I will be in India from the 2nd of July till the 28th of August, and I haven't decided on my itinerary yet. Does anyone have any suggestions??? I heard it could get really hot during these months... I will land in Delhi. I thought about going to Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh & Ladakh, but I would also like to visit Goa. Is the weather that bad down there at that time of the year???

Marnem, I haven't been to India during July and August, but I think that your comment that it "could get really hot during those months" may be something in the way of an understatement; we were in Rajastahan in October and Kerala in November, and it was STILL hot!

I really think that you should let the climate choose your itinerary for you -- chase up the areas that are likely to be dry and "reasonably" temperate. Leh, for instance, might be a good bet. The first thing you need to do is to get onto a good weather site; there are several of these, but I recall, when planning our trip, that I made good use of the graphs on this one: http://users.skynet.be/link2/htm/weather.htm. It should tell you which areas to visit (and in which order!), and which, alas, to avoid altogether. You are so fortunate that you have such a long time to get to know the country -- but careful planning around the monsoon and the blistering temperatures is an absolute must.

You should check out www.indiamike.com too. Ladakh is an amazing destination and open 4 months of the year June-Sept so DEFINITELY go there. Book in advancea s very limited flights. Rajasthan will be VERY hot. Himachal Pradesh is a good option. Goa in the rains has its own charm and often the rain is the type you can walk around in if you do not mind getting wet. What kind of budget are you thinking of?

Hi! Marnem,
I am from India, Mumbai and would be glad to help you. Your destinations are perfect. In July, it is the peak time for rains, so watch out for Goa.. If you enjoy the beach when it rains, then it’s a good time. In fact, it being an off-season the rates of the hotels are also very cheap. That’s Goa for you. As Alan said, it is the best time to visit Leh. Perhaps the only time to visit Leh in the entire year. So you must go there. If you really want to visit Rajasthan, keep it absolutely for the end. The weather will be better in end of August than what it is in July. I think your visit to Leh would be around 5 days, Delhi around 3-4 days. It is also a good time to visit Himachal Pradesh. Maybe around 4 days out there. You can keep the balance days in Rajasthan.. That way you will be concentrated in the Northern region and can skip traveling to South where it would be hot and humid with rains.

Thanks to all of you for so many helpful advices, especially for those internet sources: I've already checked them out!!! I just wanted to know does it rain ALL DAY during the monsoon season, 'cause I like monsoons a lot but I had a dreadful Thai experience last year when almost all of my clothes got a fair amount of funghi after a couple of days of uninterupted rain (it happened in Krabi in July, and I had to go back to Samui archipelago as quick as possible!!!)
MiniAK, thanks for postponing my visit to Rajasthan: I wanted to go there first, but it's obvious that Ladakh is a better choice for July. I'll definitely visit Rajastahan at the end of my trip. It seems I should give up on Goa, but I would like to go to a beach for at least a week, cause I already feel I'm going to be quite exhausted after all those historical sites...

Again, thanks to all!!!

P.S. Kerala in summer??? What do you think???

YOu need to budget at least w week in Leh to effectively get 4-5 day there. Acclimatizing takes time especially if you fly there. If you go by road it takes longer but you will get used to the altitude en route.BY the way Ladakh is not so much historical sites as enjoying the outdoors, treks, etc. Any interest in Kashmir? Right weather to go there and you could potentially fly from Leh to Jammu. Is tough to predict monsoon rains. There are 2-3 spells annually where it rains incessantly for 2-3 days. Himachal Pradesh i.e. Shimla, Chail, Manali are good otpions but again treks and outdoorsy rather than historical sites. Take a look at www.heritagehotels.com to see some great staying options eg Judges COurt in Pragpur.

Fodor's moderator alert: "brianjones" and "johnfreder" are both most likely phony IDs cobbled up to advertise the services of the travel operator cited in the posts. The fellow is not even subtle.

Good observation Agtoau. There are at least 3 different names being used to shill this agency.

Dear Marnem

I live in Himachal Pradesh and have travelled extensively all over India. You're probably in India by now. Rajasthan is a NO NO at this time of the year though hotels offer good discounts. You'll be unable to travel due to the heat and rain. Rajasthan is better kept for winters. Most of northern India will be in the throes of monsoon meaning rain rainand more rain!!! Himachal Pradesh will be experiencing rains during this time of the year and the climate- cool. It's actually ideal Ladakh season till end September. It does not rain in Leh and the scanty rain that manages to cross over the Great Himalayan Ranges is in the form of a slight drizzle as Ladakh falls in a rain shadow region. You are looking at a high altitude desert. Leh the capital of Ladakh district of Jammu & Kashmir state is a peaceful predominantly Buddhist inhabited town with excellent hotels and you'll be surprised - good European food in numerous cafes. At this time accroding to latest reports a number of International Tourists have already landed in Leh. If you're interested in ancient Monasteries go to Ladakh, you'll have a ball. Breathtaking landscapes of this hi-altitude desert region with tiny villages fringed by Poplar and Willow trees besides green fields next to them are one of the most awesome experinces you'll ever have. The best way would be to travel from Delhi to Manali and then take a Luxury Coach from here to Leh with a night stop over en-route in a comfortable tented camp. You can also take share Jeep from Manali which leaves at 2:00 am reaching Leh by 8:00 pm. This goes direct with stops for breakfast and lunch. You can choose your seating while booking. So have a great time and since you've come all the way to India - DONT MISS LEH and travel by road via Manali. The Himachal Tourism offices run Volvo Luxury Coaches to Manali each evening from Janpath (Connaught Place) the centre of the city instead of taking a direct flight from New Delhi. You'll acclimatize and be ready for average height of Leh - 11,000 feet and above.

Have a great holiday.

arjun