Climate:
    Hot tropical weather with variations from region to region. Coolest weather lasts from December to February, with cool, fresh mornings and evenings and dry, sunny days. Really hot weather, when it is dry, dusty and unpleasant, is between March and May. Monsoon rains occur in most regions in summer between June and September.

Western Himalayas:
    Srinagar is best from March to October; July to August can be unpleasant; cold and damp in winter. Simla is higher and therefore colder in winter. Places like Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Manali are usually under several feet of snow (December to March) and temperatures in Ladakh can be extremely cold. The road to Leh is open from June to October.
Required clothing: Light- to mediumweights are advised from March to October, with warmer wear for winter. Weather can change rapidly in the mountains and therefore it is important to be suitably equipped. Waterproofing is advisable.

Northern Plains:
    Extreme climate, warm inland from April to mid-June falling to almost freezing at night in winter, between November and February. Summers are hot with monsoons between June and September.
Required clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens in summer with warmer clothes in winter and on cooler evenings. Waterproofing is essential during monsoons.

Central India:
    Madhya Pradesh State escapes the very worst of the hot season, but monsoons are heavy between July and September. Temperatures fall at night in winter.
Required clothing: Lightweights are worn most of the year with warmer clothes during evenings, particularly in winter. Waterproofed clothing is advised during monsoon rains.

Western India:
    November to February is most comfortable, although evenings can be fairly cold. Summers can be extremely hot with monsoon rainfall between mid-June and mid-September.
Required clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens are worn most of the year with warmer clothes for cooler winters, and waterproofing is essential during the monsoon.

Southwest:
    The most pleasant weather is from November to March. Monsoon rains fall between late April and July. Summer temperatures are not as high as Northern India, although humidity is extreme. There are cooling breezes on the coast. Inland, Mysore and Bijapur have pleasant climates with relatively low rainfall.
Required clothing: Lightweights are worn all year with warmer clothes for cooler evenings, particularly in winter. Waterproofing is advised during the monsoon.

Southeast:
    Tamil Nadu experiences a northeast monsoon between October and December and temperatures and humidity are high all year. Hills can be cold in winter. Hyderabad is hot, but less humid in summer and much cooler in winter.
Required clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens. Waterproofing is necessary during the monsoon. Warmer clothes are worn in the winter, particularly in the hills.

Northeast:
    March to June and September to November are the driest and most pleasant periods. The rest of the year has extremely heavy monsoon rainfall and it is recommended that the area is avoided.
Required clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens. Waterproofing is advisable throughout the year and essential in monsoons, usually from mid-June to mid-October. Warmer clothes are useful for cooler evenings.

Food & drink:
   All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Well water near the Ganges and in West Bengal may contain traces of arsenic chemical. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products that are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

Health care:
   Health care facilities are limited and travellers are strongly advised to take out full medical insurance before departing for India. It is advisable to bring specific medicines from the UK. There are state-operated facilities in all towns and cities and private consultants and specialists in urban areas.

Other risks:
   Visceral leishmaniasis occurs in rural areas of eastern India. Cutaneous leishmaniasis occurs in Rajasthan. Filariasis is common throughout India and sandfly fever is increasing. An outbreak of plague occurred in 1994 and was contained by adequate government measures. Tick-borne relapsing fever is reported, as is typhus, and outbreaks of haemorrhagic dengue fever have occurred in eastern India. Tick-borne haemorrhagic fever has been reported in the forest areas in Karnataka State. Hepatitis A and E are common. Hepatitis B is endemic. Outbreaks of Japanese encephalitis occur, particularly in eastern coastal areas. Meningococcal meningitis is present in Delhi from November to May. Vaccination is advisable.
Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix.

On leaving India:
    Visitors leaving for countries which impose health restrictions on arrivals from India are required to be in possession of a valid certificate of inoculation and vaccination.

Note:
    All visitors aged between 18 and 70 years of age who are wishing to extend their visa for a year or more are required to take an AIDS test.