In the Himalayas, expect cold weather and clear skies, bringing with them some excellent views – make sure you wear plenty of layers though. Although the Himalayas are stunning at this time, it is not the best time to see snow leopards, as they will probably still be high up in the mountains and hard to spot. In Rajasthan, there will be clear and dry days, accompanied by cold evenings, making it an excellent place for wildlife. Travelling by Jeep in the day is not comfortably hot, and an evening around the campfire after a day out in the wild is just perfect under the starry Indian sky. Note that fog can sometimes linger in the mornings in January. For culture, regions such as Delhi and Agra are similar to that of Rajasthan, and temperatures can dip to 5-10 degrees Celsius at night.

The further south you go, the warmer the weather. So in Central India, such as Madhya Pradesh, where you will find Kanha Tiger Reserve, can be an excellent option too. As we go further still, you can expect warm weather and sunshine in Kerala, so combining wildlife and beach is great at this time, although note that Kerala can be busy at this time and ‘fill up’ quickly. Humidity is low at this time, and night time temperatures are around 15 to 20 degrees Celsius.

Similar to Kerala, Goa is still nice and warm at this time, with daytime temperatures hovering at around 25 degrees Celsius. It can be busy here in January though, with great weather and some incredible New Year’s celebrations.

Note that January is a peak month for travel in India, and hence can get very busy. You must make sure you plan well in advance to travel in January.