When to go · India
India in November
Mixed month. Great weather but Diwali crowds and Delhi's worst smog; Pushkar fair; Tamil Nadu cyclone risk.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Crowds
- High
- India
- Prices
- High
- India
Verdict
Great weather but Diwali crowds and Delhi's worst smog; Pushkar fair; Tamil Nadu cyclone risk.
Weather in November
- Northern plains · Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, Amritsarsmoke haze
Dense fog delays trains and flights in Dec–Jan; smog peaks in November; 45 °C in May–June.
- Rajasthan · Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmerbest weather
Desert nights are cold in Dec–Jan; the monsoon is light but humid; Udaipur's lakes are fullest after it.
- Himalayan hills · Shimla, Rishikesh, Darjeeling, Sikkimbest weather
Landslides close roads in July–August; October–November gives the clearest mountain views.
- Ladakh and Spiti · Leh, Nubra, Pangong, Spiticool
High desert above 3,000 m: roads over the passes open roughly June–October; winter is –20 °C.
- Goa and the Konkan coast · Goa, Mumbai, Gokarnabest weather
Beach shacks open November–April; Mumbai gets over 2 m of rain in the monsoon.
- Kerala and the south-west · Kochi, Alleppey, Munnar, Varkalafine
Two monsoons: the big one June–August and a second burst October–November.
- Tamil Nadu and the east coast · Chennai, Madurai, Puducherry, Mamallapuramstorm or typhoon risk
Opposite rhythm: the north-east monsoon and cyclones hit October–December; January–February is the easy window.
- Northeast · Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachalbest weather
Meghalaya is among the wettest places on Earth; permits needed for Arunachal and parts of other states.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Diwali big impact
~8 Nov 2026; ~29 Oct 2027 (check)
Biggest travel week of the year: trains and flights full, fireworks for days, smog spikes in the north.
Pushkar camel fair and Dev Deepawali
Nov (Kartik full moon)
Pushkar camps sell out; Varanasi ghats lit with lamps; book months ahead.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · India
- High
- Prices · India
- High
High-price month: see what to book ahead.
What to pack
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast
- A spare day in the plan: storms can cancel flights and ferries
Where to go in November
Rated best or good this month
Rajasthan
Best weather of the year (Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer)
Himalayan hills
Best weather of the year (Shimla, Rishikesh, Darjeeling, Sikkim)
Goa and the Konkan coast
Best weather of the year (Goa, Mumbai, Gokarna)
Northeast
Best weather of the year (Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal)
Best months: Nov–Feb (dry, lower humidity, most comfortable for walking)
Best months: Oct–Mar (cool, clear skies, comfortable for fort visits)
Best months: Oct–Mar (cool, clearer skies for photographs of the Taj)
Best months: Oct–Mar (cooler, comfortable for early boat rides)
Best months: Nov–Feb (cool and dry, best for walking)
Best months: Oct–Feb (mild and dry)
Better another month
Tamil Nadu and the east coast
Opposite rhythm: the north-east monsoon and cyclones hit October–December; January–February is the easy window.
Worst air quality; smog days.