India travel guide

Best time to visit India from the UK

Best value: Apr, Sep. Oct–Mar: dry and cooler; monsoon Jun–Sep. Busiest and priciest: Oct–Mar.

Each bar is the average temperature in New Delhi for that month, and its colour shows the season for visitors: best value (good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices), busiest and priciest, or quiet (off-peak, sometimes because the weather is poorer).

• Our pick: April and SeptemberThe warmest of the best-value months (28–30°C), with fewer crowds than peak season.
• Peak season: Oct–MarUsually 14–25°C. The busiest time, so book flights and rooms early and expect higher prices.
• Quiet season: May–AugAround 30–36°C. The cheapest and least crowded time, though often because of rain or heat.
• Warmest: June (36°C) · coolest: January (14°C)A 22°C swing between the warmest and coolest months.

Festivals and events

• Holi Mar · Nationwide
• Diwali Oct–Nov · Nationwide
• Pushkar Camel Fair Nov · Pushkar
• Hornbill Festival Dec · Nagaland

Festival dates move from year to year: check before you book.

Getting there from the UK

Flight time

About 8h 45m

Distance

6,734 km

Main airport

DEL

Flight times are straight-line estimates for a direct flight from Heathrow; journeys with a change take longer.

Add India to your bucket list Search flights to DEL

Practical info and travel guidance

• FCDO adviceAdvises against travel to parts of IndiaCheck which areas before you book.
• VisaApply online before you goeVisa before you travel
• HealthcareNo free healthcareYou pay for treatment, so travel insurance with medical cover is essential.
• LGBT+ travellersLegal, but attitudes can be conservativePublic affection may draw attention.
• Women travellersFCDO warns of sexual assault or harassmentTake extra care at night and with drinks.

For British passport holders, summarised from the FCDO's advice for India, checked October 2026. FCDO page last updated 7 October 2026. Rules change: read the official FCDO travel advice for India before you book and again before you go.