Packing for Tibet: Weather-Specific Clothing Tips

Tibet's climate and weather have a significant impact on what you will wear in Tibet trip. Proper attire will not only enhances comfort but also protect your body from altitude sickness. Before traveling to Tibet, choosing appropriate clothing are crucial to ensuring a pleasant journey.

Tibet's Main Climate and Weather Characteristics

Tibet has unique alpine climate with large temperature differences between day and night. Most areas have a daily temperature difference of more than 15°C. Due to the high altitude and thin air, the overall temperatures in Tibet are lower than those of other regions at the same latitude. Winter is cold, whereas summer is cool. What's more, Tibet is the place with the most solar radiation in China. The annual precipitation is highly concentrated in May to September, and high winds are mainly concentrated in the winter and spring seasons. To sum up, Tibet's climate changes quite a lot both within a day, and it is advisable that you should prepare suitable clothing according to different seasons.

Seasonal Clothing for Tibet Trip

What Clothing Should You Prepare for Tibet Trip in Spring (March to May)

In spring, the temperatures in various parts of Tibet gradually rise. Take Lhasa as an example, the average temperature in March is between 2°C~12°C, and by May, the average temperature can reach 7°C~18°C. There is less precipitation in March and April, and in May, with the strengthening of summer monsoon, the precipitation will increase. It is recommended to wear warm underwear. During the day, you can wear thin sweater, fleece hoodie, windproof jacket or knit sweater. During the night, you'd better wear padded coat and down jacket. You can wear denim pants or thick sports pants. If you worry about your legs getting cold, you can also wear a thin pair of thermal underwear underneath your pants. Choose comfortable and warm sports shoes and pair them with thick socks to keep your feet warm.

What Clothing Should You Prepare for Tibet Trip in Summer (June to August) 

At this time, Tibet is considered to be a summer resort. The average temperatures in most areas ranges between 15°C and 25°C. In the daytime, the sunshine is abundant, so you may only need to wear thin clothes like T-shirt and short-pants. Alternatively, long-sleeved shirts and long pants are recommended to protect against strong ultraviolet rays. However, you still need to add thick coats at night, otherwise you are easy to catch a cold. The roads may be slippery, because there's more wet weather in summer. Considering that, you are supposed to wear trekking or athletic shoes. For women, it's suitable to wear long skirts to walk by Lake Namtso and Lake Yamdrok.

What Clothing Should You Prepare for Tibet Trip in Autumn (September to November)

Virtually, what to wear in autumn is similar to what to wear in spring, as the weather difference is small between spring and autumn. You still need to beware that the temperature in Lhasa will drop to -2°C~10°C in November. That is to say, you need to prepare more warm clothes than in spring. The wind in autumn is relatively weaker than that in spring, but in some open plateau areas and mountain pass zones, there will still be a strong wind. Don't forget to protect yourself from the sun.

What Clothing Should You Prepare for Tibet Trip in Winter (December to January)

The temperature in Tibet is generally quite low in winter, and average temperature is -20°C~10°C. The average temperature in Lhasa in winter is about -7°C~9°C. Hence, multiple thin layers of clothing are needed. In addition to warm underwear, you should take thick sweater, thick cotton clothing and so on. Pants with windproof and waterproof functions are needed, and high boots are really useful in keeping your ankles warm.

Recommendations for Accessories

Hat: Bring a warm hat, such as a wool hat, which can not only keep you warm but also block ultraviolet rays to some extent.

Scarf: Prepare a scarf to protect your neck in the cold or windy weather.

Gloves: Wear lightweight and warm gloves.

Sunglasses and sunscreen: They can prevent your skin from strong sunshine.

Conclusion

I hope that by introducing the four seasons' outfits in Tibet, you can be well-prepared when you set foot on this mysterious land. Take advantage of Tibet's good weather's coming and book a Tibet trip right now!