When to go · Zhangye
Zhangye in January
Mixed month. Outside the best window (Apr–May, 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 (36°F)36°F (2°C) / −9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 2
- Crowds
- Medium
- China overall
- Prices
- Medium
- China overall
Verdict
Outside the best window (Apr–May, 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
- ZhangyeHighs around 2 °C (36 °F), lows around -9 °C (16 °F), rain on about 2 daysHighs around 36 °F (2 °C), lows around 16 °F (-9 °C), 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.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Zhangye, side by side.
Verdict
Jan: Mixed
Apr: Great (better)
Daytime high
Jan: 2 °C (36 °F)36 °F (2 °C)
Apr: 20 °C (68 °F)68 °F (20 °C)
Night low
Jan: -9 °C (16 °F)16 °F (-9 °C)
Apr: 5 °C (41 °F)41 °F (5 °C)
Rain days
Jan: 2 (better)
Apr: 5
Crowds
Jan: Medium
Apr: Medium
Prices
Jan: Medium
Apr: Medium
Festivals listed
Jan: 1
Apr: 0
January: Outside the best window (Apr–May, Sep–Oct). Across China: Cold and smoggy in the north, ice festival in Harbin; Spring Festival travel rush can start mid-month.
April: Inside Zhangye's best window: Apr–May, Sep–Oct.
Zhangye: 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