Quick answer
Visit Varanasi between October and March. Days are 23–32 °C, the river is back within its banks for boat rides, and the evening aarti runs on the steps of Dashashwamedh Ghat. November is the pick for Dev Deepawali, when the ghats are lit with lakhs of diyas. Avoid May and June heat, and July to September, when floods can submerge the ghats.
Month-by-month at a glance
- Jan23°Best
- Feb27°Best
- Mar33°Good
- Apr39°Fair
- May41°Avoid
- Jun39°Avoid
- Jul33°Fair
- Aug32°Avoid
- Sep32°Fair
- Oct32°Good
- Nov29°Best
- Dec25°Best
Varanasi weather, crowds and what to expect
| Month | High / Low | Rain | Crowds | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryBest | 23° / 9° | 15 mm | high | Cool, foggy mornings; trains and flights from Delhi can run late. Pack a warm layer for dawn boat rides. |
| FebruaryBest | 27° / 12° | 15 mm | high | Clear, pleasant days; Dhrupad Mela at Tulsi Ghat in some years. |
| MarchGood | 33° / 17° | 10 mm | medium | Warming fast; Mahashivratri and Holi bring intense crowds to the lanes. |
| AprilFair | 39° / 22° | 5 mm | low | Hot afternoons; sightseeing only at dawn and after sunset. |
| MayAvoid | 41° / 27° | 10 mm | low | Peak heat, often above 42 °C; the ghat steps bake by 9 am. |
| JuneAvoid | 39° / 29° | 100 mm | low | Humid heat until the monsoon arrives late in the month. |
| JulyFair | 33° / 27° | 300 mm | high | Monsoon; Sawan pilgrims fill the lanes to Kashi Vishwanath; river rising. |
| AugustAvoid | 32° / 27° | 290 mm | medium | River usually at its highest; lower ghats underwater and boats often suspended. |
| SeptemberFair | 32° / 25° | 230 mm | low | Floodwater recedes late in the month; Ramnagar Ramlila begins. |
| OctoberGood | 32° / 21° | 40 mm | medium | Ghats cleaned and reopened; Durga Puja, Dussehra and Bharat Milap. |
| NovemberBest | 29° / 14° | 10 mm | high | The best month: Diwali, Chhath and Dev Deepawali. Book rooms months ahead. |
| DecemberBest | 25° / 10° | 5 mm | high | Crisp days, foggy mornings; Christmas-New Year week is very busy. |
Long-term monthly averages. Individual years vary — check a forecast in the week before you travel.
Festivals and events in Varanasi
Kartik Purnima, around 24 November 2026
Dev Deepawali
Diyas on all the ghats from Assi to Raj Ghat. Boats sell out weeks ahead and ghat-side rooms cost three to five times the usual rate.
The days leading up to Dev Deepawali (November)
Ganga Mahotsav
Classical music and dance on the ghats, organised by UP Tourism.
About six days after Diwali, mid-November 2026
Chhath Puja
Families make dawn and dusk offerings to the sun from the river steps.
Late February or March (early March in 2027)
Mahashivratri
Long queues at Kashi Vishwanath and processions through the old city.
About a month from September into October
Ramnagar Ramlila
A month-long Ramlila staged across open-air sets in Ramnagar, across the river.
Around 22 March 2027
Holi
Preceded by Masaan Holi with pyre ash at the cremation ghats. Lanes get rowdy; stay on rooftops if unsure.
When is the best time to visit Varanasi?
October to March. The monsoon flood has drained off the ghats by early October, temperatures sit between about 9 °C at night and 30 °C in the day, and the river is calm enough for the dawn boat ride that most people come for. November is the single best month if you can handle crowds; January is the coldest and foggiest.
Month by month: what changes
October–November. The ghats are cleaned and repainted after the flood. Diwali falls on 8 November in 2026, followed by Chhath and then Dev Deepawali on Kartik Purnima. Ghat-side hotels multiply their rates for Dev Deepawali week, and a private boat for that evening can cost ₹15,000–40,000.
December–February. Peak season for families and senior citizens. Mornings are foggy, which makes sunrise boat rides atmospheric but sometimes delays flights and the overnight trains from Delhi. Carry a shawl for 5:30 am starts on the water.
March–June. Mahashivratri and Holi are spectacles, but expect rough crowds in the lanes. From April it is too hot to walk the ghats after 9 am, and May afternoons regularly cross 42 °C.
July–September. The Ganga rises, lower ghats go underwater and boat rides are often suspended by the district administration. The evening aarti continues on a raised platform or rooftop. Sawan (July–August) brings huge pilgrim queues to Kashi Vishwanath, especially on Mondays.
Which months to avoid
May and June for heat, and August for floods. If a monsoon window is all you have, go in early July or late September and keep the plan flexible.
Planning around Dev Deepawali? Book your room and boat by August. Most ghat-side rooms are gone by September.
Plan the rest of the trip
Things to do in Varanasi has a ghat-by-ghat plan, and the Varanasi food guide covers kachori-sabzi and malaiyyo, which is made only in winter. Choosing between a riverside room and the quieter Cantonment is covered in where to stay in Varanasi. Many travellers pair Varanasi with Agra on the same winter trip, and the festivals hub lists more dates worth timing around.
Frequently asked questions
Is November a good time to visit Varanasi?
Can you take a boat ride in Varanasi during the monsoon?
How cold does Varanasi get in winter?
When is Dev Deepawali in 2026?
How we checked this page
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Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.
