Best Time to Visit Patna

Winter: the best time to go

November to February is when Patna is at its most comfortable. Days are sunny and dry, and November has almost no rain at all. December and January are the coolest, with highs around 24°C and nights that drop to single digits. You'll want a jacket by the Ganges in the evening, when river mist can settle in.

This is the season for walking. Visit Golghar, the old beehive-shaped granary, and climb its stairs for a view over the river. Spend a morning at the Patna Museum, then head to Patna Sahib Gurdwara, one of Sikhism's most important shrines. Eat litti chokha, roasted wheat balls with mashed vegetables, from a street stall. Foggy mornings can delay trains and flights, so leave slack on travel days.

Winter is also high season. Weddings, family visits and pilgrims fill hotels. Travelling to Bodh Gaya, Rajgir or Nalanda? This is the best time for those day trips too.

Spring and October: shoulder months

February is still excellent, and it's pleasant for sightseeing. March warms up fast, with highs of 35°C, so keep outdoor stops to the morning. Holi, the festival of colours, usually falls in March. Expect streets full of powder and a lot of noise.

October is Good rather than Excellent. The rain is mostly gone, but humidity stays high and afternoons feel sticky. It's also festival time. Durga Puja brings lit-up pandals (temporary decorated shrines) across the city, and Dussehra follows soon after. Dates move each year, so check them before booking.

Summer and monsoon: hard going

April and May are the hardest months for sightseeing. Highs reach 41°C in April and 42°C in May, and May is the hottest month. Nights stay warm, so you won't get much relief. Hotels are quiet and cheaper, but you'll spend most afternoons indoors.

June is just as hot by day, with nights around 30°C, and then the monsoon arrives. July is the wettest month, with rain on 24 days, and August and September aren't much easier. Expect heavy skies, humid air and flooded lanes. The Ganges runs high, and some riverside areas can be hard to reach.

Chhath Puja comes in late October or November. Families gather at the river at sunrise and sunset to give offerings to the sun. It's Bihar's biggest festival, and worth planning a trip around if you can handle the crowds.