Best places to visit in India in April

Where India is at its best in April

Each line below is the reason this place works in the summer, written for that place, not a generic blurb.

• Kasol Himachal Pradesh

  Parvati valley's trance-backpacker hub, gateway to treks

  Prime season - Mar-May bring warm days, full guesthouses and a steady flow of backpackers.

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• Almora Uttarakhand

  Understated Kumaoni market town with Himalayan views

  Warm days, cool nights: a calmer, cheaper alternative to Nainital's summer crowds

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• Aharbal Falls Jammu and Kashmir

  The Veshaw crashes 25 m through a pine gorge, Kashmir's Niagara

  Apr-Jun snowmelt is peak thunder: the Veshaw explodes through the notch and spray soaks the lower ledge, go early on weekends.

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• Gangtok Sikkim

  Sikkim's capital and gateway: monasteries, MG Marg cafés

  Mar-Apr is peak (flower festival, clearest skies); by May haze builds ahead of the monsoon.

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• Darjeeling West Bengal

  Queen of the Hills - tea, toy train, Kanchenjunga views

  Mar-Apr is peak: rhododendrons bloom and skies are clearest, but it's crowded, book ahead.

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• Ziro Valley Arunachal Pradesh

  Apatani tribal valley of paddy fields and music festival

  Lovely window: paddy fields turning green, pleasant days before the rains set in.

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• Kodaikanal Tamil Nadu

  Misty Palani lake town loved by trekkers, backpackers

  Warm days, cool nights, best visibility of the year - the classic escape-the-heat season, expect crowds

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• Jowai (Nartiang & Krangsuri) Meghalaya

  Jaintia monolith field, a Shakti Peetha and blue Krangsuri pools

  March-April is warm and green and Krangsuri holds its turquoise colour right up until the first heavy rains.

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• Mount Abu Rajasthan

  Rajasthan's only hill station, oasis from the heat

  Peak season for a reason. The one hill station where plains-dwellers escape 45C heat.

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• Kaziranga National Park Assam

  One-horned rhino capital: jeep and elephant safaris

  May is the tail end before closure. Hot, grass tall, park shuts by month's end.

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• Morni Hills Haryana

  Chandigarh's nearest hills, low-key and quiet

  A genuine escape from Chandigarh's plains heat, several degrees cooler up in the hills.

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• Aryan Valley (Dha & Garkon) Ladakh

  Flower-crowned Brokpa villages and apricot terraces on the Indus

  Mid-Apr apricot blossom snows pink over the stone lanes; May brings green terraces, 20 C days and a trickle of travellers.

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• Tadoba Maharashtra

  Maharashtra's oldest reserve, its best tiger sightings

  Brutal heat but the best sighting odds of the year as tigers cluster at waterholes.

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• Longwa (Mon district) Nagaland

  Konyak village whose chief's house sits astride the frontier

  Aoleang in the first week of April is the year's big draw, and by late May the hill road starts breaking up again.

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• Manali Himachal Pradesh

  Himalayan backpacker basecamp for treks and easy adventure

  Peak escape-the-heat season - Apr-May are warm, green and busiest, book Old Manali stays ahead.

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• Bageshwar Uttarakhand

  Saryu-Gomti confluence town and gateway to Pindari glacier

  March-April is warm and clear at 15-28C; May is hazier at 30C but is the other good window for the Pindari trek.

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• Katra (Vaishno Devi) Jammu and Kashmir

  Base town for the year-round Vaishno Devi pilgrimage climb

  March-April brings Navratri crowds in good weather; by May plains heat climbs toward 40C.

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• Namchi Sikkim

  South Sikkim pilgrim town with a 108-ft Shiva and Char Dham

  March-April is warm, flowering and clear; by late May the pre-monsoon build-up greys out the ridge most afternoons.

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• Sandakphu West Bengal

  West Bengal's highest point - sunrise over 4 of 5 top peaks

  Apr rhododendrons carpet the ridge red and pink; by May haze builds as monsoon approaches.

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• Dirang Arunachal Pradesh

  Monpa valley with hot springs, en route to Tawang

  Best weather of the year. Apple orchards blooming, mild days, easy access.

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• Ooty (Udhagamandalam) Tamil Nadu

  Nilgiris' colonial hill capital, toy train and tea gardens

  Peak hill-season crowds (Apr-May), pleasant 15-25C days, book ahead as plains tourists flood in

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• Mawphlang Sacred Forest Meghalaya

  Khasi sacred grove where you may not carry a single leaf out

  March-April is the best walking window for the 16 km David Scott Trail down to Lad Mawphlang, before the rain.

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• Ranthambore Rajasthan

  Rajasthan's best shot at a wild tiger sighting

  Hot, but arguably the best sightings window. Animals gather at shrinking waterholes as forests dry out.

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• McLeod Ganj Himachal Pradesh

  Dalai Lama's home-in-exile - Tibetan culture hub

  Peak season - Mar-May bring warm days, packed meditation courses and full Dharamkot guesthouses.

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• Chopta Uttarakhand

  Basecamp for the Tungnath-Chandrashila alpine trek

  Prime trekking season: wildflower meadows, clear alpine views, good trail conditions

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• Kokernag & Verinag Jammu and Kashmir

  Verinag's Mughal spring tank and Kokernag's trout gardens

  Mar is thin and grey; Apr-May is blossom season across the Kokernag gardens at 18-26 C with the trout farm running.

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• Pelling Sikkim

  Closest hotel-window views of Kanchenjunga in Sikkim

  Mar-Apr brings the best light on the peaks; by May haze creeps in ahead of the rains.

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• Kalimpong West Bengal

  Quiet hill town near Darjeeling - monasteries, nurseries

  Mar-Apr flower nurseries (Kalimpong supplies orchids nationwide) are in full, fragrant bloom.

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• Mechuka (Menchukha) Arunachal Pradesh

  Hidden Himalayan valley near the China border

  April-May is prime: apple and kiwi orchards blooming, roads at their most reliable.

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• Coonoor Tamil Nadu

  Quieter, lower Nilgiri twin to Ooty, ringed by tea estates

  Warm pleasant days among tea gardens, a quieter overflow alternative to a packed Ooty

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• Bir Himachal Pradesh

  India's paragliding capital amid Tibetan monasteries

  Paragliding season in full swing - Mar-May bring reliable thermals and clear valley views from Billing.

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• Jageshwar Uttarakhand

  Over a hundred stone Shiva temples in a deodar gorge

  April-May is the best walking weather at 12-26C, with the whole 124-temple cluster to yourself on a weekday morning.

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• Martand Sun Temple (Mattan) Jammu and Kashmir

  Lalitaditya's ruined 8th-century sun temple on a karewa plateau

  Mar is still bare and grey; Apr-May is ideal at 18-25 C with almond and mustard on the karewas and the lawn to yourself.

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• Ravangla Sikkim

  Laid-back South Sikkim town under a 130ft Buddha statue

  Mar-Apr rhododendrons bloom around the park; pleasant before the pre-monsoon haze sets in.

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• Lava & Rishop (Neora Valley) West Bengal

  Pine-and-cardamom ridge above Neora Valley's cloud forest

  March-May is the best walking: rhododendron and orchids in the Neora forest, 10-20 C, Kanchenjunga out most mornings.

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• Tawang Arunachal Pradesh

  Largest Indian monastery, high Himalayan passes

  Prime season: April-May roads are clear, monastery and high lakes fully accessible.

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Also in peak season in April

47 more, all of them in their best window this month.

• Abbott Mount (Lohaghat) Uttarakhand
• Barot Himachal Pradesh
• Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary (Hilley) Sikkim
• Bhaderwah Jammu and Kashmir
• Binsar Uttarakhand
• Chail Himachal Pradesh
• Chakrata Uttarakhand
• Chamba Himachal Pradesh
• Chaukori Uttarakhand
• Dalhousie Himachal Pradesh
• Dzongu (Lepcha Reserve) Sikkim
• Janjehli (Shikari Devi) Himachal Pradesh
• Jibhi Himachal Pradesh
• Kanatal Uttarakhand
• Karsog Valley Himachal Pradesh
• Kasauli Himachal Pradesh
• Kausani Uttarakhand
• Khajjiar Himachal Pradesh
• Khirsu Uttarakhand
• Kullu Himachal Pradesh
• Lansdowne Uttarakhand
• Lolab Valley (Sogam) Jammu and Kashmir
• Malana Himachal Pradesh
• Masinagudi (Mudumalai) Tamil Nadu
• Mirik West Bengal
• Mukteshwar Uttarakhand
• Munsiyari Uttarakhand
• Mussoorie Uttarakhand
• Naggar Himachal Pradesh
• Nainital Uttarakhand
• Narkanda & Thanedar Himachal Pradesh
• North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung) Sikkim
• Pahalgam Jammu and Kashmir
• Palampur & Andretta Himachal Pradesh
• Parashar Lake Himachal Pradesh
• Patal Bhuvaneshwar Uttarakhand
• Patnitop Jammu and Kashmir
• Ranikhet Uttarakhand
• Rewalsar (Tso Pema) Himachal Pradesh
• Sarahan (Bhimakali) Himachal Pradesh
• Shangarh (Sainj Valley) Himachal Pradesh
• Shimla Himachal Pradesh
• Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir
• Tirthan Valley (Gushaini) Himachal Pradesh
• Tosh Himachal Pradesh
• Yuksom Sikkim
• Zuluk Sikkim

Shoulder season in April

Fewer people, cheaper beds, and a real chance the weather does not cooperate. 137 places sit in shoulder season this month.

• Agartala & Unakoti Tripura
• Agatti Island (Lakshadweep) Lakshadweep
• Aizawl Mizoram
• Alchi (Sham Valley) Ladakh
• Amarkantak Madhya Pradesh
• Amboli Maharashtra
• Anini (Dibang Valley) Arunachal Pradesh
• Auli Uttarakhand
• Badrinath & Mana Uttarakhand
• Bandhavgarh National Park Madhya Pradesh
• Bandipur National Park Karnataka
• Bangaram Island Lakshadweep
• Baratang Island (Limestone Caves) Andaman & Nicobar Islands
• Barnawapara Sanctuary Chhattisgarh
• Basar Arunachal Pradesh
• Bateshwar & Chambal Safari (Bah) Uttar Pradesh
• Bharmour (Manimahesh) Himachal Pradesh
• Bhitarkanika National Park Odisha
• BR Hills (Biligiri Ranganatha) Karnataka
• Buxa Tiger Reserve (Jayanti) West Bengal
• Chandoli National Park Maharashtra
• Cherrapunji (Sohra) Meghalaya
• Chikhaldara Maharashtra
• Chikmagalur Karnataka
• Chitkul Himachal Pradesh
• Churdhar (via Nohradhar) Himachal Pradesh
• Coorg (Madikeri) Karnataka
• Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary Jharkhand
• Dandeli Karnataka
• Dawki & Shnongpdeng Meghalaya
• Deomali Odisha
• Dibru-Saikhowa National Park (Guijan Ghat) Assam
• Diglipur (Ross & Smith Islands) Andaman & Nicobar Islands
• Doodhpathri Jammu and Kashmir
• Dudhwa National Park Uttar Pradesh
• Dzukou Valley Nagaland
• Ganpatipule Maharashtra
• Gavi Kerala
• Gir (Sasan Gir) Gujarat
• Gorumara National Park (Lataguri) West Bengal
• Gulmarg Jammu and Kashmir
• Guwahati Assam
• Haflong Assam
• Hajo & Sualkuchi Assam
• Haridwar Uttarakhand
• Harsil Uttarakhand
• Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) Andaman & Nicobar Islands
• Hmuifang Mizoram
• Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary (Jorhat) Assam
• Jaldapara National Park (Madarihat) West Bengal
• Jawai Bandh (Bera) Rajasthan
• Jhalong & Bindu (Jaldhaka Valley) West Bengal
• Jim Corbett (Ramnagar) Uttarakhand
• Kabini Karnataka
• Kadmat Island Lakshadweep
• Kalesar National Park Haryana
• Kalpa Himachal Pradesh
• Kanha National Park Madhya Pradesh
• Kannur Kerala
• Kanthalloor Kerala
• Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
• Kavaratti Lakshadweep
• Kaza (Spiti) Himachal Pradesh
• Kheerganga Himachal Pradesh
• Khonoma Nagaland
• Kohima Nagaland
• Kolukkumalai Tamil Nadu
• Koraput Odisha
• Kuno National Park (Sesaipura) Madhya Pradesh
• Lamayuru Ladakh
• Little Andaman (Hut Bay) Andaman & Nicobar Islands
• Loktak Lake Manipur
• Long Island Andaman & Nicobar Islands
• Mahabaleshwar Maharashtra
• Majuli Island Assam
• Manas National Park Assam
• Manasbal Lake Jammu and Kashmir
• Mandi Himachal Pradesh
• Matheran Maharashtra
• Mawlynnong Meghalaya

Festivals in April

• Amritsar, Punjab: Apr: Baisakhi at the Golden Temple
• Badrinath & Mana, Uttarakhand: Apr/May: Badrinath kapat opening, date fixed at Basant Panchami
• Harsil, Uttarakhand: Apr/May: Gangotri portals open on Akshaya Tritiya
• Kedarnath, Uttarakhand: Apr/May: Kapat opening ceremony
• Longwa (Mon district), Nagaland: Apr: Aoleang Monyu (Konyak new year, 1-6 Apr)
• Madurai, Tamil Nadu: Apr-May: Chithirai Festival, Meenakshi's temple procession
• Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir: Apr: Tulip Festival at Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden
• Talwandi Sabo (Takht Damdama Sahib), Punjab: Apr: Baisakhi mela at Takht Damdama Sahib
• Thrissur, Kerala: Apr/May: Thrissur Pooram at Vadakkumnathan

Best states to visit in April

Himachal Pradesh (25)Uttarakhand (18)Jammu and Kashmir (9)Sikkim (9)West Bengal (5)Tamil Nadu (4)Arunachal Pradesh (4)Meghalaya (2)

Common questions