The Best Time to Visit India

February is still a wonderful time to visit India with pleasant daytime temperatures and dry weather the norm in most of the country. It’s also a slightly less popular time to visit so the sights are less busy than during the peak months of December and January.  

In Rajasthan the fog that can sometimes dog popular sights in the winter is far less of a risk, whilst the vegetation is also thinning out in the national parks making wildlife viewing easier.

In the south of India the weather is still hot and dry, perfect for enjoying those beautiful beaches. Temperatures are rising in the Himalayas so the tail end of the month particularly is good for walking in the foothills.

Festivals and Events

• Jaisalmer Desert Festival

  Held in and around the dramatic fort city of Jaisalmer, the desert festival is a celebration of local culture showcasing everything from fire dancers and gymnasts to local song and dance. Based on the lunar calendar, the festival runs in late January or early February.

• We have no events in February matching your criteria, please update your preferences.

Visiting India in March

March is a kaleidoscopically colourful time of the year to visit with the paint throwing festival of Holi being celebrated. The weather is also great for sightseeing still in March throughout the country.

March is a super month for wildlife spotting in parks like Ranthambore and Pench and it’s also a really pleasant time of the year to visit the Himalayas with spring flowers in full bloom.

Festivals and Events

• Holi

  An ancient Hindu festival celebrated mostly in the north of India, Holi is known variously as the Festival of Spring, the Festival of Love or the Festival of Colours and heralds the arrival of spring. Revellers celebrate the passing of winter by smearing paint and hurling coloured water over themselves and everyone else who happens to be in the vicinity.

• We have no events in March matching your criteria, please update your preferences.

Visiting India in April

Temperatures and humidity are rising all over the country so the early part of the month is best for sightseeing. In the national parks and reserves water is becoming scarce, so wildlife is forced to congregate around the waterholes. Consequently this could be your best chance of spotting the elusive tiger.

Visiting India in May

May in India is uncomfortably hot with temperatures reaching up to 45°C and high humidity. The south awaits the onset of the monsoon and only the Himalayan heights offer any respite.

Visiting India in June

The monsoon has arrived and is will be in full swing in the south bringing torrential rainfall and difficult travelling conditions. High temperatures and humidity with increasing chance of storms also make the north an unenticing prospect. Many parks and tiger reserves close at the end of June.

The one exception is the remote mountainous region of Ladakh that is enjoying clear skies and sunny days.

Visiting India in July

The monsoon swathes the whole country bringing heavy rainfall and difficult travelling conditions. Whilst the rains are very welcome and much of the country bursts into lush greenery, this is not a recommended month for travel to anywhere except Ladakh where the clear skies frame the mountain views magnificently.

Visiting India in August

The whole country is still in the heart of the monsoon season in August. With extremely high rainfall, high humidity and travel difficult, this is not a recommended month for travel to India

Visiting India in September

In Rajasthan and the north the skies clear as the monsoon retreats but you can still expect the odd storm, especially in the early part of the month. With this in mind, prices are often lower so September is a great value month to travel.

Rainfall is still high in the tropical south and the Himalayas, so you are advised to wait until October before venturing to these parts of India.

Festivals and Events

• Ganesh Chaturth

  Taking place through August and September the Ganesh Chaturthi festival is a Hindu celebration honouring Ganesh. Images of the elephant-headed god are created and paraded along streets throughout the country before being installed in private or public shrines. The festival culminates with the idols being immersed in rivers, lakes or the sea.

• We have no events in September matching your criteria, please update your preferences.

Visiting India in October

October is a wonderful month to visit much of India with great weather and some magical festivals.

In the north, temperatures are cooling pleasantly and the monsoon rains are a distant memory around Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle. Parks and reserves reopen in October so a tiger safari is now back on the menu and conditions are also ideal for sightseeing in Varanasi and Kolkata.

Mumbai and Goa are largely dry and pleasant. The landscapes of Kerala and the south are lush and beautiful but may still experience some rainfall in the early parts of the month.

Festivals and Events

• Diwali

  Diwali, the Festival of Light, is an extended festival that celebrates the triumph of light over dark and falls either in October or November. Over five days, small lamps, or diyas, are lit and placed outside buildings, houses are decorated and fireworks let off in the evenings. Celebrated all over the country it is a magical time to be in India.

• We have no events in October matching your criteria, please update your preferences.

Visiting India in November

November is a wonderful month to travel all over India. The rains are long gone and daytime temperatures are just perfect for exploring and sightseeing. National parks and reserves are all open and many festivals are in full swing.

Festivals and Events

• Diwali

  Celebrating the triumph of light over dark and falling either in October or November, Diwali is a wonderful time to be in India. Families get together to light candles and small lamps that adorn building and streets and the evening air resounds with the sound of numerous fireworks displays.
• Pushkar Camel Fair

  Once a year Pushkar is utterly transformed as camel traders from all over Rajasthan descend on the normally sleepy lakeside village for the Pushkar Camel Fair. Thousands of camels, horses and livestock are traded and there is a festival atmosphere with song and dance performances, camel races, cricket and even a longest moustache competition.

• We have no events in November matching your criteria, please update your preferences.

Visiting India in December

December is a good month to visit India. Temperatures are beginning to fall as the country enters its winter season but that still means daytime highs in the low twenties in Rajasthan and the north so sightseeing is very pleasant. Evenings can get down into single figures though so pack a sweater. The south is wonderfully warm, even in the evenings the temperature rarely falls below twenty, with sparse rain, just perfect.

Festivals and Events

• Christmas

  Although less than 3% of the country are practising Christians, the Christmas period is a busy time with many people visiting over the holidays. Christmas is still celebrated and it’s not unusual to see decorations adorning local houses and businesses, especially in areas with large Christian populations like Mumbai, Goa and Madurai.

• We have no events in December matching your criteria, please update your preferences.