Kolkata has a narrow window of comfortable weather compared to most Indian cities. November through February offers the only genuinely pleasant temperatures for sightseeing before the heat and monsoon make outdoor exploration a challenge. Here is the best time to visit Kolkata by season with specific date ranges.
Best Time to Visit Kolkata for Good Weather: November to February
November through February is Kolkata’s winter and the only period with truly comfortable temperatures. November brings highs of 29°C (84°F) and lows of 18°C (64°F) with just 14mm of rain. December and January are coolest: 26°C (79°F) highs and 13°C (55°F) lows, 5-10mm of monthly rain. February warms slightly to 29°C (84°F) but remains dry at 22mm. These four months offer the only window for comfortable walks through the Maidan, Park Street Cemetery and Kumartuli potters’ quarter without heat exhaustion. Morning fog on the Hooghly River in December and January can delay flights at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Airport by 1-2 hours.
Best Time to Visit Kolkata for Durga Puja: October (Dates Vary)
Durga Puja, Kolkata’s largest festival, falls in late September or October based on the Hindu lunar calendar. The five-day celebration transforms the city with 3,000-plus illuminated pandals (temporary temples), street food stalls operating 24 hours, and the entire city functioning on a nocturnal schedule (pandal-hopping peaks at 01:00-04:00). October weather is transitional: 32°C (90°F) highs, 131mm of rain over 6 days, 75% humidity. Hotel rates triple during the Puja and sell out 2-3 months ahead. If you want the spectacle without paying Puja premiums, visit one week before when pandals are under construction and you can watch artisans at work in Kumartuli. The Kolkata events and festivals page has specific dates.
Best Time to Visit Kolkata for Low Prices: June to September (Monsoon)
Hotel rates in Kolkata drop 40-50% during the monsoon (June-September) compared to winter. Five-star hotels that charge 8,000-12,000 INR (€89-133) in December can be booked for 4,000-6,000 INR (€44-67) in July. The trade-off is extreme: 284-345mm of monthly rain, 80-85% humidity, waterlogged streets and 4-5 hours of daily sunshine. If you are on a tight budget and don’t mind spending afternoons in the Indian Museum and coffee houses rather than exploring outdoors, this is the cheapest window. Many budget guesthouses in Sudder Street offer monthly rates during monsoon.
Months to Avoid in Kolkata and Why
May is the worst month: 37°C (99°F) highs with 75% humidity create a heat index above 42°C (108°F). April is barely better at 36°C (97°F). Both months make walking between sights unbearable between 10:00 and 16:00. July and August combine 332-345mm of rain with 85% humidity, making the city feel like a steam room. Streets in low-lying areas such as parts of Ballygunge and Alipore flood regularly during heavy monsoon downpours, sometimes taking 4-6 hours to drain. For full climate data, see the Kolkata weather by month page.
