When is the best time to visit Lhasa?
As the infrastructure and transportation in Tibet grow and thrive, more and more tourists from home and abroad travel to Tibet. Lhasa is billed as the city of sunshine and the center of Tibetan Buddhism. Then, when is the best time to visit Lhasa? Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, is the region with the most developed transportation in Tibet and the first stop for most tourists. Tourists are concerned about the weather in Lhasa, which is known as the “city of sunlight" , featuring long sunshine hours and a mild climate. There is no extreme heat in summer and no severe cold in winter. Lhasa boasts low precipitation. July, August and September are the rainy season of the city. But you can still enjoy your tour even in the rainy season, because most of the rain falls at night.
Visit Lhasa in Spring (March-May)
March to may is the spring in Lhasa, ice and snow melting and everything starting to grow again. You may find Lhasa in spring so quiet, but if you happen to encounter with Saga Dawa festival in April and May, you may find the city bustling. Generally speaking, March marks the beginning of the tourist season in Lhasa. But, the road to Namtso is closed due to heavy snow. Relatively fewer people visit Tibet in spring, so you don’t have to wait in long queue to visit the Potala palace. In addition, the peach blossoms are dotted in the countryside and the mountains in Nyingchi in spring. How about using your spare time to enjoy peach blossoms along the newly-built Lhasa-Nyingchi highway? Our travel strategy can help you get better experience in Nyingchi.
Visit Lhasa in Summer (June-September)
This period features the high season of tourism in Lhasa. Lhasa in summer boasts warm and mild climate, and high oxygen content. Hence, in this season, tourists are less possible to get high-altitude sickness. It constitutes the most beautiful natural scenery in the year. The whole city is lush and green, in stark contrast to the bleak winter. In summer, you can visit the Potala palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Temple and other Tibetan palaces and temples during the day to feel the intense and mysterious religious atmosphere. During the night, you can experience the unique Tibetan customs. The season rains more than any other seasons. But you can still enjoy your tour even in the rainy season, because most of the rain falls at night. If it happens to coincide with the Shoton festival in Lhasa on lunar July 1st (August in the western calendar), you can not only enjoy the Tibetan opera performance, but also have a chance to visit the Depung monastery.
Visit Lhasa in Autumn (October-November)
Lhasa in autumn is golden yellow, with golden leaves, golden roof and golden sunshine. Lhasa at this time are seeing many tourists off, being more peaceful and quite. There are fewer people to visit the temples. Therefore, tourists can have a chance to enjoying the holy land more privately. As the rainy season ends at the beginning of October, ginkgo leaves dot the city along the Lhasa river.
Visit Lhasa in Winter (September-February)
During the day, the weather is as warm as that of other seasons. But the nights are quite cold due to the great temperature difference. Therefore, as long as you stay inside the house in the nights, there would be no problems for you to tour there in winter. There is much quieter in the streets of Lhasa than other seasons, but with the same bright sunshine. But every Tibetan new year makes the streets bustling again. If you visit Tibet during this period, you can have a unique experience celebrating Tibetan new year with the local people.
There are more cultural landscapes in Lhasa, where boasts favorable climate all year round, but large day and night temperature difference. If your major purpose touring in Lhasa is to experience the city and enjoy life, you can choose to visit the city in October -March, as to stagger the high season and cost less. You do not have to worry for the limited Potala Palace tickets and train tickets. And you are more likely to feel the pure and real Tibet. April to August is a popular time for tourists to visit Tibet. Lhasa is crowded with tourists. This time is also a good time to meet new friends in Tibet and experience the more lively Lhasa. If you come for other magnificent natural landscapes in Tibet, you can consult the best time to visit Everest Base Camp, Nyingchi, and the sacred Mount Ali.
