The Tibet’s annual closure to foreign tourists every March since 2008, has come to an end in 2019. Tourists holding a foreign passport are now permitted to travel to Tibet in March. As the first month of spring, in a vivid revive, March of Tibet is ready to give spring gifts now. Whether you are traveling for culture or natural landscape, travel to Tibet in March is accessible and pleasant. The low season allows you to take your time to admire the architecture and study the religious stories in and around Lhasa. The nature beauty is in a warm bloom in Nyingchi, awaiting quietly as a lily of the valley.
The humid and warm climate in southeast of Tibet is the exception of the Tibetan Plateau climate. Distinct variation of climate features lies in both geographical locations and the vertical distribution. Therefore, to check weather condition of a specific city, for instance, a capital city of a prefecture, can give you a more precise idea of what the weather will be like in the region you’re traveling to. Compared with the other regions at the same latitude in China, the average temperature of Tibet in March can be 10℃ lower.
Latitude of Tibet: 26°50′-36°53′North.
Temperature Table:
| City and Month | Lhasa | Shigatse | Nyingchi | Nagqu | ||||
| High | Low | High | Low | High | Low | High | Low | |
| March | 12℃ | -3.2℃ | 11℃ | -5.4℃ | 13℃ | -0.1℃ | 3℃ | -14℃ |
| April | 15.7℃ | 0.9℃ | 15.5℃ | -0.7℃ | 16.5℃ | 3.2℃ | 9℃ | -7℃ |
| May | 19.7℃ | 5.1℃ | 19.5℃ | 3.4℃ | 18.8℃ | 6.8℃ | 11℃ | -3℃ |
Season features: it’s still a long way from rainy season, but in the depth of wind season.
Packing essentials: wind-proof coat against wind, layered clothing; Sunglasses, sunscreen, light-weight moisturizer, etc.
Unlike the peach species in the rest of China, peach trees in Nyingchi are mostly wild plants and some are already hundreds of years old. They have smaller petals and the inflorescences grow densely together, while most species of peach are with flowers scattered dispersedly in the tree branches. The south-north mountain range Hengduan cross over the landscape, making deep river valleys and open the gateway to the warm and humid Indian Current, which forms the most different climate from the rest of Tibet.
Recommended Peach Blossom Sightseeing Spots: Gala Village, Suosong Village, Zhibai Village, and Mainling County.
Nyingchi Mainling Airport (Airport code: LZY) is Located 50km south of Bayi Town, Nyingchi Prefecture. With the altitude of 2949m, it is the lowest airport among the five airports in Tibet. Currently there are only domestic flights into and out of Nyingchi, of which the departing cities are as follows: Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming in southwest China; and Shenzhen, Guangdong in east China.
Peach Blossom in Nyingchi
Mount Namcha Barwa, is in the boundary region between Mainling County and Muotuo County, in Nyingchi. At the altitude of 7782m, Mount Namcha Barwa is not the highest in Tibet. But the relative height between the summit and the foothill village Zhibai, is 4,800m, which is higher than that of Mount Everest 3,600m. As a consequence, Mount Namcha Barwa, is visually more majestic and spectacular. The warm and humid climate in this area adds greens to the image of Mount Namcha Barwa, and the running river in the valley softens the landscape. When it is March and April, the peach trees turn light pink with the blossoms. It was rated as the first of the top 10 most beautiful mountains in China in 2005, by China National Geographic.
Mount Namcha Barwa
Most of the year, the giant triangle summit of Mount Namcha Barwa, is veiled by lingering mists and clouds, rarely reveals itself. However, there are over 20 days clear in March with least rain and fog, resulting in a high rate of 95% to see the peak point of Mount Namcha Barwa, in comparison with the 40% in Summer months. The best lookout is in Suosong Village of Nyingchi, sitting at a cliff along the river shore, facing up to the peak directly. To have a cup of sweet tea in the warm daytime sunlight and appreciate the mountain view in a cozy seat of yard, until the sunset sheds the golden rays over the snow-capped mountain top, the splendor of dusk prefaces the vast starry night. It is just what a perfect day should be.
If you are a person who’d miss the green canopies in winter, the abundant evergreen forests in Nyingchi area may soothe your longing for the refreshing nature. After visiting Mount Namcha Barwa, and admiring the pretty peach blossoms, take a further short trip to Mount Shergyla and Lulang Forest Sea (Lulang Lin Hai) close by, would be able to consent your wish to get close touch with wilderness. The gently rolling mountain landscape with both broadleaf and conifer forests may remind you of parts of Europe. This forest region thus got a nickname of Little Switzerland. However, the vertical zonation of vegetation is diverse and rich due to the high altitude. Although most flowers bloom in May and June, especially the gorgeous azalea (rhododendron), March would have woken up the flowers growing in the forest-edge meadow. With rare rain chance, and warmer temperature, an expedition or easy trekking in this area would be pleasant. The mountain pass of Shergyla is above the famous Chinese National 318 Highway, a fantastic lookout to watch Mount. Namcha Barwa and Mount Tiba Kangri (6,846m) in a same image.
Shergyla Mountain Pass
In March, most areas in Tibet are still chilly and windy. The world’s highest peak Mount Everest and Tibet’s spiritual holy mountain Mount Kailash, and the sacred lake Namtso, are still not recommended to visit. Besides the reason of weather condition, the travel policy aimed at foreigners traveling Tibet in March is still not 100% guaranteed and may be subject to change, due to the sensitivity left over by the historical problems happening in this month.
Recommended Tibet tours in March:
5 Days Lhasa & Yamdrok Lake Tour
