
Fees and tickets
Foreigners pay 1,100 rupees plus 200 to enter the mausoleum; online it is 50 rupees cheaper, and children under 15 go free. Drones are banned.
Sources (2)
Goa
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

India

Goa

Access 1/5 · easyJFMAMJJASOND

North Goa has noisy beaches and markets; the south has quiet Palolem and Agonda. Old Goa has Portuguese churches and cathedrals from the 16th–17th centuries, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Inland are spice plantations and Dudhsagar Falls in the Western Ghats. The season runs from November to March; in summer the monsoon rains come.

Getting there
Fly to one of Goa’s airports with a connection; there are sometimes charter flights from Russia.
Sources (2)
Ladakh
Photo: Fulvio Spada from Torino, Italy · CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Union Territory of Ladakh, India

Ladakh

Access 4/5 · hardJFMAMJJASOND

Ladakh is the “Little Tibet” of northern India. Leh stands at about 3,500 metres, surrounded by the monasteries of Thiksey, Hemis and Lamayuru, the Nubra Valley with its two-humped camels, and high mountain passes.

Pangong Tso, at about 4,300 metres, changes colour from turquoise to blue. Part of the lake lies in China.

Getting there
Fly from Delhi to Leh, about 1.5 hours; in summer, roads over the passes from Manali and Srinagar.
Fees and tickets
Foreigners need a permit (inner line permit) for protected areas — online at lahdclehpermit.in; the fee includes an environmental charge.
Why it’s hard
Altitude: you need to acclimatise for the first few days, or you risk altitude sickness. Areas near the border require permits, and the roads are open mainly from June to September.
Sources (3)

Before you go

India: entry, safety, money, flights, laws and budget — with sources.

Entry

Russian citizens need an e-Tourist visa from indianvisaonline.gov.in, applied for at least 4 days before the trip. The fee depends on citizenship; check the amount for Russian citizens on the portal before applying.

Your passport needs at least 6 months of validity and 2 blank pages. The e-Arrival card is filled in no earlier than 72 hours ahead. Entry on an e-visa is only through the ports listed on the portal.

Rules for any passport

Checked 2 November 2026. These are the rules for a Russian citizen with an international passport on a tourist trip. For other passports and purposes, see the official website — the button above.

Sources (4)

Safety

The Russian Embassy advises against visiting the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir unless absolutely necessary. Ladakh is a separate territory, but near the borders you need permits.

Sources (2)

Money and cards

The Mir card does not work. Bring dollars in cash; declare cash over $5,000.

Sources (2)

Flights

Direct Aeroflot flights from Sheremetyevo to Delhi and Goa.

Sources (3)

Laws and bans

  • Vapes and e-cigarettes are banned — both their sale and their import.
  • Satellite phones and GPS trackers without a licence are banned, even in transit: a fine, arrest, confiscation.
  • Drugs: from 6 months for a small amount to 10 years or more; you can spend years in custody before trial.
  • Alcohol follows state rules: Gujarat, Bihar and several other states are dry; drinking in parks and on the street is not allowed.
  • Buying or taking out protected animals or their parts is a criminal offence.
Sources (1)

Budget

prices 1.6 times lower than in Russia · price level 0.23 (US = 1), 2025

Prices are almost 40% lower than in Russia. Mandatory costs are the visa and monument tickets: the Taj Mahal costs foreigners 1,100 rupees.

The price level is the ratio of purchasing power parity for household consumption to the market exchange rate (World Bank). These are national averages: resorts and capitals cost more, the countryside less. Flights are not included.

Sources (2)