What's on in Shangri-La (Zhongdian), China through the year

Busy — Winter break (around Chinese New Year) in China, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: The mountain shows itself (15 Oct – 15 Apr (usually)), Black-necked cranes at Napahai (1 Nov – 10 Mar (usually))

Busy — Winter break (around Chinese New Year) in China

• Festival

  Losar, Tibetan New Year

  1 Feb – 15 Mar · usuallyLunar New YearClosures

  The Tibetan new year at Songzanlin monastery, with masked cham dancing in the courtyards. It usually falls within a few days of the Chinese one, but not always — check the year you are going. Source ↗

Still on: The mountain shows itself (15 Oct – 15 Apr (usually)), Black-necked cranes at Napahai (1 Nov – 10 Mar (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Losar, Tibetan New Year (1 Feb – 15 Mar (usually)), The mountain shows itself (15 Oct – 15 Apr (usually)), Black-necked cranes at Napahai (1 Nov – 10 Mar (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: The mountain shows itself (15 Oct – 15 Apr (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in May.

Busy — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Season

  Rainy season

  15 Jun – 20 Sep · usuallyMonsoonRisk

  The wet months are when the mountain roads fail. Landslides on the run north to Deqin and the Yubeng trailhead are routine, and a closure can cost you two days rather than an afternoon.

Busy — Summer break in China, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Season

  Matsutake season

  1 Jul – 15 Sep · usuallyForaging season

  These forests supply most of China's matsutake and a lot of Japan's. The wet months are the whole harvest, the markets in town run on it, and the price halves the further you get from the airport.

Still on: Rainy season (15 Jun – 20 Sep (usually))

Busy — Summer break in China, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Rainy season (15 Jun – 20 Sep (usually)), Matsutake season (1 Jul – 15 Sep (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Rainy season (15 Jun – 20 Sep (usually)), Matsutake season (1 Jul – 15 Sep (usually))

Peak crowds — National Day Golden Week, National Day Golden Week in China

• Holiday

  National Day Golden Week

  1–7 OctCrowdedBook early

  The best week of the mountain year is also the one every domestic tour books. The old town is full, the Deqin road is a queue, and the Yubeng permit quota goes early. Source ↗

• Season

  The mountain shows itself

  15 Oct – 15 Apr · usuallyDry seasonRisk

  The dry months are when Meili actually appears at dawn from the Feilai viewpoint up the road. The trade is cold nights at this altitude and ice on the passes on the way there.

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

• Nature

  Black-necked cranes at Napahai

  1 Nov – 10 Mar · usuallyBirdlife season

  The seasonal lake north of town drains to grassland in winter and fills with black-necked cranes and bar-headed geese. They are gone by mid-March, when the water comes back. Source ↗

Still on: The mountain shows itself (15 Oct – 15 Apr (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: The mountain shows itself (15 Oct – 15 Apr (usually)), Black-necked cranes at Napahai (1 Nov – 10 Mar (usually))