Varanasi · Month comparison

May vs February

February ranks #1 overall vs May at #12. Maha Shivaratri pilgrim crush in late Feb/early Mar — Varanasi's most intense religious event.

Varanasi May — sun-bleached empty ghats under intense midday light

May

#12 of 12 months

Avoid

Hottest month — 42°C+ regularly, only pilgrims around, not a tourist month.

  • ↑Lowest accommodation prices of the year
  • ↑Ghats so empty you can find solitude at sunrise
Varanasi February — Maha Shivaratri pilgrims with marigold garlands

February

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Maha Shivaratri pilgrim crush in late Feb/early Mar — Varanasi's most intense religious event.

  • ↑Maha Shivaratri all-night Shiva worship around Vishwanath Temple
  • ↑Comfortable 27°C / 12°C, lowest humidity
FactorMayFebruary
Weather score
2
9
Value score
10
8
Crowd score
9
4
Events score
3
9
Atmosphere
4
10
Avg high temp42°C27°C
Monthly rain14mm18mm
Daily sunshine9.2hrs8.6hrs

May trade-offs

  • ↓Heatstroke is a real risk, midday outdoor sightseeing impossible
  • ↓Power cuts frequent, AC unreliable in budget guesthouses

February trade-offs

  • ↓Pilgrim numbers can quadruple in the festival week
  • ↓Old City lanes get dangerously packed during processions
See all 12 months for Varanasi →May in detail →February in detail →
Scores compare months within Varanasi. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →