Varanasi · Month comparison

January vs November

November ranks #3 overall vs January at #4. Dev Deepawali on Kartik Purnima — a million oil lamps line the ghats, the city's defining spectacle.

Varanasi January — misty Ganges ghats at sunrise with boats

January

#4 of 12 months

Best match

Cool dry mornings cloaked in Ganges mist — the most atmospheric photographic month on the ghats.

  • ↑Cool 22°C days, no humidity for ghat walks
  • ↑Heavy dawn mist creates the iconic Ganges photography
Varanasi November — Dev Deepawali oil lamps lining ghats at dusk

November

#3 of 12 months

Best match

Dev Deepawali on Kartik Purnima — a million oil lamps line the ghats, the city's defining spectacle.

  • ↑Dev Deepawali — over a million diyas lit along all 84 ghats
  • ↑Mild 28°C / 14°C, perfect weather for early morning walks
FactorJanuaryNovember
Weather score
8
10
Value score
9
5
Crowd score
5
3
Events score
6
10
Atmosphere
10
10
Avg high temp22°C28°C
Monthly rain21mm8mm
Daily sunshine7.5hrs8.7hrs

January trade-offs

  • ↓Lows of 9°C, surprisingly cold in unheated guesthouses
  • ↓Smog from North Indian plains can obscure sunrise

November trade-offs

  • ↓Hotel prices peak for Dev Deepawali week, often 3-4x normal
  • ↓Old City lanes packed beyond comfort during festival night
See all 12 months for Varanasi →January in detail →November in detail →
Scores compare months within Varanasi. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →