When to Go

When to Go

May through August is the ideal window for a comfortable visit to the mountainous areas in this chapter. May and June, when the rest of the country is broiling, is an especially good time. And when torrential rains inundate most of North India in July and August, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh make for great escapes, as the mountains usually hold back the monsoons. The Himalayas can be extremely cold in winter, and deep snow renders many mountain passes and valleys impassable, so summer is the best bet. If you do head for the hills in summer, reserve a hotel room well in advance. The best time to visit the plains city of Amritsar, however, is in the winter, somewhere between October and March—it is swelteringly hot in summer.