India › Best Time to Visit Agra
Updated: January 13, 2022
By Santorini Dave
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When is the Best Time to Visit Agra?
The best time to visit Agra is in the months of March, October, and November when the heat, rains, and fogs are at a minimum. Temperatures can range between 15°C and 34°C. These months are also shoulder season, so good deals on airfares and room rates can be found.
The Taj Mahal in Agra, India. The best months to visit Agra are March, October, and November.
- Best Time for Sightseeing: Ideally, avoid 3 weather factors: (1) the heat (April, May, and June), made worse by factory pollution and traffic fumes; (2) the wet (mid-June to September), which may temporarily flood roads and railway tracks; and (3) the fog (December to February), which sometimes affects plane and train travel and can obstruct views of the Taj. Therefore, the best months for sightseeing are March, October, and November.
- Best Time for Weather: October to March is the cool and dry winter when rain is negligible and temperatures are low – even cold, certainly overnight. Fog can be problematic, however, from December to February, possibly affecting Taj views and travel plans, while a lower-level version of the sort of pollution haze found in Delhi can be unpleasant during these 3 months.
- Best Time for Honeymoons: March, October, and November. These months avoid the hottest and wettest parts of the year and the cooler months when fog is common.
- Best Time for Nightlife: October to mid-June. When the weather is either dry and cool or dry and hot – either way, it avoids the wet season.
- Best Time for Saving Money: April to September. The peaks times for crowds at the Taj Mahal, and increased hotel rates and airfares, are the cooler and drier months, whereas April to September is always hot and, later, often wet.
Agra Travel Seasons
- High Season (December to February): Understandably, the cool days (which can still be chilly at midday) and cold nights attract more tourists than the hot and wet seasons. However, fog can disrupt plane and train travel, and the pollution haze can be unpleasant. Agra is especially busy during Christmas/New Year, when pre-booking accommodations and train/plane tickets is recommended.
- Shoulder Season (March, October, and November): These months avoid the heat (when temperatures soar), rains, and surprisingly cold and foggy winter during the peak season. Days – and most nights, too – are pleasantly warm, rather than hot and humid. With no fog or pollution haze, and fewer tourists, it’s an ideal time.
- Low Season (April to September): By late March, even the locals start feeling the heat as temperatures quickly hit 40°C for 3 months in the lead up to the rainy season. During the monsoon, the streets are cleaner and gardens lush, but water-logging of roads is not uncommon and travel plans may be disrupted.
Agra Weather by Month
- Agra Weather in January: The cool and dry winter continues in stark contrast to the heat and rain later on. Fog can cause delays for trains and planes, and the regular pollution haze may be uncomfortable for some. Average daytime temperatures are a pleasant 21°C, but a very chilly 7°C overnight. Also, a busy month due to the Christmas/New Year vacation crowds.
- Agra Weather in February: More cool and dry days but the frequent fog and occasional pollution haze starts to lift. Marked rise in average temperatures to a pleasant 26°C during the day but still a cool 10°C overnight.
- Agra Weather in March: Average temperatures continue to rise as the hot season looms – quickly up to about 32°C but still coolish overnight at about 15°C. Dry, with no rain for this month, and virtually nothing since October.
- Agra Weather in April: Official start of the hot season. Average daytime temperatures rise by several degrees to an unpleasant 38°C and overnight to about 21°C. Start of the build-up to the upcoming monsoon but no negligible rain yet. The humidity can be uncomfortable and thunderstorms are not unusual.
- Agra Weather in May: The humidity increases and so, too, the chances of thunderstorms. This is the hottest month on average, peaking at 41°C and beyond quickly in the morning, and dropping to only 26°C after dark.
- Agra Weather in June: Another very uncomfortable month; in fact, the year’s hottest on average, and still 28°C overnight. The oppressive heat is tempered slightly as some rain falls, albeit modestly, and there’s a slight drop in humidity.
- Agra Weather in July: Official start of the monsoon, but rain doesn’t fall by the bucket load (like Mumbai) and the climate doesn’t attract cyclones (like Kolkata). Second-wettest month, so water-logging is possible in areas with poor drainage – even sidewalks outside 5-star resorts.
- Agra Weather in August: Highest rainfall for the year as average temperatures drop to 34°C but still hover at 26°C overnight. Water-logging may submerge roads and railway tracks, but the rain is not as disruptive as other Indian cities. Humidity is still a factor, though not as unpleasant as the few months before.
- Agra Weather in September: Daytime temperatures remain stable at about 34°C on average. There’s still some rain, but less than the previous 2 months, while flooded streets and railway tracks are possibly at their worst after several months of downpours. Later in the month, the overnight temperatures drop and the rainfall subsides.
- Agra Weather in October: One of the best months for travel as the wet season should have finished. Fields are green and lush and the air clean and fresh. Daytime temperatures still average about 34°C but it’s far less humid and markedly cooler at night: about 18°C, which can be a little chilly for those not used to it.
- Agra Weather in November: The official start of the cool and dry winter – 4 months of pleasant weather ideal for traveling. Average daytime temperatures drop to a pleasant 29°C and even as low as 12°C at night, so pack a jacket.
- Agra Weather in December: Second-coldest month on average after January: a pleasant 23°C during the day (which even locals complain about) and, at night, a chilly 8°C (which everyone complains about). Fog can cause delays for trains and planes as wind sources move from the desert to the mountains, so dress accordingly.
Agra Holidays, Events, and Festivals
India has the world’s second-largest population of Muslims (after Indonesia). Dates for these 4 major festivals change each year according to the Islamic calendar. Each is a public holiday when some government offices and tourist attractions may close.
- Eid-al-Fitr – The end of Ramadan is celebrated with up to 3 days of feasts, music, and dance at mosques and homes.
- Eid Mulid-un-Nabi (Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday) – Celebrated with prayers and parades.
- Muharram/Ashura – Start of the Islamic New Year.
- Eid al-Adha/Zuha (Bakr-Id) – Celebrates Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son. Animals, mostly goats, are slaughtered and shared with families and the poor.
Agra in January
- New Year’s Day (1st) – Celebrated by families and friends. Usually some concerts around the city.
- Lohri (13th) – Traditional harvest festival dedicated to fire and the Sun God and celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs. Public holiday so some government offices and tourist attractions may close. “Til rice” or sweet rice mixed with jaggery and sesame seeds is the traditional dish of the festival.
- Makara Sankranthi (14th or 15th) – Similar to Lohri, but celebrated more in Western India and Varanasi, marking the end of winter with lots of kite-flying.
- Vasant Panchami (changeable, January/February) – Hindu ceremony where devotees dressed in yellow place books and instruments in front of Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge, for blessings, and to celebrate the coming of spring.
- Republic Day (26th) – Commemorates the adoption of the country’s constitution on January 26, 1950. Huge parades in Delhi, less restrained elsewhere. National public holiday when all government offices and many tourist attractions close.
Agra in February
- (Maha) Shivaratri (changeable, February/March) – Day of fasting as a dedication to Lord Shiva, with ceremonies in temples. Public holiday, when some government offices and tourist attractions may close.
- Holi (changeable, February/March) – Vibrant commemoration of the start to spring. Almost everyone – including unsuspecting foreigners – is doused with colored water and/or powder.
- Taj Mahotsav (18th to 27th) – Numerous cultural activities, including parades of elephants and camels, as well as handicrafts and food stalls. Over 10 days at Shilpgram along Taj East Gate Road, about half a mile from the Taj Mahal.
Agra in March
- Chaitra Navaratri/Rama Navaratri (changeable, March/April) – The beginning of the new year as per the Hindu calendar. The 9th night is celebrated as Rama Navami.
- Rama Navami (changeable, March/April) – Celebrates Lord Rama’s birth. 9 days of music, dance, fasts, and feasts, and reading of the Ramayana (epic). One day is a public holiday when most government offices and some tourist attractions may close.
- Mahavir Jayanti (changeable, March/April) – Celebrates the birth of Lord Mahavir, the most revered teacher of Jainism. Colorful festivities in temples and offerings to the poor. Public holiday, when some government offices and tourist attractions may close.
- Easter (changeable, March/April) – Celebrated by the Christian minority. A few businesses may close on Good Friday.
- Gudi Padwa (changeable, March/April) – Traditional start of the Hindu New Year, celebrated by family visits, flying of a special flag, and spring-cleaning.
Agra in April
- Vaisakhi (usually 13th or 14th) – Another festival related to the onset of spring, as well as the start of the New Year according to the Sikh calendar. Abundant music, dance, wrestling, and wearing of traditional costumes.
- Ambedkar Jayanti/Bhim Jayanti (14th) – Celebrates the birth of late Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, a leading historical figure. Public holiday, when some government offices and tourist attractions may close.
Agra in May
- Vesak/Buddha Purnima (changeable, April/May) – Solemn festivals at temples marking the birth and death of Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism. Public holiday, when some government offices and tourist attractions may close.
Agra in June
- Nothing notable, and the rain across this part of India precludes outdoor events.
Agra in July
- Raksha Bandhan/Rakhi (changeable, July/August) – Hindu festival marking the importance of families, especially siblings. Commonly called Brother and Sister Day, where sisters tie colorful strings (Rakhis) on their brothers’ hands, and brothers give gifts in return.
Agra in August
- Independence Day (15th) – Celebrates India’s independence from Britain in 1947. Patriotic time, with government buildings suitably decorated and ceremonies held, especially in Delhi. Also, a time for families to get together. National public holiday when all government offices and many tourist attractions close.
- Janmashtami (changeable, August/September) – Celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna with offerings, fasting, and decorations on buildings. Public holiday, when some government offices and tourist attractions may close.
- Kailash Fair (changeable, August/September) – Religious festival honoring Lord Shiva and attracting the devout from across India. At the temple in Kailash, 8 miles west of Agra. Festive time, with lots of food and clothes stalls, games, and shows.
- Ganesh Chaturthi (changeable, August/September) – Up to 10 days of celebrations for the birth of the highly-revered elephant-headed God, Ganesha.
- (Haryali/Hartalika) Teej (changeable, August/September) – 2-day celebrations for the arrival of the monsoon and marriage of Goddess Parvati to Lord Shiva. Lots of dancing and praying, mostly by women and girls.
Agra in September
- Navaratri (changeable, October/November) – Nine days of passionately celebrating the battle of Goddess Durga over a demon, or Lord Rama over Ravana. Some celebrate with traditional dancing, others by fasting. In Kolkata, with fireworks, colorful parades, and cultural events. The 9th day is Dussehra.
- Ram Barat (changeable, September/October) – For 3 days in the lead up to Dussehra. Celebrations and recreations of the marriage of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita with parades of elephants and horses and lots of music.
- Dussehra (changeable, September/October) – Celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana, and the general battle of good over evil. Praying at temples, offerings of special food, and burning of Ravana’s effigies. Public holiday, when some government offices and tourist attractions may close.
Agra in October
- Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti (2nd) – Sombre occasion commemorating the birthday of the country’s founding father, Mahatma Gandhi. National holiday, when all government offices and many tourist attractions close.
- Karaka Chaturthi/Karva Chauth (changeable, October/November) – Venerating Lord Shiva and the Goddess Parvati, it’s a social occasion for families and friends. Also, fasting and other special ceremonies among married women to wish for long and healthy lives for their husbands.
- Diwali/Deepavali (changeable, October/November) – Major 5-day festival of lights, candles, and fireworks. Busy time for travel because it’s celebrated by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs. One day is a public holiday when some government offices and tourist attractions may close.
Agra in November
- Guru Nank Jayanti (changeable) – Celebrates the birth of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, and is marked by prayers and parades. Public holiday.
Agra in December
- Christmas Day (25th) – Celebrated by all Christians and most tourists. Public holiday, when some government offices and tourist attractions may close.
- New Year’s Eve (31st) – Celebrated by most Indians and all tourists, but perhaps not as boisterously as in the West.
About Santorini Dave