Shannan Weather in January

The average temperature in Shannan in December is -6 °C ~ 15 °C. The temperature in Shannan in January is not much different from that in Lhasa. The morning and evening are relatively cold. It is recommended to reduce the activities during this period. You are suggested to have less activities at this time. The warm sunshine makes Lhasa and Shanan the best choices for winter tours in Tibet. You can perform Kora devoutly in the streets of Shigatse with the local Tibetans, bask in the sun or chat with some local Tibetans. This is the typical life of the local Tibetan people and the most leisure way to travel in Tibet.

Shannan temperature in January over the years

Dress code in January

Daytime average temperature: -6°C, warm clothes such as windbreakers, sweaters, wool suits, outdoor jackets, etc. are recommended.

Nighttime average temperature: -15°C, winter clothes such as winter coats, leather jackets, down jackets, leather jackets, hats, gloves, etc. are recommended.

Shannan Travel Guide in January:

There are not many tourists in Shannan in January. It’s the off season and it snows quite often. Shannan after snow is another beauty. If you are traveling to Shannan at this time, you can choose to visit the famous spots such as the Samye Temple and the Tomb of the Tibetan King. You can also choose some places that the niche likes, such as the Qingpu Mountain -- the holy place of the ascetic, where there are many stone statues. The shape of the statues is simple, elegant and different. It is said that these statues are naturally emerged from the stone, which is called “Ran Jiong”, which means the natural stones. In addition to the weeds and the rocky hills, there are also caves of different sizes on the hills. The history of Qingpu Mountain is closely related to these caves. The Qingpu Mountain and the Samye Monastery share their fame as a whole, so the Tibetans always say that a trip to the Samye Monastery without visiting Qingpu is not complete. Qingpu is surrounded by mountains on three sides. The mountains on both sides like two giant hands are holding Qingpu, and the south is open to the wide valley of the Yarlung Zangbo River. Because it is deep in the depths of the mountains with dense vegetation and running creeks, the Qingpu mountain is neither cold in winter nor hot in summer with a mild climate throughout the year. Standing in the mountains, surrounded by birds, flowers, and beautiful sceneries, looking at the rivers in the distance of a few kilometers away, the huge golden sandbars on the riverside are clearly distinguishable. It is a place with good scenery and climate. It is probably why a lot of senior monks, extrodinary and ordinary came here to cultivate their morality.

Notes on Shannan travel in January

The winter climate in Shannan is especially dry. It’s more dry than other places in China. In winter, it is necessary to do skin moisturizing work. It is recommended to bring lip balm, hand cream, emollient oil, face cream and other skin care products. It is recommended to drink more water and eat more fruits in Shannan. When you come to Shannan in winter, you don't need to take a bath every day like in the mainland. Bathing every day is not only easy to catch a cold, but also the skin gets more dry after showering. Therefore, it is recommended to apply moisturizers and other moisturizing products after a shower. In fact, even if you don’t take a shower in Shannan for a few days, you will still feel dry.

The sunshine in Tibet in winter is bright and sunny of strong radiation, so you are strongly suggested to bring sunscreen, visor or other sun protection products before entering Tibet to enjoy the warm sunshine of Tibet without getting sunburnt. Since it feels cold in Tibet，although it’s sunny, it is more easily to have the Altitude sickness. In fact, no matter when you enter Tibet, anti-altitude sickness work is always needed. You can take Rhodiola a couple of weeks before entering Tibet and bring some anti-altitude sickness with you when you go. Rhodiola is mainly to prevent the altitude sickness, while Gaoyuan An (a medicine) is mainly to treat altitude sickness.

The best time to travel to Shannan in general:

The transportation in Shannan is convenient and it’s of a mild climate all year round with a warm winter and a cool summer. Therefore, it’s a good resort for tourists to travel in this area almost throughout the year. If you like the cultural views, you can travel in July of each year to see the prestigious “Shannan Yalong Cultural Festival” on July 25th. You can see a varity of Shannan songs and dances performed by people in local constumes. The Shannan area is located in the interior of the Yarlung Zangbo River area. It’s an area of fertile soil and many talented people. The natural scenery is beautiful, but compared with the landscapes of other parts of Tibet, the landscape with both the characteristics of the plateau and the exotic magnificent view which is barely seen in other areas in Tibet. The Shannan area has four distinct seasons, and its altitude is similar to that of Lhasa, with an average of 3,500 meters. The annual average temperature in Shannan is around 8 degrees Celsius, with the highest temperature in June to August of only 20 degrees Celsiu and the coldest two months in December and January of an extreme minimum temperature is below minus 10 degrees Celsius. The best time to travel to Shannan is from May to October.