When to visit India

Traditionally the best months to travel to Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle are October to March. October and March will have warm days and evenings, though the evenings can cool a little in rural regions. November and February are still lovely and warm, but evenings will require a light sweater. In December and January, a light sweater might be needed during the day but a jacket for the evenings. Remember, if you are going on safari: pack layers as mornings and evenings in an open jeep with the windchill factor can be cold.  September is a beautiful month, with everything refreshed from the monsoon. Ranthambore National Park remains closed on Wednesdays.

The best time for travel to Central India is October to April. October and April can be hot, particularly on safari; November through March are cooler and even a little chilly at night. On morning safaris, we recommend packing plenty of layers. If you are traveling to the National parks, October is just after the monsoons, so the jungles look beautiful, verdant, and green. However, this can also make sightings more difficult. For wildlife enthusiasts and photographers, if you can stand the heat, April to June is the best for sightings as the foliage has died down and the water holes are drying up. Mumbai is fun to visit at any time of year; it is humid from April  – June, but avoid the monsoon as the roads, with the heavy rains, can become impossible.

The Northeast of India experiences three main seasons – summer, monsoon, and winter. However, there are temperature variations, being vast and with varying topographies, from the plains to the hills. October to March is the perfect time to visit every region of the Northeast. The weather ranges from pleasant to freezing depending on the month and altitude. Some of the higher parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Nagaland get snow. October and March are milder, with December and January being cooler; warm clothing will be required. Most wildlife sanctuaries re-open to the public in November. April to May is an excellent time to travel, depending on your tolerance for heat and destination. The plains will be hot & humid, though naturally, it will be cooler in the hills. As with most of India, the monsoons come from June – September bringing plenty of warm rain, which means spectacular waterfalls and green landscapes. However, this is the time to avoid the plains due to flooding, and the wildlife parks are closed.