Best time to visit Leh
The best time to visit Leh is July–August, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Leh, Ladakh, India
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -14.7 °C / 6 °F | -25 °C / -13 °F | 25 mm / 1 in | neither best nor good |
| February | -12 °C / 10 °F | -21.4 °C / -7 °F | 35 mm / 1.4 in | neither best nor good |
| March | -8 °C / 18 °F | -18.2 °C / -1 °F | 31 mm / 1.2 in | neither best nor good |
| April | -3.3 °C / 26 °F | -14.2 °C / 6 °F | 35 mm / 1.4 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 2.9 °C / 37 °F | -9.1 °C / 16 °F | 34 mm / 1.4 in | neither best nor good |
| June | 8.9 °C / 48 °F | -3.3 °C / 26 °F | 44 mm / 1.7 in | good month |
| July | 15.6 °C / 60 °F | 3.4 °C / 38 °F | 51 mm / 2 in | best month |
| August | 16.5 °C / 62 °F | 5.4 °C / 42 °F | 55 mm / 2.2 in | best month |
| September | 12 °C / 54 °F | -0.1 °C / 32 °F | 35 mm / 1.4 in | good month |
| October | 3.1 °C / 38 °F | -10.4 °C / 13 °F | 14 mm / 0.6 in | neither best nor good |
| November | -5.6 °C / 22 °F | -18.8 °C / -2 °F | 15 mm / 0.6 in | neither best nor good |
| December | -12.3 °C / 10 °F | -23.9 °C / -11 °F | 14 mm / 0.5 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: good
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- July–August
- Good
- June, September
Ladakh's cold-desert climate is bitterly cold from November to May, with sub-zero highs that rule out comfortable sightseeing despite abundant sunshine. July and August are the best months, warm, dry and bright, with June and September as slightly cooler shoulder months where afternoon showers become a touch more common.
Why these months
June · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 92%, days with heavy rain 0.4 days, relative humidity 68%.
Against: feels like (high) 7.8 °C / 46 °F, average daily high 8.9 °C / 48 °F, average daily low -3.3 °C / 26 °F, wet days 11.2 days, precipitation 44 mm / 1.7 in.
July · best
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 91%, feels like (high) 14.3 °C / 58 °F, average daily high 15.6 °C / 60 °F, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, relative humidity 59%.
Against: wet days 12.3 days, average daily low 3.4 °C / 38 °F, precipitation 51 mm / 2 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 46%, time rain usually falls 5 pm.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 14.9 °C / 59 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, average daily high 16.5 °C / 62 °F, days with heavy rain 0.5 days, relative humidity 55%, average daily low 5.4 °C / 42 °F.
Against: wet days 14.5 days, precipitation 55 mm / 2.2 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 53%, time rain usually falls 5 pm.
September · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 91%, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, relative humidity 52%.
Against: feels like (high) 9.5 °C / 49 °F, average daily high 12 °C / 54 °F, average daily low -0.1 °C / 32 °F, wet days 8.8 days, precipitation 35 mm / 1.4 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 57%, time rain usually falls 12 pm.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- June–September
The trekking season runs June through September, when days are long, skies stay dry and temperatures are cool enough to climb in without the extremes of the rest of the year; July, August and September see a bit more rain concentrated in the afternoons, but amounts stay light. Outside that window, sub-zero highs and brutal overnight lows make trekking impractical.
Why these months
June · best
In its favour: days with heavy rain 0.4 days, average daily high 8.9 °C / 48 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, daylight per day 14.4 h, feels like (high) 7.8 °C / 46 °F, wind (daily max) 6 km/h / 3 mph.
Against: average daily low -3.3 °C / 26 °F, wet days 11.2 days, precipitation 44 mm / 1.7 in.
July · best
In its favour: average daily high 15.6 °C / 60 °F, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, feels like (high) 14.3 °C / 58 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, daylight per day 14.2 h, wind (daily max) 7 km/h / 4 mph.
Against: wet days 12.3 days, average daily low 3.4 °C / 38 °F, precipitation 51 mm / 2 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 46%, time rain usually falls 5 pm.
August · best
In its favour: average daily high 16.5 °C / 62 °F, days with heavy rain 0.5 days, feels like (high) 14.9 °C / 59 °F, average daily low 5.4 °C / 42 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, daylight per day 13.4 h, wind (daily max) 7 km/h / 4 mph.
Against: wet days 14.5 days, precipitation 55 mm / 2.2 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 53%, time rain usually falls 5 pm.
September · best
In its favour: average daily high 12 °C / 54 °F, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, daylight per day 12.4 h, feels like (high) 9.5 °C / 49 °F, wind (daily max) 6 km/h / 4 mph.
Against: average daily low -0.1 °C / 32 °F, wet days 8.8 days, precipitation 35 mm / 1.4 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 57%, time rain usually falls 12 pm.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Solang Valley, 210 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -18.7 °C | -15.3 °C | -10.3 °C | -4.8 °C | 1.7 °C | 7.8 °C | 14.3 °C | 14.9 °C | 9.5 °C | -0.2 °C | -9.5 °C | -16.5 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 0.2 days | 0.3 days | 0.3 days | 0.3 days | 0.3 days | 0.4 days | 0.6 days | 0.5 days | 0.6 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 7 pm | 7 am | 4 am | 12 am | 5 pm | 5 am | 5 pm | 5 pm | 12 pm | 12 pm | 12 am | 4 am |
| Sunshine per day | 8.8 h | 9.1 h | 10.6 h | 11.5 h | 12.8 h | 13.2 h | 12.9 h | 11.8 h | 11.3 h | 10.6 h | 9.5 h | 8.9 h |
| Relative humidity | 66% | 68% | 68% | 71% | 71% | 68% | 59% | 55% | 52% | 52% | 58% | 62% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 4.7 µg/m³ | 5.2 µg/m³ | 4.5 µg/m³ | 5.5 µg/m³ | 5.1 µg/m³ | 6.1 µg/m³ | 4.9 µg/m³ | 5.2 µg/m³ | 4 µg/m³ | 4.5 µg/m³ | 4.3 µg/m³ | 3.8 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 7.1 µg/m³ | 8.6 µg/m³ | 7.6 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 9.3 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 8.6 µg/m³ | 6.4 µg/m³ | 7.1 µg/m³ | 6.5 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Holi
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Diwali
October and November, dates vary from year to year