Goa Travel Forum

Where to spend Apr, May, and June in India? Nice weather/photography trip.

I am planning a 3 month Indian trip (Apri, May, June), I know it is the Indian summer period, and it's a bad time to travel so I wish to explore Himalayan India in May, and June (Kashmir, Uttarchand, Himchal Pradesh, etc...), but the question is where to spend April? I don't like too much humidity, temperatures above 32, or too many rainy days, as I am a photographer, and I need clear skies for my photos. So, where do you recommend in April?

Keep in mind, in March (1 month before entering India), I am in Sri Lanka (I am spending March there), after Sri Lanka, I am flying to India, but I don't know where in India to spend April? I am considering Goa, but my research shows it's really hot, and I prefer breezy beaches, not sweltering.

Aside fro Goa, I am also considering just spending the entire 3 months in the far north of India, taking in Nepal perhaps? If I find a cheap flight (from Sri Lanka to Nepal, I'll take it), and enter northern India after Nepal. Alternately, if I find a cheap flight from Sri lanka, directly to Srinigar, or another Indian Himalayan city, I will take it, and enter Nepal after.

Anyways, let me know your thoughts of India/Nepal in Apr, May, and June.

Thanks.

The South of India is indeed very hot in May but you could spend your time in a hill station, like Coonoor in the Nilgiris which is lovely in May. It is perhaps easiest to get there from Coimbatore, and you can fly there (if not directly from Sri Lanka I'm sure you can connect from Chennai): but as a photographer, you must still take the blue train at some point, perhaps from Coonoor to Ooty.
Or there is Kodaikanal, reachable from Madurai, or the Kerala hill stations.

Another idea might be to fly into Delhi, then head up to Haridwar and Rishikesh.(It is a 4 hour train to Haridwar from Delhi). Rishikesh is a beautiful place- foothills of Himalayas, and has much to offer. Scenery is wonderful, and great walks etc.Please feelfree to email me if you have any queries.

Since you are in Sri Lanka, I would second the option given by Lyn (qaminari).
South India has a Charm on its own. May be Bangalore, Mysore, Ooty and Coonoor should be OK in April and then as Lynne(lynnehamman) said head to Delhi and to Rishikesh, Manali, Shimla, Dharamsala, Srinagar, Leh.

And if you still have time. to Nepal.

Ok, I will consider those options, but I have another idea.

Instead of spending March in Sri Lanka, I can spend it in Nepal. It's supposed to be real Springtime in Nepal in March. After a month in Nepal, and I can enter India (again for Apr, May, June). If I were to go to Nepal first, I would be very close to the Indian Himalayas, and I can spend 3 months in the mountains. In case I get a 6 month visa, is there anywhere in India where July, and August are preferable? If possible, I would also like to visit Northeastern India, but again (in clear weather).

Myanmar would be my next country of choice, but where is the legal border crossing for foreigners (if crossing overland)?

Northeast is slightly complicated, with army movement and naxalite bases it wouldn't be advisable to be visiting the same. However Darjeeling, Gangtok are wonderful places to visit in the summer. In the monsoons you can head down south into Karnataka; Mysore, Kabini and the Niligiris are beautiful in this period, you can check my Mysore pages, the waterfalls in the surrounding areas will be brimming with water!
April is an excellent time to be in Kulu and Manali; infact it's a great time to be in any part of Himachal Pradesh at this time!

Consider Ladakh.....

Himachal/Uttaranchal are also good options for your travel period...but Ladakh is incomparable...


Chin2

I was only considering the Northeast because it borders Myanmar, but since it's always raining in Myanmar (April-September), It doesn't really make sense to go that way. Someone correct me if I'm wrong?

So now it looks better to spend March in Nepal, April, May, June (in India, first in the Himalayas, and then down. But I've heard South Indian plains are best avoided in summer months. That means if I go to Karnakata, and these other places, I will be limmited to hill stations only

By May the Kerala mango showers already hit both Kerala and Karnataka, so temperatures come down. Do check out the govt tourism promoted Jungle Lodges Resorts in Karnataka, they are in the best locations and offer you a great service.

1) To be very precise, there is no land crossing to Myanmar from India, i came to know about this when i was flying from Bangkok to Bangalore and my fellow traveller told me this, she flew from Rangoon-Bangkok-Bangalore as there is no crossing allowed in border through land.

2) As you have mentioned that you don't like tempeatures above 32 Degrees, then you have to reconsider your trip to India, oddly you will find a place less than that temperature even at Karnataka, as of this week Bangalore temperature is around 35 Deg C ( day time peak)

3) I have been to Rishikesh during summer ( it will be 42 Deg C), may be upper portions of Himalayas may be bit colder. But you may not find those places interesting to stay for 2 months.

So you have very little option like Leh, or ooty as some one recommended here. But ooty is not connected by flight directly. You have to take a flight to Coimbatore and take a train from there to mettupalayam to connect to the blue mountain train.

Finally there is no direct flight from Srilanka to Srinagar, you have to connect via delhi.

Pl feel free to email me in case of any query.

take care

Yes I have cancelled my plan to enter Myanmar, now it's either Nepal or Sri Lanka (in March), and then April-September (in India, assuming I have a 6 month visa). Otherwise, it's April-June (in India). I have to organize the best route for clear, comfortable weather, and natural, landscape photography.

If I go to Nepal (in March), I can cross the Nepali border at Kakarbhitta near Darjeeling 3 weeks later, and spend the first half of April visiting Assam, and Meghlayana, before flying out to Dehli with Kingfisher Red.

Since it's really hot in North Indian plains in April, I will immediately leave Dehli and head north to Uttaranchal, and by May, enter Himchal Pradesh, hope it's nice there in May. By the middle of May, I should be crossing into Kashmir somehow, and by June, I will be pretty much done with Himalayan India, and I will either need to come back the same way (to get the most viewpoints), or fly out of Srinigar, or Jammu.

If I have only a 3 month visa, I will have 1 month left to spend June somewhere in India, no idea where, but preferably somewhere serviced by a discount airline flying out Kashmir.

If I have a 6 month visa, I will need to have a plan for June, and in addition, July and August.

Since June onwards is Monsoon pretty much everywhere I am stuck. Also, Rajastan is too hot, and probably hazy, so I can't go there. The only places left are probably hill stations, but I don't think there are enough of them to keep me happy for a month, let alone all of July/August.

So where to go after?

Your questions are beginning to confuse.I suggest this for the moment:
1) Find out exactly how long your permit will be for
2) Buy a good Guide book on India
3) Read up and make a list of places that interest you
4)From that list-look up weather, rainfall etc
5)Once you have a list & route in mind, come back to the forum with more specific details
6) Failing that-speak to a good travel agent

Sorry you are confused, but that doesn't meant I should buy a book, or talk to a travel salesman. I hate talking to those people, and really don't like traveling with a book in my hands.

Song99- you don't have to have a guide-book in your hands. You can read it before you leave-and leave it behind if you want to.(although that is what back-packs are for,to carry stuff)
The Lonely Planet India guide gives concise answers to your many different questions,and even has ideas for itineraries.
The confusion is caused because your questions because you seem to have a different plan on every forum posting., and the postings are not exactly easy to understand! No-one can accurately predict weather and rainfall and clear sunny skies!
Have you even read any of the India pages on VT ?????

Hi Song,

I think i will also go with Lynne on this subject, No offence intended.

I would like you to understand the indian weather first, there is nothing call Winter, Autumn, Spring ,Summer in India, There are two seasons, Summmer and mansoon , thats it.

Since india is sub tropical country, the weather here during summer is highly predictable, means plains of north india ( 90% of North India) will be reeling with heat wave during summer ( avg temp 45 Deg C), this comined with low humidity can wear down seasoned indians. So if you are travelling here from UK you need to be more careful. Moreover India is like Russian and China wrt border crossings, you cannot just like that cross any border here except for Nepal.

Thirdly what you read in net may not be true unless and until you land here and see for yourself to believe, this is very different country from Western culture.

So you need to be very sure of what you want, when do you want to visit etc before buying your ticket.

Since you have mentioned that you dont like anything above 32, i tried my best to advice you not to travel during summer.

If you prefer to travel, you have to plan your itinerary well in advance as most trains, buses, flights would have been booked by Indian tourists ( April, May) is summer vacation for kids in India.

Take care

Ok, I have canceled my trip to India, especially since I don't like screaming children on trains, but since I was planning to spend April/May in the mountains, the Indian summer weather shouldn't affect me, as it's supposed to nice in the mountains at that time. I guess it's the remainder of the trip (June-September) that has me worried, the only suggestion presented for this period was Rajastan, with people telling me it's a good time to visit the Indian desert, but desert in July didn't seem like a wise option either.

If I come to India, the six month visa would go to waste, as I'd only really need 2 months (April/May) in the mountains, and June I'd be fresh out of ideas, and destinations.

If you are in South India.. try to spend much time up in the hills.
Wayanad is a good option for photography. Tribals life, wildlife etc.. beautiful landscapes and great weather. In a few hours you can reach Mysore, Ooty, Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Muthanga and Tholpetty national parks are also within easy access. Much historical places are also around that reagion.
You can get detailed information from my home page and travel pages.
check it out.
Cheers!