Best Time to Visit Meerut

Winter: the best time to come

November to February is when Meerut is at its easiest. Days are mild and dry, and December and January mornings are properly chilly, with lows of 7°C in January. You'll want a jacket early and late, and a light layer at lunchtime is plenty. Rain is rare, so walking the old city is a pleasure.

This is the time for a day around Abu Lane and Sadar Bazaar, or a look at the old Kranti Dhaj and the 1857 sites. The 1857 uprising began here, so history fans should come now. Try gajak, the sesame-and-jaggery sweet Meerut is known for. It's a winter treat, and the shops are full of it.

Winter is also wedding season across western Uttar Pradesh, so roads and hotels can fill up. Fog sometimes slows trains and cars on winter mornings. Leave extra time if you're catching a Delhi train.

Spring and October: good, with a catch

March and October both rate Good. October is the sunniest month of the year, with clear skies and warm days. It's a lovely time for cricket-town sightseeing, since Meerut makes much of the world's cricket bats. Visit the workshops around Sports Goods Market area if you want to see bats being made.

March brings Holi, the colour festival, usually in this month. Expect streets full of colour and a loud, playful mood. If you don't want to get soaked in powder, stay in your hotel that morning. By late March the afternoons get hot.

Summer and monsoon: tough going

April to June is hard. May and June both reach 42°C, and nights stay warm. Plan indoor stops, and go out only at dusk. Hot, dry air in April and May can feel harsh on the skin.

Then the monsoon arrives. July is the wettest month, with rain on 24 days, and August isn't far behind. Humidity is thick and the sky stays grey. Roads flood and the city feels slow.

The Kanwar Yatra falls in the monsoon, usually in July. Devotees walk with holy Ganges water, and the main roads through Meerut can close for days. If you're not there for it, avoid those weeks.

September stays humid and wet, so keep it off your list. If you can pick, come between November and February.