Waterfalls, clouds and hot chai — planned for the rain

Yes, with planning. We choose stays with good drainage, avoid flood-prone rivers and slide-prone stretches, and keep a backup for every day. But nature decides: roads and viewpoints can close, and we will change the plan rather than take risks.

Rain is the point. We keep covered stops, cafés, temples and museums as a backup, and rain gear is included. If an attraction closes, we swap in another.

Rafting in Rishikesh is closed by the authorities during peak monsoon. It reopens when river levels allow, usually from mid-September, and we can add it then.

Waterfalls are strongest from July to September, and the hills are greenest then. Some places, like Pachmarhi and Bhedaghat, stay dramatic into early October.