We all know that the tourist season in India starts in the cool month of November, with clear skies, pleasant weather and picturesque views all around. The average ambient temperature of most tourist places in this month, especially that of the driest places in India, remains close to 23℃.
Touring places that involve a lot of outdoor activities like scaling stairs leading to a fort or moving around a temple complex can only be enjoyable if the temperature is mild, as seen in the month of November.
Sunny days offer great photo ops, no doubt, but they can tire you soon if coupled with high values of relative humidity. Geographically speaking, tourist places that fall south to the line of Cancer, i.e., in the southern hemisphere of the globe, are hotter. Tamil Nadu is hot and humid; however, Hyderabad in Telangana is cool and dry.
5 best places to visit in November in India
Needless to mention that while touring monuments, temples and fortresses in the open in a cool and dry climate, keep yourself sufficiently hydrated with an adequate supply of packaged water and soft drinks. Many remote places may not have access to good quality filtered/mineral water. Hence carry your own the maximum possible before leaving the heart of a town.
Do take care of your skin using moisturiser and a sunscreen lotion while visiting the driest places in India next November.
We have hand-picked a few select tourist spots for visiting in the month of November, which can also be considered as some of the driest places in India.
Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
November climate:
Relative humidity: 27%; Max/Min temperature: 31°C /16°C
How to reach
By air: You can reach by landing at the Jaisalmer Airport. However, if you don’t get many flights to this airport from your location, alternatively you can land at Jodhpur airport, which is roughly 284 km from Jaisalmer and can be reached via a cab in 5 hours. You may get regular flights for Jodhpur from major cities like Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata.
By train: You may also avail a train via Jaipur, which is connected to all major cities of India by railway network. From Jaipur, Jaisalmer is a 12 hours journey by train.
By road: Major cities of Rajasthan like Bikaner, Barmer, Jaipur (state capital), Mount Abu etc. are all well-connected with Jaisalmer by good motorable roads. Barmer is nearest at 175 km while Jaipur being the farthest at 611 km.
Jaisalmer was founded in 1156 by Rawal Jaisal with the name meaning the ‘Hill Fort of Jaisal’. Yellow sandstones have been used in building the Jaisalmer Fort, and the city below has coloured the place with a signature golden hue, and hence it is often mentioned as the Golden city of India.
Jaisalmer, though among one of the driest places in India, is tourist-friendly and attracts a lot of foreign as well as domestic tourists every year. About a quarter of the city’s population of 78000 live inside the fort, which houses the Raj Mahal (the royal palace) and 7 Jain temples.
Jaisalmer, though among one of the driest places in India, is tourist-friendly and attracts a lot of foreign as well as domestic tourists every year.
You will be seeing Royal Havelis like the Patwon ki haveli, Salim Singh ki haveli that were built between 12th and 15th centuries.
After a stopover at Gadisar lake, you can enjoy a camel safari at Sam Sand Dunes overlooking the Thar desert. The evening can be spent at Desert camps enjoying bonfires and ethnic folk dances.
Then after having a Rajasthani meal, you can retire to a desert camp spending the night there. Don’t miss to shop for at least a yellow sandstone bowl or ‘sonar patharbati’, a few ethnic junk jewellery and a set of ghagra-choli.
The principal attraction of Jaisalmer is the Jaisalmer fort or ‘Sonar Kella’, as depicted in Satyajit Ray’s famous Bengali movie of the same name.
Timing and entry fees: The Jaisalmer fort is open to visitors from 9 am to 6 pm from Monday through Sunday at an entry fee of (per person) Rs 50 (Indian origin), Rs 250 (foreigner). Charges to carry a still or video camera inside are Rs 50 and Rs 100, respectively.
Location: The Jaisalmer fort is located 1.5 km from Jaisalmer railway station and 12 km from Jaisalmer airport.
Source: Pinterest
Khajjiar, Himachal Pradesh
November climate:
Relative humidity: 31%; Max/Min temperature: 27°C/13°C
Have you ever dreamt of lying on the lush green meadows of Switzerland and leisurely looking at the sky, finding angels? If yes, then you can fulfil that dream at a drawstring budget, here in India itself, in the state of Himachal Pradesh. You may feel it unbelievable at times that this lush green paradise is also one of the driest places in India.
Yes, it’s Khajjiar, the mini Switzerland of India.
There are various ways of reaching Khajjiar.
How to reach
By air: You may land by air at Gaggal airport of Dharamshala and take a cab to reach Khajjiar (109 km) from there in about three and half hours.
By train: Else reach Pathankot by train, which is 118 km away and take a cab or bus to reach Khajjiar taking similar time.
By road: Khajjiar can be reached by road from Dalhousie, at only 20 km.
You may feel it unbelievable at times that this lush green paradise is also one of the driest places in India.
The Khajjiar lake and the glade is just 1.2 km from the Khajjiar town which can be reached in only 7 minutes. This is the heart of Khajjiar and all other sightseeing points are around this.
If you happen to get sunny days, behold the beauty of the lush green meadow or the Khajjiar ground around the Khajjiar lake. Take part in adventure sports like water zorbing, paragliding, horse riding, etc., happening there.
Visit the Kalatop sanctuary, a former gaming reserve of the Chamba kings or trek to Dalhousie. This sanctuary remains open between 7 am to 6 pm from public entry without an entry fee. However, a forest reserve entry permit costs INR 250.
Remember to visit the Kailash, Rota and Ladi villages surrounded by dense pine and deodar forests to have a taste of local country life. See the apple orchards, Khajji Nag temple (entry free between sunrise and sunset), Panch Pandav tree, and of course, behold the majestic beauty of Mount Kailash from Khajjiar ground on a clear, sunny day.
Source: Pinterest
Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir)
November climate:
Relative humidity: 39%; Max/Min temperature: 18°C/1°C
“Gar firdaus, bar ruhe zamin ast / hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin asto,” goes the famous Farsi couplet by Hazrat Amir Khusro, that he uttered at Kashmir, meaning ‘if there’s paradise on earth, it’s here, it’s here, it’s here’.
So to be in paradise on earth, be at Kashmir, be at Srinagar…our next dry destination of November in the driest places of India list, where beauty lives. If you want to spend a holiday in the lap of mother nature, where she has bestowed herself with an overdose of extreme scenic beauty, just be at Srinagar.
How to reach
By air: Reach directly at Srinagar airport or reach Jammu Tawi via train and then reach Srinagar via air, cab or Volvo bus. By air, it’s just a 40 min flight. JKSRTC buses ply between Jammu and Srinagar every 4 hours. Journey time is roughly 5 hours at a ticket cost between Rs 400 to 700.
By train and road: Reach Jammu Tawi and then one can reach Udhampur from Jammu via train in a roughly one to two hours journey depending upon the train you get after reaching Jammu. Take a cab from there to reach Banihal, at 92 km from there, approximately in 4 hours. 7 trains are running between Banihal and Srinagar from 1st August 2022, that will reach your destination in about 1 hour 45 minutes covering a distance of 78 km.
Despite its proximity to the cold desert of Karakoram, Srinagar enjoys a moderate climate, though a bit unpredictable and although relative humidity has increased over the last few years owing to afforestation initiatives, it can still be considered one of the driest places of India in the month of November.
There are around 40 places of interest in the city of Srinagar, but if you are on a short trip then you can cut it down to 10, and still enjoy the beauty of Kashmir valley in Srinagar only.
Below is the to-do list:
- Shikara ride in Dal lake and morning shopping at floating market
- Nigeen lake
- Nishat garden
- Indira Gandhi Tulip garden
- Sonmarg
- Yousmarg
- Badamwari Garden
- Mughal Garden
- Shalimar Bagh
- Doodhpathri
Don’t miss to carry home mementos like Kashmiri shawl, brassware, wood carvings, etc.
Source: Pinterest
Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
November climate:
Relative humidity: 52%; Max/Min temperature: 29°C/16°C
Another star entry to your list of driest places in India to visit in November, Khajuraho, situated in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh owes its name to the Sanskrit word ‘kharjuravahaka’ (‘kharjur’ meaning date palm).
It’s known for its largest congregation of mediaeval Hindu and Jain temples featuring world famous erotic sculptures and got declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986. It can be reached via the Khajuraho airport or by train to Khajuraho Railway Station connected to many major cities.
How to reach
By air:The Khajuraho temples can be reached via the Khajuraho airport (2.9 km).
By train: There are direct trains from New Delhi and Mumbai to Khajuraho Railway Station (KURJ, 10 km far) connected to many major cities. From Howrah, one can reach via D D Upadhaya or Prayagraj stations of UP.
By road: Khajuraho is well-connected with all major cities of Madhya Pradesh by good, motorable roads.
The Khajuraho Temple Complex has 85 temples spread over 20 sq km that were built between 885 to 1000 AD by the Chandela dynasty.Sandstone superstructure on granite foundation and Nagara-style architecture describes construction of the temples.
Temple timings
Summer:
7:30 am to 8:25 pm
Winter:
6:30 am to 7:25 pm
Entry fee:
Rs 250 (Indians); Rs 700 (foreigners)
Your to-do list in and around Khajuraho may have the following:
- Moving around the temple complex and appreciating the sculpture and architecture.
- Enjoying the Light and Sound show starting from 6:30 pm. The commentaries of the show are in English and Hindi languages, with different slots.
- Visiting the old town of Khajuraho
- Visiting the Panna National Park for a wildlife safari. It’s about 96 km from Khajuraho. (timing 5:45-11 am; 3:30-6:30 pm, permit Rs 1,200 for six pax in a vehicle, Rs 4,800 for twenty pax in a vehicle)
- Taking a trip to 80 km distant Ajaygarh fort.
- Exploring Khajuraho street food like dal bafiya, bhajiya, samosa, jalebi etc.
- Visiting Adivart Tribal and Folk Art museum at Chandela Cultural complex.
- Explore Raneh falls and canyon
- Explore Pandav falls
- Visit Beni Sagar Dam
- Visit Mastani Mahal of Peshwa Bajirao fame.
Source: Pinterest
Kuari Pass, Uttarakhand
November climate:
Relative humidity: 58%; Max/Min temperature: 29°C/18°C
How to reach
Visiting the otherworldly beauty of Kuari Pass is a 4-day long easy-to-moderate trek worth 33 km that reaches a maximum altitude of 12763 ft. If you go for a Rishikesh to Rishikesh packaged route, then it becomes a 6-day long affair, including transportation to and from Joshimath, the starting point of the trek.
The Kuari top (4264 m) is like a stage where star peaks of Himalaya belonging to the 7000 m club give guest appearance in close quarters. Such mighty peaks are Nanda Devi (7817 m) & Nanda Devi East (7434 m), Kamet (7756 m), Trishul (7120 m), Choukhamba (7128 m). Many other peaks like Dronagiri, Hathi Ghoda parbat, Mukut Parbat, Changbang etc. to name a few, also remain visible in the course of the journey.
If you are above 10 years of age, can cross 5 km with a 10-15 kg backpack in 30 min without stress, and do not suffer from asthma, high BP or epilepsy, then you are eligible to take the trek.
A sample itinerary of the trek can be like this:
Day 1: Rishikesh to Joshimath via car with night stay at the guest house
Day 2: Joshimath to Gulling top
Day 3: Gulling Top to Tali Forest Camp
Day 4. Tali Forest Camp to Joshimath via Gorson Bugyal and Auli
Such a trekking package can be booked within INR 10K per pax (excluding food).
Outstation trekkers need to start one day in advance, considering taking a flight to Dehradun (Jolly Grant Airport) and reaching Rishikesh (20 km from there) by 5:30 am in the morning, as the trekking party normally sets off at 6:00 am by cab from there.
The advantage of a springtime trek in early November is that you happen to cross a carpet of green grass along the way which becomes absent during winter treks. The slight chill in the air keeps you cool, quenching your body with every tread and also reminding you that this is also one of the driest places in India.
So pack your bags and tighten your shoestrings to embark on the Kuari Pass trek and collect memories en route to cherish for a lifetime.
Source: Pinterest
FAQs
What is Khajjiar famous for?
Khajjiar, situated in the district of Kangra near Pathankot, is highly famous as a religious destination for the Khajji Naga Shrine - dedicated to the Hindu Serpent God to whom the shrine is dedicated.
What is Srinagar famous for?
Srinagar is a dream-like city in Jammu and Kashmir which is famous for its lakes, gardens, and spending time in houseboats. The time spent in a houseboat on the Dal lake can be cherished for a lifetime. Also, the city is famous for its handicrafts.
What is the best time to visit Srinagar?
The best time to visit Srinagar is during the April-October stretch. You will get some rain, but most of the time the weather remains pleasant, and is ideal for sightseeing.
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