The three seasons
| Season | Months | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| Cool & dry | October to March | Rajasthan, Golden Triangle, Varanasi, Goa, Kerala, the south, Andamans |
| Hot | April to June | Himalayan hill stations, Ladakh (from late May), Sikkim, Darjeeling |
| Monsoon | June/July to September | Ladakh & Spiti (rain-shadow), Kerala Ayurveda, Meghalaya, Western Ghats |
Region by region
- Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Rajasthan: October to March. December to January nights can be cold; Delhi’s air is worst November to January.
- Varanasi: October to March; Dev Deepawali in November is spectacular.
- Goa: November to February for beach-shack season.
- Kerala: September to March; monsoon (June to August) is lush and ideal for Ayurveda.
- Hill stations (Shimla, Manali, Mussoorie, Darjeeling, Ooty): March to June and September to November.
- Ladakh: June to September (late May to early October for roads).
- Northeast: October to April; Meghalaya’s waterfalls peak in the monsoon.
- Andamans: November to April.
See our month-by-month pages: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December.
Plan around festivals
Diwali, Holi, Durga Puja and Pushkar’s camel fair are worth planning a trip around. Just expect crowds. See festival dates.
Free printable: where to go in India month by month, on one page, as a PDF or image. More cheat sheets.
