A month-by-month guide to Rajasthan's weather, festivals and fairs — so you arrive in the right season for the trip you have in mind.
For most travellers, October to March is the best time to visit Rajasthan — cool, dry days perfect for forts and palaces, and clear desert nights. The peak window is November to February. Summer (April–June) is fierce and dry; the monsoon (July–September) is brief, green and quiet. Below, the full year in detail.
Comfortable 10–27°C days, cold desert nights. The classic season for the Golden Triangle, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. Diwali, Pushkar and the Nagaur Fair all fall in this window.
40–45°C and rising. Tough for sightseeing, but hotels are cheaper and quieter. Best for early starts, pool afternoons and the hill retreat of Mount Abu.
Short, scattered showers cool the air and green the Aravalli hills. The lakes of Udaipur fill, prices fall, and the crowds disappear. A quiet, romantic season.
October — The heat breaks; clear, fresh and uncrowded. A lovely shoulder month, often with Diwali.
November — Peak begins. Cool days, the Pushkar Camel Fair, marigolds everywhere.
December – January — The coolest, clearest months. Crisp mornings, cold nights in the desert; pack layers.
February — Still beautiful, slightly warmer. The Nagaur Cattle Fair and the Jaisalmer Desert Festival.
March — Warming up, but Holi makes it unforgettable. A strong shoulder month.
April – June — Hot and dry; travel early and rest at midday, or save Rajasthan for autumn.
July – September — The monsoon: green, quiet and good value, with only passing rain.
Rajasthan is at its most theatrical around its festivals. Plan around these if you can.
Thousands of camels, traders and pilgrims around a sacred lake — one of the great spectacles of India.
The second-largest fair in India: moustaches, marigolds and camel races. We build a whole tour around it.
The festival of lights — palaces and havelis glowing with lamps, fireworks over the desert cities.
The riot of colour that ends the cool season. Joyful, messy and utterly unforgettable.
Our Spirit of Rajasthan & the Nagaur Cattle Fair tour is timed to February's fair, and our North India journey runs in the cool of November. Planning the classic loop? Read our Golden Triangle itinerary.
"Come in winter for the light, in February for the fairs, in the monsoon for the silence."On choosing your Rajasthan season
November to February is ideal — cool, dry and clear, with comfortable sightseeing by day and crisp evenings. October and March are also excellent shoulder months with fewer crowds.
April to June is genuinely hot, often 40–45°C, and best avoided for a first visit. If you do travel then, start early, rest at midday and choose hotels with pools.
Rajasthan is largely arid. The monsoon (July to September) brings short, scattered showers rather than constant rain, and the desert turns surprisingly green. It is the quietest, greenest and best-value season.
The Pushkar Camel Fair falls in November, the Nagaur Cattle Fair in February, Diwali in October or November, and Holi in March. We time our Spirit of Rajasthan tour to the Nagaur Fair.
