Anyone who’s been to India can tell you that the weather is ever so slightly different to that of the UK. By which we mean that they’re worlds apart. By UK standards, the weather in India is extreme. Where summers can reach a scorching 50 degrees and monsoon season see record levels of waterfall, Indian weather can make or break a trip.
So, to make it as pleasant as possible, it’s highly advised to plan your tour to India around the seasons. Not only will you feel more comfortable, but you will see more too, as the high temperatures and rainfall won’t prevent you from walking around all day.
An overview of India
The first thing you have to understand is that India is enormous. Indeed, it’s so big that it could qualify as a continent! And with so much space and land come a whole multitude of weather patterns that differ hugely. Unlike here in the UK where the weather can be summarised concisely, over in India there can be a heatwave in the south whilst it is snowing up north.
This is largely due to the different terrains that dot the country. Up north, you have the staggering peaks of the Himalayas whilst down south you have lush rainforests, and elsewhere you have barren desserts. So, the time of year that you visit India very much depends on what you want to do and where you want to go.
December to March
December to March is a great time to visit India and hit the beach or go on a safari. Monsoon season is over, and the temperatures are not yet hot enough to stop you from being outside for too long. These comfortable, sunny days are perfect for pretty much everything, especially for getting lost in cities that, during summer, are unbearable.
Even the humid south is relatively comfortable at this time too. Thanks to the lower temperatures and lack of greenery, this is also the perfect time to visit a national park the animals are active for longer and don’t have so many hiding places.
If you plan on going hiking in India, it’s best to leave it until later in the year. Many trails are still icy at this time, and the fog and unpredictable conditions could put you in real danger.
June to November
Hikers have, by this point, waited long enough to take on the vast peaks of the Himalayas and now it’s the perfect season for it. After all the winter rain, the landscapes are at their greenest and lushest, making hiking a joy like no other. The lodges and tented camps are now open for business too, meaning you can take on multi-day hikes through the hills.
If you’re up for really high alpine trails, it’s still important to be vigilant, even though it might seem like the weather has stabilised. Monsoons can still hit the high altitudes, turning paths into tumbling streams. There are days where there is no rain at all, so it’s better to plan your trip around this too.
November is also a great time to visit tourist hotspots like Rajasthan. With fewer tourists and post-monsoon landscapes, the desserts can be surprisingly green at this time.