Best Places to Visit in India in October: The Monsoon Leaves, and the South-East Gets Its Rain

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) counts October as the first month of its post-monsoon season, which runs from October to December. Two monsoons overlap this month. The south-west monsoon withdraws: on IMD's normal dates it starts to leave the north-west around 17 September, has gone from most of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand by 1 October, and by 15 October from most of the country, including Maharashtra, Goa, Odisha and the whole of the north-east. The north-east monsoon then takes over in the south-east, setting in over coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh on 20 October, normally. The table gives IMD's long-term averages for named weather stations, and any one October can differ.

Delhi, Jaipur, Srinagar, Bengaluru and Chennai carry IMD's 1991–2020 normals, Leh carries IMD's 2011–2024 averages, and Shimla, Panaji, Kochi, Kolkata and Guwahati are taken from IMD's city climate profiles.

The north and the desert

New Delhi has 0.8 rainy days in October against 5.5 in September, and Safdarjung's October average is 33.0°C by day and 19.5°C at night. Rajasthan is still warm at midday: Jaipur averages 34.1°C, with just 19.4 mm of rain. One caution is the air. The UK Foreign Office says severe air pollution is a major health hazard in India, especially during the winter months from October to February, and that north Indian cities are most affected; our air quality guide explains how to read the index.

The Himalaya

The mountains are cool and the summer rain has largely gone. Srinagar's 21.8 mm is its lowest rainfall of any month, Gulmarg averages 14.2°C by day and 3.8°C at night, and IMD's profile for Shimla says the skies are clear to lightly clouded in October and November. Leh averages 16.4°C by day but 0.7°C at night, with almost no rain.

The south and the east

Kerala has a second rainy season: Kerala Tourism says the north-east monsoon arrives there in mid-October. October is Thiruvananthapuram's second-wettest month, at 281 mm, and Kochi gets 331 mm. Tamil Nadu is wetter still from now on: IMD calls October to December its chief rainy season, with 48 per cent of the state's annual rain, and Madurai's wettest month is October. Chennai averages 300.3 mm on 10.5 days. Bengaluru gets 186.4 mm but stays mild, at 28.5°C. Goa dries out as the monsoon withdraws, with 131 mm in October against 32 mm in November. Kolkata averages 160 mm, and Guwahati only 55 mm.

Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle

Once the rains have gone, the north is back to long days outdoors, though not yet cool, so aim for mornings. Rajasthan Tourism lists the Pushkar Fair, a weeklong camel and livestock fair it calls one of the world's largest, as held between October and November; see our Pushkar Camel Fair guide and Pushkar travel guide. Our Rajasthan travel guide and Jaipur travel guide cover the cities, the best time to visit Rajasthan the year, and the routes are on our Rajasthan tour packages page.

Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh

Srinagar's October is its driest month. The district's own page on Shalimar Bagh says the garden is considered very beautiful in autumn and spring for the colour change of its chinar leaves. Himachal Tourism gives Manali an autumn season from October to December and describes the week-long Kullu Dussehra, held every year in October, with more than 200 village deities carried in palanquins. See our guides to Srinagar, Manali and Himachal Pradesh, and our Kashmir tour packages and Himachal Pradesh tour packages.

Ladakh, in the first half of the month

The Leh district gives the Manali–Leh road a season to September or October and the Srinagar–Leh highway one to November or December, so early October is the last easy window by road. Leh's nights are close to freezing. Our Ladakh travel guide and the month-by-month guide to Ladakh cover the season.

Tiger reserves reopening

Kanha's and Bandhavgarh's own sites give a usual opening of 15 October, closing 30 June. Corbett's official zone table lists Bijrani from 15 October and Dhikala, Durgadevi, Sonanadi and Pakhro from 15 November, with Jhirna, Dhela and Garjia open all year. See our guides to Corbett, Kanha and Bandhavgarh.

• Kerala and the Tamil Nadu coast for a dry trip. Both are in their rains; see the best time to visit Tamil Nadu and the best time to visit Kerala.
• The Andaman Islands. Port Blair averages 298 mm in October, and Jolly Buoy Island is closed until mid-November, the Andaman tourism department says.
• Swimming in Goa early in the month. The monsoon normally leaves Goa only by 15 October, and Goa's Department of Tourism says not to swim in the monsoon.
• Kaziranga. The Assam Forest Department gives November to April as its season.
• Late October in Ladakh. The Manali–Leh road's season ends in September or October.

• Gandhi Jayanti, 2 October. The birthday of Mahatma Gandhi is a gazetted holiday on a fixed date.
• Durga Puja. The Government of Bihar says it is observed in the Hindu month of Ashvin, typically September or October. Incredible India says it lasts five days and that Kolkata becomes its centre; see our Durga Puja guide.
• Kullu Dussehra. Himachal Tourism describes it as a week-long fair held every year during October.
• Diwali. On the Gregorian calendar it falls between mid-October and mid-November, the Government of Bihar says; see our Diwali guide.

Most of these follow the lunar calendar, so check the year's date; what's on this month lists the current month. India in September covers the monsoon's last weeks and India in November the weeks after. For the other eleven months, see the guide to the best time to visit India.