Quick answer: when is the best time to visit Rishikesh for yoga?
The best months are October to November and February to March. Days are about 22–30°C (72–86°F), and there is very little rain, with roughly 0–3 rainy days a month. December and January are clear but cold at dawn, around 6–7°C (43–45°F). May and June are hot, with average highs of about 36°C (97°F). July and August are the monsoon, with about 400–450 mm of rain and 15–16 rainy days each month.
Every month in Rishikesh feels different. This guide gives you real numbers for each month, and what each one is like inside a yoga course: how cold the 6 AM class feels, when the heat gets hard, and what the rain changes.
What is the best month to visit Rishikesh?
For most yoga students, October, November, February and March are the best months to visit Rishikesh. These months are dry and sunny. Days are warm and nights are cool, so you sleep well and can practise outside. If you can only pick one month, pick October or November: the monsoon has just ended, the hills are still green, and the rain is almost gone.
That said, "best" depends on you. If you love quiet and do not mind cold mornings, December and January are lovely. If you want the International Yoga Festival, come in March. If you want a quiet town and do not mind rain, the monsoon can work.
Rishikesh weather month by month
Rishikesh sits at about 340 m (1,120 ft) above sea level. It is where the Ganga leaves the Himalayan foothills. That low height is why summers here are hot, even though the mountains are close.
"Rainy days" means days with a real amount of rain.
| Month | Day high | Night low | Rain | Rainy days | What it means for yoga |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19°C (66°F) | 6°C (43°F) | ~60 mm | 3 | Coldest month. The 6 AM class needs warm layers. Calm and quiet. |
| February | 22°C (72°F) | 8°C (46°F) | ~50 mm | 2 | Warming up fast. Cool mornings, sunny afternoons. A great month. |
| March | 27°C (81°F) | 12°C (54°F) | ~45 mm | 3 | Very pleasant. Festival month (Shivaratri, Yoga Festival, Holi). Busier. |
| April | 33°C (91°F) | 18°C (64°F) | ~20 mm | 1 | Warm and dry. Mornings are lovely. Afternoons get hot. |
| May | 36°C (97°F) | 21°C (70°F) | ~40 mm | 2 | Hot. Practice early and late, rest at midday. Drink a lot of water. |
| June | 36°C (97°F) | 24°C (75°F) | ~130 mm | 7 | Hot and humid. Pre-monsoon storms. The monsoon usually arrives late in the month. |
| July | 32°C (90°F) | 24°C (75°F) | ~445 mm | 15 | Peak monsoon. Heavy rain, high river, damp air. Classes move fully indoors. |
| August | 32°C (90°F) | 23°C (73°F) | ~400 mm | 16 | Still very wet. Very green. Road and travel delays are common. |
| September | 31°C (88°F) | 22°C (72°F) | ~200 mm | 8 | Rain eases through the month. Lush hills, humid days. |
| October | 30°C (86°F) | 17°C (63°F) | ~55 mm | 2 | Clear skies return. Warm days, fresh nights. One of the best months. |
| November | 25°C (77°F) | 10°C (50°F) | ~10 mm | 0 | Driest month. Crisp mornings, sunny days. One of the best months. |
| December | 21°C (70°F) | 7°C (45°F) | ~30 mm | 1 | Cold mornings, mild sunny middays. Busy around Christmas and New Year. |
Source: long-term climate averages published by Weather2Travel, rounded. Real days can be several degrees warmer or colder.
Which months are best for a yoga teacher training?
A teacher training is different from a holiday. You practise two or three times a day for one to seven weeks. So the weather matters more. Here is how we rate each month for a 200-hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh.
| Rating | Months | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Easiest | October, November, February, March | Dry, sunny, comfortable all day. Good sleep. Outdoor practice is easy. |
| Very good | April, December, late September | April gets hot in the afternoon. December is cold at dawn, though our halls are heated. Late September can still bring showers. |
| Doable with planning | January, May, June | January is the coldest. May and June are hot. All are fine if you prepare. |
| Hardest | July, August | Heavy rain, damp clothes, and travel delays. Quieter, but you need patience. |
Our batches start every month of the year. The 200-hour and 300-hour courses start on the 5th and 15th of each month. The 100-hour course starts on the 2nd and 15th. Aerial teacher training and our retreats start every Monday. So you can choose the month first, and the dates will follow.
Rishikesh weather in December: what to expect
December in Rishikesh is cool and mostly dry. Days reach about 21°C (70°F), and nights drop to about 7°C (45°F). There is usually only one rainy day in the month. Middays are sunny and pleasant. Early mornings and evenings are cold, and most houses here are not heated the way homes in Europe or North America are. Our campus is the exception: the yoga halls are heated for every class, and every room comes with a heated blanket.
Here is what that means for your day at a yoga school:
- The first class is at 6:00 AM. At that hour it is close to the coldest part of the night. Wear a warm layer and socks for the walk over; the hall itself is heated, so you can take them off as you warm up.
- The middle of the day is the best part. Sit in the sun during breaks. Do your reading and homework outside.
- Evenings cool down fast after sunset. Bring a fleece or a light down jacket for evening meditation.
- Christmas and New Year are busy. Many travellers come to Rishikesh then. Book flights early if you are flying in late December.
