It's often said that India is not a country but a continent. This massive nation is diverse in its culture, landscapes, climate, and seasons. India has many geographical zones, with the best seasons to visit different regions may vary. From the snow-capped Himalayas to the teeming city of Mumbai to the backwaters of Kerala, each region has its climate, and knowing what to expect can help you plan your India vacation during the time of year that suits you best.
Winter
October to March is considered the best travel time to India. It is wintertime when temperatures are cool, and the weather is generally dry. Weather-wise, February is one of the best months to travel, as nearly the whole country is warm and sunny. March brings the popular Holi festival, where participants throw colourful paint to celebrate the victory of good over evil.
Summer
For northern Himalayan regions like Leh, Shimla, and Kashmir, the best time to visit is during the summer months, from May to October. The rest of the northern plains are hot in the summer, making winter a good time to travel there. April to September is a good time if you are looking for great value and cheap prices. If you want to enjoy great animal viewing, the summer months from April to June are perfect. Water is limited, so there are quite a few sightings at watering holes. Plus, the grass is dry, making it easy to spot a tiger in the wild.
Monsoon Season
Most national parks are closed during the monsoon season from July to September. However, the Monsoon season is not a total write-off as it is a great time to visit India for any Ayurvedic treatments. Ayurvedic healing resorts are an escape from the mundane, hectic everyday existence.
Fall
The rains end in the north and the warm, sunny days return by October. November is one of the best months to travel anywhere in India, as it offers wonderful weather and multiple festivals. The Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan is an event to experience, while Diwali, the festival of light (which sometimes takes place in October), brings beautiful candle displays, buildings covered in lights, and celebratory fireworks all over the country.
Any time of year can offer wonderful travel to India, and your travel time choice depends on your specific interests.
What do the experts say?
What I love most about visiting India is how alive everything feels. The colours, the food, the people. Every place has its own vibe and story. One moment you’re in a quiet temple, the next you’re in a bustling street market. It’s chaotic in the best way
My favourite drinks are aam panna, a traditional Indian summer drink made from raw mangoes, known for its refreshing taste and cooling properties, and mango lassi, the iconic Indian yogurt drink
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ExcellentBased on 5,144 ReviewsKatie was a dream to work with. We made many changes to the standard itinerary to customize our trip and she never missed a beat. Her responsiveness and humor made working together a joy and her most common response to our very packed activities was, “can I help with that?” Hotels, car rental all went smoothly and were very much to our liking. The super long flights were laid out to minimize travel time and maximize comfort. Katie and GoWay made this dream trip happen. FayeIts all about the journey, isn't it? And our journey through Kenya, Africa was amazing and we have Bijal Kana of Goway Travel to thank for it.
From the start when we first discussed a true Safari adventure, Bijal was being helpful. Her suggestions were helpful in where to go and how we could save a few dollars when possible. Never trying to be cheap but simply, cost conscious. This was the beginning of what will continue as a forever working relationship in travel. Bijal gained our confidence and trust. And that is a rare commodity these days.
Then too there was the staff from Goway and Sense of Africa like Ruth, Wilson and Francis who allowed us to see the non tourist side of Nairobi and became fast friends. The wonderful selections made by Bijal as to where we would stay and all the Serena locations were marvelous. And at the last minute, when a bridge got washed out and we could not get to the last lodge camp, Bijal responded to our whatsapp call immediately and we were placed in the Sorova lodge. True not the same, but in the middle of a game area, who complains? It was great and we had so much fun.
The tour selection took us through parks, reserves and conservancy locales. We saw the big 5 and much more. Lions fighting, Hyenas making a chase and ultimate dinner selection, A leopard resting on tree branches, A cheetah stalking and then at rest. Hyena pups and Honbeast babes being birthed. Hippopotamus in the water, Zebra grazing, Elephants crossing rivers en mass. You'd think we hit the National Geographic channel.
Great job Bijal. Good deal Goway.customerBram L. BottfeldGoway Travel helped us set up a Venice to Athens cruise on Viking and it was fantastic! Our agent (Kimberly) was responsive to all our questions and helpful navigating all the options for excursions, etc. She also gave us a cruise credit we could use while on the ship to help pay for extras. Overall great experience would use Goway again.StanleyFor the past four years, we have travelled to Perth, Australia to visit family. As part of our travels to Perth, we have had stays in Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland. This year, as part of our trip, we are staying in Melbourne and Adelaide. Each year, we have contacted Joanne at Goway to arrange our trip. She has booked all our flights and accommodations. She has been a wonderful source of travel locations within Australia and New Zealand. Joanne has always been very helpful. She checks on the best flights, give us ideas on airplane seat selection and locates great places to stay. She also provides ideas about what we might want to see or do at each location. Every time we contact her she is willing to provide information and answers any questions we may have. She listens to our requests, explains reasons for her suggestions, and answers any concerns we have with patience and understanding. We are so fortunate to have such a helpful, friendly individual as our travel advisor!Bob and SuePaul at GoWay made this first GoWay trip a breeze from start to finish! He was very quick to respond and created an incredible itinerary that my clients absolutely loved. From the incredible hotel location to the private tours led by knowledgeable tour guides who show that they love their jobs, it couldn't have gone better. Can't wait to Yesenia RodriguezOnce again, Goway Travel has provided us with an amazing travel experience, and the customized itinerary prepared by Joanne Palanuik was second to none. She was the main reason that Australia is a "trip of a lifetime" for us. Her attention to detail and recognizing what would make this a special trip for us is noteworthy and much appreciated.WallyI would recommend GoWay for travel anytime. I had a private tour of India built for me, after I was invited to my friend's wedding. I travelled around northern India with my driver for 10 days. I had a new guide most every day, for the trip, as we went from location to location. Absolutely everything was amazing!! I honestly can't say there was a negative moment in any of it. I felt 100% safe travelling alone with GoWay's experts. My lodgings were excellent and someone was always available for support, if need be. This was one of the best experiences of my life!!! Thank you so much GoWay!!Trudy BuelowOur trip was great and your partners in Egypt met and exceeded our expectations.
Having the guides and drivers was a new experience for us but absolutely invaluable
We would recommend Goway to anyone.joe levackThanks very much Alice Teramoto for organizing such a fantastic trip for us!!!!
Everything went very smoothly, including our 15 flights and we loved all the experiences, activities and accommodations that you arranged for us.
Everything was top notch!!!Shelley MurphyWe had an amazing trip to Southeast Asia. We would like to thank Goway for organizing a memorable vacation. The tour guides were very personable, kind, respectful and knowledgeable about their countries. It was nice to be able to ask them questions and hear about their daily lives. They went above and beyond to make our trip as enjoyable as possible. We were so glad our tours were private as the guides were very flexible in accommodating us as I often could not fully participate after spending time in a hospital with food poisoning.
We enjoyed our time in Singapore. The driver who drove us from and to the airport gave us a compressive overview of daily life in Singapore. It was fascinating to hear how home ownership, retirement and driving was so different there.
The accommodations were excellent, the staff were all very kind and helpful. We have to particularly commend the staff at the Siesta Classic Ma May in Hanoi. Ann at reception was so kind to my husband when I was in the hospital asking him regularly how I was doing and arranging late checkout without being asked. And Suzie our Hanoi tour guide for rearranging a tour time for my husband then dropping him off at the hospital. She also managed to take me to see the Ho Chi Minh property on our way to the airport as I had missed so much of Hanoi. I would also like to thank Aurel Vion, the Goway representative from Paris, who personally called me while I was in the hospital to enquire how I was doing, cancel our Halong cruise and arrange an extra night in the hotel for my husband. It was much appreciated.
Hoang was super flexible with our tours in Hue and Hoi An as I was still very weak having just gotten out of hospital. We really enjoyed our visit to the private pottery museum and meet the owner and our ride on the Perfume River in a private boat and our voyage through the mountain pass to Danang. Andy, the tour guide who picked us up from the Boutique Hoi A Resort helped us avoid the long lineups in the Danang airport, again very appreciated. Tuan our tour guide in Saigon was also very accommodating. We really enjoyed our days with him relaxing on our private sampan to Cai Be and our trip to Can Tho to visit the floating markets. He also took us to the War Remnants Museum on the way back to Saigon as we had missed our tour of the Cu Chi tunnels because our flight in Danang was delayed 4 hours.
And poor Phil in Bangkok, he tried his best with the culinary tour. Unfortunately after the food poisoning we were being very cautious in what we ate. We did appreciate his tour of Chinatown and the great meal of Pad Thai. He also provided us with excellent directions so we could take the subway, skytrain and ferry by ourselves.
We will never forget how we were able to experience and appreciate cultures much different than ours.
We have only good things to say about Goway and certainly always recommend the company to all we know. We have already had an acquaintance of ours book a trip with the company.
And lastly we must thank Katherine Samsonkinai for arranging another excellent vacation. We will certainly continue to recommend her and will be calling her again to organize our next big trip.
Linda Graham
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