Where to go in India in July

Where not to go in July

• DelhiMonsoon humidity and downpours; many sights are less pleasantGo instead: Oct-Mar
• AgraMonsoon humidity and downpours; many sights are less pleasantGo instead: Oct-Mar
• JaisalmerDesert heat: 40-45 °C; desert camps mostly closedGo instead: Oct-Mar
• RanthamboreCore safari zones closed for the monsoonGo instead: Oct-May
• VaranasiMonsoon floods can submerge the ghats and stop boat ridesGo instead: Oct-Mar
• RishikeshMonsoon: rafting suspended and landslides on hill roadsGo instead: Sep-Nov, Feb-May
• ManaliMonsoon landslides and road closuresGo instead: Oct-Jan, Mar-Jun
• ShimlaMonsoon landslides and road closuresGo instead: Sep-Dec, Mar-Jun
• Dharamshala & McLeod GanjVery heavy monsoon rain: Dharamshala is one of India’s wettest townsGo instead: Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun
• MussoorieMonsoon landslides and fogGo instead: Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun
• NainitalMonsoon landslides and fogGo instead: Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun
• Jim Corbett National ParkMost safari zones closed for the monsoonGo instead: Nov-Jun
• KolkataHeavy monsoon rain and waterloggingGo instead: Oct-Mar
• DarjeelingMonsoon: landslides, leeches and clouds hiding the mountainsGo instead: Oct-Nov, Mar-May
• Gangtok & SikkimMonsoon landslides often block roadsGo instead: Oct-Dec, Mar-May
• Kaziranga National ParkThe park is closed (usually May to October)Go instead: Nov-Apr
• MumbaiPeak monsoon: flooding and disrupted transportGo instead: Nov-Feb
• GoaMonsoon: rough seas, no swimming and most beach shacks closedGo instead: Nov-Mar
• MahabaleshwarExtremely heavy rain; most viewpoints and boating closeGo instead: Oct-May
• Kutch & the RannThe Rann floods in the monsoon and there is no salt desert to seeGo instead: Nov-Feb
• ChikmagalurPeak monsoon: very heavy rain and leechesGo instead: Sep-Mar
• GokarnaMonsoon: rough seas, no swimming and most beach shacks closedGo instead: Oct-Mar
• KochiHeavy monsoon rainGo instead: Oct-Mar
• MunnarHeavy monsoon rain, landslide risk and no viewsGo instead: Sep-May
• Alleppey (Alappuzha) BackwatersHeavy monsoon rain on the backwatersGo instead: Oct-Mar
• VarkalaMonsoon: rough seas, no swimming and most beach shacks closedGo instead: Nov-Mar
• WayanadVery heavy monsoon rain and landslide riskGo instead: Oct-May
• OotyMonsoon rain and fogGo instead: Oct-Nov, Mar-Jun
• Andaman IslandsMonsoon: rough seas, cancelled ferries and limited divingGo instead: Nov-Apr
• Srinagar and Kashmir ValleyBusiest season, with Amarnath Yatra traffic on the Pahalgam and Sonamarg roadsGo instead: Sep-Oct, Apr-Jun
• Katra and Vaishno DeviMonsoon rain can make the track slippery and stop helicoptersGo instead: Sep-Nov, Mar-May
• Kasol and Parvati ValleyHeavy monsoon rain; landslides can close hill roadsGo instead: Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun
• Tirthan Valley and JibhiHeavy monsoon rain; landslides can close hill roadsGo instead: Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun
• Dalhousie and KhajjiarHeavy monsoon rain; landslides can close hill roadsGo instead: Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun
• KasauliHeavy monsoon rain; landslides can close hill roadsGo instead: Sep-Dec, Mar-Jun
• ChandigarhHot and humid monsoonGo instead: Oct-Mar
• Naina Devi and Anandpur SahibMonsoon rain and Shravan Navratri crowdsGo instead: Oct-Apr
• HaridwarMonsoon and Kanwar Yatra crowds; the river runs highGo instead: Oct-Nov, Feb-Apr
• Kedarnath and BadrinathMonsoon landslides often block the roadsGo instead: Sep-Oct, May-Jun
• Chopta and TungnathHeavy monsoon rain; landslides can close hill roadsGo instead: Sep-Nov, Apr-Jun
• AuliHeavy monsoon rain; landslides can close hill roadsGo instead: Oct-Jun
• LansdowneHeavy monsoon rain; landslides can close hill roadsGo instead: Sep-Dec, Mar-Jun
• Kainchi Dham and KumaonHeavy monsoon rain; landslides can close hill roadsGo instead: Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun
• Vrindavan and MathuraHot, humid monsoon; Janmashtami crowdsGo instead: Oct-Mar
• AyodhyaHot, humid monsoonGo instead: Oct-Mar
• Ujjain and OmkareshwarMonsoon; the Narmada runs high at OmkareshwarGo instead: Oct-Mar
• PachmarhiMonsoon: Satpura safaris closed and some trails shutGo instead: Oct-Jun
• Kanha and BandhavgarhCore zones closed for the monsoonGo instead: Oct-Jun
• Bodh GayaHot and humid monsoonGo instead: Oct-Mar
• Puri and KonarkMonsoon and cyclone risk on the coastGo instead: Oct-Mar
• SundarbansHeavy monsoon rain and rough waterGo instead: Oct-Mar
• TawangHeavy monsoon rain and landslidesGo instead: Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun
• Mount AbuMonsoon fog and rain on the plateauGo instead: Oct-Jun
• Dwarka and SomnathMonsoon on the coastGo instead: Oct-Mar
• MatheranVery heavy monsoon rain; some paths closedGo instead: Oct-May
• AlibaugMonsoon: ferries stop and the sea is roughGo instead: Oct-Mar
• DiuMonsoon; rough seaGo instead: Oct-Mar
• CoonoorSouthwest monsoon rain and fogGo instead: Oct-Jun
• Udupi, Murudeshwar and the Temple CoastVery heavy monsoon rain on the coastGo instead: Oct-Mar
• LakshadweepSouthwest monsoon: rough seas, many trips cancelledGo instead: Oct-Apr

Possible, with caveats

JaipurUdaipurJodhpurPushkarAmritsarKhajurahoAjanta & Ellora CavesBengaluruMysuruHampiKodaikanalPuducherry (Pondicherry)Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram)MaduraiHyderabadOrchhaStatue of Unity (Ekta Nagar)Tirupati and TirumalaRameswaram and Kanyakumari

Shoulder season means mixed weather or just outside the peak months. Expect fewer crowds and lower prices.