India travel recommendations Feb. ‘25

You can find the current and past air quality indexes on line. I haven't visited India since the pandemic, but if it was any indication, I would strongly caution against visiting larger cities there if one has any respiratory or circulatory issues whatsoever. It's never a good thing when you can actually see the air you have to breathe. The only time we had any respite was when we got well into the rural areas.

Thanks very much! That is helpful. I will share what you said with my friend. Cheers, J

Air quality isn't great, but smog and air quality varies in different months...often due to weather. I was there November 2022 and it didn't seem too bad, but after 3 or 4 days I developed a sore throat. Masks help filter out particulates.
Air Visual, or IQ Air is the app for Air quality I used I. That part of India. In November, the rains hadn't started, so the Air pollution was dust and harvest particles. I was surprised how high the rates were even in other cities and rural areas....but not so much that I noticed it.
Delhi's worst months are January and February when car pollution is kept low from low clouds, fog and rain.

Thanks for your helpful note. Best, J

We avoid Delhi in winter now

40-50 years ago, that was the preferred time to visit Delhi but now the pollution caused smog/haze causes flight cancellations and respiratory issues.

Someone said that "rains had not started in November". That's a strange statement.

Delhi monsoon starts in late June/early July and it rains July, Aug, Sept and hardly in October
So someone waiting for rain in November, would possibly end up waiting 7 months!!

Going to India without doing healthy read up on cultural (not religious but cultural - most Americans do not understand the difference) aspects, some history al context and local customs/practices - is a sheer waste of money, time and energy, IMHO.

India should never be your first foreign destination and preferably few other emerging countries/poor countries under your belt without venturing to India.

It is without doubt the best destination(s) for cultural enrichment and if so attempted, spiritual eye opening.

Amazing country.

We just came back from India two weeks ago and spent a few days in Delhi in early November. The air is very, very polluted in Delhi and a lot of other places in India. In Delhi, the government has small trucks that go around spraying water onto the leaves of the trees so the trees can breathe and create more oxygen. I’ve never seen anything like it. It seems pretty ineffectual. The kids were recently going to school online because the pollution is so bad. Everything is thickly coated with particulate. My husband and I should have been wearing masks but threw caution to the wind. Unfortunately we ended up with bronchitis which I partly attribute to the air pollution. I am still fighting off the congestion in my lungs. I agree that India should not be a first trip for most due to the poverty, etc. But is is a fascinating country and I was glad we went. I do not think your friend needs to spend more than a few days in Delhi. There are more places to see. I would also suggest a guided tour. India is not a place that I would suggest the uninitiated going on their own. We are experienced travelers and I would have found it difficult to navigate without a guide.

Thanks again for your replies. J

We haven't been to Delhi, but in 2015 did a cruise that landed in four ports on India's SW coast.
It was in early April. The air was OK, but temps were in the high 90s.
Friends from India have told me not to visit India during monsoon season.

We are considering a tour that does Dehli, the Taj and that area in north central India.

Please tell me when is the best time to go there?

@geovagriffith I think March would be the best time to visit Delhi. We went in November because we wanted to go to the Pushkar Camel Fair.