| Indian Weather |
- High Season (Sept–Mar)
- Pleasant weather – warm days, cool nights. Peak tourists. Peak prices.
- December and January bring chilly nights in the north.
- Temperatures climb steadily from February.
- Shoulder Season (Jul–Sept)
- Passes to Ladakh and the high Himalaya open from July to September.
- Monsoon rain-showers persist through to September.
- The southeast coast and southern Kerala see heavy rain from October to early December.
- Low Season (Apr–Jun)
- April is hot; May and June are scorching. Competitive hotel prices.
- From June, the monsoon sweeps from south to north, bringing draining humidity.
- Beat the heat (but not the crowds) in the cool hills.
Where to Visit in India During the Summer Season(March to May):
While the summer can be very uncomfortable and draining in most parts of India, it’s the perfect time for visiting the mountains and hill stations The air there is fresh and soothing. If you're into seeing wildlife and spotting tigers in their natural environment, the summer is also the best time to visit India's national parks as the animals all come out of the thickets in search for water in the heat.
Where to Visit in India During the Monsoon Season(May to August):
It’s difficult to travel throughout most of India during monsoon time as the rain often disrupts transport services. However, it’s the best time to visit popular but isolated Ladakh in the far north, as the roads leading there don’t clear of snow and open up until June. This is just one of many great destinations for monsoon travel in India.
Where to Visit in India During the Winter Season (October to February):
The winter season is the time to hit the beaches in India, and many people flock to relax and party on the long strip of beaches in Goa. India's far south is also best enjoyed in winter, with December to February being the only really good months to travel there. The rest of the time it’s either uncomfortably hot and humid, or wet. Apparently, it rains for an astonishing nine months of the year in the state of Kerala! It's also a good idea to travel to the desert state of Rajasthan during the winter, to avoid the searing summer temperatures. Unless you want to go skiing (which is possible in India!), anywhere around the Himalaya mountains should be avoided in winter because of the snow. It can be very beautiful to see though.
Western Himalayas: Srinagar is best from March to October; July to August can be cold and damp in winter. Shimla is higher and therefore colder in winter. Places like Gulmarg, Manali and Pahalgam are usually under several feet of snow from December to March and temperatures in Ladakh, which is a high-altitude desert, can be extremely cold. The mountain passes of Ladakh are accessible from July to October.
Northern Plains: Cities like New Delhi, Varanasi, Lucknow and Patna experience an extreme range of temperatures and are typically warm from April to mid-June, falling to almost freezing at night in winter between November and February. Summers are hot with monsoons between June and September.
Central India: Madhya Pradesh state escapes the very worst of the hot season, but monsoons are heavy between July and September. Temperatures fall at night in winter.
Western India: November to February is most comfortable, although evenings can be fairly cold. Summers can be extremely hot with monsoon rainfall between mid June and mid September.
Eastern India: Weather in states like Orissa (which is flood-prone) are defined by cooler weather from October to February, scorching heat from March to May and unavoidable drenching from the monsoons from June to October.
Southwest: The most pleasant weather is from September to March. Monsoon rains fall anywhere between late April and July. Summer temperatures are not as high as Northern India although humidity is extreme. The coast benefits from some cooling breezes. Inland, Mysore and Bijapur have pleasant climates with relatively low rainfall.
Southeast: September to March are pleasant months. Tamil Nadu experiences a northeast monsoon between October and December and temperatures and humidity are high all year. The hills can be cold in winter.
Northeast: September to March are the driest and most pleasant periods. The rest of the year has extremely heavy monsoon rainfall.