What Is the Best Time to Trek in Tibet?

In fact, there is no such best time for trekking in Tibet. It all depends on what kind of trek you want to do, like summer monsoon trek, winter snow trek, or autumn and spring trek. Every season of Tibet has its pros and cons. Spring and autumn might be the golden time for trekking because of its comfortable weather, but the afternoon clouds might lead to showers. Summer is the monsoon season, which brings rainy weather, muddy and slippery road, all of these might slow your pace of trekking. However, bad weather also helps you clear the trails of other trekkers and give you a good time to enjoy solitude in nature. Winter, undoubtedly, is the coldest season of the year. It is cold, windy, and snowy in winter, while some trekkers would prefer to explore the spectacular views in winter. Anyway, all seasons are possible for trekking in Tibet. Want to choose the best season for YOU? This guide can help you choose the best time of the year to trek in Tibet.

Best Time to Trek in Tibet

Part 1. Trek to Tibet in Autumn and Spring (Best Trekking Seasons)
Part 2. Trek in Tibet in Summer and Winter (Good Season)

Part 1. Trek to Tibet in Autumn and Spring (Best Trekking Seasons)

Spring (March – May) and Autumn are considered the best trekking seasons. There are a lot of pros of trekking in this time, but also are some cons. In the following text, we will specifically tell you what are the pros and cons of trekking in autumn and spring. By the way, we will also tell you weather conditions, and recommended trekking routes during this time.

1. Pros and Cons for Trekking in Autumn and Spring

Pros of Spring and Autumn Trek

• Moderate weather in Spring makes it available for trekking.
• Clear sky means less chance of flight cancellations. Also, clear sky makes it possible to see the peak of snow mountains.
• Allow you to see majestic mountains, vast plateau, a variety of plants and animals.
• Fewer tourists compared to Summer, which means more chances to enjoy solitude in nature.
• The autumn weather is dry and clear and neither is too scorching nor freezing, which is a perfect time for trekking.
• Autumn season displays vibrant colors of gaiety on the trails.

Cons of Spring and Autumn Trek

• Be aware that afternoon clouds that might lead to showers.
• Some places are still covered by snow in Spring. 
• In the early September, you will experience some afternoon rains. That will make your trek more difficult.
• You might feel very cold during morning, evening and night both in spring and autumn.
• In some high-altitude areas, snowfalls are common.

2. What’s the Weather Like in Tibet in Autumn and Spring

When spring comes, the weather gets warm, snows melt, trees spout, and flowers bloom. The weather in early Spring is still cold, with temperature close to freezing in many parts of Tibet. However, the temperature rises in the mid of Spring. From March to the end of May, the weather gets warm and sunny, which is really a good weather for trekking. Sometimes the daytime temperature can even reach to as high as 10 degree. However, the temperature at night drops to below freezing because of the large difference in temperature between day and night.

Spring of Tibet

Compared with Spring, the weather in autumn is cooler. The average daytime temperature in most parts of Tibet ranges from 8-10 degrees in September and 2-3 degrees in November. And December is normally dry, stable, and clear, but also cold, especially at higher elevations. Although the weather is cool, even cold, you can feel warm in the daytime while trekking because most parts of Tibet receive abundant sunlight. By mid-December trek might become treacherous and many teahouses might close, so you are not really recommended trekking during this time.

Autumn of Tibet

3. The Most Recommended Trekking Routes in Autumn and Spring

Almost all regions are comfortable to trek in Tibet in Spring and Autumn, and you can choose any one of them to trek 

15 days Tibet Mount Kailash Trekking plus Mt. Everest Base Camp >  
12 Days Tour for Everest Base Camp Trekking in Tibet >
10 Days Ganden to Samye Trekking Tour >
9 Days Turpu to Yampachen Trekking Tour >
18 Days Kangshung Face Mount Everest East Face Trek Tour >

Part 2. Trek in Tibet in Summer and Winter (Good Season)

Both Winter (December – February) and summer (June – August) have varying weather pattern that involve circumstances of torrential rain and thick mist and fog. And there are some benefits and losses for trekking to Tibet in summer and winter. Now, you can learn about the pros and cons by reading the following post. By the way, you can also learn about weather conditions and possible trekking routes we recommend in the next text.

1. Pros and Cons for Trekking in Summer and Winter

Pros of Summer and Winter Trek

• Summer: good weather
• Winter: cheaper price, fewer tourists, beautiful sceneries, more availability, faster permits with fewer problems. Continue read to know more good reasons of winter trek.

Cons of Summer and Winter Trek

• Summer: Rain that falls in summer leads to muddy and slippery roads, which are not good for trekking; Higher price for everything since summer is the high season for Tibet tour.
• Winter: Snow leads to problems with transportation; Trekking in cold weather makes you feel more fatigued and sorer.

2. What’s the Weather Like in Tibet in Summer and Winter

The summer from May through August is not a good time for trekking in Tibet. Heat and moisture that rise up from the Indian Ocean bringing hot temperatures, clouds, haze, and rain. Rain often falls from mid-July to the end of August. But thanks to the mountains that stand in the border of Sina-Nepal, they keep out the rain. As a result, there is very little rain in the west part of Tibet and most of rain falling in the southeast of Tibet. Nevertheless, most of the trekking routes are centered in the west part of Tibet like Mt. Everest and Mt. Kailash, so the rains might have less effect on your trek. 3-days Mt. Kailash trek is the most recommended trek in summer, since the temperature is relatively high compared to other three seasons.

Summer of Tibet

Winter in Tibet is not very cold as many travelers imagine. Although most parts of Tibet have a cold weather in winter, the rest parts might be warm and mild. In some western parts of Tibet, the weather is very cold. The further west you go, the colder and winder it becomes. In the eastern part of Tibet, the weather is mild with daytime temperature around 6-8 degree, which is higher than many northern cities of China. Considering weather conditions, we recommend you to trek in some eastern part of Tibet. The trek from Ganden Monastery to Samye Monastery in Shannan Prefecture is a good choice. This trek covers most of attractions in Tibet including the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, etc.

Winter of Tibet