NakshIQ 100 — India's 100 best destination-months, 2026
The 100 highest-scored destination × month combinations across all of India, ranked across weather, access, crowd, and safety. Drawn from 5,856 scored rows across 488 destinations — one ranked pick per destination, top 100 by score.
An annual index. This edition reflects 2026 editorial review as of 24 April 2026.
Top 10
Patnitop in February
Jammu & Kashmir · 5/10February at Patnitop — February's the quieter end of winter — same cold air, fewer travelers than January, a few roads starting to think about reopening. Built for Winter snow experience. Family-appropriate: 4/5.
Pillalamarri in December
Telangana · 5/10December at Pillalamarri — coolest Telangana month — Hyderabad 10-28°C, Ramappa's UNESCO temple complex especially luminous in winter light. Built for 800-year banyan. Family-appropriate: 4/5.
Bhubaneswar in December
Odisha · 5/10December at Bhubaneswar — peak tourist month — Puri New Year's, Araku Valley coffee tourism, Andhra's full festival calendar. Built for Temple city (600+ temples). Family-appropriate: 4/5.
Kalpa in September
Himachal Pradesh · 5/10September at Kalpa — the post-monsoon reveal — air rinsed, mountains at their most photographically alive, operators still fully running. Built for Kinnauri apple harvest. Manageable with older kids: 3/5.
Kanha National Park in November
Madhya Pradesh · 5/10November at Kanha National Park — near-perfect wildlife month — cool mornings, clear skies, full reserve access, reliable safaris. Built for Jungle Book heritage. Family-appropriate: 4/5.
Kashid in February
Maharashtra · 5/10February at Kashid — peak Rann of Kutch month — Rann Utsav runs Nov-Feb, last full festival weeks here. Built for Mumbai weekend alternative. Family-appropriate: 5/5.
Kannur in November
Kerala · 5/10November at Kannur — Tamil Nadu gets its NE monsoon this month — Chennai, Puducherry, Kanyakumari see heavy rain while Kerala is clear. Built for Handloom + beedi heritage. Family-appropriate: 4/5.
Kanyakumari in December
Tamil Nadu · 5/10December at Kanyakumari — peak Kerala + Tamil Nadu season; Chennai's music season runs December-January, Pondicherry's French Quarter at its most walkable. Built for Southernmost tip milestone. Family-appropriate: 5/5.
Aalo in February
Arunachal Pradesh · 5/10February at Aalo — similar clarity to January, slightly warmer days, rhododendron prep underway at altitude. Built for Siang River. Family-appropriate: 4/5.
Nagarjuna Konda in February
Telangana · 5/10February at Nagarjuna Konda — continued dry winter window; Warangal, Medak, Ramappa temple circuit at its best, Nagarjuna Sagar water levels still reliable. Built for Ikshvaku capital. Family-appropriate: 4/5.
11–100
| # | Destination | Best month | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Kavaratti | January | 5/10 |
| 12 | Pattadakal | January | 5/10 |
| 13 | Pochampally | December | 5/10 |
| 14 | Khonoma | January | 5/10 |
| 15 | Kokernag | May | 5/10 |
| 16 | Khajuraho | October | 5/10 |
| 17 | Kausani | November | 5/10 |
| 18 | Kaza | September | 5/10 |
| 19 | Chandratal | July | 5/10 |
| 20 | Har Ki Doon | May | 5/10 |
| 21 | Turtuk | June | 5/10 |
| 22 | Hemkund Sahib | July | 5/10 |
| 23 | Dambuk | December | 5/10 |
| 24 | Khardung La | September | 5/10 |
| 25 | Ramappa Temple | October | 5/10 |
| 26 | Khandala | August | 5/10 |
| 27 | Kinnaur | June | 5/10 |
| 28 | Kochi (Fort Kochi) | January | 5/10 |
| 29 | Kolkata | October | 5/10 |
| 30 | Warangal | December | 5/10 |
| 31 | Mawphlang | October | 5/10 |
| 32 | Kodaikanal | November | 5/10 |
| 33 | Koraput | February | 5/10 |
| 34 | Achabal | October | 5/10 |
| 35 | Kufri | December | 5/10 |
| 36 | Agra | November | 5/10 |
| 37 | Kovalam | January | 5/10 |
| 38 | Konark | January | 5/10 |
| 39 | Kozhikode (Calicut) | February | 5/10 |
| 40 | Kullu | October | 5/10 |
| 41 | Kumbalangi | February | 5/10 |
| 42 | Kutch (Bhuj) | January | 5/10 |
| 43 | Lamayuru | September | 5/10 |
| 44 | Pangong Tso | September | 5/10 |
| 45 | Agonda | February | 5/10 |
| 46 | Alampur | November | 5/10 |
| 47 | Adilabad | July | 5/10 |
| 48 | Kushinagar | October | 5/10 |
| 49 | Kuttanad | January | 5/10 |
| 50 | Ahobilam | January | 5/10 |
| 51 | Leh | June | 5/10 |
| 52 | Lepakshi | October | 5/10 |
| 53 | Lansdowne | April | 5/10 |
| 54 | Ajanta Caves | November | 5/10 |
| 55 | Laknavaram | November | 5/10 |
| 56 | Lambasingi | December | 5/10 |
| 57 | Ahmedabad | December | 5/10 |
| 58 | Landour | September | 5/10 |
| 59 | Ajmer | October | 5/10 |
| 60 | Palolem | December | 5/10 |
| 61 | Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) | December | 5/10 |
| 62 | Malvan | November | 5/10 |
| 63 | Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) | January | 5/10 |
| 64 | Lolab Valley | May | 5/10 |
| 65 | Machilipatnam | January | 5/10 |
| 66 | McLeod Ganj | October | 5/10 |
| 67 | Mandu | December | 5/10 |
| 68 | Maredumilli | January | 5/10 |
| 69 | Mangalore | November | 5/10 |
| 70 | Manali | October | 5/10 |
| 71 | Manikaran | April | 5/10 |
| 72 | Mandvi | December | 5/10 |
| 73 | Mollem (Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary) | November | 5/10 |
| 74 | Alchi | July | 5/10 |
| 75 | Morjim | December | 5/10 |
| 76 | Mechuka | October | 5/10 |
| 77 | Mussoorie | October | 5/10 |
| 78 | Mukteshwar | April | 5/10 |
| 79 | Mysore | October | 5/10 |
| 80 | Alwar | October | 5/10 |
| 81 | Nagarjuna Sagar | December | 5/10 |
| 82 | Nainital | October | 5/10 |
| 83 | Nako | September | 5/10 |
| 84 | Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary | January | 5/10 |
| 85 | Almora | April | 5/10 |
| 86 | Nalanda | November | 5/10 |
| 87 | Ross Island (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep) | February | 5/10 |
| 88 | Nubra Valley | July | 5/10 |
| 89 | Old Goa | February | 5/10 |
| 90 | Nelliyampathy | October | 5/10 |
| 91 | Nrusinghanath & Harishankar | November | 5/10 |
| 92 | Omkareshwar | November | 5/10 |
| 93 | Orchha | November | 5/10 |
| 94 | Osian | February | 5/10 |
| 95 | Pahalgam | April | 5/10 |
| 96 | Nongriat | January | 5/10 |
| 97 | Pachmarhi | February | 5/10 |
| 98 | Panaji | November | 5/10 |
| 99 | Pasighat | November | 5/10 |
| 100 | Calangute-Baga | January | 5/10 |
How the 100 is chosen
Every destination × month pair in the NakshIQ database carries a 0–10 suitability score combining weather (IMD data), access (road/pass/flight status), crowd math, local festival calendars, and risk flags. The NakshIQ 100 takes the single best month for each destination, ranks across all 488 destinations, and publishes the top 100. One destination never appears twice; the ranking is the destination at its best, not a month-by-month scan.
See how we score for the full rubric. An updated edition is published annually.
Citations welcomed. Cite as: NakshIQ 100 — India's best destination-months, 2026. nakshiq.com/en/nakshiq-100.
Press & research queries: editor@nakshiq.com.