Monsoon Travel in India: Where to Go and What to Avoid
Travel Tips · 1 June 2026 · 6 min read
The waterfalls of Meghalaya, the empty west coast, the green explosion of the Western Ghats. Those who dismiss the Indian monsoon are missing some of the most dramatic travel in the subcontinent.
Monsoon runs from June to September across most of India. For many travellers, it is a season to avoid. But those who dismiss it are missing some of the most dramatic travel in the subcontinent: the waterfalls of Meghalaya and Odisha in full roar, the empty beaches of the west coast, the green explosion in the Western Ghats and the forest trails of Jharkhand before the October crowds arrive.
In our home ground of West Bengal and Jharkhand, monsoon is a complicated season. The waterfalls of Belpahari in Jhargram, Turga in Purulia and the falls around Giridih in Jharkhand are at their most powerful. The forests are intensely green. But roads to remote locations wash out regularly.
From our experience running tours in this region, the best monsoon destinations are: Purulia (go for the waterfalls, avoid the forest fort trails), Jhargram (stick to paved roads and the Rajbari town) and Santiniketan (rain makes the evening baul music sessions even more atmospheric).
Many national parks and wildlife reserves close for the entirety of June to September to allow habitat recovery. But some remain open, and the reduced human presence means animals are more active near the forest edges. Gorumara and Chapramari in North Bengal see elephant activity close to their borders during this season.
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