Where to go in October 2027
Best Places to Visit in October in India
October is when India comes out of the monsoon: skies clear, hills turn green and the festival season begins with Dussehra and Durga Puja. It's one of the best months for the mountains and for Rajasthan, before the winter crowds arrive.
Updated
Weather in October: Mostly dry and warm after the monsoon, with cooler nights in the hills. The northeast monsoon can bring rain to Tamil Nadu and parts of Kerala late in the month.
Handpicked for October
Top 17 places to visit in October in India
The best places to visit in October in India are Udaipur, Manali, Leh-Ladakh, Darjeeling and Mysuru. Here are all 17, ranked, with why each is worth the trip in October.
Udaipur, Rajasthan
The City of Lakes and palaces
Why October: The monsoon has just filled the lakes, so Pichola and Fateh Sagar are at their fullest and the Aravalli hills around them are still green.
Udaipur, the 'City of Lakes,' is Rajasthan's most romantic destination a dreamlike cityscape of white marble palaces floating on shimmering lakes, framed by the ancient Aravalli Hills.
- Heritage
Manali, Himachal Pradesh
Snow, adventure and the Kullu Valley
Why October: Clear autumn skies and crisp days before the snow. The Kullu Dussehra, a week-long fair of village deities and music, is usually held in the valley in October.
Manali, perched at 2,050 metres in the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh, is India's most iconic mountain destination.
- Snow
- Hills
- Adventure
Leh-Ladakh
High passes, monasteries and blue lakes
Why October: The last weeks of the season: roads are still open, skies are at their clearest and the summer crowds have gone. Go early in the month, as nights turn freezing.
Leh-Ladakh is India's final frontier a high-altitude desert of stark, otherworldly beauty where the air is thin, the sky impossibly blue, and ancient Buddhist monasteries cling to cliff faces above turquoise lakes.
- Hills
- Adventure
Darjeeling, West Bengal
Tea gardens and Kanchenjunga views
Why October: Rain-washed skies bring the clearest views of Kanchenjunga, and the autumn-flush tea harvest is under way in the estates.
" This "Queen of the Hills" is a centerpiece of Darjeeling tourism, where mist-covered slopes reveal sprawling emerald estates. Every Darjeeling travel guide highlights the sunrise at Tiger Hill as a mandatory start to Darjeeling sightseeing.
- Hills
Mysuru, Karnataka
Palaces, Dasara and silk
Why October: Dasara season: the palace is lit with thousands of bulbs and the city celebrates with processions. The festival falls in late September or October.
Let me tell you about Mysuru - this place has got royal vibes written all over it. That giant golden dome of the Amba Vilas Palace? Yeah, it basically owns the skyline.
- Heritage
- Festivals
Jodhpur, Rajasthan
The Blue City below Mehrangarh Fort
Why October: The Rajasthan International Folk Festival is usually held at Mehrangarh Fort in October, with musicians playing through the night on the ramparts.
Dawn spills gold over Jodhpur, and the Blue City slowly stirs beneath the towering Mehrangarh Fort. From its ramparts, the indigo houses glow like a living mosaic, one of the unforgettable top attractions in Jodhpur.
- Heritage
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
Yoga capital on the Ganga
Why October: River rafting reopens after the monsoon, and the Ganga runs strong and clear for the season's first runs.
Rishikesh sits where the Himalayas meet the Ganges, earning its reputation as the Yoga Capital of the World while also becoming one of North India's top destinations for white water rafting and bungee jumping.
- Spiritual
- Adventure
Jaipur, Rajasthan
The Pink City of forts and bazaars
Why October: The heat breaks, making Amber Fort and the old city pleasant to explore again, and the bazaars fill up ahead of Diwali.
Jaipur, the Pink City, is Rajasthan's capital and one of India's most visited heritage destinations, known for its forts, palaces, and distinctive terracotta-pink old city.
- Heritage
Gangtok, Sikkim
Monasteries and Himalayan views
Why October: Post-monsoon skies give long views of the Kanchenjunga range, and the valleys are still green.
Gangtok feels like a city that perfectly balances deep ancient spirituality with highly organized modern living. At first glance, it looks like a bustling hill station clinging tightly to a steep green mountain ridge.
- Hills
Wayanad, Kerala
Forests, waterfalls and spice estates
Why October: The waterfalls are still full from the monsoon and the forests at their greenest, with most of the rain gone.
Wayanad is Kerala's green escape into the Western Ghats, where misty hills, spice plantations, and cascading waterfalls replace the state's better-known backwaters.
- Nature
- Hills
Chikmagalur, Karnataka
Coffee country in the Western Ghats
Why October: Coffee estates are lush after the monsoon and the waterfalls run full, with misty mornings and cool evenings.
Chikmagalur is where most of India's morning cup of coffee comes from, and spending time here makes that feel like a completely reasonable thing to be proud of.
- Hills
- Nature
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
India's oldest living city, on the Ganga
Why October: The ghats are dry again after the monsoon floods, and the city gears up for Durga Puja and Diwali.
The stone ghats lead not just to the water; they give the impression of the city perpetually sliding into the Ganga.
- Spiritual
- Heritage
Shillong, Meghalaya
Pine hills, waterfalls and living root bridges
Why October: The rains have eased, waterfalls are still in full flow and the skies over the Khasi Hills are clear.
Shillong doesn't try to impress you. It simply does. Tucked away in the rolling Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, this charming mountain city feels like a place where nature and culture have found the perfect balance.
- Hills
- Nature
Hampi, Karnataka
Ruins of the Vijayanagara empire
Why October: The boulder-strewn landscape is green after the rains and the Tungabhadra is full; mornings are best for the ruins.
Hampi is one of those places that takes a moment to process. You round a bend and suddenly there are temple towers rising out of a landscape of giant boulders that look like they were stacked by someone with a lot of time and no particular reason to stop.
- Heritage
Pelling, Sikkim
Kanchenjunga outside your window
Why October: Clear October mornings bring some of the year's best views of Kanchenjunga, right from town.
Pelling is the kind of mountain town that makes people wake up early without setting an alarm.
- Hills
Ooty, Tamil Nadu
Tea slopes and the Nilgiri toy train
Why October: Post-monsoon green on the tea slopes and cool, clear days before the winter chill.
Ooty, the Queen of the Nilgiris, has been a favored hill station retreat since the British colonial era, prized for its cool climate, rolling tea estates, and misty viewpoints.
- Hills
Kabini, Karnataka
Elephants and leopards by the backwaters
Why October: Lush forest after the rains and good chances of elephants and leopards along the Kabini backwaters.
Kabini National Park, part of the larger Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, is Karnataka's most coveted wildlife destination, known for its forests and grasslands along the Kabini River backwaters.
- Wildlife
Also good in October
More places to visit in October in India
135 more destinations from our guides at their best in October.
Oct – FebJaisalmer
Jul – MarAlwar
Oct – MarFaridabad
Sep – MarSakleshpur
Oct – FebAlibaug
Oct – MayCherrapunji
Oct – AprHavelock Island
Jun – FebLonavala
Apr – OctPahalgam
Oct – MarParwanoo
Oct – AprPort Blair 
Jun – FebAnanthagiri Hills- Oct – FebKurnool
- Oct – MarNeemrana
- Oct – AprNeil Island (Shaheed Dweep)
- Oct – MayBandipur National Park
- Oct – MarUdupi
- Oct – MarAjmer
- Oct – MarAuroville
- Oct – MarBikaner
- Oct – FebPondicherry (Puducherry)
- Oct – MarPushkar
- Oct – MayShimla
- May – OctSonmarg
- Oct – MarAgartala
- Oct – MayAgatti Island
- Oct – MarAgra
- Jun – FebAgumbe
- Oct – MarAhmedabad
- Oct – FebAihole
- Oct – MarAizawl
- Oct – MarAjanta Caves
- Aug – DecAlleppey (Alappuzha)
- Oct – MarAmaravati
- Oct – MarAmarkantak
- Oct – MarAmritsar
- Oct – MarAnandpur Sahib
- Oct – MarAraku Valley
- Oct – MarAurangabad
- Oct – MarAyodhya
- Oct – FebBadami
- May – Jun, Sep – OctBadrinath
- Oct – JunBandhavgarh National Park
- Oct – MarBangalore
- Oct – MayBangaram Island
- Jun – FebBhandardara
- Oct – FebBharatpur
- Oct – MarBhimbetka
- Oct – MarBhopal
- Oct – MarBhubaneswar
- Oct – MayBiligiriranga Hills
- Oct – MarBinsar
- Oct – MarBishnupur
- Oct – MarBodh Gaya
- Mar – OctBomdila
- Oct – MarBundi
- Oct – MarChandigarh
- May – OctChitkul
- Oct – MarChittorgarh
- Apr – Jun, Sep – NovChopta
- Oct – MarCuttack
- Oct – FebDaman
- Oct – MayDandeli
- Oct – FebDaringbadi
- Oct – AprDawki
- Oct – MarDehradun
- Mar – Jun, Sep – NovDharamkot
- Oct – MarDigha
- Oct – MarDimapur
- Oct – MarDiu
- Apr – OctDoodhpathri
- Oct – MarEllora Caves
- Oct – MarGandikota
- Oct – MarGokarna
- Oct – MarGopalpur
- Oct – MarGwalior
- Oct – MarHaridwar
- Jul – MarHogenakkal
- Oct – MarHorsley Hills
- Oct – FebHyderabad
- Oct – AprImphal
- Oct – MarIndore
- Oct – MarJammu
- Oct – MarJorhat
- Apr – OctJoshimath
- Apr – OctKalpa
- Oct – MarKausani
- May – Jun, Sep – OctKedarnath
- Oct – MarKochi
- Oct – MarKodaikanal
- Oct – MayKolad
- Oct – MarKolkata
- Oct – MarKurukshetra
- Oct – JunMahabaleshwar
- Oct – FebMangalore
- Oct – MarMorni Hills
- Oct – MarMount Abu
- Oct – FebMumbai
- Sep – MarMunnar
- Apr – Jun, Sep – NovMunsiyari
- Oct – MarNagarjuna Sagar
- Oct – MarNahan
- Oct – JunNilgiris
- Mar – OctOld Manali
- Oct – MarPatiala
- Oct – MarPrayagraj
- Oct – MarPune
- Oct – MarPuri
- Oct – MarRaipur
- Oct – MarRajgir
- Oct – AprRameswaram
- Oct – MarRanchi
- Jun – NovRanganathittu Bird Sanctuary
- Oct – AprRanthambore
- Oct – MayRatnagiri
- Oct – MarReiek
- Oct – MarSanchi
- May – OctSangla
- Jul – FebSaputara
- Oct – JunSawai Madhopur
- Oct – MarShantiniketan
- Oct – MarShirdi
- Oct – FebSilvassa
- Oct – MarSirpur
- Oct – FebSomnath
- Oct – MarSrisailam
- Oct – MarStatue of Unity
- Oct – JunTadoba National Park
- Oct – MayTarkarli
- Mar – OctTawang
- Oct – MarThanjavur
- Oct – MarVarkala
- Oct – MarVisakhapatnam
- Oct – JunYercaud
- Apr – OctYusmarg
Beyond India
Best places to visit in October outside India
Apr – OctIndonesiaBali
May – DecMauritius
Mar – OctMalaysiaKuala Lumpur
Oct – AprVietnamHanoi
Mar – Apr, Oct – NovNepalKathmandu
Mar – May, Sep – NovBhutanParo
Mar – May, Sep – NovBhutanThimphu
Oct – DecChinaHong Kong
Apr – May, Sep – OctTurkeyIstanbul
Oct – AprNepalPokhara
Apr – Jun, Sep – OctFranceParis
Apr – May, Sep – NovNetherlandsAmsterdam
Good to know
October travel FAQs
Which are the best places to visit in October in India?
The best places to visit in India in October are Udaipur, Manali, Leh-Ladakh, Darjeeling, Mysuru, Jodhpur, Rishikesh, Jaipur, Gangtok and Wayanad. In all, 152 destinations in our guides are at their best in October.
Which are the best places to visit in October in South India?
In South India, Mysuru, Wayanad, Chikmagalur, Hampi, Ooty and Kabini are among our top picks for October.
Where can I go on a wildlife safari in October in India?
For wildlife in October, try Kabini. Safari slots are limited, so book permits early.
What festivals and events are there in October in India?
Look out for Kullu Dussehra in the Kullu Valley, Mysuru Dasara and Rajasthan International Folk Festival at Mehrangarh. Festivals that follow the lunar calendar change dates each year, so check before you book.
Which are the best places to visit in October outside India?
Outside India, Bali, Mauritius, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Kathmandu and Paro are at their best in October, going by our destination guides.
What is the weather like in India in October?
Mostly dry and warm after the monsoon, with cooler nights in the hills. The northeast monsoon can bring rain to Tamil Nadu and parts of Kerala late in the month.
