Where to go; when to go?

Where?

India is vast and first-time visitors often face the dilemma of what to see in a limited time. The key to a successful and enjoyable visit is not to try to cover too much ground in a short trip. The country draws you back; some of the sights missed out can be covered in the next trip.

Most first-time visitors like to visit the "Golden Triangle", comprising Delhi, Jaipur and Agra, along with a longer tour of the desert state of Rajasthan, the temples of Khajuraho or the holy city of Varanasi. Tours can be extended with a relaxing stay at a wildlife sanctuary, a hill station or a beach. Kerala, rich in natural beauty, is another extremely popular destination, with longer tours taking in the temples and palaces of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

For the regular visitor the possibilities are endless. We can advise precisely on details for a tour to even offbeat destinations.

When?

With clear sunny days and mild to cold nights, October to March is generally the best time to visit the sub-continent. Kashmir and mountainous Ladakh are at their best in the summer, from June to September with dry, sunny days. The monsoon rains break in coastal Kerala in May or June and travel inland to reach Delhi in July, lasting till early September. May and June are extremely hot except in the hills. The coastal and mountain areas, excluding Kashmir and Ladakh, which are bypassed by the monsoon, get more rain than the central plains. Regional variations are outlined below.

North

Northern plains are at their most temperate, dry and sunny from October to March. Delhi and areas north can experience light to heavy fog from mid-December to mid-January but the areas south such as Rajasthan remain largely unaffected. In mid-winter night temperatures in the plains north of Delhi can touch freezing point. May and June are extremely hot with July and August being monsoon months. Many visitors travel in these months as the rain is not incessant and air-conditioning tempers the heat. The game reserves in the north are shut during monsoon and normally open from October to May (Corbett opens a month later, in November) with the hotter period from mid-March to mid-May better for animal sightings.

Himalayan Foothills and Beyond

The hilly regions are at their best from March to November except in July and August when it rains. There is often snowfall from late December to early February in the hill stations such as Shimla, Mussoorie and Darjeeling. Ladakh and Kashmir lie beyond much of the monsoon rains; here the months of July and August, with their warm days and cool nights, are peak season.

East & West

Kolkata, Mumbai and the coastal areas of Orissa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa remain hot and humid throughout with winter months being somewhat cooler, especially inland. The monsoon is from June to August. The Kaziranga National Park in Assam is open from November to April.

South

There is significant variation in weather among the southern states, with November to April being the best months. It remains hot throughout with only the hill stations requiring a light pullover in winter. For those keen on swimming in the sea we recommend the three-month period of December to February. The wildlife parks here remain open throughout. The monsoon is at its peak along the west coast from June to August – the east coast remains relatively dry with minimal rainfall in the central highlands. Rain falls on the east coast from October to December.

Visa Formalities

Getting an Indian visa is now easy; you have to pre-register online, and get a visa stamped on arrival in India.

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