Generally, the best time to visit India is from December to February, when it is warm during daytime and cool at night in most areas of India. December marks the beginning of the peak travel season with higher-priced accommodation and flights.
It starts to get hot from March and the temperature reaches its average high point of 45°C (113°F) in May. If you can bear the heat, traveling India from April to May, you can expect the benefits of smaller crowds as well as big promotions from hotels and airlines (usually 50% off).
India's rainy season starts from June and lasts until September. North India is less affected by downpours than central and southern parts. You could still enjoy a good experience if you visit north Indian destinations like Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and other Rajasthan areas. Many national parks are closed because of floods and landslides. Goa becomes a "ghost city", with few travelers and many beach resorts closed. Ladakh, located in the far north is cool, and little affected by the rainy season, and it starts to welcome its high travel time from June to August.
Rain starts to ease from the middle of September. In October, most areas of India have dry weather. Though it is still hot, it feels much more comfortable than in May. Traveling in October and November, you'll not be drenched, while enjoying better deals than in December-February.
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- Best Times for Tiger Safari, Festivals, Low Price
- Worst Times to Visit India
- Travel Guide by Month
Best Times to Visit India for Tiger Safari, Festivals, Low Prices, etc.
Although most people consider the best time to visit India to be from December to February, India is a large country that contains many different climates with extremely different weather patterns. When you should visit India varies greatly depending on what/where you want to see, budget, and weather preferences.
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Alisa was a great listener to all the things we wanted to incorporate into our trip. We discussed everything throughly, and when I had questions, she had answers the next day. I really appreciate her responsiveness and detail with me. I feel like we are in the best hands with Alisa and Asia Highlights. , Mar 2024 | Very great experience our driver D was…
Very great experience our driver D was never late and always had waters and a cold towel for us and our tour guide Som was very informative and had amazing English I recommend them both highly for anyone else traveling Rylan Coache, Feb 2024 | Excellent guide in Siem Reap
Our recent time spent in Siem Reap was made even more memorable by our expert guide, Som Piseth. Som was knowledgeable, attentive, flexible and super helpful - we learnt so much about Siem Reap and Cambodia in our 3 days with him. His English was excellent and his knowledge of, and pride in, his country was outstanding. We would highly recommend Som for anyone wanting an excellent guide in Siem Reap! Sharon Townshend, Feb 2024 | Asia Highlights trip to Thailand
Our first tour guide in Bangkok, Marie, was great to tour around with. She was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. Our next stop in Chang Mai we were greeted by our new tour guide, Rafael. He too was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. He made it feel as if we were traveling around with a long time friend. Every time we arrived at a new destination, we were greeted at the airport by someone with a sign with our name making our travels easy. I would definitely recommend Asia Highlights to anyone looking for a well planned trip of a lifetime! Tricia, Feb 2024 | Amazing Thailand experience
The tour guides were all knowledgeable and accommodating, especially Mayuree in Bangkok- absolutely wonderful. We felt taken care of and every step of the way was catered to our needs. Ashley White, Feb 2024 | Private tour perfect for our times
Asia highlights organized a private tour with our requests. Everything was perfect ?? the driver Tom and the guide Ying were always on time with a smile in their face. Always willing to help and make our trip perfect.Bangkok is a very hot city so we minimized the time outside. The driver always had cold towels for us in the van and cold beverages. Virginia, Feb 2024 | Thailand
We loved Chiang Mai and Susie did a great job showing us several temples, taking many pictures of us with the elephants at the sanctuary (a definite highlight of the entire trip!), and making sure we were well fed, which became a running joke between us.We had a very relaxing few days in phu*ket enjoying the beautiful beaches. Kai was great, answering all of our questions and giving us a nice tour of the old town. The all-day speedboat tour of the Phi Phi islands started off a little shaky as the sea was quite rough so if you’re at all uncomfortable bouncing around in a speedboat, you might want to skip that tour. Things did calm down as the day went on and some of the areas they took us to for swimming, snorkeling, etc were really beautiful. A couple of the islands were too crowded with people. Andrea Roberts, Feb 2024 | What a Wonderful Trip
What a Wonderful Trip! We booked with Sharon and our trip was great - guides were waiting for us at each stop, and they were all very nice and helpful. I cannot stress how amazing the guides were - they made the trip. Rachel, Feb 2024 | Ask for Victor!
If you are traveling to Bangkhok you need to request Victor. He made our trip amazing! My family completed bucket list items with his guidance. He knew exactly how to get us places, kept us on time, made us feel safe, educated us on history, spoke excellent English and was genuinely a nice man! Everyone we encountered was awesome- but Victor is the reason for my 5 star review! Sandy, Jan 2024 | Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a…
Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a wonderful trip to Thailand. We had a great time. The tour guides were wonderful as were the hotels you booked for us. We will definitely contact you to plan our next trip Carol Yeung, Jan 2024 | Ying was the best
Ying was the best. She was really knowledgeable and kind. Thank you Ying for wonderful experience in Thailand! Sylvester Yeung, Jan 2024 | Very well organized
Very well organized. Our tour guide, Ying, was amazing! She had full knowledge of every location we visited and made sure our itinerary was fulfilled as expected. She was extremely helpful for our airport experiences, and made sure we arrived at an appropriate time. David M. Kang, Jan 2024 | Family trip to Thailand
We were lucky to be greeted by Marie and her driver.In Marie, we have made a friend for life. She is incredibly smart and knowledgeable about her home country. From the vast number of temples to safely traversing Chinatown.She helped give us tips on our free days, locate left behind lost clothing and arrange for pickup. She even helped check us in for our flight to Chiang Mai.She prepared us ahead of time for every event we had scheduled and bonded with our kids, 3x 13 year olds. Justin Levenbrook, Jan 2024 | Thailand with and amazing tour guide Ying
I highly recommend Ying as a tour guide in Thailand. Her expertise in Thai culture, combined with her passion for food and genuine love for her country, made the tour an exceptional experience. If you're looking for a guide who will not only show you the sights but also immerse you in the local culture and help you discover delicious Thai cuisine, Ying is the perfect choice. Diana Irizarry, Jan 2024 | Asia Highlights Thailand trip
Asia Highlights provided us with a great travel trip. They made it very easy to navigate through Thailand with everything going very smoothly. From the easy transportation to the great day itinerary everything was awesome. Will definitely look to use this agency again in the future. Taylor Jones, Jan 2024 | Perfect 2 WK Thailand Trip for a Solo Female Traveler
Bank was our guide in Bangkok and he showed us around the city with ease and we were able to see and try things I never would have planned on my own. After Bangkok, our small group flew to Chiang Mai for Yi Peng lantern festival and that was a breathtaking experience that I will never forget! Pop was our guide in this city and she was knowledgeable, kind and caring which made our experience even more memorable. Tia, Dec 2023 | We recently have just returned from Thailand
We recently have just returned one from a 5 week trip to Thailand through Asia Highlights. We had a wonderful time and Asia Highlights went beyond our expectations. They truly tried their best to make sure everything went smoothly and we were taken care of! Everyone was amazing and we would definitely use them in the future!! Many thanks to everyone that helped to make this an incredible once in a lifetime experience!! Karen Rocque, Dec 2023 | Indochina Experience
On our 5th day of our trip with Asiahighlights. We felt well taken care of before and it hasn’t changed since we started from Bangkok to Hanoi (guide Kim was verrry knowledgeable!) to Halong Bay (spectacular scenery) to Hoi An (guide Nhieu Tran, giving great local (shopping) tips and insights). Stefan Eisenhut, Dec 2023 |
Best Time for Tiger Safari in India
For most comfortable weather, December to February are the best months to travel. You can enjoy clear skies and all kinds of outdoor activities in most of the country. It is also a good time for a tiger safari as the undergrowth is low and the animals are more active in cool weather.
9-Day India Golden Triangle with Tiger Safari Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Ranthambore National Park
Best Time for Mountain Hiking in India
If you're a mountain hiking lover, visiting Ladakh from June to August or doing a Himalayan trek from March to early June or from late September to November would be rewarding with cool weather and little rain.
- Himalayan mountains get extremely wet from late June to early September!
- The passes and roads in Ladakh are blocked by snow September to April.
14-Day India, Nepal, and Bhutan Tour Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Kathmandu - Thimphu - Punakha - Paro
Best Time for Festival Experiences in India
If you're interested in attending India's colorful festivals, Holi and Diwali are two most celebrated festivals in India. Holi is typically observed in March, occasionally in late February.
- 8-Day Diwali Festival in India Golden Triangle Tour
- 11-Day India Holi Festival Tour
Best Time for the Cheap Pricein India
April to June is the best time for the lowest prices in general. The heat prohibits many travelers (international and domestic) from traveling around India. You may find only a few visitors in the temples, and you can expect lower prices, with 30–50% off offered by many hotels and flights.
An Insider's Guide to the Best Timeto Visit Indiafor Good Weather With Better Prices:
- March, October, and November could be seen as middle ground periods. During these months, you don't need to bear extreme hotness like in April to June, while you can expect less crowding and more affordable prices than in December to February.
14-Day Rajasthan Tour Package for Westners Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Udaipur
Read more onIndia Private Tour Packages for inspiration >>>
The Worst Times to Visit India
Strictly speaking, there is no worse time to visit India. No matter which month you travel, India has somewhere with suitable experiences that are not too negatively affected by the weather.
For first-timers to India, the travel routes usually focus on Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur (Pink City) with Varanasi, or Mumbai, Goa,and Kerala in the south. With time permitting, you can also extend your trip to Jodhpur (Blue City), Udaipur (White City), and Jaisalmer (Golden City) in the western desert, Rajasthan. For these areas:
- If you cannot stand the burning hotness, avoid April to June.
- If you don't like heavy rain, avoid August. The monsoon will approach to India from June and fade away after September. August is the wettest month. But you can still find some hours for sightseeing during the rest of monsoon season as the rainfall might not last for several days.
- If you'd like to experience a desert camp in the western desert, avoid May and June as some resorts in the desert are closed because of the heat. Accommodations in city areas is still OK to stay in. The desert is a good destinations in rainy season as it's hardly affected.
- If you want to relax on the beach in Goa, avoid June to August as summer's big sea currents are not safe for swimming and many resorts will close.
9-Day India Golden Triangle with Varanasi Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Varanasi
India Travel Guide by Month
Click the sign of each month to check the travel guide information.
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
Visiting India in January: Pleasant Weather
- Average temperature ranges: 7 to 20°C (46–68°F) in the north (Delhi, Agra, Jaipur), 20 to 30°C (68–86°F) in central and south India (Goa, Mumbai, Kelara)
- Key festivals: Bikaner Camel Festival, Republic Day (January 26th)
Many travelers from America and Europe come to India from the end of December to January to celebrate Christmas and New Year. January has pleasantly warm days and cool nights, which are great for outdoor activities. Though there might be some fog in early morning, January is generally good for traveling throughout India, except for the highlands and far-north mountain areas.
The weather in the south is much warmer than in the north in January. It's a great time to celebrate the New Year on beaches in Goa or join in a camel festival in the desert of Bikaner.
Read more on January Weather in India and the Best Plases to Visit >>>
2-Week Luxury India Tour Delhi - Varanasi - Agra - Jaipur - Udaipur
Visiting India with Asia Highlights
Want to explore all of the incredible destinations India has to offer while avoiding extreme heat and heavy rains? Here at Asia Highlights, we can help you navigate India's changing seasons and help you pick your perfect time to see the famous sites you want to see most. Some India tours are recommended below for inspiration.
- 7-Day Golden Triangle India Tour
- 9-Day India Golden Triangle with Tiger Safari
- 11-Day India and Nepal Tour
- 14-Day India, Nepal, and Bhutan Tou
