Best Time to Visit Tibet

Entering Tibet you feel as though you’ve entered an entirely different world. It offers fabulous monasteries, breathtaking high-altitude walks, stunning views of the world’s highest mountains and one of the most likeable cultures you will ever encounter. Tibet is on a high altitude plateau, with much of the land experiencing permafrost throughout the year. Tibet can be visited all year around and each season does show a distinct beauty due to its diverse topography and massive areas. So the best time to visit depends on what you want to do and see.

Best time to Enjoy Majestic Mt. Everest

Mt. Everest is Earth’s highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. It is also one of the most accessible big mountains in the world, bringing hundreds of climbers and thousands to its base camp in a typical season. If Mt. Everest is a highlight in your Tibet tour, please keep reading. Usually the best time to enjoy Mt. Everest is from January to mid/late February, from April to early June and from Mid September to November.

From January to mid/late February

It’s quite cold in Tibet from January to mid/late February. However, in the season, the sky is clear. So as long as you dress appropriately and you can view the majestic Mt. Everest. 

From April to Early June

From April to June, the temperature rises moderately and the weather turns to be much warmer. The days begin to lengthen, providing tourists with more light, while the nights tend to be less cold than in winter. It’s the best time for touring Everest Base Camp but also for the Mount climbing.

From Mid September to November

During this period, the Everest mountain peak is brought to light again. As visibility improves, a wide variety of trees and plants begin to turn yellow or red, making the EBC trail one of the most fascinating and colourful trails of all seasons.

For more information, please click Best Time to Travel to Everest Base Camp in Tibet.

Best time to Trek Mt. Kailash

The ultimate pilgrimage route in Tibet is 3-day Mt. Kailash kora. Traditionally, the best time to trek Mt. Kailash is June, Sept  and Oct when we can avoid the extreme snowfall and bad impact of monsoon rain. It’s usually sunny these months with beautiful mountain views. 

Another best time to visit is around April 15 in the Tibetan calendar. This is the time of Saga Dawa Festival, celebrating Sakyamuni Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death.

For more information, please click Best Time to Visit Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet.

Best Time to Experience the Local Culture

If you want to see the Tibetan nomads culture, the best time is from June to early September. April and Sep-Oct is the best time to experience Tibetan farming culture. Moreover, from Jan to Feb would be the perfect timing to experience the carnival atmosphere of Buddhist festivities and varied cultural events, such as Tibetan New Year, Butter Lamp Festival, Saga Dawa Festival, Shoton festival. Besides, Horse festivals are an important part of Tibetan culture. July and August are the best months to experience a Tibetan Horse Festival including Jyekundo (Yushu) Horse Festival, Lithang Horse Festival, Nagchu Festival, Machu Horse Festival, Gyantse Horse Festival, Nagqu horse-racing Festival, etc.

Best Time to Take Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Lhasa

Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the longest and highest railway built atop a plateau, is China’s first railroad to Tibet. It connects Xining of Qinghai Province to Lhasa of Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Taking Tibet train from Xining to Lhasa will be a real treat. The highlight of train ride comes from Golmud to Lhasa due to the picturesque Qinghai Lake, snow-capped Yuzhu peak, glittering Tuotuo River, vast Qiangtang prairie, etc. The best time to take Qinghai-Tibet railway to Lhasa is from July to the late Oct. 

Best time to Trek in Tibet

The suitable season to trek in Tibet is from late April to mid/late October, among which from early May to late June and from early September to late October are best. During these months, we can have good views of the mountains, along with good conditions for camping and trekking. It’s also acceptable to trek during the summer days. But the the rainy days will make the sky cloudy and obscure the mountains.