When to go · Shigatse
Shigatse in January
Mixed month. Outside the best window (May–Jun, Sep–Oct). Across China: Cold and smoggy in the north, ice festival in Harbin; Spring Festival travel rush can start mid-month.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Temperature
- −2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C) / −15°C (5°F)5°F (−15°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 2
- Crowds
- Medium
- China overall
- Prices
- Medium
- China overall
Verdict
Outside the best window (May–Jun, Sep–Oct). Across China: Cold and smoggy in the north, ice festival in Harbin; Spring Festival travel rush can start mid-month.
Is another month better than January?
January is rated mixed. These months rate higher:
Weather in January
- ShigatseHighs around -2 °C (28 °F), lows around -15 °C (5 °F), rain on about 2 daysHighs around 28 °F (-2 °C), lows around 5 °F (-15 °C), rain on about 2 days
- 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.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Shigatse, side by side.
Verdict
Jan: Mixed
May: Great (better)
Daytime high
Jan: -2 °C (28 °F)28 °F (-2 °C)
May: 16 °C (61 °F)61 °F (16 °C)
Night low
Jan: -15 °C (5 °F)5 °F (-15 °C)
May: 0 °C (32 °F)32 °F (0 °C)
Rain days
Jan: 2 (better)
May: 5
Crowds
Jan: Medium
May: High
Prices
Jan: Medium
May: High
Festivals listed
Jan: 1
May: 1
January: Outside the best window (May–Jun, Sep–Oct). Across China: Cold and smoggy in the north, ice festival in Harbin; Spring Festival travel rush can start mid-month.
May: Inside Shigatse's best window: May–Jun, Sep–Oct.
Shigatse: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket