When to go · Dunhuang
Dunhuang in January
Avoid month. Listed as a month to avoid: Jul–Aug (desert heat, 35 °C+), Jan–mid-Mar (Yang Pass closed, cold).Avoid month. Listed as a month to avoid: Jul–Aug (desert heat, 95 °F+), Jan–mid-Mar (Yang Pass closed, cold).
Key facts
- Verdict
- Avoid
- Temperature
- −1°C30°F / −13°C9°F
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 2
- Crowds
- Medium
- China overall
- Prices
- Medium
- China overall
Verdict
Listed as a month to avoid: Jul–Aug (desert heat, 35 °C+), Jan–mid-Mar (Yang Pass closed, cold).Listed as a month to avoid: Jul–Aug (desert heat, 95 °F+), Jan–mid-Mar (Yang Pass closed, cold).
Weather in January
- DunhuangHighs around -1 °C, lows around -13 °C, rain on about 2 daysHighs around 30 °F, lows around 9 °F, rain on about 2 days
- Northwest and Silk Road, China · Xinjiang, Gansu (Dunhuang, Zhangye), Inner Mongoliacool
Desert and steppe: very hot summer days in Turpan, bitter winters; May–June and September–October work best.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) big impact
Spring Festival: about 5–11 Feb 2027 (New Year's Day 6 Feb; official dates set late in the year — check) · China
Chunyun travel rush for about 40 days around it; shops and small restaurants close for up to a week, trains and flights sell out, hotel prices jump. Big sights stay open with crowds.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · China overall
- Medium
- Prices · China overall
- Medium
China overall: Cold and smoggy in the north, ice festival in Harbin; Spring Festival travel rush can start mid-month.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket