When is the cheapest time to visit India?

Prices bottom out in Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep — typically 20-40% below peak-season rates on hotels and flights.

What months should I avoid in India?

May, Jun, Jul, Aug. Extreme heat across plains

Best time to visit · South AsiaOriginal Research

When to go to India

October to March is the most comfortable season across most of India. The monsoon (June–September) makes travel challenging but brings lush landscapes.

Best: October–MarchPeak: November–February

Month-by-month

Jan

Great

7°–21°C · 15mm rain
Crowds high · Prices high

Republic Day celebrations

Feb

Great

10°–24°C · 15mm rain
Crowds high · Prices high

Holi preparations

Mar

Great

15°–30°C · 10mm rain
Crowds high · Prices high

Holi festival

Apr

Okay

21°–36°C · 10mm rain
Crowds low · Prices low

Intense heat begins

May

Avoid

25°–39°C · 15mm rain
Crowds low · Prices low

Extreme heat across plains

Jun

Avoid

26°–36°C · 75mm rain
Crowds low · Prices low

Monsoon arrives in south

Jul

Avoid

25°–33°C · 210mm rain
Crowds low · Prices low

Full monsoon

Aug

Avoid

25°–32°C · 240mm rain
Crowds low · Prices low

Sep

Okay

24°–33°C · 150mm rain
Crowds low · Prices low

Monsoon retreating

Oct

Great

19°–33°C · 30mm rain
Crowds medium · Prices medium

Diwali preparations

Nov

Great

13°–28°C · 5mm rain
Crowds high · Prices high

Diwali; pleasant weather

Dec

Great

8°–23°C · 5mm rain
Crowds high · Prices high

Festivals worth timing your trip around

Mar

Holi

The festival of colours — joyful powder-throwing celebrations across the country.

Oct–Nov

Diwali

Festival of lights with fireworks, oil lamps, and elaborate sweets.

Nov

Pushkar Camel Fair

Thousands of camels converge on Pushkar in Rajasthan for this vibrant fair.

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Common questions about India

When is the best time to visit India?: October–March. October to March is the most comfortable season across most of India. The monsoon (June–September) makes travel challenging but brings lush landscapes.
When is the cheapest time to visit India?: Prices bottom out in Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep — typically 20-40% below peak-season rates on hotels and flights.
What months should I avoid in India?: May, Jun, Jul, Aug. Extreme heat across plains
When is peak tourist season in India?: November–February

See also the full India climate deep-dive with temperature heatmap and daily-rainfall breakdown.

— How we report this guide

What you read here, and where it came from.

Climate data — temperature, rainfall, and humidity numbers cite WMO 30-year normals plus the most recent decade where available, cross-checked with the destination's national meteorological service.
Crowd & price calls — sourced from our editors' on-the-ground reporting in India plus published hotel ADR and visitor-arrival data. We tell you which months bottom out, not which ones marketing departments push.
Festivals & seasonal flags — verified against the official tourism authority and re-checked at every review. Where dates shift year-over-year (lunar calendars, religious festivals), we flag it explicitly.
Updates — this guide is reviewed by destination.com editors at least once a year and any time conditions on the ground change materially. Send corrections and we'll log them publicly.

✓ Last verified May 2, 2026