In short: October to March is the best time for most of India. November to February is peak: perfect weather, highest prices. October and March are the sweet spot. April to June is for the Himalayas. July to September is for Ladakh, Spiti and Kerala Ayurveda. There's no bad month to visit India, only the wrong region for that month.
India is so big that while Rajasthan is baking at 45°C in May, Ladakh's mountain passes are just opening, and while Goa's beaches are empty in the monsoon, Kerala is at its greenest. Our local buddies live across all of these regions, so here's the honest month-by-month view from the people actually there, plus one hidden gem for every month.
India month by month
Month | Weather (north plains) | Go to | Avoid | Festivals and events | Hidden gem of the month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | Cool, foggy mornings, 5 to 20°C | Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu | High Himalayan treks | Republic Day (26 Jan), Pongal | Rann of Kutch's white salt desert under a full moon |
February | Pleasant, 10 to 25°C | The plains and the south | Nothing major | Jaisalmer Desert Festival | Hampi's boulder landscapes before the heat |
March | Warm, 15 to 32°C | Rajasthan, Varanasi, tiger reserves | Late-March heat in central India | Holi | Holi in Mathura and Vrindavan, where it began |
April | Hot, 22 to 38°C | Darjeeling, Sikkim, Meghalaya | Rajasthan, Delhi, Agra | Rhododendron bloom in Sikkim | |
May | Very hot, 26 to 42°C | Himachal, Uttarakhand, Kashmir | All the plains | Tirthan Valley, Himachal: trout streams, no crowds | |
June | Hot, monsoon arrives in the south | Ladakh, Spiti | Kerala and Goa beaches | Hemis Festival (Ladakh) | Spiti's monasteries as the roads open |
July | Monsoon | Ladakh, Spiti, Kerala Ayurveda | Hill roads in Himachal and Uttarakhand | Monsoon Ayurveda retreat in Kerala, the traditional season for it | |
August | Monsoon | Ladakh, Western Ghats | North-east hill roads | Independence Day (15 Aug) | Valley of Flowers in full bloom (Uttarakhand) |
September | Monsoon easing | Ladakh, late-month Rajasthan | Goa's beach shacks still closed | Onam (Kerala), Ganesh Chaturthi (Mumbai) | Kaas Plateau wildflowers near Satara |
October | Warm and dry, 20 to 33°C | Rajasthan, Varanasi, Himalayan views | Navratri, Durga Puja, Diwali (some years) | Durga Puja in Kolkata, the city's biggest street festival | |
November | Pleasant, 12 to 28°C | Almost everywhere | Delhi if you're sensitive to smog | Diwali (some years), Pushkar Camel Fair | Orchha's riverside palaces in perfect weather |
December | Cool, 7 to 22°C | Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu | Delhi fog delays | Hornbill Festival (Nagaland, 1 to 10 Dec) | Hornbill Festival in Nagaland |
Temperatures are typical daytime ranges for Delhi and Rajasthan. The south stays around 25 to 33°C all year. Many festivals follow the lunar calendar and change date every year.
Best time to visit by region
Region | Best months | Why |
|---|---|---|
Rajasthan, Delhi, Agra | October to March | Dry, warm days and cool nights |
Kerala | September to March | Green after the monsoon, then dry |
Goa | November to March | Shacks open, calm sea |
Ladakh | June to September | The only window when passes are open |
Himachal and Uttarakhand | March to June, September to November | Clear skies, no monsoon landslides |
North-east | October to April | Dry season and festival season |
Andaman Islands | November to April | Calm sea, good diving visibility |
Tiger reserves | February to May | Dry forest, animals come to water |
Peak, shoulder and low season
Peak (mid-December to January): perfect weather, prices up to double, big crowds at the Taj Mahal. Book 3+ months ahead.
Shoulder (October, November, February, March): our favourite. Great weather, fair prices, fewer people.
Low (April to September): cheapest flights and stays. Brilliant for the mountains, Ayurveda and monsoon landscapes.
Why India's festivals change date every year
Most Indian festivals follow lunar or lunisolar calendars, not the Gregorian one. Diwali falls on the new moon of the month of Kartika, Holi on the full moon of Phalguna. That's why Diwali can land in October one year and November the next. Always check the year's dates before you book flights around a festival.
Local hack: in festival weeks, trains and stays sell out first, not flights. Book trains the day the 60-day window opens.
Tell us your dates, we'll match the region
Got fixed dates? Tell us when you're coming and what you love, and we'll suggest the regions, festivals and hidden gems that are at their best that month. Get your free plan →
Related: How to Plan a Trip to India · India Trip Cost · India Itineraries
