Delhi
Mughal monuments and India's transit hub
Best time to visit Delhi
- Jan, peak season
- Feb, peak season
- Mar, shoulder season
- Apr, best avoided
- May, best avoided
- Jun, best avoided
- Jul, shoulder season
- Aug, shoulder season
- Sep, shoulder season
- Oct, peak season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, peak season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: October to February
- Shoulder: March and July to September, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: April to June
Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryOctoberNovemberDecember
Delhi season by season
Winter December to February Prime time
Pleasant days but dense smog and cold nights, especially December-January: carry a mask.
Summer March to May Shoulder
Dry heat regularly crosses 42C; plan sightseeing for early morning and AC malls by afternoon.
Monsoon June to September Shoulder
Humid with sudden waterlogging, but a welcome break from summer's heat all the same.
Autumn October to November Prime time
The best window: clearer skies and mild temperatures before winter smog sets back in.
What Delhi is actually like
Huge hostel scene in Paharganj and Hauz Khas; stay street-smart after dark.
Getting to Delhi
International/domestic airport (DEL) or major rail hub
Practical ways in: flighttrainroad
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 3 days
- Budget
- Mid-range
- How busy
- Busy at its peak
- Solo travel
- Easy solo
- Altitude
- 216 m
- State
- Delhi
- Coordinates
- 28.6139, 77.2090
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Delhi?
October to February is peak season in Delhi. March and July to September is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to June. The best window: clearer skies and mild temperatures before winter smog sets back in.
How many days do you need in Delhi?
3 days is the usual stay. Huge hostel scene in Paharganj and Hauz Khas; stay street-smart after dark.
How do you get to Delhi?
International/domestic airport (DEL) or major rail hub. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.
Is Delhi expensive, and does it get crowded?
Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs busy at the busiest time of year. Easy solo.
Is there a festival in Delhi?
Jan: Republic Day Parade. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Surajkund
Haryana
Tomar-era stone reservoir and India's biggest February crafts mela
20 km from Delhi, roughly under an hour by road
-
Mangar Bani
Haryana
Sacred Gujjar grove guarding NCR's last primary Aravalli forest
30 km from Delhi, roughly under an hour by road
-
Sultanpur National Park (Bird Sanctuary)
Haryana
Ramsar jheel where Siberian migrants land an hour from Delhi
50 km from Delhi, roughly under an hour by road
-
Hastinapur
Uttar Pradesh
Kuru capital of the Mahabharata and a huge Jain temple town
130 km from Delhi, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Neemrana
Rajasthan
15th-century fort turned zipline weekend escape
140 km from Delhi, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Barsana & Nandgaon
Uttar Pradesh
Braj hill villages where Lathmar Holi is fought with sticks
140 km from Delhi, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Vrindavan-Mathura
Uttar Pradesh
Krishna's birthplace and playground of temple towns
160 km from Delhi, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Rakhigarhi
Haryana
Largest Harappan city in the subcontinent, still half under a village
170 km from Delhi, roughly about 3 h by road