I'm coming to India to visit a friend who is staying in New Delhi for 6 months. We're planning on doing a tour of northern India. Unfortunately, the timing of my trip is not flexible and will be during the first 2 weeks of May. I know it is pretty hot then and am wondering if touring northern India (Jaipur, Agra, Varanasi, Bodhgaya, Patna, Kushinagar, Lumbini, Kathmandu) at that time is a bad idea. Anyone been to northern India in early May? Is there some other itinerary I should be considering for early May in India? Thanks!

Will be HOT! Consider the hills - Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh - lots of small places which could be cooler. Kathmandu sounds OK. Check out www.heritagehotels.com for some interesting ideas on where to stay. U MUST do Leh - Ladakh opens only in the summer months and weather will be ideal. I know people who think it is the most beautiful destination in the world.

As Sameera has said, north India will be HOT HOT HOT. Temps will be in the high 90s to low 100s F. It is really not a good time to tour the "Golden Triangle" of Agra/Jaipur/Udaipur etc., as the heat and the very strong sun will make travelling and touring unpleasant. I have been in Delhi in mid-April when it was over 110 degrees F and you could take about 10 minutes in the sun. (And there ain't no clouds in those months?.) Take a look at weatherbase.com for historical average temps and rainfall for those cities.

That being said, a 2-3 day trip to Agra to see the Taj would be bearable, and you can certainly take time to see Delhi (and run back to an air conditioned flat to recover). Much as I love Varanasi, I am not sure I would make a trip there in May; it might be too much to be out on the river and all the cremation fires, etc only add to the heat. You might ask your friend to get some advice from someone who has been there in May. The hill stations like Shimla would be much cooler and pleasant than trying to see the desert areas of Rajasthan. You can hike and bike, etc. The Obeori hotel group just opened a hotel in Shimla in the restored summer lodge of Lord Kitchener, a former CIC of British forces in India during the Raj. The hotel is called Wildflower Hall; and it made Conde Nast's top 100 hotels in 2003 list, take a look at http://www.oberoihotels.com/oberoi/I...ecil/index.htm. The pool on the cliffside looks great! They also have another property in Shimla which I don't know much about, but looks interesting.

I totally agree with Sameera on going to Ladakh, I have not been yet and would love to go; I think you would actually find it much less touristy, just as beautiful and a more authentic cultural experience than Kathmandu.

I am sure your friends colleagues and people she meets on her assignment will have other suggestions for escaping the heat.

No matter where you go in northern India,except Himachal pradesh and Ladakh, it will be VERY HOT. Temp can reach 42C in May with hot dry winds. You may not sweat a lot but always drink a lot of water. If you are doing trips during the day, keep a small face cloth with you and wet that to keep on your head or cool your face. Skip Patna or any place in the province of Bihar. It is not a very safe place to go.

Thanks for the helpful posts. We had been considering a trip to Ladakh in late June that would have included going to the Hemis Festival. Scheduling preferences pushed my trip back to early May and I think that may be a bit early to go to Ladakh (we were going to include a short trek). Now that we've been warned about the heat of early May for the northern India tour, we are considering Himachal Pradesh in early May and reconsidering Ladakh in late June.

Check out www.neemranahotels.com - they have some great properties in the hills and you could plan a trip around overnighting in some of them. If you like river rafting this is the season and Rishikesh has some great rapids - worth trying if u enjoy the water.