When to go · Lhasa
Lhasa in January
Avoid month. Listed as a month to avoid: Dec–Feb (cold, thin air), Jul–Aug (rain and peak domestic crowds).
Key facts
- Verdict
- Avoid
- Temperature
- 8°C46°F / −9°C16°F
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 1
- Crowds
- Medium
- China overall
- Prices
- Medium
- China overall
Verdict
Listed as a month to avoid: Dec–Feb (cold, thin air), Jul–Aug (rain and peak domestic crowds).
Weather in January
- LhasaHighs around 8 °C, lows around -9 °C, rain on about 1 dayHighs around 46 °F, lows around 16 °F, rain on about 1 day
- Tibetan plateau, China · Lhasa, Shigatse, western Sichuan, Qinghaicool
Altitude 3,000–5,000 m: strong sun, cold nights all year. Permits for Tibet often pause in March — check.
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