India trip-January or Feb.?
 

We are planning to go to northern India, Varanasi and Nepal in 2008. Is late January or mid Feb. preferable, or doesn't it matter? I know that there is sometimes fog at the airport in New Delhi, delaying early morning flights, but are there any other consideration in picking my dates?

Can anyone give me any advice, or are you all off to Pasadena? If so, have a great time.

Temps get progressively warmer from January to February. That being said, it is still cool by India standards so it probably doesn't matter. We encountered no fog at all when we visited Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Ranthambore Park in the second half of February 2005. Yes, I am off to Pasadena on Friday...

Either is good season as it is the cool winter season, so IMO it really does not matter. You may find slightly more flowers in bloom in February as the very short spring is arriving; sometimes the gardens in the president's house in Dehli are open to the public in February, but I don't know if that is a reason to schedule the whole trip for that. National Day is January 26, which is an interesting day to be in Dehli, especially as there is a huge military parade on Rajpath with horses and mustached men in uniform. Kind of impressive.

Fog is not much of a problem after the middle of January. Infact it is indeed fine weather for a holiday up north India. The day tempratures range around 24 - 25C in Rajasthan. It is also the time when a lot of festivals are held to hold your attention in Rajasthan & the central province (Madhya Pradesh). The Nagaur camel fair is being held between 13 to 16 Feb. '08. The Khajuraho dance festival is held in the last week of February, where top Indian classical dancers participate in the backdrop of those ancient temples. The birds are preparing to nest & can be heard calling lustily in the mornings & the evenings!
Happy Travels!!

Thanks for your replies. And Craig, have a safe and fun trip to CA. I am sure I will need further advice, but I will wait to post until everyone has returned from the GTG.

February seems to be a major season for cultural events (a good thing). Im told that January is a big travel month for NRIs. So Feb should be a bit quieter touristically, a good thing too, I think. Feb might be better for Nepal, too.

What are NRIs?

Non resident indians = nris. I'd probably go with Feb too - the weather is perfect esp in Delhi & Rajasthan where sunny days and clear skies can really enhance your sightseeing experience.