Best places to visit in India in 2027: twelve picks and the month to go

Where to go in India in 2027? Twelve places in calendar order, with the best months, what each is for and the catch, from winter snow to the monsoon.

How to use this list

Each pick has three parts: the window (the months our own state guides recommend), what it is for, and the catch. All the windows come from our guides, which are our judgement, not an official forecast, so check the weather and road position closer to your dates. We quote no prices: they change with dates and are better discussed once you have a month.

December to February: snow, sand and sea

1. Kashmir, for snow. Our guide gives December to February for snow, with Gulmarg's skiing, and also April to October for the valley. It is for the gondola and a snowbound meadow, or for gardens and houseboats in the warmer months. The catch is that snow brings closures: the roads can close and Srinagar flights can be cancelled in snowfall, according to our guide, so keep a spare night. Read Gulmarg in winter: the gondola, snow and what to book, and see our Kashmir guide and packages.

2. Gujarat, for the white desert and the lions. Our guide gives November to February, when the Rann is dry and white and Gir is open; Gir reopens on 16 October on our guide. It is for crafts, heritage and wildlife. The catch is the permits (the White Rann entry and a Gir safari) and that Gujarat is a prohibition state, according to our guide. See the Gujarat guide and packages.

3. Goa. Our guide gives November to February. It is for beaches, with Portuguese-era villages behind them. The catch is that Christmas and New Year are the busiest and most expensive weeks, according to our guide; October is a shoulder month when shacks are still being rebuilt. See the Goa guide and packages.

4. Andaman Islands. Our guide gives November to April, with November to February the main season; the islands' official tourism FAQ gives October to May. It is for beaches, diving and slow island days. The catch is the ferry timetable, which decides the order of the islands, and that the monsoon (June to October on the official FAQ) brings a choppy sea; our guide adds that ferries are cancelled, which we could not confirm on an official page. See the Andaman guide and packages.

February to April: tigers, the Taj and the north-east

5. Madhya Pradesh, for tigers. Our guide gives October to March, with February and March the sweet spot and April to June often the best sightings. It is for tiger reserves and quiet heritage. The catch is that the core zones close for the monsoon, typically 1 July to 30 September on our guide, which we could not confirm on an official page. Read which tiger safari before you book permits. See the Madhya Pradesh guide and packages.

6. Uttar Pradesh, for the Taj and Varanasi. Our guide gives October to March, with October and November the best of the year and December and January foggy. It is for the Taj Mahal and the river city of Varanasi. The catch is that the Taj is closed on Fridays for general viewing, according to its official site, so plan the day around it. See the Uttar Pradesh guide and packages.

7. Meghalaya. Our guide gives October to April. It is for living root bridges, waterfalls and clear river water at Dawki. The catch is that June to September is extreme monsoon, so go in the dry window if you want the river clear. See the Meghalaya guide and packages.

March to June: the hills

8. Himachal Pradesh. Our guide gives March to June and September to November. It is for hill stations close to Delhi and high valleys further in. The catch is that July and August bring landslides that close roads at short notice in Kullu and Kinnaur, and that high passes are shut from December to February, according to our guide. See the Himachal guide and packages.

9. Uttarakhand. Our guide gives March to June and September to November. It is for river towns, tiger forests and quiet Kumaon hills. The catch is landslide risk on hill roads in July and August. Corbett's zones open on different dates; the official dates are in our tiger safari guide. See the Uttarakhand guide and packages.

June to September: monsoon trips that work

10. Kerala, for Ayurveda. Our guide gives October to March for the main season, and June to August as the traditional Ayurvedic season, when the monsoon is a reason to go. It is for backwaters, tea hills and treatment. The catch is that the monsoon is for treatment, not beaches, according to our guide. See Kerala first trip planning, the houseboat guide, and our Kerala guide and packages.

11. Karnataka, for Coorg and Chikmagalur in the rains. Our guide gives October to March statewide, and says the monsoon is when Coorg and Chikmagalur are at their best, with waterfalls running. It is for Hampi and the coast in the dry months and the Western Ghats in the rains. The catch is the heat on the plains and at Hampi from March to May. See the Karnataka guide and packages.

October to November: the best weather in the north

12. Rajasthan. Rajasthan Tourism describes winter, from about October to January, as the best season, and our guide gives October to March, with November the peak, when Pushkar's camel fair falls. It is for forts, palaces and lakes. The catch is that April to June is 40 to 45 °C across the state, per our guide, and November hotels and trains book out early. Read a first Rajasthan itinerary, Jaipur, Udaipur or Jodhpur and Udaipur for a honeymoon. See the Rajasthan guide and packages.

The year at a glance

Where each place's best months, according to our guides, include the month. A place can appear in a month and still carry a caution above.

Mistakes to avoid

• Choosing the state before the month, then finding the season is wrong.
• Booking a monsoon trip for beaches. In the Andamans and Goa the rains stop the beach holiday; in Kerala and Karnataka they are the reason to go.
• Planning hill roads in July and August without a spare day.
• Booking Christmas and New Year weeks late; they are the busiest weeks in Goa, per our guide.
• Splitting a short trip across too many bases.

Before you plan

Weather and roads: our windows are our own judgement. Check the forecast and the road position for the days you travel, especially for the hills in July and August and for Kashmir in winter.

Festival dates: Dasara, Durga Puja, Onam and Pushkar fair move with the lunar calendar. We have not dated them for 2027; check the official dates.

Not covered here: the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela, reported to run from 2026 to 2028, because we found no official bathing dates; and places we have not researched for 2027. This is a planning guide, not a ranking.

Permits and entry: the White Rann, Gir and tiger-reserve safaris need permits booked in advance, and some areas need separate permissions. Check the official pages for your dates.

Frequently asked questions

Photo credit

Hero photo: The Taj Mahal reflected in still water, Agra. Photo: Antrix3, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized.