Discover the best time to visit Tibet
Impressive monasteries, vibrant lakes, world-famous mountains and friendly local people; Tibet is a destination like no other. Planning when to travel to Tibet totally depends on where you want to go. And though it’s possible to visit all-year-round, generally speaking, the best time to go is between May and October when the weather is warm to cool and there are better opportunities to photograph the breathtaking scenery. Although the rainy season technically falls in July and August, aside from the south east, it doesn’t usually rain very much so it shouldn’t interfere with your travels. In the winter it can snow quite heavily and some roads are prone to closure.
I visited Tibet in June and was amazed by how hot it was! All those jumpers stayed in the bottom of my bag until nightfall.
Jennifer
Tibet's Climate
- Weather
- Temperature (celsius)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lhasa & Surrounds | Showers | Showers | Sunny Intervals | Sunny Intervals | Sun | Sun | Sun | Sun | Sun | Sunny Intervals | Sunny Intervals | Showers |
| Mount Everest | Snow | Snow | Cloud | Cloud | Sunny Intervals | Sunny Intervals | Sunny Intervals | Sunny Intervals | Sunny Intervals | Cloud | Cloud | Snow |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lhasa & Surrounds | 7 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 12 | 8 |
| Mount Everest | -1 | -1 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
Lhasa and the Surrounding Areas
Most people will begin their trip in Lhasa which, due to its lower elevation, is an ideal place to acclimatise to the altitude. Here, it’s generally sunny and warm and wetter than other areas in Tibet. It’s suitable to visit Lhasa all-year-round. Bordered by mountains, both Shigatse and Gyantse have similar climates with mild summer temperatures and lashings of snow in the winter. The best time to visit these areas is between May and October.
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the highest mountain peak in the world so, as you might expect, it’s climate can be more extreme. However, in areas that are more popular with travellers, such as the Everest Base Camp, the weather is less severe and you can usually expect warm sunshine. The best time to visit this region is between April and October, when there is a better chance of seeing a clear view of the peak.
Combine Tibet with China and Nepal
Customers stories
Journey to the Himalayas | Maria’s Tibetan Adventure
25th March 2015 by Rickshaw Ramblers
Maria recently travelled to Tibet with Rickshaw and was kind enough to share her beautiful photos and insightful observations with us upon her return…enjoy!
3 min read
Read More - Journey to the Himalayas | Maria’s Tibetan Adventure