Best time to visit Gujarat

Gujarat holidays open up a state of dichotomies. As well as having coast and desert in close proximity, Gujarat also has one of the most industrialised landscapes cheek by jowl with medieval cultures. Explore the Kutch Desert, home to the nomadic Mir tribe or head to Poshina with its nearby tribal villages of Garacia, Adivacyi and Bharad. And although there are 1,600km of coastline, there are hardly any developed beaches. Yet.

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Best time to visit Gujarat

Gujarat glows green post monsoon as thoughts turn to dancing in moon and candle light for the Navaratri harvest festival and Diwali celebrations during October.

Summers in Gujarat start in March with temperatures rising in the run up to June. April and May tend to be the driest, hottest months – temperatures often exceed 40°C – although towards the end of summer it gets really humid in readiness for the southwest monsoon season in July, August and September. Gir National Park actually closes at this time of year. It tends to rain less in the north of Gujarat so Ahmedabad is a good option, alongside Bhuj and the Rann of Kutch which receive hardly any rain. October through to February finds temperatures dropping and rainfall stopping making it the best time to go on holiday in Gujarat for glorious green countryside.

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When to go to Gujarat, month by month guide

Winters in Gujarat can get chilly at night; however, visit the villages close to Bhuj and the Rann of Kutch during December or January and you'll soon warm up as you experience one of the region's best loved cultural festivals: Raan Utsav. Join local Gujaratis for folk music, dancing and traditional craft exhibitions under the illuminating light of the full moon reflecting across the salt flat plains. Another January festival celebrated in Gujarat is Makar Sankranti or Uttrayan. Skies become awash with kites as people gather on the rooftops of their homes and engage in dog fights and kite dances while celebrating with snacks and music. Ahmedabad hosts an especially impressive kite festival in January where many international kite flyers participate along the river front. Festival celebrations tend to wind down during February but if you're looking for the best time to go wildlife watching in Ger National Park then foliage is in scant supply making animals, including leopards and Asiatic lions, easier to spot. Rising heat and humidity signal the start of summer in Gujarat with temperatures climbing through March, April and May to peak in June – not the best time of year to visit the Raan of Kutch. Holi festival takes place in March to celebrate the onset of spring. Bonfires are lit and coconuts and corn are offered to the fire god on the first day. Whilst the second day, Dhuleti, is celebrated in an explosion of colour as young people throw coloured water and paints at each other, alongside numerous other cultural customs, as a blessing of good harvest for the year ahead. Ger National Park actually closes its gates during June, July, August and September as it's monsoon season; many small group tours won't run at this time either – it's just too wet. After the rains have finally ceased at the end of September, Gujarat's countryside gives way to glorious green with the Hindu harvest festival of Navaratri causing nine-day celebrations to take place across the whole of India in early October. No sooner than Navaratri celebrations have cooled then Gujarat, and the rest of India, turn their minds to Diwali – the festival of light – for five days at the end of October. Expect homes, temples and shops to be cleaned and bedecked in candle light. November is one of the best months to go to Gujarat for greenery and comfortable temperatures and a chance for local people to welcome tourists and travellers at the start of peak holiday season.

Gujarat Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

204

JUL

377

AUG

246

SEP

179

OCT

NOV

DEC

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Gujarat or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.

01273 823 700

Call us after 10am

Calling from outside the UK

rosy@responsibletravel.com

01273 823 700

Call us after 10am

Calling from outside the UK

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Sanjay Oberoi, Director of our Gujarat tour specialists, Bespoke India Travel:
“The best time to visit Gujarat is in winter. Winter is when we celebrate most of the festivals, the weather is pleasant, and hordes of migratory birds are visiting as well. Festivals such as Navaratri (Sept/Oct), Holi (March), Kavant Mela tribal festival (April), and Uttrayan kite festival (January) are definitely worth experiencing.”

More about Navaratri in Gujarat

This nine-day festival is a celebration of the Hindu goddess, Navaratri, and takes place in the month of Ashvin – end of Sept or early to mid-Oct. Performance art, fasting and prayers to garbos (clay pots) – which symbolise the womb of Mother Universe – take place across Gujarat. One of the most significant celebrations is a synchronised dance called garba which involves the striking of dandiyas (sticks) and gentle teasing and banter between the boys and girls taking part. Vibrant and colourful traditional costumes are worn as entire communities dance to tunes, hymns and folk songs relating to tales of Navaratri and Lord Krishna. This is an exciting time of year as not only does it signal the end of monsoon season but also the run up to one of India’s most important events – Diwali.

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Written by Chris Owen

Best time to visit Gujarat

Best time to visit Gujarat