Tibet Weather & Climate - When is the best time to Visit Tibet?
Tibet is the highest altitude region on earth and covers a massive land area, so depending on when and where travelers may find themselves, the weather can vary drastically. The Tibet weather and Tibetan climate is not as harsh as many people imagine it to be. Tibet's climate is favorable to travel from April to November and most ideal in August and September, so to get the Tibet weather and temperatures information is obviously useful for your travel to Tibet. To have the direct Tibet weather and climate references, please take a quick look at those Tibet travel photos taken under different regions of Tibet in different weather condition, additionally you are welcome to learn more about Tibet weather and temperatures in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December.
When is the best time to Visit Tibet?
When is the best time to visit Tibet? It is said the best time for traveling to Tibet is from Middle April to early October while the golden time is the summer time of June, July, August and September. However, you can visit Tibet all year around to explore different landscape beauties and different cultures.
The sun in Tibet is extremely strong. It's not for nothing that Lhasa is called the Sunlight City. Because of the thinness of the air, heat and sunlight are not retained, and the temperature can vary very quickly between extremes. However, it is still very possible to visit Tibet, with May, June and September being the primary tourist season in eastern Tibet.
Most annual rainfall in Tibet comes in the rainy season from June to September. During this time, it will usually rain at night in Lhasa, Shigatse and Chamdo areas. The rainfall may block roads and make travel difficult, but it is also one of the more beautiful seasons for sightseeing.
The General Climate in different regions of Tibet
Region-specific information: Lhasa - Shigatse - Lhatse - Tingri - Nyalan: The Friendship highway is in good condition year around. But from December to February, the thawed road could make some trouble. Try to avoid during August - landslides are frequent during the rainy season.
Mt. Everest Area: Early May and early October are the best times to visit Mt. Everest. Thanks to the clear weather, this period provides the best views of Mt. Everest. This area is best avoided in the period from December to February because of the extreme cold, except for the truly stout of heart.
Ali (Mt.Kailash): Even at the best of times this area is inhospitable. Heavy rain and snow only make things worse. However, for the determined tourist, the best times to visit are May, June, July, September and October.
Eastern Tibet: This area is to be avoided during July and August (the rainy season), as the roads will tend to get washed out, and there is potential for heavy landslides. Also, in winter, the roads will be frozen.
Northern Tibet: With an average altitude of 4,500m, this area offers only a very limited window of time for tourism. Summer (July to August) is the prime season to enjoy the great plains of northern Tibet.
Real time weather forecast in different places in Tibet
Places | Weather Report from Wunderground.com (Click on the image to get the weather forecast) |
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Lhasa | ![]() |
Garze | ![]() |
Nagqu | ![]() |
Nyingchi | ![]() |
Qamdo | ![]() |
Tingri | ![]() |
Xigaze | ![]() |
Here is an interesting report of Sun and Moon Information in Lhasa:
Temperatures, Altitude and Latitude of Different Places in Tibet
Places | Average Temperature | Altitude | North Latitude |
---|---|---|---|
Lhasa (la sa) | 7.4ºC (45.3ºF) | 3,658 m (12,001 ft) | 29°42′ |
Shigatse (ri ka ze) | 6.3ºC (43.3ºF) | 3,836 m (12,585 ft) | 29°13′ |
Nyingchi (lin zhi) | 8.6ºC (47.5ºF) | 3,000 m (9,842.5 ft) | 39°33′ |
Nagqu (na chu) | -1.9ºC (28.6ºF) | 4,507 m (14,787 ft) | 31°29′ |
Chamdo (chang du) | 7.6ºC (45.7ºF) | 3,204.7 m (10,514 ft) | 31°11′ |
Damxung (dang xiong) | 1.3ºC (34.3ºF) | 4,200 m (13,779.5 ft) | 30°29′ |
Tsedang (ze dang) | 8.3ºC (47ºF) | 3,500 m (11,483 ft) | 29°15′ |
Gyantse (jiang zhi) | 4.7ºC (40.5ºF) | 4,040 m (13,254.6 ft) | 28°55′ |
Tingri (ding ri) | 0.7ºC (33.3ºF) | 4,300 m (14,107.6 ft) | 28°38′ |
Pagri (pa li) | -0.1ºC (31.8ºF) | 4,300 m (14,107.6 ft) | 27°44′ |
Bome (bo mi) | 8.5ºC (47.3ºF) | 2,750 m (9,022 ft) | 29°52′ |
Zayu (cha yu) | -11.8ºC (10.8ºF) | 2,327.6 m (7,636.5 ft) | 28°39′ |
Amdo (an duo) | -3.0ºC (26.6ºF) | 4,800 m (1,5748 ft) | 32°21′ |