TRavelling What's India like in Late July, August and September

Can anyone please help?

I'm going to be a first time visitor to India in the months of July,August and September...... I realise that it's not the best time to go to India but I want to go and can't get this much time off at any other time of year!! I've had conflicting reports as to the weather in these months and want to clear up some questions...

In the monsoons does it rain all day every day or is it normally heavy showers??

If anyone can give me the lowdown as to the best places in these months and possible itineraries I'd be really grateful...I don't mind a bit of rain but dont really want to be stuck in the heavy monsoons....being stuck in England most of the year I wouldn't mind a bit of sun!! I'm used to extreme heat (used to live in Africa) My outline plan is to fly to delhi, do the golden triangle, go north for a bit of trekkiing in Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh(is there still fighting going on there?) and then travel south gradually, through Rajasthan and western India, arriving in Kerala so that i've got a couple of weeks to spend there

I've been in Himachal Pradesh in August and it was OK... a bit of heavy rain in Mcleod Ganj but only for a couple of days. And not too hot. September we went down to Tamil Nadu and it was hot but dry. By mid-September we were in Kerala and had some stormy monsoon weather for a few days but mainly OK.

July-September is my favorite time to go. Hotels are less crowded and the weather is not too bad. It rains on and off. Some days it won't rain at all. Others it will rain for a few hours then stop. At least in the north. By late August it sould be like this in the east too. Calcutta was perfect at this time.

This is the only time to go to Ladakh, so it's what it is. The monsoon doesn't affect it, so no issue there. Daytime, kinda hot. Nights fairly cool. No fighting issues around Leh. I personally would skip Kargil and Drass. They aren't that great anyway.

Himachal Pradesh will be on and off rainy depending on where you are. Simla is perfect at this time. Woke up some mornings with a cloud in my room! Sunny after about 11am usually. Manali was sunny and warm almost every day. One massive overnight downpour/landslide that took out Solang Nullah, 14km up the road. Manali shut down for the day to honor the dead in Solang Nullah. It was an eerie day and I am honored to have been there. I think about the 60 road workers that gave their lives in that landslide often. Here's the story from the Tribune:
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030809/main1.htm

Sorry got off track there.

If you are used to Africa hot, it shouldn't be an issue. It could get upto about 35 in Delhi with high humidity in July, but not intolerable.

Allan

Its monsoon time in most part of India between July - September but I personally love to travel during that period cos you get a mixture of Rain and sunshine.The routing waht you have decide is Ok you start from Delhi and travel south via Rajasthan and the western ghats of Maharashra and the Konkan belt.Use the konkan railway to reach Goa .

need more help pls drop a line imay be able add few more tips as i done this route during monsoon

thanks everyone for your very helpful tips on travelling at this time of year.....last night i was thinking of cutting my losses and going somewhere else but i think i'll give it a go.

if you've got any other tips that u think i might need don't hesitate...

cheers

One last piece from me. This is completely opinion too. Try to get to Calcutta/Kolkata. I went there almost on accident and it is now by far my favorite city in India, maybe the world. Wonderful people, amazingly beautiful in a crumbling sort of way, it's the undisputed culture capital of India. All this and it doesn't see hordes of tourists.

cheers allan, sounds great.......ive decided definitely to do mumbai and then might fly to calcutta...good idea