Season guide · Delhi · India
Delhi in the cool season
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: PerSona77, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Cool days and cold nights with frequent fog and poor air quality, especially in December and January; February turns sunny and pleasant. Expect highs up to 24°C (75°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F), with about 6 rainy days across December–February. February is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 8°C (46°F) to 24°C (75°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 6
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in the cool season
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20°C (68°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 2 | 10.5 h | 4/5 |
| February | 24°C (75°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 3 | 11.1 h | 4/5 |
| December | 23°C (73°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 1 | 10.3 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 22°C (72°F) against a yearly 31°C (88°F), and 6 of the year's roughly 52 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in the cool season
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path (26 January)
- January: Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk (29 January)
- February: India Art Fair (usually early February)
- February: Amrit Udyan gardens open to visitors (usually February–March)
- December: Christmas and New Year celebrations
Make the most of the weather
Religious site · Old Delhi
Jama Masjid
Completed in 1656, this is one of India's largest mosques, with a courtyard that can hold some 25,000 worshippers, three marble domes and two tall minarets.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Free
- Views
Park · Lutyens' Delhi
Lodhi Garden
Go at sunrise or late afternoon, then have coffee or lunch at nearby Khan Market or Lodhi Colony.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- History
- Kids
Historic site · Hauz Khas Village
Hauz Khas Complex
Overlooking a reservoir first dug around 1300 by Alauddin Khalji, the madrasa and tomb of Firoz Shah Tughlaq form a series of domed pavilions and colonnades.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Couples
- Outdoors
Historic site · Mehrauli
Mehrauli Archaeological Park
Walk in from the Qutb Minar side in the morning, and carry water as there are few facilities.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- History
- Outdoors
Park · Nizamuddin
Sunder Nursery
Restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and opened in 2018, this 90-acre heritage park beside Humayun's Tomb combines Mughal-era tombs, formal gardens, a lake and a nursery of native plants.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
- Nature
- History
Day trips in the cool season
- Agra and the Taj Mahal (About 2 hours by express train) — The white marble Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, is best at sunrise.
- Jaipur (About 4.5 hours by train; better overnight) — Rajasthan's Pink City has the hilltop Amber Fort, the City Palace, the Hawa Mahal facade and the Jantar Mantar observatory.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the cool season a good time to visit Delhi?
Yes: February is among the best months. Cool days and cold nights with frequent fog and poor air quality, especially in December and January; February turns sunny and pleasant.
+What is the weather like in Delhi in the cool season?
Highs of up to 24°C (75°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F), with about 6 rainy days over the season.