Why the season matters so much at Chittor
Udaipur's hills: Udaipur sits among the green Aravalli hills, cooled by its lakes.
Chittor's plains: about two hours to the east, Chittorgarh lies on the flatter plains of eastern Mewar, beside the Gambhiri and Berach rivers.
An open plateau: the fort rises about 180 metres above the plains, open to the sky.
- Winter
- About October to March, bright and dry
- Hot
- April, peaking in May and early June
- Monsoon arrives
- Late June or early July
- Wettest
- July and August
- Skies clear
- September
- In the cool months: that openness is a joy, with long views and fresh winds.
- In the hot months: the stone soaks up heat and there is little shelter between the monuments.
- Sharper edges: the year follows the pattern of the rest of Rajasthan, but in May and early June the plains are among the hottest places in Mewar.
- To walk the whole plateau: come in winter.
- For drama and solitude: come in the monsoon.
- To see a living place of worship: time your visit for Navratri or the festival of Meera Bai in autumn.
- Read more: our main Chittorgarh guide tells the fort's story, and our guide to the best time to visit Rajasthan covers the whole state.
Winter, from October to March
The season we recommend: to almost every guest. The plateau is pleasant on foot from opening time until sunset.
Colder than you expect: December and January mornings and nights on the plains can be genuinely cold for Rajasthan.
- Days
- Warm and sunny, clear air
- Cold mornings
- December and January
- Pack
- A warm layer for dawn and the show
- Crowds
- The busiest season
- Book
- Small heritage hotels fill early
- By midday: you will be comfortable in shirtsleeves.
- Long days on the fort: the seven gates and Rana Kumbha's palace in soft morning light, the towers and temples through the day, Padmini's palace and the western ramparts at sunset.
- A night in the country: stay at Castle Bijaipur, when evenings by a fire in the courtyard are a real pleasure.
- Booking: winter is busier than the rest of the year, so we book ahead.
The hot months, from April to June
The climb: from April, temperatures rise steeply.
Radiating stone: the fort gives off heat, and walking between monuments becomes hard work.
- Highs
- Often well above 40 degrees
- Afternoons
- Hot winds
- Light
- Harsh at midday, hazy in the evening
- Plan
- At the gates as they open, done by eleven
- Plan like a local: see the palaces, towers and temples early, and leave the plateau before the worst of the heat.
- The afternoon: rest in an air-conditioned room, ideally back in Udaipur, where the lakes and pools make the heat easier to bear.
- Essentials: plenty of water, a hat and light clothing.
- Breaks: take them regularly in the shade of the temples.
- More advice: our piece on summer in Rajasthan.
The monsoon, from July to September
When it comes: usually late June or early July, with most of the year's rain in July and August.
How it rains: heavy showers rather than steady drizzle, often followed by clear spells, washed skies and towering clouds.
The land: fields turn green, the rivers below the fort begin to flow, and the tanks on the plateau fill, as they were designed to.
- Arrives
- Late June or early July
- Wettest
- July and August
- Rain pattern
- Heavy showers, then clear spells
- Only now
- Menal's waterfall runs
- Pack
- Umbrella, grippy shoes
- The downside: high humidity, and some grey days.
- Why come: the fort is quiet, the light dramatic and the countryside at its most beautiful.
- Menal's waterfall: on the road to Bundi, it runs only in the rains.
- Pack: an umbrella and shoes that grip on wet stone, because paths and steps can be slippery.
- Roads: they can be slow after heavy rain, so we leave extra time.
- Our rainy-season journey: Monsoon in Mewar brings Chittor together with the lakes of Udaipur.
Chittorgarh, month by month
- Makar Sankranti
- Usually 14 January
- Holi
- Often March
- Teej
- July or August
- Navratri
- September or October
- Meera's festival
- Sharad Purnima, usually October
- Diwali
- Late October or November
January, cold mornings and clear days
Weather: one of the coolest months, with cold mornings and nights and bright, pleasant days.
Good for: walking the plateau, with clear winter light on the towers.
- Festival: Makar Sankranti, usually 14 January, fills the sky over the town with kites.
- Fields: wheat and mustard are green.
- Pack: a warm layer for the early start. See Rajasthan in January.
February, the finest month
Weather: soft mornings, warm afternoons and cool evenings.
- Fields: mustard flowers yellow, and in some villages you may see poppy, grown under government licence for medicine, in flower.
- Festivals: Maha Shivratri, usually February or March, brings worshippers to the Shiva temples. Holi sometimes falls at the end of the month.
- More: Rajasthan in February.
March, Holi and the turning season
Weather: warm and bright, with heat building. By the end of the month the middle of the day is hot on the plateau, so start early.
Holi: often in March, with bonfires the night before and colour in the streets next morning.
- Gangaur: the spring festival of women, in March or April.
- Crowds: still a good month, with fewer visitors than in winter.
- More: Holi in Rajasthan and Rajasthan in March.
April, heat and harvest
Fields: the wheat harvest is in full swing, and the fields turn gold, then bare.
Weather: hot, often near 40 degrees by the end of the month. See the plateau in the first hours after opening.
- Festival: Gangaur sometimes falls early in the month.
- Crowds: few travellers, and a quiet fort.
- More: Gangaur and Rajasthan in April.
May, the fiercest month
Weather: the hottest month, with afternoons well above 40 degrees and hot winds across the plains.
- Our advice: only for travellers who cannot come at any other time, with a very early start, a short visit and the afternoon indoors.
- Maharana Pratap: Mewar celebrates the birth anniversary of the hero of the long struggle to win back Chittor around May or June, by the Hindu calendar.
- More: Rajasthan in May.
June, waiting for the rain
Weather: early June is still very hot, and the air grows heavy and humid.
The first storms: usually late in the month or in early July, and the temperature drops.
- The plains: brown and bare for months, they begin to turn green within days.
- Relief in the villages: farmers watch the sky closely, because the whole year's crops depend on the first good storm.
- Crowds: the quietest month. See Rajasthan in June.
July, the plains turn green
Weather: the monsoon is established, with heavy showers, cooler air and extraordinary light between storms.
- The fort: its tanks begin to fill.
- Teej: the festival of the monsoon and of married women often falls in July or August, with swings in the trees and women in green.
- Pack: an umbrella and good shoes. See Teej and Rajasthan in July.
August, rain and festivals
Weather: often the wettest month. The countryside is lush and the rivers run.
Menal: its waterfall is at its most dramatic.
- Festivals: Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami, Krishna's birthday, often fall in August.
- Krishna's temples: the Meera and Kumbha Shyam temples on the fort and the great temple of Sanwaliya Seth nearby fill with devotees.
- Roads: slow after storms. See Rajasthan in August.
September, full tanks and soft light
Weather: the rains taper off, though some days are humid and late showers are common.
- The fort: tanks full, fields green, air fresh, and the fort reflected in its brimming water palaces. Lovely for photographers.
- The countryside: the Bassi sanctuary and the land around Bijaipur are at their greenest, and drives between villages are a pleasure.
- Festival: Navratri sometimes begins at the end of the month. See Rajasthan in September.
October, Navratri and Meera's festival
Weather: warm, with the green of the monsoon still on the land and the skies clearing.
Navratri: the nine nights of the goddess often fall this month, and the Kalika Mata temple is crowded with worshippers.
- Meera's festival: around Sharad Purnima, the full moon of autumn, with devotional music and dance.
- Then: Dussehra follows Navratri, and in some years Diwali falls at the end of the month.
- More: Navratri and Rajasthan in October.
November, Diwali and the start of the season
Weather: warm days and cool nights, and the start of the main visiting season.
Diwali: often in late October or November, with lamps in the town and fireworks below the fort.
- Fields: winter crops are sown.
- The clearest air: from the western ramparts you can see far across the plains to the low hills on the horizon.
- More: Diwali and Rajasthan in November.
December, crisp and clear
Weather: clear, cool days and cold nights. Misty mornings over the plains make the ramparts magical.
A quieter day: the Christmas and New Year weeks are busy in Udaipur, so many travellers come to Chittorgarh then.
- Book: castle hotels well ahead.
- Short days: the sun sets early, so we leave the ramparts just after sunset, wrapped in shawls, as the town lights come on below.
- More: Rajasthan in December.
Festivals at the fort
- Navratri
- Usually September or October
- Meera's festival
- Sharad Purnima, autumn full moon
- Jauhar commemoration
- Yearly, by the Hindu calendar
- Dress
- Modest; shoes off at temples
Navratri at Kalika Mata
When: the nine nights of the goddess, usually in September or October.
- What happens: families from the town and villages climb to the Kalika Mata temple to pray and make offerings, with drums, bells and long queues.
- How to visit: go early or late, dress modestly and be patient with the crowds.
- Why: a rare chance to see the fort as its own people use it.
Meera's festival at Sharad Purnima
When: around Sharad Purnima, the bright full moon of autumn.
- Who it honours: Meera Bai, the princess who came to Chittor as a bride and became one of India's most loved poet-saints.
- What happens: devotional singers and dancers, with her songs heard across the town.
- Who for: anyone who loves her bhajans. It is the most moving time to visit.
The commemoration of the jauhars
What: each year the Rajput community holds gatherings and processions at the fort in memory of the jauhars of its sieges.
- When: the date follows the Hindu calendar.
- How: a solemn occasion for many families, so attend only with respect and a guide.
- The history: read the story of Padmini.
The countryside and its wildlife through the year
Farming country: eastern Mewar's year follows the crops.
Harvest days: families work in the fields from dawn and the threshing floors fill with grain.
- After the monsoon
- Wheat, mustard, gram, licensed poppy
- January and February
- Mustard in yellow flower
- March and April
- Harvest
- Hot months
- Bare land
- Monsoon crops
- Maize, millet, pulses
- Wildlife follows water: in winter, migratory ducks, storks and waders gather on the lakes and tanks of the region.
- Menar: the village lakes on the road from Udaipur, from about November to February.
- On the fort: langurs live there all year, and peacocks call from the walls in the monsoon, when they dance in the rain.
- Bassi sanctuary: north-east of the town, greenest after the rains, though its tracks can close in the wettest weeks.
- Birds: our birding page has more on the season.
Light and the time of day
The first hours: soft light, cool stone and a quiet plateau, with only a few pilgrims and local walkers.
Late morning: the day visitors from Udaipur arrive, and the light becomes harsh.
- After opening
- Gates, Kumbha's palace, Meera and Kumbha Shyam
- Late morning
- Day visitors arrive, flat light
- Midday
- Museum, lunch or rest
- Late afternoon
- Towers, Padmini's palace, ramparts
- Dusk
- Stay if you can
- Midday shelter: the museum in Fateh Prakash Palace, a shaded lunch or a rest at your hotel.
- Warm light again: the Vijay Stambha and Kirti Stambha glow orange, and Padmini's palace is reflected in its tank.
- Sunset: the western ramparts above Gaumukh Kund look out over the setting sun.
- Plan it: our Chittorgarh itinerary is built around this rhythm, and our photography tips page has more.
How a day at the fort changes with the season
A winter day, October to March
Opening time: the seven gates and Rana Kumbha's palace in soft light, with a warm layer in December and January.
- Through the day: the towers and temples, comfortable in shirtsleeves by midday.
- Sunset: Padmini's palace and the western ramparts.
- Evening: the light and sound show, or a fire in the courtyard at Castle Bijaipur.
A hot-season day, April to June
At the gates as they open: palaces, towers and temples seen by about eleven.
- Before the worst heat: leave the plateau, with breaks in the shade of the temples along the way.
- Afternoon: an air-conditioned room, ideally back in Udaipur among its lakes and pools.
- Never without: water, a wide hat and light clothing.
A monsoon day, July to September
Between showers: the towers dark against storm clouds and the tanks on the plateau filling.
- Underfoot: shoes that grip, because paths and steps are slippery.
- On the road: Menal's waterfall on the way to Bundi, with extra time for slow roads after heavy rain.
- The reward: a quiet fort, dramatic light and green plains to the horizon.
The right season for the way you travel
First-time visitors: November to February, for comfortable days on the plateau and clear light.
Photographers: the monsoon, for storm skies and green plains, or December and January, for misty dawns.
- First-timers
- November to February
- Photographers
- Monsoon, or December and January
- Pilgrims
- October
- Solitude
- July to September
- Birders
- November to February
- Families with children: November to February, when a long day outdoors is easy.
- Pilgrims and lovers of Meera Bai: October, for Navratri and the festival at Sharad Purnima.
- Travellers who want solitude: July to September, when the fort is at its quietest.
- Birders: November to February, adding the wintering waterbirds at Menar on the road from Udaipur.
- Travellers in the hot months: stay in Udaipur and make a short, very early visit, back by lunch.
Crowds, prices and booking ahead
Who comes: families and school groups from across the region on weekends and public holidays.
Navratri: the Kalika Mata temple draws large crowds.
- Busiest
- Weekends, holidays, Navratri
- Quietest
- Weekdays in the monsoon and hot months
- Day-tripper hours
- Late morning to afternoon
- Book ahead
- Several months for Christmas, New Year, Diwali
- Quiet hours: even in high season, the first and last hours are calmer.
- Few rooms: castle hotels near Chittorgarh have only a few rooms each, so a single wedding or group can fill them.
- Rates: they vary less with the season than in Udaipur, but the best rooms go first.
- Options: our guide to luxury hotels near Chittorgarh explains them.
Fitting Chittorgarh into a journey by season
In winter: Chittorgarh fits almost any route through southern Rajasthan.
From Udaipur: a long day trip from Udaipur.
- Towards Hadoti: a natural stop between Udaipur and Bundi, when the forts of Hadoti are pleasant to explore.
- On the long road: a fine break between Jaipur and Udaipur, with the countryside castles at their best.
- Our journey: the Offbeat Rajasthan journey links them all.
- In the monsoon: we pair Chittor with the lakes and green hills of Mewar, the temples of Menal and the gorges of the Chambal, at their most dramatic.
- In the hot months: one early visit from Udaipur, back by lunch.
- Any season: our Mewar Lakes and Temples journey can be adapted.
What to pack for Chittorgarh
Winter: light layers for the day, and a warm jacket or shawl for early mornings, evenings and the light and sound show.
Summer: loose, light cotton or linen, a wide hat, sunglasses, sun cream and plenty of water.
- Hat
- Little shade on the plateau
- Water
- Few places to buy anything
- Shawl
- Cold winter mornings and evenings
- Shoes
- Slip-off, with grip
- Monsoon: a compact umbrella, quick-drying clothes and sandals or shoes that grip on wet stone.
- All year: comfortable walking shoes that slip off easily for the temples, and clothes that cover shoulders and knees.
- Extras: a small torch for the evening show, and binoculars for the carvings high on the towers.
- The full list: our packing guide for Rajasthan.
