Lucknow
Nawabi capital of grand Imambaras and kebabs
Best time to visit Lucknow
- 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
Lucknow season by season
Winter December to February Prime time
Best season: comfortable for walking through Bara Imambara and the old-city food lanes
Summer March to May Shoulder
April-June heat is severe and exploring the old quarters on foot becomes a real chore
Monsoon June to September Shoulder
Humid and occasionally waterlogged streets, but indoor monuments and markets stay enjoyable
Autumn October to November Prime time
Weather turns pleasant by late October, a good time to explore before winter's peak crowds
What Lucknow is actually like
More food-and-heritage city than backpacker hub. Solo dining beats meeting travelers
Getting to Lucknow
Flights or train from Delhi 6-7h; well connected by air
Practical ways in: flighttrainroad
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 2 days
- Budget
- Mid-range
- How busy
- Steady at its peak
- Solo travel
- Fine solo
- Altitude
- 117 m
- State
- Uttar Pradesh
- Coordinates
- 26.8467, 80.9462
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Lucknow?
October to February is peak season in Lucknow. March and July to September is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to June. Weather turns pleasant by late October, a good time to explore before winter's peak crowds.
How many days do you need in Lucknow?
2 days is the usual stay. More food-and-heritage city than backpacker hub. Solo dining beats meeting travelers.
How do you get to Lucknow?
Flights or train from Delhi 6-7h; well connected by air. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.
Is Lucknow expensive, and does it get crowded?
Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary (Unnao)
Uttar Pradesh
Shallow migratory-bird lake halfway between Lucknow and Kanpur
50 km from Lucknow, roughly under an hour by road
-
Bithoor
Uttar Pradesh
Quiet Ganga ghats and Nana Saheb's 1857 base above Kanpur
90 km from Lucknow, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Naimisharanya (Nimsar)
Uttar Pradesh
Forest where the Puranas were told: Chakra Tirth and Gomti
90 km from Lucknow, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Bhitargaon
Uttar Pradesh
India's oldest standing brick temple, Gupta terracotta and all
130 km from Lucknow, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Ayodhya
Uttar Pradesh
Rama's birthplace, home to the newly built Ram Mandir
160 km from Lucknow, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Shravasti (Sahet-Mahet)
Uttar Pradesh
Jetavana ruins where the Buddha spent 25 rain retreats
170 km from Lucknow, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary
Uttar Pradesh
Girwa river boat rides among gharial, dolphins and terai sal forest
220 km from Lucknow, roughly about 4 h by road
-
Kaushambi (Kosam)
Uttar Pradesh
Buddha-era Vatsa capital, earth ramparts above the Yamuna
230 km from Lucknow, roughly about 4 h by road
More places to visit in Uttar Pradesh
- Agra Uttar Pradesh
- Ayodhya Uttar Pradesh
- Barsana & Nandgaon Uttar Pradesh
- Bateshwar & Chambal Safari (Bah) Uttar Pradesh
- Bhitargaon Uttar Pradesh
- Bithoor Uttar Pradesh
- Chitrakoot (Ramghat) Uttar Pradesh
- Deogarh (Lalitpur) Uttar Pradesh
- Dudhwa National Park Uttar Pradesh
- Fatehpur Sikri Uttar Pradesh
- Hastinapur Uttar Pradesh
- Jaunpur Uttar Pradesh
- Jhansi Uttar Pradesh
- Kalinjar Fort Uttar Pradesh
- Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
- Kaushambi (Kosam) Uttar Pradesh
- Kushinagar Uttar Pradesh
- Naimisharanya (Nimsar) Uttar Pradesh
- Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary (Unnao) Uttar Pradesh
- Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (Chuka) Uttar Pradesh
- Prayagraj (Triveni Sangam) Uttar Pradesh
- Salkhan Fossils Park (Sonbhadra) Uttar Pradesh
- Shravasti (Sahet-Mahet) Uttar Pradesh
- Varanasi Uttar Pradesh
- Vrindavan-Mathura Uttar Pradesh