Best Time to Visit Udaipur

Winter, November to February: the sweet spot

This is the season to come. Days are warm and dry, and evenings turn cool enough for a shawl on a rooftop. December and January have the coldest nights, with lows around 9 to 11°C. February is a touch warmer and still very pleasant.

It's also high season, so expect more people around City Palace and the ghats (stepped riverbank landings) on Lake Pichola. Hotels with lake views fill up around Christmas and New Year. If you hate crowds, aim for early November or February. Both are still rated Excellent.

March to June: heat builds, then breaks

March is Good, with hot afternoons and nights that still feel fine. Holi, the spring colour festival, usually falls in March and is a big event here. The royal family's Holika Dahan bonfire at the City Palace is a well-known sight. Gangaur, a spring festival for the goddess Parvati, brings processions to the lake in March or April.

April and May are tough. Highs hit 38°C and 40°C, and midday sightseeing is a slog. Plan around the Monsoon Palace and Sajjangarh fort views at sunset, and spend the afternoons indoors. Prices drop and the lanes of the old city are quiet. June is hot and starts getting sticky as the first rains arrive.

July to October: green hills, grey skies

July and August are the wettest months, with rain on most days and very little sun. They're also the most humid. The upside is that the Aravalli hills turn green and the lakes fill up. If the lakes are full, it's a lovely sight. Boat rides can be cancelled and some views are lost in cloud, so be flexible. These are the quietest months, and hotel deals are easy to find.

September is Fair, with showers easing. October is Good and mostly dry again, with sunny days and warm evenings. Navratri and Dussehra, major autumn festivals, usually fall in October and bring dance nights and a festive mood. Diwali, the festival of lights, comes in October or November. Lit-up palaces and lanterns on the water make it a nice time to visit, though hotels book up.