Tibet Tour in August

Compared with other months, the warm weather combined with some major festivals and horse racing on the northern plateau makes August is one of the most popular times to visit Tibet. Not only the warmer weather and milder climates is more comfortable for travel, also the natural scenery of lakes and and mountains are in their best state. Whenever and wherever you travel to Tibet in August, you could enjoy the beautiful scenery with warm sunshine. Although August belongs to rainy season in Tibet, it rains less than in July, and it usually rains in the late afternoon or evening, which doesn’t affect your tour in the daytime. Moreover, there are a lot of traditional Tibetan festivals this month, such as Shoton Festival, Nagchu Horse Racing Festival, Bathing Festival. In this article, we’ll give you some suggestions about Tibet weather, scenery and other tips in August.

Tibetan Region in August

Part 1: Tibet Weather in August

In August, it is extremely hot in other cities of China, while it’s very cool in Tibet, which makes the Tibet is one of the best summer resorts in China. The average temperature in Tibet rages from 9℃ to 25℃ this month. The further you travel away from Lhasa to the west or north of Tibet, the temperature becomes much lower. August is also the rainy season in Tibet, but it often rains at night. In addition, the temperature difference between day and night is very large, bring a coat and long johns for the high altitude and cold nights is necessary. If you travel to remote area such as Mt. Everest or Ngari, winter clothes like down jacket is a must.

Lhasa  - In August, the Lhasa weather is very warm, but it’s the wettest month of the year in Lhasa. With an average maximum temperature of 21℃ and average minimum temperature of 10℃, the weather during this month is very comfortable and pleasant, which is a great time for travelling to Tibet. Although the temperature is not very low during this month, temperature fluctuates greatly between day and night in Lhasa, so you’d better bring one warm jacket for the early morning or evening in case of cold weather.

Lhasa Weather in August
	Avg. Mini Temperature (℃)	Avg. Max Temperature (℃)	Avg. Rainfall(mm)
Lhasa	10	21	132

Shigatse  - The weather in August is very comfortable and suitable for travelling, it is one of the best month to travel to Tibet neither hot nor cold. You’ll view the marvelous scenery and have an unforgettable experience. Although the climate is very warm, you can not ignore the strong ultraviolet radiation, remember to bring sunglasses, sunscreen. And the August is rainy season, raincoat or water-proof clothing also need to be prepared in advance.

Shigatse Weather in August
	Avg. Mini Temperature (℃)	Avg. Max Temperature (℃)	Avg. Rainfall(mm)
Shigatse	9	20	146

EBC  - It is a main goal for some tourists to travel Tibet. Tourists can except not very cold in EBC during August, however, due to the wetter monsoon weather, it is too wet and cloudy to visit EBC and the clear summit of mountain for most of the month. If lucky enough, you’ll also view the clear mountain’s high peak. And bring one warm jacket is necessary if you plan to go to EBC, the evening and early morning of EBC is still very cold.

EBC Weather in August
	Avg. Mini Temperature (℃)	Avg. Max Temperature (℃)	Avg. Rainfall(mm)
EBC	5	22	240

Mt. Kailash  - August is a good time to visit Mt. Kailash, the weather is not very cold, it’s very suitable for tourists to trek around the kora. When you do trekking, please take care and prepare raincoat or rain gear because of the rainy season. Although the weather is warm in August, sometimes snow is still expectable on the way, especially on day two on two slopes of Dromala Pass, so it’s also very cold in the early morning and late afternoon. Also, the wind is strong and chilling,  especially on the mountain passes. Besides, do not forget the ultraviolet ray intensity here is also the highest. So, warm jacket is must-to-bring, and prepare one pair of good hiking shoes, hat, sunglasses, water cup, thin sleeping bag or blanket are also advised.

Mt. Kailash Weather in August
	Avg. Mini Temperature (℃)	Avg. Max Temperature (℃)	Avg. Rainfall(mm)
Mt. Kailash	6	23	190

Part 2: What to See & Do in Tibet in August

August is a nice season to travel to Tibet, the climate is much cooler than other Chinese cities, you’ll have a great chance to see the mountains and explore remote Tibet area. At the same time, some famous and traditional Tibetan festivals are celebrated in this month.

Lhasa

With comfortable climate and temperature, Lhasa is the top destination for most tourists. Here you will visit the symbol or landmark of Lhasa - Potala Palace, the center of Tibetan Buddhism - Johkang Temple, the busiest street in old Lhasa quarter - Barkor Street, the biggest Tibetan Buddhism College with the biggest number of monks in Tibet - Drepung Monastery, Gelugpa Monastery and the largest scale of sutra debating - Sera Monastery.

 
Potala Palace

Yamdrok Lake

Yamdrok Lake, one of three holy lakes in Tibet, it’s just about 110km away from Lhasa. It is also the largest freshwater lake at the south foot of the Himalayas with an area of about 638 square kilometers. The lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and is fed by numerous small streams. Visit Yamdrok Lake in August, the color is like a green gem.

 
Yamdrok Lake

Namtso Lake

Namtso Lake is a mountain lake at the border between Damxung County of Lhasa Prefecture, it’s also one of three holy lakes in Tibet. It is the second largest lake in Tibet and the third largest saltwater lake in China. Namtso Lake is recommend to visit during August, the weather is warm, with blue sky and white clouds, the surrounding plants comes alive, and herds of yaks are often seen grazing by the lake, tended by their herders.

 
Namtso Lake

EBC (Everest Base Camp)

Everest Base Camp is the main goal for many tourists to travel Tibet. The warm weather in August is suitable for tourists to go to EBC, not very cold like other months. But due to rainy season, there is no guarantee to see the clear summit of Mt. Everest, as there can be cloud cover in the peak summer months.

 
Everest Base Camp

Mt. Kailash

Mount Kailash is a peak in the Gangdise Mountains, which is part of the Himalayas in Tibet. The mountain lies near Lake Manasarowar and Lake Rakshastal in Tibet. It is known as the most sacred mountain in the world, and also attracts many pilgrims to trek around the mountain every year. It is a great time to travel to Mt. Kailash in August because of mild climate and high oxygen contents. Bring raincoat and warm clothes is still necessary.

 
Mt. Kailash

Shoton Festival

With a long history, Shoton Festival is one of the Tibetan traditional festivals. “Sho” means yogurt in Tibetan and “ton” means banquet. Shoton Festival literally means day of drinking yogurt. Afterwards, performance Tibet opera has become the main part of activities in the festival so it’s also famed as Tibetan Opera Festival. And Buddha paintings are exhibited at this time, it is also called “Buddha Exhibition Festival”. The Shoton Festival starts on the 30th day of the 6th month according to Tibetan calendar (usu. later half of August) and lasts one week. In Lhasa, the grand ritual of displaying a huge painting of Buddha takes place in Drepung Monastery, which marks the beginning of the festival. At this moment, the mulberry smoke arises from all directions, bugles resound and scripture reciting goes on. The large tangka then will be slowly opened up. People rush up to offer white hada. In no more than two hours, the tangka will be rolled up again and carried back, people will not see it until the next year. Next, people go to Norbulingka to watch Tibetan Opera and celebrate Shoton Festival.

 
Shoton Festival

Nagchu Horse Racing Festival

The Nagchu Horse Racing Festival is one of the biggest annual event in northern Tibet, which usually falls at the beginning of August, when Nagchu swells with up to 10,000 nomads and their tents from all over the Changtang. In addition to herdsmen and traders, many domestic and foreign travelers also come to enjoy the annual horse race. The horse racing can be seen every year, but a large one is held every two or three years. It will last several days, with the longest ones over ten days. During the activities of the jockey club, you can not only witness the bold and heroic knight demeanor of northern Tibet, but also enjoy the authentic folk atmosphere, and participate in various folk singing and dancing activities to experience the local cultural customs.

 
Nagchu Horse Racing Festival

Part 3: Tips for Visiting Tibet in August

Considering weather and climate, August is one of the best months to travel to Tibet. The scenery in August is very charming and attractive. Before entering Tibet, here we list some tips for you to prepare.

1. Passport and Chinese Visa are firstly important for you to travel anywhere in China. If you plan to go to Tibet, Tibet Permit is a must. Booking tour with us, and then we’ll be responsible for your permit application. Before you enter Tibet, we’ll send copy or original permit to you. Only with passport, Chinese visa and Tibet Permit, you can board plane or train to Tibet.
2. Most of Tibet is not very cold in August, you can just wear T-shirts and light pants for outside activities. Due to the rainy season and large temperature difference between day and night, you are suggested to bring a down jacket or warm coat, and prepare raincoat and waterproof for rainy day. To protect your eyes and skin from being hurt by the sunlight and ultraviolet ray, you’d better bring sunglasses, hat, sun cream, face mask, lipstick.