Udaipur
The City of Lakes: white palaces reflected in Lake Pichola, rooftop dinners and the most romantic sunsets in Rajasthan.
Sep-Mar 2-3 days
Travel calendar
Where to go in India in September
The rains retreat and festival season begins. Here are 27 places at their best, the weather region by region, and the festivals worth planning around.
Weather in September
- North plainsHumid; rains tapering off.
- HimalayaLadakh’s last good month; clear skies after the rains.
- West & GoaRain easing; very green.
- South & KeralaMostly dry spells; good value.
- NortheastRain easing.
Festivals & events
- Janmashtami4 September 2026 · Mathura, Vrindavan; dahi handi in Mumbai
- Ganesh Chaturthi14 September 2026 · Mumbai, Pune
Shoulder season: lush landscapes, fewer tourists and lower prices.
On the map
Teal pins are at their best in September, sand pins are possible with caveats, and red pins are better left for another month. Tap a pin for details.
Where not to go in September
- RanthamboreCore safari zones closed for the monsoonGo instead: Oct-May
- VaranasiMonsoon floods can submerge the ghats and stop boat ridesGo instead: Oct-Mar
- Jim Corbett National ParkMost safari zones closed for the monsoonGo instead: Nov-Jun
- 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
- 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
- GokarnaMonsoon: rough seas, no swimming and most beach shacks closedGo instead: Oct-Mar
- VarkalaMonsoon: rough seas, no swimming and most beach shacks closedGo instead: Nov-Mar
- Andaman IslandsMonsoon: rough seas, cancelled ferries and limited divingGo instead: Nov-Apr
- AuliHeavy monsoon rain; landslides can close hill roadsGo instead: Oct-Jun
- 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
- 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
- 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
DelhiAgraJaipurJodhpurJaisalmerPushkarAmritsarManaliKhajurahoKolkataMumbaiAjanta & Ellora CavesBengaluruMysuruHampiKochiAlleppey (Alappuzha) BackwatersWayanadOotyPuducherry (Pondicherry)Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram)MaduraiHyderabadChandigarhNaina Devi and Anandpur SahibHaridwarVrindavan and MathuraAyodhyaUjjain and OmkareshwarOrchhaMount AbuDwarka and SomnathStatue of Unity (Ekta Nagar)Rameswaram and KanyakumariCoonoor
Shoulder season means mixed weather or just outside the peak months. Expect fewer crowds and lower prices.
Best places to visit in September
Rishikesh
The yoga capital of the world on the Ganges: ashrams, white-water rafting, suspension bridges and Himalayan foothills.
Sep-Nov, Feb-May 2-4 days
Shimla
The old British summer capital: colonial Mall Road, pine forests and the UNESCO-listed toy train from Kalka.
Sep-Dec, Mar-Jun 2-3 days
Dharamshala & McLeod Ganj
Home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile: monasteries, momos and the Triund trek under the Dhauladhar range.
Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun 2-4 days
Leh & Ladakh
High-altitude desert of monasteries, turquoise lakes and the world’s highest motorable passes: India’s great adventure.
May-Sep 6-10 days
Mussoorie
The “Queen of the Hills” above Dehradun: Mall Road, Landour’s quiet lanes and views of the snow peaks.
Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun 2 days
Nainital
A lake town in the Kumaon hills, with boating, ropeways and quieter lakes like Bhimtal and Sattal close by.
Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun 2-3 days
Shillong & Meghalaya
The “abode of clouds”: living root bridges, crystal-clear rivers, waterfalls and some of the wettest places on earth.
Jun-Apr 4-6 days
Lonavala & Khandala
The classic monsoon getaway between Mumbai and Pune: waterfalls, forts, caves and chikki.
Jun-Feb 1-2 days
Coorg (Kodagu)
Misty coffee estates, waterfalls and Kodava culture in Karnataka’s Western Ghats.
Jun-Mar 2-3 days
Chikmagalur
Where coffee first came to India: rolling estates, Karnataka’s highest peak and quiet waterfalls.
Sep-Mar 2 days
Kodaikanal
The “princess of hill stations”: a star-shaped lake, pine forests and cliff-edge walks in the Palani hills.
Sep-Oct, Mar-Jun 2 days
Srinagar and Kashmir Valley
Houseboats on Dal Lake, Mughal gardens, chinar trees and the meadows of Gulmarg and Pahalgam: Kashmir is the classic Indian honeymoon and family holi…
Sep-Oct, Apr-Jun 4-6 days
Katra and Vaishno Devi
Katra is the base for the walk to the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, one of the most visited pilgrimages in India.
Sep-Nov, Mar-May 2-3 days
Spiti Valley
A high-altitude desert valley on the Tibetan border: thousand-year-old monasteries, fossil villages and some of the most dramatic roads in the Himala…
Jun-Sep 7-10 days
Kasol and Parvati Valley
Pine forests, a fast blue river and cafe villages: Parvati Valley is the backpackers’ Himachal, with the Manikaran gurdwara and the Kheerganga trek n…
Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun 3-4 days
Tirthan Valley and Jibhi
Two quiet Himalayan valleys of wooden villages, trout streams and forest walks, next to the Great Himalayan National Park (UNESCO).
Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun 3-4 days
Dalhousie and Khajjiar
A quiet colonial hill station on five hills, and Khajjiar’s meadow ringed by deodar forest, often called India’s little Switzerland.
Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun 2-3 days
Kasauli
A small, green cantonment town 65 km from Chandigarh: pine walks, colonial churches and sunset views over the plains.
Sep-Dec, Mar-Jun 1-2 days
Kedarnath and Badrinath
The two high Himalayan dhams: Kedarnath, a Jyotirlinga reached by a 16 km walk, and Badrinath, the Vishnu temple on the Alaknanda river.
Sep-Oct, May-Jun 5-7 days
Chopta and Tungnath
Meadows and rhododendron forest below Tungnath, the highest Shiva temple in the world, and the short trek on to Chandrashila peak for a Himalayan sun…
Sep-Nov, Apr-Jun 2-3 days
Lansdowne
A quiet army cantonment town in oak and pine forest, home of the Garhwal Rifles, and an easy weekend from Delhi.
Sep-Dec, Mar-Jun 1-2 days
Kainchi Dham and Kumaon
Neem Karoli Baba’s ashram in a river valley near Nainital, now one of Uttarakhand’s most visited places, and the Kumaon hill towns of Bhimtal, Muktes…
Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun 3-4 days
Tawang
India’s largest Buddhist monastery, above 3,000 m near the Bhutan and Tibet borders, reached over the dramatic Sela Pass.
Sep-Nov, Mar-Jun 5-6 days
Shirdi, Nashik and Trimbakeshwar
Sai Baba’s samadhi at Shirdi, the Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga at the source of the Godavari, Shani Shingnapur and Nashik’s ghats and vineyards.
Jul-Mar 2-3 days
Tirupati and Tirumala
The Sri Venkateswara temple on the Tirumala hills, one of the most visited religious sites in the world, and the temple town of Tirupati below.
Sep-Mar 2-3 days
Frequently asked questions
Where should I go in India in September?
Top picks for September include Udaipur, Rishikesh, Shimla, Dharamshala & McLeod Ganj, Leh & Ladakh, Mussoorie. Shoulder season: lush landscapes, fewer tourists and lower prices.
What is the weather like in India in September?
North plains: Humid; rains tapering off. Himalaya: Ladakh’s last good month; clear skies after the rains. West & Goa: Rain easing; very green. South & Kerala: Mostly dry spells; good value. Northeast: Rain easing.
Where should I avoid in India in September?
Ranthambore: Core safari zones closed for the monsoon. Varanasi: Monsoon floods can submerge the ghats and stop boat rides. Jim Corbett National Park: Most safari zones closed for the monsoon. Darjeeling: Monsoon: landslides, leeches and clouds hiding the mountains. Gangtok & Sikkim: Monsoon landslides often block roads. Kaziranga National Park: The park is closed (usually May to October). Goa: Monsoon: rough seas, no swimming and most beach shacks closed. Mahabaleshwar: Extremely heavy rain; most viewpoints and boating close.