Visiting India in May
Weather and climate guide
The heat and the humidity are building even further across India this month, and there’s also more chance of rain – which can come as a welcome relief. Although the dry weather can make for good wildlife spotting in the national parks, some camps and accommodation will close, and the weather makes it far less pleasant this month except for early mornings.
Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle are punishingly hot, with temperatures climbing to 40C in many places, while central India is only a little cooler. Even in Mumbai, where the sea breezes usually help, it’s not the best time to visit. In the south, there’s more 40C weather in Tamil Nadu although this corner of the country usually stays relatively dry. Rain is already starting to herald the start of monsoon season by the end of the month in Kerala, and while Goa usually avoids wet weather until June, beaches often begin to close ahead of the rains.
North India
The best place to avoid melting this month is in the country’s far north, where temperatures rarely rise above the high 20Cs and humidity is much lower. You can expect hill stations like Darjeeling and Shimla to be popular, but the cooler weather, lush tea plantations and great trekking make it a very tempting option.
Himalayas
The clear air of the Himalayas means some truly spectacular mountain views this month, as well as a chance to get a taste of Tibetan culture. Head to Dharamsala, aka India’s Little Tibet, or to Sikkim where you can spin prayer wheels or hike past mountain lakes. Depending on the snow, this month the roads may open so you can venture even higher to Jispa and Leh in the peaks above Manali, where prayer flags fly over views of stupas. May is another good month if you’re wondering when to go to Lumbini across the border in Nepal, easily combined with a visit to this corner of northern India, where the birth of the Buddha is celebrated by Buddhists from across the world.
Or perhaps you’re thinking of travelling on another month..?
View the best time to visit India by region or by month:
January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
| 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
A few of our favourite India holidays
