Visiting India in December

It’s some of the year’s best weather for sightseeing around Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle, dry, sunny and temperatures of around 25C. Needless to say, the key sites like the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort at Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and the forts at Jodhpur and Chittorgarh will all be busy, although as unmissable as ever. You can escape some of the crowds at less visited forts, such as Bikaner, or stay in some at Barli or Chandelao. It’s also quieter in rural Rajasthan, including less well-known areas such as Bundi, or you could travel through the countryside by train for a journey to remember. Or why not imagine yourself a Maharajah with a stay at a fairytale Rajasthani Palace or one of Rajasthan’s wealthy merchants, at their ornate houses known as havelis.

Jaisalmer is a much more pleasant temperature this month too, although expect it to feel chilly at night and in the early mornings out in the Thar Desert, as well as on early game drives to spot wild tigers at Ranthambore National Park or at Bandhavgarh National Park. There’s more wildlife to find at Kaziranga National Park in Assam too.

Winter has firmly arrived in the hill stations and mountains, where you can expect snow at higher altitudes and some roads and trekking trails are closed. You can still visit the foothills of the Himalayas year-round, including Dharamsala, Srinagar and Shimla, but go prepared for cold weather that comes with the bright sunny days as you soak in the spectacular mountain scenery. Even at lower altitudes, Rishikesh is cold in the morning.

There’s sunshine galore if you look further south with warm, sunny days in central India and cloudless skies. Mumbai will also be busy, as will sites like Aurangabad and Hampi, but it’s a lovely time of year for sightseeing. And the beaches will also be more crowded in Goa and Kerala, although Kovalam is worth braving the throng for, while Marari may be quieter. You’ll find peace out on the backwaters if you take a cruise in one of the traditional houseboats or step away from the main tourist trail with a backwaters homestay; the perfect retreat after sightseeing in Cochin. It’s also quieter and cooler in Munnar for hiking in the tea plantations, which you could combine with Mysore and Fort Kochi, or in the hill stations of the Western Ghats. Thattekad Bird Sanctuary is popular with bird-watchers this month, but ideal for spotting some migrating species.

Far fewer people venture to the remote Andaman Islands off the east coast of India too, but the white sand beaches, snorkelling and diving making the journey very tempting this month.

Festivals: While Christians are a minority in India, there are still around 26 million across the country, so you’ll find Christmas marked throughout India, especially in Goa and Kerala but also with some spectacular celebrations in cities like Mumbai and Kolkata.

Best for: Exploring from north to south, the hill resorts, trekking, Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle, beaches in Goa and Kerala, heading off the beaten track

View the best time to visit India by region or by month:

January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December

 

Typical Monthly Climate in India

Region	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
North East India	● 15°C 🌤️	● 17°C ☀️	● 21°C ☀️	● 25°C 🌦️	● 28°C 🌧️	● 27°C 🌧️	● 27°C 🌧️	● 27°C 🌧️	● 26°C 🌦️	● 23°C 🌤️	● 19°C ☀️	● 16°C ☀️
North India	● 14°C ☀️	● 17°C ☀️	● 23°C ☀️	● 30°C 🌦️	● 35°C 🌧️	● 34°C 🌧️	● 32°C 🌧️	● 31°C 🌧️	● 30°C 🌦️	● 27°C ☀️	● 22°C ☀️	● 17°C ☀️
North West India	● 18°C ☀️	● 21°C ☀️	● 26°C ☀️	● 34°C 🌦️	● 39°C 🌧️	● 37°C 🌧️	● 35°C 🌧️	● 34°C 🌧️	● 32°C 🌦️	● 29°C ☀️	● 24°C ☀️	● 20°C ☀️
South India	● 26°C ☀️	● 27°C ☀️	● 29°C ☀️	● 32°C 🌦️	● 33°C 🌦️	● 30°C 🌧️	● 29°C 🌧️	● 29°C 🌧️	● 29°C 🌦️	● 28°C ☀️	● 27°C ☀️	● 26°C ☀️

Legend:
● Good weather
● Average weather
● Poor weather