Best Time to Travel to India

The climate in India differs greatly, from the dry deserts of Rajasthan to the cool highlands of Assam, supposedly the wettest place on earth. India has a three-season year - the hot, the wet and the cool. The heat begins to build up on the northern plains around February and by April, it becomes intolerable, you can expect 35-45°C (95-113°F) days in the majority of places.

The first signs of the monsoon appear in May, with high humidity, short rainstorms and violent electrical storms. The monsoon does not actually cool things off, but it is a great relief. The major monsoon comes from the southwest, but the southeastern coast is affected by the short and surprisingly wet northeastern monsoon, which brings rain from mid-October to the end of December. The main monsoon ends around October, and India's northern cities become cool at night in December. In the far south, where it by no means gets cool, the temperatures are comfortably warm rather than hot.

HOLIDAYS

January - Eid ul Zuha*

January - Muharram (Islamic New Year).

January - Republic Day**

March - Mahashivratri*

March - Milad-Un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet).

March - Good Friday*

March - Easter Monday

May - Buddha Purnima

April - Mahavir Jayanthi*

August - Independence Day**

August - Janmashtami1

October - Dussehra (Vijaya Fashami)

October - Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday**

October - Eid ul Fitr*

October - Diwali (Deepavali)

November - Guru Nanak's Birthday

December - Christmas Day*

December - Boxing Day

December - Muharram (Islamic New Year)

*Restricted holidays - Given at the discretion of the organization/employer.

**National Holidays

1 Date may change

Weekend - Sunday