Visit Tibet in Autumn: September, October & November

In general, the best time to visit Tibet is the warmer half of the whole year, from May to October. Obviously, autumn is a nice season to go to Tibet. Why autumn is one of the best seasons to visit Tibet? Tibet in fall is cool, clear and dry. The autumn nights are not as cold as that in winter and early spring, but the temperature difference between day and night should not be ignored. The summer rainy season is over, so there won’t be much rain. The friendly weather conditions make autumn a great season for Tibet travel. Read on the rest of this article to get more details on autumn Tibet and how to plan a Tibet tour in fall.

Visit Tibet in Autumn

Part 1. Tibet Weather in Autumn 
Part 2. Main Festivals of Autumn in Tibet
Part 3. Advised Routes for Tibet Tour in Autumn
Part 4. Special Attentions for Tibet Tour in Autumn
Part 5. What to Pack for Tibet Tour in Autumn

Part 1. Tibet Weather in Autumn

Below comes the detailed weather conditions of Tibet  in autumn. Head to have a check.

September  is the start of autumn. There won’t be much rain as the rainy season. The weather is sunny and dry, and you don’t need to wear very warm clothing. Long sleeves are always necessary to protect your skin from sunburn  due to the strong radiation in Tibet.

Destination	Avg Max Temp(℃)	Avg Mini Temp(℃)	Avg Temp(℃)
Lhasa	13.3	7.3	19.4
Lake Yamdrok	10.7	-0.9	4.9
Lake Namtso	11.7	-0.4	5.6
Shigatse	18.5	5.7	12.1
EBC	15.3	2.9	9.1
Mt. Kailash	10.8	-0.8	5

In October , the weather starts to cool down, with average daytime temperature reaching 17 degrees and night temperature dropping to just 2 degrees. Only a few days of rain may occur and the days are almost sunny and bright. Pay attention to protect your face and skin from winds and sunburn.

Destination	Avg Max Temp(℃)	Avg Mini Temp(℃)	Avg Temp(℃)
Lhasa	16.2	1.1	8.6
Lake Yamdrok	7.2	-7.1	0
Lake Namtso	6.5	-7.1	-0.3
Shigatse	15.1	-1.2	6.9
EBC	10.7	-3.5	3.6
Mt. Kailash	5.9	-7.7	-0.9

In November , the temperatures drop much in most areas of Tibet. And the average temperature at the daytime is about 8 degrees. Days in Lhasa are still warm. There is almost no rainfall in November. It is so dry and sunny that the UV radiation is strong and you could get sunburned.

Destination	Avg Max Temp(℃)	Avg Mini Temp(℃)	Avg Temp(℃)
Lhasa	11.4	-5.3	3
Lake Yamdrok	3.3	-13.9	-5.3
Lake Namtso	1.4	-14.9	-6.8
Shigatse	10.3	-8.3	1
EBC	5.4	-11	-2.8
Mt. Kailash	0.6	-12.1	-5.8

Part 2. Main Festivals of Autumn in Tibet 

In autumn, there are some traditional festivals celebrated in Tibet. You can add them to your Tibet tour in autumn.

Festival	2019 Calendar Time	Region	Details
Bathing Festival	16 Sept	Lhasa	Tibetans bathe in the river, wash clothes, and play by the riverside.
Wangguo Festival	The end of Sept	TAR	Tibetan peasants celebrate the harvest.
Buddha's Descending Festival	19 Nov	TAR	Temples hold Buddhist activities to celebrate Buddha’s descending.

Note: TAR means all regions of Tibet.

Part 3. Advised Routes for Tibet Tour in Autumn

In addition to the above traditional festivals, there are also some recommended Tibet places to visit in autumn. Check the tour routes below.

Lhasa City Tour  

This 4 days tour for Lhasa holy landmarks  will take you to the most popular and famous attractions in Lhasa and around, including the Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, Backhor Street, Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery.

Visit Tibet in Autumn - Potala Palace

Lake Namtso

Namtso is another sacred lake in Tibet. At an altitude of about 4718 meters, Namtso is a lake next to heaven. Our 6 days sacred lake tour  will not only guide you to Namtso, but also guide you to visit all the holy cultural landmarks in Lhasa and around, such as the Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, Backhor Street, Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery.

Lake Yamdrok  

Yamdrok is one of the sacred lakes in Tibet. Yamdrok means turquoise in English due to its color, and in different seasons, the color varies slightly. In our 5 days Lake Yamdrok tour , you’ll have a chance to hike along the holy lake. The visit of holy cultural landmarks in Lhasa and around, such as Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, Backhor Street, Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery, are also included in this tour.

Tibet Tour in Autumn - Yamdrok Lake

Everest Base Camp Tour  

The 8 days Tibet-side Everest Base Camp tour  will take you from Lhasa, through Gyantse and Shigatse, to EBC, and finally go back to Lhasa. You can witness the fabulous Mount Everest. The sunset view is gorgeous when weather condition is good. Lake Yamdrok, Pelchor Monastery in Gyantse and Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse and all the Lhasa cultural attractions are included in this trip.

Tibet Tour in Autumn - Mount Everest North Face

Lhasa to Kathmandu Overland Tour  

Follow the 8 days Lhasa to Kathmandu overland tour  to firstly visit Lhasa cultural attractions such as Potala Place and Johkang Temple. Then go to Yamdrok to embrace the nature. Next visit the historic town of Gyantse and Shigatse. Pelchor Monastery, Tashilhunpo Monastery and Sakya Monastery are waiting for your arrival. And on the next day, go to the Tibet-side Everest Base Camp to watch the world’s highest mountain. Finally arrive at the Gyirong Port.

Mount Kailash Kora  

Mount Kailash, also called Kangrinboqe, is a holy mountain in Tibet and a mecca for pilgrims for centuries. This 15 days tour for Mount Kailash kora  requires you to finish a 52km pilgrimage route which completely encircles Mount Kailash. Besides that, this trip will guide you to Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, Barkhor Street, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Yamdrok, Pelkor Monastery, Tashilumpo Monastery, Sakya Monastery, Everest Base Camp, Lake Peikutso, and Lake Manasarovar.

Visit Tibet in Autumn - Mount Kailash

Part 4. Special Attentions for Tibet Tour in Autumn 

Some special attentions for Tibet tour in autumn are listed here for your reference.

• High altitude sickness  is a potential problem in Tibet. To prevent it, avoid too many physical activities on your arrival day of Lhasa. 
• Try not to shower while the first few days in Tibet, since this will put you at great risk of catching a cold. 
• If you get the altitude sickness, you could ask for help from the hotel. Usually, most hotels, especially hotels in mountainous areas offer extra oxygen to guest rooms. 
• If you get serious high altitude sickness, or a bad cold while travelling in Tibet, you could go to  hospital  for treatment as soon as possible. 

Part 5. What to Pack for Tibet Tour in Autumn

Check the following packing lists to know what you should prepare for your Tibet tour in autumn.

Required documents:

• Passport with Chinese visa is the basic document for international tourists to China.
• Tibet Travel Permit, also called Tibet Entry Permit, is a must-have  document for international tourists to visit Tibet.
• If you plan to go to Everest Base Camp, Mount Kailash and Kathmandu, Aliens Travel Permit and Tibet Border Pass are required.

Clothing and Medicine:  

• Pack some warm clothing, including a wide brimmed hat, wind and water proof jacket, long underwear, warm pants, shirts, warm socks as well as a pair of strong and well-fitting boots. Down jacket is necessary if you go to the high mountains.

• You can pack some medicine for high altitude sickness, for example, Diamox (Acetazolamide).

Skin protection:  

• Lip balm and suncream are necessary to protect your skin from sunburn.
• A good pair of sunglasses with a high UV filter is also important to protect your eyes.