Planning a Dussehra Trip? Here Are 19 Best Places to Visit in 2026

Mysuru in Karnataka is widely regarded as the most famous Dussehra destination, thanks to its ten-day royal Dasara celebration, the illuminated Mysore Palace, and the grand Jumbo Savari procession that closes the festival.

Bastar Dussehra in Chhattisgarh holds that distinction. Centred on Goddess Danteshwari rather than the Ram-Ravana narrative, it stretches across roughly 75 days of tribal rituals, chariot processions, and community gatherings.

Yes. Kullu's Dussehra begins on Vijayadashami, right when most other celebrations are winding down, and runs for about a week. Rather than burning an effigy of Ravana, it centres on a procession of over two hundred local deities gathering at Dhalpur Maidan to pay respects to Lord Raghunath.

Mysuru and Kota are both strong choices for families. Mysuru offers accessible, well-organised viewing points for its royal procession, while Kota's Dussehra Mela has a lighter, carnival-like atmosphere with fairground rides, crafts, and food that tends to appeal to children.

For high-demand destinations like Mysuru, Kullu, and Delhi, aim to book flights and hotels at least two to three months ahead. Rates and availability tighten considerably in the final weeks before the festival, especially around the peak Vijayadashami weekend.

Absolutely, and in many destinations it's the better plan. In places like Ahmedabad and Kolkata, the days leading up to Dussehra, through Navratri and Durga Puja respectively, are often more visually and culturally rich than Vijayadashami itself, so arriving a few days early is worth it.