Karnataka is a large state in southwest India, stretching from the Arabian Sea coast across the forested Western Ghats to the Deccan plateau. It combines the UNESCO-listed ruins of Hampi, the Hoysala temples of Belur and Halebidu, the royal city of Mysuru, coffee-covered Coorg hills, and the beaches of Gokarna and Udupi, with Bengaluru as India's technology capital.
Karnataka has four broad climate zones. The Bengaluru-Mysuru plateau (about 900 m) is mild and moderate all year, with 15-35C and rain concentrated in Apr-Oct. The Malnad and Western Ghats (Coorg, Chikmagalur, Sakleshpur, Agumbe, Jog Falls) get some of India's heaviest monsoon rain (2,500-7,000 mm, June-September). The coastal strip (Mangaluru, Udupi, Gokarna, Karwar) is hot and humid with a heavy southwest monsoon and pleasant winters. North Karnataka (Hampi, Badami, Bijapur, Bidar, Kalaburagi) sits in a rain shadow with dry, very hot summers of 38-44C and mild winters. The best overall season is October-February.
Best time to visit
Best: Year-round
Avoid: None
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
January
23°C/73°F
Cool dry mornings and warm days on the Bengaluru plateau; clear skies on the coast and in Hampi; peak season
February
25°C/77°F
Warm, dry and pleasant; coffee blossoms start in Coorg late Feb; good for Kabini and Bandipur safaris
March
28°C/82°F
Rising heat; north Karnataka (Bijapur, Kalaburagi, Bidar) becomes hot; Bengaluru pre-monsoon showers begin
April
29°C/84°F
Hottest month on the plateau and inland; pre-monsoon thunderstorms in Bengaluru; north Karnataka can reach 40C+
May
28°C/82°F
Pre-monsoon storms in Bengaluru; hot inland; coast humid; low tourist numbers
June
25°C/77°F
Southwest monsoon arrives on the coast and Western Ghats with very heavy rain; Bengaluru gets moderate rain
July
24°C/75°F
Peak monsoon in Malnad, Coorg and coast with landslide risk; Bengaluru cool and overcast
August
24°C/75°F
Heavy rain in the Western Ghats; Bengaluru cool with showers; north Karnataka is drier and pleasant
September
25°C/77°F
Monsoon eases; Bengaluru's wettest month with thunderstorms; Mysuru Dasara preparations begin
October
25°C/77°F
Retreating monsoon and north-east showers in Bengaluru; Dasara and Diwali festivals; coast and Coorg clear by late month
November
23°C/73°F
Pleasant, drying out; start of the tourist season with cool mornings and comfortable days
December
22°C/72°F
Cool, dry and sunny; peak tourist season on the coast, Hampi and Coorg; Christmas and New Year crowds
The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
Spring
Months: Mar-May
Hot and dry in north Karnataka (36-44C) and inland; warm on the Bengaluru plateau (28-35C) with pre-monsoon thunderstorms in April-May; coast is hot and humid at 32-35C. Coorg and Chikmagalur remain the coolest escapes.
Summer
Months: Jun-Aug
Southwest monsoon: very heavy rain on the coast and Western Ghats (Coorg, Agumbe, Jog Falls, Dandeli), moderate on the plateau, and dry-ish rain shadow in Hampi, Bijapur and Badami. Waterfalls are at their peak; sea is rough and beaches are closed to swimming.
Fall
Months: Sep-Nov
The monsoon retreats and skies clear, with Bengaluru still rainy in September-October. Mysuru Dasara (Sep-Oct) is the year's biggest festival; the tourist season restarts in November with pleasant days of 25-28C.
Winter
Months: Dec-Feb
The best time to travel: dry, sunny days of 27-32C, cool nights of 12-18C on the plateau and 8-14C in Coorg and Chikmagalur hills, and calm seas on the coast for beach stays and boat rides. Peak crowds and prices around Christmas and New Year.
Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- High Season
- Dec-Jan (coast, Hampi, Coorg, Kabini); Mysuru Dasara period (Sep-Oct); April-May school holidays at hill stations
- Shoulder Season
- Feb-Mar and Oct-Nov (good weather, fewer crowds)
- Low Season
- Jun-Sep on the coast and Malnad (heavy monsoon, lowest prices); Apr-May inland (heat)
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.
Makar Sankranti harvest festival
Marked by sesame-jaggery sweets (ellu-bella), cattle-decoration (Suggi) rituals in rural districts, and Bengaluru kite-flying in some neighbourhoods
Hampi Utsav and Karavali Utsav (when held)
State-run cultural festivals in Hampi and the coast feature music, dance and crafts; confirm dates with Karnataka Tourism as scheduling varies from year to year
Ugadi (Kannada New Year)
Festive new-year celebrations with ugadi pachadi (neem-jaggery preparation), temple visits and family gatherings
Bengaluru Karaga
A traditional Dharmaraya Swamy Temple festival in Bengaluru's old city (Thigalarapete) with a night procession led by the Karaga bearer
Mysuru Dasara
A 10-day royal festival with Mysore Palace illumination, cultural events and the Jamboo Savari procession on Vijayadashami; Karnataka's largest tourist event
Deepavali (Diwali)
Festival of lights celebrated across Karnataka with lamps, sweets and fireworks; Bengaluru markets are busy
Kannada Rajyotsava
Karnataka's state formation day, with flag hoisting and cultural events across the state
Christmas and Gokarna beach season
Peak coastal tourism, with beach parties and church midnight masses in Mangaluru and Bengaluru