The seasons of Bundelkhand
Where Orchha sits: on the plateau of central India, on the Betwa river south-east of Jhansi.
- Winter
- November to February, the finest season
- Spring
- March, warm and bright
- Summer
- April to June, May fiercest
- Monsoon
- Late June to September
- Autumn
- October, green and clear
- Setting
- On the Betwa, south-east of Jhansi
- A continental climate: cool, dry winters, very hot summers and a strong monsoon.
- Why the weather matters: almost everything you will do here is outdoors, from the palace terraces to the riverbank and the wildlife sanctuary, so comfort and light matter more than anything.
Winter, November to February
The finest season: days are warm and sunny, often in the low to mid twenties Celsius.
Nights: cool to cold, sometimes close to single figures in December and January.
- Mornings: can be misty on the river.
- The land: the light is soft, the fields around the village are green with wheat and yellow with mustard, and the Betwa runs clear.
- Festival: Vivah Panchami falls in this season.
Spring, March
Warm and bright: the last comfortable days before the heat.
- Festivals: Holi fills the town with colour, and in some years Ram Navami falls at the end of the month.
- Timing: by late March afternoons are already hot, so plan outdoor visits early and late.
Summer, April to June
Hot and dry: May is the fiercest month.
- The heat: afternoons often pass 40°C and the granite radiates heat through the evening.
- The town: very quiet, with few visitors, and the river is low.
- What is sensible: only short visits, with dawn and dusk outings and a pool in between.
Monsoon, late June to September
The change: the rains turn the scrub forest green and swell the Betwa into a powerful brown torrent over the rocks.
- The catch: beautiful and dramatic, but humid, and some walks, river activities and village visits become difficult.
- Who it suits: repeat visitors and photographers may love it.
Autumn, October
After the rains: the land is still green, the river is falling and the air is clear.
- Weather: days are warm, around the low thirties, and nights begin to cool.
- Festivals: Navratri, Dussehra and often Diwali fall now.
- On the river: the season of river activities usually begins as the water settles.
Orchha month by month
- Our favourite
- February
- Coolest
- January
- Hottest
- May
- Wettest
- August, usually
- Festival peaks
- Ram Navami, Vivah Panchami
- Busiest start
- November
January, misty mornings and holy dips
Weather: the coolest month. Mornings are fresh and sometimes misty, and afternoons are pleasant and sunny in the low twenties Celsius.
Pack: a warm shawl for sunrise on the Jahangir Mahal terraces.
- Makar Sankranti: in mid-January thousands of pilgrims bathe in the Betwa at dawn, a beautiful sight from the bridge or the far bank.
- Wildlife: winter birds are about in the wildlife sanctuary, and the vultures are active around the chhatris.
- Trains: fog across north India can delay the trains from Delhi, so leave slack in the plan.
February, our favourite month
Weather: clear, warm days and cool nights.
The fields: at their greenest and most golden, with mustard in flower.
- Vasant Panchami: the spring festival of Saraswati often falls in late January or February.
- Mahashivratri: Shiva's great night falls at the end of the month in some years.
- Our choice: the month we choose for our own family visits. Comfortable, quiet and full of light.
March, Holi and the last cool days
Weather: warm afternoons climbing into the low thirties, and cool mornings.
Holi: Holi, the festival of colours, is celebrated in the town with great energy, and the bazaar becomes a riot of powder and music.
- Namaste Orchha: in recent years Madhya Pradesh Tourism has held this cultural festival in March, although dates and programmes vary.
- Late in the month: in some years Chaitra Navratri and Ram Navami fall now.
- Timing: plan outdoor visits for the cooler hours.
April, Rama's birthday and rising heat
Weather: the heat builds quickly, with afternoons in the high thirties.
Ram Navami: when it falls in April, the birthday of Rama is the biggest day of the year at the Ram Raja temple.
- On the day: pilgrims pour in from across Bundelkhand and the image is brought out to a throne.
- If you come for it: book early and expect huge crowds.
- Otherwise: a quiet month for short visits with early mornings and long rests.
May, the fiercest heat
Weather: very hot and dry, with afternoons often above 40°C and the granite radiating warmth well after sunset.
- The land: the river is at its lowest and the land is parched.
- The reward: almost no other visitors, so the palaces at dawn feel entirely yours.
- Our advice: only for travellers who handle heat well, and never for small children or older guests.
June, waiting for the rain
The first half: as hot as May.
- The break: usually in the second half of the month, the monsoon breaks with dramatic storms.
- The first rains: bring the smell of wet earth and relief to the whole of Bundelkhand.
- Travel: remains possible, but plans should stay flexible.
July, the land turns green
Weather: the monsoon settles in, with heavy showers, high humidity and warm temperatures.
The land: the scrub forest turns green almost overnight, and the Betwa begins to rise and run brown.
- Shravan: the holy month of Shiva often begins in July.
- The Alha: in the villages of Bundelkhand the monsoon is traditionally the season for singing the Alha, the long ballad of two legendary warrior brothers, Alha and Udal.
- Expect: muddy paths, and some river spots closed.
August, the river in flood
Weather: usually the wettest month.
- The Betwa: it can become a roaring torrent over the rocks below the chhatris, an extraordinary sight from the bridge, but the riverbank is no place to walk.
- Festivals: Raksha Bandhan, the festival of brothers and sisters, and Janmashtami, Krishna's birthday, fall in August or September.
- Who it suits: a green, devotional and dramatic month for repeat visitors and photographers with flexible plans.
September, the rains retreat
Weather: the rains taper off through the month, although humidity stays high and the river is still swollen.
The light: the land is lush and the light after storms is clean and bright.
- Festivals: Ganesh Chaturthi falls in August or September, and Pitru Paksha, the fortnight of ancestors, often falls in late September.
- Hotels: quiet, with good rates.
- Late September: a pleasant time for a short stay.
October, festivals and clear light
The season opens: days are warm and clear, nights cool, and the green land and clean air make the palaces glow.
- Festivals: Navratri and Dussehra bring music and processions, and in some years Diwali falls late in the month.
- On the river: as the Betwa settles, the season for gentle river activities usually begins, depending on water levels.
- Kartik Purnima: the full moon of Kartik brings crowds of bathers to the river in October or November.
November, the start of the best season
Weather: near-perfect, with warm afternoons and cool evenings.
Diwali: often falls in November, with clay lamps on the steps of the temples and houses.
- The Diwari dance: around the festival, groups of herdsmen in Bundelkhand traditionally perform the vigorous stick dance known as Diwari.
- Vivah Panchami: the wedding of Rama and Sita falls in November or December.
- Book early: this is the start of the busiest season.
December, Rama's wedding and cold mornings
Weather: mornings and evenings turn cold, with mist on the river at dawn and sunny afternoons.
- Vivah Panchami: in many years it falls in late November or December, and Orchha stages it like a royal wedding, with a procession through the town, music and the whole community as guests.
- Our favourite festival: the one we most like to plan around.
- Crowds: the Christmas and New Year weeks are busier than the rest of the month, so book early.
Planning around Rama's festivals
Both belong to Rama: Orchha's two great festivals belong to its king.
Ram Navami: his birthday, in March or April, brings the largest crowds of the year, when the town fills with pilgrims from across Bundelkhand.
Vivah Panchami: his wedding to Sita, in November or December, is staged as a royal wedding, with a baraat, a groom's procession, through the town.
- Ram Navami
- March or April, Rama's birthday
- Vivah Panchami
- November or December, Rama's wedding
- Bathing days
- Makar Sankranti, Kartik Purnima
- Book
- As soon as you know your dates
- On the wedding day: music, feasting and devotion on every side.
- Our favourite: Vivah Panchami, because it falls in the cool season and feels like a community celebration rather than a crush.
- Plan a vantage point: with your guide, and expect the lanes around the temple to be packed.
- Behave like a guest: keep phones and cameras discreet and dress modestly.
- On the holy bathing days: of Makar Sankranti and Kartik Purnima, watch the dawn dip in the Betwa from the bridge or the far bank, and never photograph bathers without permission.
- In crowded temples: our page on temple etiquette explains how to behave.
Wildlife, river and light through the year
Orchha's vultures: long-billed and Egyptian vultures nest on the chhatris and the palace towers, and the cooler months are the best time to watch them.
How to watch: with binoculars and patience from the far bank at dusk.
Keep your distance: stay quiet, because both species are endangered and easily disturbed.
- Vultures
- Long-billed and Egyptian, both endangered
- Best for vultures
- The cooler months, at dusk
- Sanctuary
- Island between the Betwa and the Jamni
- River clearest
- November to March
- Best light
- Low winter sun
- The wildlife sanctuary: on the forested island between the Betwa and the Jamni, best walked in the early mornings of winter, when kingfishers, storks and raptors are active and the air is cool.
- November to March: the river runs clear over smooth granite, perfect for picnics on the rocks and quiet reflections of the chhatris.
- May: it shrinks to a thin stream between hot boulders.
- The monsoon: it becomes a flood.
- Rafting and river activities: depend entirely on the water level, and usually run, when they run at all, in the months after the monsoon.
- For photographers: the low winter sun gives the best light on the palaces, at sunrise from the Jahangir Mahal and at sunset from across the river.
- October: clean, washed air after the rains. In summer the light turns harsh within an hour of dawn.
- Shooting respectfully: our photography tips explain how to shoot temples and people.
Crowds, rates and how far ahead to book
When foreigners come: most foreign visitors come between October and March.
Day-trippers: from Khajuraho and Jhansi, they arrive in the late morning and leave by mid-afternoon.
- Winter season
- Two to three months ahead
- Sheesh Mahal suite
- Earlier still
- Rama's festivals
- As soon as you can
- Summer and monsoon
- Easy rooms, lower rates
- Pilgrims: come all year, filling the Ram Raja temple and the bazaar on festivals, weekends and auspicious days.
- For the winter season: book good hotels two to three months ahead, and earlier for the Sheesh Mahal's royal suite.
- For Ram Navami or Vivah Panchami: book as soon as you can.
- Summer and the monsoon: rooms are easy to find and rates are lower, but the weather limits what you can do.
- Which rooms to ask for: our guide to luxury hotels in Orchha explains it season by season.
What Orchha eats, season by season
- Village food: Orchha's food follows the farming year.
- How we plan it: our guides know what is fresh in each season, and we plan breakfasts in the bazaar and lunches in village homes around it.
Winter, the harvest of the cool season
Green chickpeas: from about December to February, roasted on the stalk and sold by the bundle.
- Sugarcane juice: pressed fresh with ginger and lime by the bridge.
- Makar Sankranti sweets: made with sesame and jaggery, in every shop around the festival.
- After sunrise on the palaces: hot poha and jalebi in the bazaar, perfect on cool mornings.
Spring and Holi
- Gujiya: at Holi, households make gujiya, sweet pastries filled with khoya and dried fruit, and the sweet shops work late into the night.
- Peda: the milk sweets that pilgrims take home as prasad are at their best in the cool months, when the milk is rich and they keep longer.
Summer, buttermilk and mangoes
Cooling drinks: buttermilk spiced with roasted cumin, and drinks of raw mango.
- Fruit: the first mangoes of the season.
- Village kitchens: cook early in the morning and late in the evening to avoid the heat of the fire.
- Stay safe: drink plenty, and choose drinks without ice.
Monsoon and autumn
With the rains: roasted corn cobs rubbed with lime and chilli, hot fried snacks and endless cups of sweet tea.
- In autumn: the festival kitchens take over, with fasting foods during Navratri and sweets for Dussehra and Diwali.
- In any season: ask your hotel cook for a Bundeli thali. It changes with the harvest, and it is always better than the tourist menu.
The off-season, for those who have been before
Not for a first visit: we would never send a first-time visitor in May or August, but for those who know Orchha, the off-season has real rewards.
The monsoon: the Betwa becomes a flood over the granite below the chhatris, the scrub forest turns a deep green, and the palaces stand against dark, moving skies.
- How to do it: stay in a hotel above the river and keep your plans loose.
- The rainy hours: spend them in the painted rooms of the Raja Mahal and the Laxminarayan temple.
- Summer: suits only short visits by early risers.
- Five in the morning: the light on the Jahangir Mahal terraces is lovely even in May, and the palaces are completely empty.
- The rest of the day: rest through the heat at a hotel with a pool, and go out again at dusk.
- In both seasons: rates are lower and the town belongs to its pilgrims and farmers.
Getting there in each season
Winter fog: in late December and January it can delay trains and flights across north India, especially in the early morning. We leave a margin around connections and prefer later departures.
In summer: travel in the early morning and late afternoon, and keep road journeys short. Our cars are air-conditioned, but the heat outside is draining.
- Fast train
- Gatimaan Express, Delhi to Jhansi
- Journey time
- About four and a half hours
- Station to Orchha
- Under half an hour
- Fog season
- Late December and January
- In the monsoon: roads through Bundelkhand can be slow after heavy rain, so we allow more time for the drives to Khajuraho and Gwalior.
- Year round: the Gatimaan Express from Delhi to Jhansi takes about four and a half hours, and Orchha is under half an hour from the station.
- How we book: our trains guide explains it.
Staying comfortable in every season
In the heat: drink filtered water often, carry oral rehydration salts and stay indoors from late morning to late afternoon.
In winter: dress in layers. The difference between a cold dawn and a warm noon can be large.
- In the monsoon: use insect repellent in the evenings and keep well back from the river when it is in flood.
- In every season: watch your step on the palaces' steep, dark, unrailed staircases and terraces.
- Monkeys: keep food away from the rhesus monkeys.
- Water, food and medicines: our guide to health and safety covers them for India.
What to pack for Orchha
November to February: light layers for the day, a warm shawl or fleece for sunrise and evening, and a wool hat for the coldest January mornings.
March to June: loose cotton or linen that covers shoulders and knees, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and a refillable water bottle.
- July to September: a light rain jacket, quick-drying clothes and sandals with good grip for wet steps.
- All year: a strong torch for palace stairways and murals, and binoculars for the vultures.
- For the temples: shoes that are easy to slip off, and modest clothes for the Ram Raja temple.
- A longer journey: our full packing guide covers Rajasthan and central India.
Fitting Orchha into a longer journey
One season for all: October to March is also the best time for Rajasthan, Agra, Gwalior, Khajuraho and Varanasi.
Our route: the Rajasthan, Orchha and Khajuraho journey runs through Jaipur and the palaces of Rajasthan to Agra, then by fast train to Jhansi for Orchha, and on to Khajuraho.
- On to the Ganga: many guests continue to Varanasi, which is at its best in the same months.
- Festivals at both ends: November is ideal, with Diwali in Rajasthan, Vivah Panchami in Orchha in some years, and Dev Deepawali in Varanasi.
- Lining up the dates: our best time to visit Rajasthan guide and our best time to visit Varanasi guide help.
Our short answer for each kind of traveller
First visit, any age: February, or November for comfortable weather and the start of the festival season.
Festival lovers: Vivah Panchami in November or December, or Ram Navami in March or April if you enjoy great crowds.
- Photographers: October for washed air, January and February for low, soft winter light.
- Families with children: November to February, with a hotel pool for the afternoons.
- Birdwatchers: December to February, for the vultures and the wildlife sanctuary.
- Monsoon lovers: August, for the Betwa in flood, if your plans can bend.
- Avoid if you can: May and early June, for the heat.
- Once you have chosen your month: read the main Orchha guide, our list of things to do in Orchha and our Orchha itinerary.
