November is when India settles into the season it is famous for. Delhi drops to a comfortable 26°C by day with almost no rain, Rajasthan is perfect, Goa and Kerala open properly, the wildlife parks are green and quiet, and the Pushkar Camel Fair fills a Rajasthani desert town for a week. With Diwali already past on 29 October, November 2027 gets the good weather without the festival pricing.
Pushkar Camel Fair
Held around Kartik Purnima, the November full moon, in the small pilgrimage town of Pushkar in Rajasthan. It runs for roughly a week and is two things at once: a genuine livestock market where thousands of camels, horses and cattle are traded, and a religious gathering where pilgrims bathe in the sacred lake on the full-moon day.
Around it has grown a fairground of competitions – longest moustache, camel decoration, matka phod – plus music, a tent city and an enormous crowd. The livestock trading happens at the start and the religious observance at the end, so pick your days by what you want to see.
Practical points: Pushkar is small and books out completely, with rates several times normal; it is a strictly vegetarian and alcohol-free town year-round; and the exact 2027 dates follow the lunar calendar and are published by Rajasthan Tourism – confirm before booking flights.
Weather by region
- Delhi and the north – about 26°C by day and 14°C at night, with roughly 4 mm of rain for the whole month. Dry, bright and comfortable, though air quality remains poor through November in the northern plains.
- Rajasthan – excellent: warm afternoons, cold desert nights, clear light. The best month for photography.
- Goa and the Konkan – the season is properly open: dry, sunny, around 32°C, and not yet at December prices.
- Kerala and the south-west – dry and warm; the backwaters and Munnar at their best.
- Tamil Nadu and the south-east – the exception again: the north-east monsoon is at its height, and November is the wettest month in Chennai.
- The Himalaya – clear, cold and superb for views; Ladakh’s road passes close for the winter.
Wildlife: green and quiet
Continue planning your India trip
The parks have been open since about 1 October and November is one of the pleasantest months to be in them: the forest is still green from the monsoon, the temperature is comfortable, and the crowds of December to February have not arrived. Sightings are harder than in the spring – there is water everywhere, so animals are dispersed – but Kaziranga, Ranthambore, Bandhavgarh and Tadoba are all rewarding and easier to book.
Festivals and events
- Pushkar Camel Fair – around Kartik Purnima; the defining November event.
- Guru Nanak Jayanti – also on Kartik Purnima, the most important Sikh festival, at its most moving at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
- Dev Deepawali, Varanasi – on the same full moon, when the ghats are lit with hundreds of thousands of oil lamps. It is one of the most photographed nights in India, and the city is full.
- Rann Utsav, Gujarat – the white desert festival in Kutch begins and runs through the winter.
- Hornbill Festival, Nagaland – 1 to 10 December, so the very end of November is when to travel for it.
Prices and crowds
Rising, but not yet at the December and January peak. With Diwali falling in October in 2027, November escapes the festival surcharge that it sometimes carries, which makes it unusually good value this particular year. Pushkar during the fair is the one sharp exception.
See the cost of travelling India.
What to pack
Light clothing for the day and a genuinely warm layer for the evening – northern and desert nights drop sharply, and Pushkar at night is cold. Add modest temple clothing, sun protection, and a mask if Delhi air quality is a concern for you. See what to pack for India.
The November 2027 calendar
- Early November – the season opens properly in Goa, Kerala and Rajasthan.
- Around Kartik Purnima – the Pushkar Camel Fair, roughly a week, with trading first and the sacred bathing at the end.
- Kartik Purnima – Guru Nanak Jayanti at the Golden Temple and Dev Deepawali on the Varanasi ghats.
- Through November – the Rann Utsav begins in Kutch.
- Through November – wildlife parks green, comfortable and uncrowded.
- Through November – the north-east monsoon at its height over Tamil Nadu; Chennai’s wettest month.
- 1–10 December – the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland; travel at the end of November.
Read alongside
- India in October – Diwali and the season reopening.
- India in December – peak season, and the fog returning.
- Best time to visit India – all twelve months compared.
- India 2-week itinerary – a route built for this weather.
- Cost of travelling India – season numbers.
- What to pack for India – the autumn list.
- India travel guide – regions and how to combine them.
Frequently asked
Is November a good time to visit India?
Yes – it is the start of the best four months. Delhi sits at a comfortable 26°C with almost no rain, Rajasthan is ideal, Goa and Kerala have opened, and the wildlife parks are green and quiet. Tamil Nadu is the exception, in its own monsoon.
When is the Pushkar Camel Fair?
Around Kartik Purnima, the November full moon, running for roughly a week. Livestock trading happens at the start and the sacred bathing at the end. Exact dates follow the lunar calendar and are published by Rajasthan Tourism.
How cold is India in November?
Delhi averages about 26°C by day but drops to around 14°C at night, and Rajasthan’s desert nights are colder still. Goa stays near 32°C and the south is warm throughout.
Is Delhi air quality bad in November?
Yes. The combination of stubble burning, cooler stagnant air and traffic keeps readings poor through November in the northern plains, even after Diwali has passed. Consider a mask if you are sensitive.
What is Dev Deepawali?
The festival of lights on the Varanasi ghats, held on Kartik Purnima about fifteen days after Diwali, when hundreds of thousands of oil lamps are lit along the river. The city fills completely for it.
Is November good for wildlife in India?
It is pleasant rather than optimal. The forest is still green and the parks are uncrowded and easy to book, but water is everywhere so animals are dispersed. March to May gives far better sightings in far worse heat.
Is Chennai wet in November?
Very – it is the wettest month there. The north-east monsoon runs over Tamil Nadu and the south-east coast from October to December, the opposite of the rest of the country.
Is India expensive in November?
Prices are rising but have not reached the December and January peak. Because Diwali falls in October in 2027, November escapes the festival surcharge it sometimes carries, making it unusually good value that year.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
