When Is The Best Time To Visit The North East India?

When is the best time to visit the North East India? In short, the best time to visit the North East India depends on your journey preference. (a) escape summer heat: visit shillong, sikkim, Loktak Lake Manipur from April to August. (b) experience the winter experience: visit Tawang, Mechuka, and Dzuko Valley during October to November. If you visit during December to February, it is extremely cold in Tawang. Dzuko is tolerable. In all other places, it is best if you visit during March to October.

When Is The Best Time To Visit The North East India?

It may be the first question that comes up in your mind if you are planning to visit the North East India. As I have mentioned earlier, the best time to visit the North East India is between the month of March to November. However, if you are in for the winter season experience then you can visit the North East India in winter season as well.

I have to remind that some area of the North East in the winter season is extremely cold and due to heavy snow and fog roads may be slippery and conditions may not be good specially in the hilly areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

During the raining season, landslides may occur so before traveling check out local news if there is any natural calamities are happening in the area you are visiting. In this post we will discuss about the best time to visit the Northeastern India and why it is the best time to visit the North East India during those times. Why not to visit NE India during extreme weather or can you visit some parts during winter season? Read more to know in detail.

When is the best time to visit Meghalaya?

I suggest you visit Meghalaya during the hot summer times so that you can escape the scorching heat for a few weeks. The average temperature in Meghalaya during summer is cooler than the winter temperature of most of India. If you are traveling from Guwahati to Shillong, you will feel as if you are in winter. Similarly, riding a bike or car from Shillong to Jowai to Dwaki feels really refreshing. Check out the video below, this is during the end of April on road from Jowai to Dwaki.

But if you want to experience the transparent water in Dwaki, you have to travel when are no rain i.e. in the winter season. Again depending on your requirement, you have to decide when to go to Shillong, Meghalaya.

When is the best time to travel to Tawang, Mechuka, Ziro, etc. in Arunachal Pradesh?

In general, Arunachal is very cold relative to other places in India. Similar to Meghalaya, you can visit Arunachal Pradesh to escape the summer heat. But, Tawang, Mechuka, and other popular places are meant to be in ice and snow. So, if you are traveling during summer, you will miss the peak beauty of these places.

I also suggest not visiting Tawang or Mechuka from late December till early February as this will be extremely cold and the weather is harsh and won’t be kind to you. If you are planning to visit these places, visit between late October and early Dec or Mid February to March.

When is the best time to Visit Sikkim?

Sikkim is a very small state and has a very cold climate. Due to the terrain, it is susceptible to landslides and avalanches. Generally, I would want to travel when there are skies so that you can enjoy your view. Before traveling make sure there is no road blockage or any other problems.

When is the best time to visit Manipur?

Manipur is not as cold as Sikkim, Meghalaya, or Arunachal Pradesh but it is also not too hot. The best time to visit is between September to April. If you are traveling between late December to January, expect some extremely cold weather without ice and snow.

If you are visiting Dzuko Valley, and want to ice frozen river, ice, and snow, travel in early Jan. Other than this, you can visit anytime except when you are thinking of attending different festivals like the Sangai festival. In such case, you have to travel when the festival is organized.

Manipur is well connected to most of the big cities of India via the Bir Tikendrajit Imphal International Airport. You can find flights from most parts of India.

When is the best time to visit Tripura?

I would say Tripura and Assam are the hottest states among Northeastern states. You should visit Tripura during the winter season.

When is the best time to visit Assam?

As mentioned above, Assam is relatively hot as compared to other northeastern states. Having said this, Assam is a very large state and you can find comfortable places even during hot summer times. One thing you should be careful of is the Assam flood during the rainy seasons. Make sure you plan your journey outside of the rainy season if you are planning to travel to Assam.

But you can come to Guwahati anytime and use it as a transit hub to other northeastern states.

When is the best time to visit Nagaland?

The most popular time to visit Nagaland is the Hornbill Festival which is organized generally from 1st Dec to 10th Dec every year. You can plan to visit Nagaland during this time.

When is the best time to visit Mizoram?

You can visit Mizoram all year round. During the Monsoon season, make sure you are not going to a landslide-hit area and follow local news. This applies to all states.

How to decide the best time to travel to Northeast India?

Having said all the above, you have to ask yourself some specific questions in order to decide – when is the best time to travel to Northeast India? The answers to these questions will narrow down your requirements and will help you decide the best time to visit Northeast India. Check out the following questions.

• What is the purpose of your visit to Northeast India?
  Is it a business trip, an adventure, to experience the cold and snowy winter, a calm and cool weather, honeymoon? So, if you are traveling for business then you might want it during a calm weather season. For an adventurous travel to Northeast India, you should see extreme side of Northeast. If your visit is for a calm and cool weather away from your noisy city, then you should travel in summer in Shillong. Read the below sections to know more.
• Are you comfortable with extreme countryside living style or you will stick to your city life?
  So, most of the NE India is rural and your lifestyle will be pretty much 180 degree opposite if you are coming from a metro city. You must decide what kind of time you are planning to spend.
• How long is your trip going to be?
  Longer the time you spend better you will become at the climate of Northeast India.
• Does your plan include multiple states and places away from the capital cities?
  If so, you should select a dry season so that the road conditions are better while traveling to the interstate highways and to the countrysides.

After all of these questions, now ask yourself, when is the best time to travel to NE India and you will get a better understanding of the time. Below sections will give you details on why should you choose certain season to travel to Northeast India.

Why to visit North East India between March to November?

The months between the March to November are the best time to visit all the Northeast India. But in Assam and Tripura you may face some extreme heat during the summer season. As I have said earlier expect for the landslides in the rainy season, the best time to visit the North East India is between March to November. It is mainly because of the favorable weather conditions during these months. At the 3rd week of Nov, real winter kicks in most part of the North East India. By the 2nd week of Dec, most part of it have temperatures at around 0-10 while some plunge to minus. Places like Dzuko, Tawang, Mechuka are covered in snow. You can expect heavy fogs and snowfalls in most part of North East except Assam and Tripura. During the summer season you may find a little uncomfortable in Assam and Tripura as these two states are generally hotter than the other states. Having said that it is nothing like those in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai.

So, when is the best time to travel to Northeast India? For those looking for a calm experience visit during the Month of March to Nov excluding some extreme summer days.

Why not to visit the North East India during winter season?

You might be wondering why I am not recommending the winter season as the best time to visit the North East India. It is because in some parts, temperature reaches below 0 and it is icy. However, places like Assam, Tripura will have a mild winter as compared to other states. It all depends on what are your travel plans. If you are looking for a winter experience like the snow falls, you can still choose to travel in the mid weeks of February to mid week of March. December may be extreme to you if you never experienced one earlier. Trust me waters are chilly, common cold and cough have been suddenly very attracted to you during this month. If you have a little wound, it make take more time to heal due to extreme weather conditions. During the winter, roads in Sikkim are literally covered in snow. It is very slippery and dangerous in some cases. This is applied to rainy seasons due to heavy rains. If you are visiting in winter season please bring thermal jackets and other general requirements for extreme cold weathers.

But for those specially looking for the experience of extreme winter and snowy places, then absolutely, you should travel to North East India winter Nov to Feb. The places like Dzuko, Tawang, Mechuka will be covered in ice. Shillong will be extremely cold during these months. For those looking to travel to Assam and Tripura, you can visit Assam and Tripura during these days because the weather condition during these months in these two states and comfortable.

The best place to visit the North East India during summer season.

If you happen to visit the North East India during the summer and raining season, don’t miss to visit the capital of Meghalaya – Shillong. It is located in a maximum 4 hours drive from Guwahati. During these times, you can feel what it is like to experience the wettest and rainiest part of the world. Roads conditions are very good in most of Meghalaya. You can rent a bike or a car to travel the whole state. Just three hours drive from the hot summer of Guwahati, you will feel like it’s winter.

All other months have generally calm and comfortable weather all across North East. However, some places like Dzuko, Tawang, Mechuka, Ziro, Shillong generally have all year along cold weather.

How dangerous is it to visit North East India during raining season?

I would say it is not dangerous as long as you know the conditions and keep an update with the local news and weather conditions. Most of North Eastern parts are hilly region and no matter how hard you try, you can’t stop the nature. Suddenly, there will be floods and landslides in some parts of the road. If if there is a landslide, the authorities will immediately try to resolve it. This is why are need to keep track on local news and popular pages while visiting the North East India. Within hours, the authorities will clear the landslides.

It is no more dangerous than any other places. All you need to do is keep your news update and know what is happening around you. In some very remote areas you may need to walk on some parts of the roads while the cars are crossing it.

How dangerous is it to visit North East India during winter season?

The answer is same as how dangerous to visit during the rainy season. Just keep an update on the local news and adapt with it. In most cases you won’t face any problems. The roads to Tawang are slippery and the tires of bikes and cars are improvised with ropes to enable better performance. And everybody living in the area travels daily so you don’t need to worry. For a comfortable ride choose the months between March to Nov.

During winter, five minutes of your hands into the outside atmosphere, you won’t feel your hands anymore if you are in Tawang. The water in most part of Northeast will be like a thorn piercing into your body. Be ready for a waterfall off your nose. But if you are specially looking for this kind of adventure then you should definitely visit during December to February in Northeast India.

North Eastern states you should visit during summer season:

Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram. Summer in these states will hardly reach 35 degree. But Assam and Tripura will strike up to 38-40 degree which is pretty bad. Border areas with Assam and Tripura are same but once you enter deep into these states, you will find a more generous summer season. Having said these, do not forget it is still summer season and you are completely off the hook. Be careful with mosquitoes, diseases and other general precautionary measures.

I have a detailed blog post about when is the best time to visit Shillong, Cherrapunji in Meghalaya. You can check out by following the link below.

North Eastern states you should visit during winter season:

Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam, Tripura. Don’t take me wrong for not including Assam and Tripura. Of course, you can visit the states that are not included in the lists. Tripura and Assam are bit hotter than other states while Sikkim and Upper part of Arunachal Pradesh are little colder. This doesn’t mean that you can’t visit the other states. I am only comparing in between the 8 sister states. Check out this post where I have covered other issues about safe visiting of North East India which includes 8 points you should know. If you have any other queries and comments please comment down below. Don’t forget to check out other posts.

So, in conclusion, the general best time to visit Northeast India is between the months of March to November. You can also visit in between December to February in places like Ziro, Tawang, Shillong, Dzuko valley to experience the icy weather and fun ( 🙂 ) adventures.