Winter (December to February) is mostly a cost-effective and less-crowded time to explore China. China has multiple winter attractions/activities:
- Fun and well-equipped ski resorts
- Beautiful wintry scenic areas
- Huge winter festivals such as Harbin Ice and Snow Festival and the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), adding excitement to the cool-to-freezing winter.
In this guide, we'll provide you with tips on how to plan the best winter trip to China for you.
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The Top 6 China Winter Destinations
Below is a list of China's prime winter destinations, from snow-covered landscapes to splendid winter festivals and activities.
1. Beijing — the Great Wall, Skiing, Chinese New Year Celebrations
The Great Wall of China covered in snowIn Beijing's winter, you can enjoy climbing the Great Wall and viewing its mountainous winter landscape in peace without the crowds.
It is also a good time to see how Chinese people celebrate Chinese New Year. You can experience the festival atmosphere, enjoy interesting outdoor activities, and taste the best local food. See a 6-Day Beijing Chinese New Year Tour.
If you want to ski, we can take you to an Olympic Winter Games venue to enjoy the fun and world-class facilities. Read more on 6-Day Beijing Winter Tour with Skiing in a Winter Olympics Venue.
2. Harbin — Ice and Snow Festival, Skiing
If you want to see stunning snow scenery and have a fun/romantic Christmas or New Year with your children or your significant other, then don't miss the Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin.
The Ice and Snow Festival is undoubtedly Harbin's most famous attraction in winter. The festival will last for around 2 months from late December to February. During the festival, Harbin is changed into a world of ice sculptures.
Yabuli Ski Resort, not far from Harbin, is one of the best in China. If you especially like snow scenery, then you could go on an extended tour to Changbai Mountain, where you can see the beautiful rime and try rafting on a hot spring river.
3. Huangshan — Snowy Mountains, Hot Spring
Snow scenery in HuangshanThe Yellow Mountains (Huangshan) is one of the most famous mountain areas in China. Its snow-capped mountains and rime-covered trees are the perfect winter scene. If you love nature and photography, then Huangshan is a great destination for a winter trip.
A cozy hot spring experience could be a treat in winter, especially after climbing the mountain. There is a wonderful hot spring at the foot of the Yellow Mountains where you can get relaxed and refreshed.
4. Chengdu — Pandas, Hot Pot, Skiing
Bipenggou in winterYou shouldn't miss Chengdu if you love pandas. In winter, you can still see active pandas playing in their playground as they're not at all "afraid" of cold.
If you want to get closer to them and their habitat, we recommend our one-day panda volunteer program where you can clean the glass of their enclosures, watch them being fed, and make their food.
If you are a foodie, having a hot pot on a cold winter day is definitely a great experience.
Bipenggou National Park, a hidden winter resort near Chengdu, is recommended if you want to see snowy scenery, enjoy skiing, and soak in hot springs.
5. Xi'an — The Terracotta Warriors
The Terracotta WarriorsNo matter what the season, Xi'an is a must for first-time visitors to China. It is the ancient capital of China, where the first emperor of China established his capital. The famous Terracotta Warriors are his mausoleum.
You can also visit a cave-dwelling, a type of local residential house, to see how Xi'an cave-dwellers manage to stay warm in winter and cool in summer.
If you are lucky enough to get a snowy day, you will see a stunning Xi'an in snow, especially from the Old City Wall, which will take you back a thousand years to medieval China.
For More Ideas
Biking along the Erhai Lake in winter in Dali, YunnanChina is a vast country. Besides the destinations listed above, there are still many places to go. If you like mild weather or want a beach holiday, Yunnan or Sanya could be your choice.
If you want a more unique snow and festival experience, then you can visit northern Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia.
Our service is personalized. You can tell us your interests and requirements and we will make a tour plan for you. You can also refer to our suggested itineraries below. All our tours can be adjusted based on your needs. Just contact us.
What's the Weather Like in Winter in China
December to February is winter in China. Generally, January is the coldest month. If you want to enjoy snow scenery and snow activities, traveling in January and February is usually best.
If you want not-so-cold weather, then come in December. There are also fewer visitors in early December.
Winter in most parts of China is cold, but mostly sunny and drier. There are some differences between the North and the South.
North China is mostly close to 0°C (32°F) or below with snow. As a result, most of China's excellent natural ski resorts are in the north, like Beijing and Harbin.
The temperature in most parts of southern China is around 5–10°C (41-50°F) with a much lower chance of snow. Further south, Guilin and Guangdong often see mild weather around 15°C (59°F).
Southernmost Hainan Island is a good place to enjoy sunshine and beaches in winter. It is very warm and the temperature stays around 20°C (68°F) in winter. Yunnan, in southwest China, also has a warm winter climate in its tropical south, but it's mild to cold depending on the altitude further north.
Suggested Winter Itineraries
No matter what season you come to China, Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai are must-visit trios for first-timers. In addition to these cities, we also recommend some special winter cities for you in the itineraries below.
1. The (Winter) Itinerary for First-Timers
This is a classic China itinerary that you may want to refer to if it is your first time visiting China.
This 10‒11-day itinerary visits Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, and Shanghai. You would not only see top China attractions like the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, and the Bund but also visit Guilin, where you would see in southern China's relatively mild winter and could see and experience idyllic rural scenery and lifestyles.
If you happen to be visiting during Chinese New Year, we could also arrange celebration experiences for you, like going to a New Year Fair and watching folk art performances.
Here is the suggested itinerary:
- Days 1‒3: Beijing (the Great Wall with a night tour, the Forbidden City…)
- Days 4‒5: Xi'an (the Terracotta Warriors, a food tour…)
- Days 6‒8: Guilin (a river cruise, countryside life experience, ethnic minority culture)
- Days 9‒11: Shanghai (the Bund, free time to explore)
If you want to ski, you could stay in Beijing for one or two more days, and we would arrange a great ski resort for you. Just contact us.
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Albee Ning Surreal China Trip
Albee Ning with China Highlights never fails to create the perfect vacation!!! She listens and understands what interests us and provides a guided tour that is surreal. We will remember and share the marvellous memories of this experience for the rest of our lives!! Thanks for everything Albee!!! (Including our dinner together by the elephant in Guilin!!) more
Oct 2024, Mike and Lucy
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Well organised and interesting
Tom was very helpful and knowledgeable. The walk along the Wall was well planned and really enjoyable. The visit to the Summer Palace and Forbidden City were memorable with excellent guiding more
Oct 2024, Robin
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Tour of Beijing
Tom from China tours guided us for a hike on the Jiansanling section of The Great Wall and then a one day tour of Beijing including Forbidden City Tiananmen Square and the Summer Palace. He was very friendly and accommodating from the begin. He answered all of our questions about Chinese history and culture and gave great explanations of the history of all the monuments we visited. The restaurants he chose and dishes he recommended were very tasty on both days. I would recommend him very highly to anyone looking for an English language tour in Beijing and particularly for people interested in history. more
Oct 2024, Sam M
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2. If You Prefer Snow Festivals and Activities
This itinerary is very suitable for those who are fond of snow scenery and want to attend a splendid snow festival.
Simply add Harbin into the itinerary with Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai. Harbin's Ice and Snow Festival is definitely the grandest winter festival for travelers anywhere — a great place to celebrate Christmas and New Year.
You could also have a close encounter with many endangered Siberian tigers and enjoy a fun skiing vacation.
It would take about 13‒14 days. Here is the itinerary:
- Days 1‒3: Beijing (the Great Wall with a night tour, the Forbidden City…)
- Days 4‒8: Harbin (Ice and Snow Festival, Siberian tigers, ski…)
- Days 9‒11: Xi'an (the Terracotta Warrior, food tour…)
- Days 12‒14: Shanghai (the Bund, free time for exploration)
All our tours are customized. Our travel consultants would create your trip based on your needs, interests, group size, and travel time. Just contact us.
3. A Winter China Tour with Pandas
If you want to see pandas, then this itinerary is suitable for you.
Besides Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an, Chengdu is added, the hometown of pandas. You can take part in a volunteer program to take care of pandas, clean their bedrooms, make their food, and watch them be fed.
In Chengdu, you can also experience Chinese food culture in a group of people sitting around a hot pot — a lively and warm activity.
If you want to ski or enjoy hot springs, Bipenggou, near Chengdu, is a great choice with natural ski resorts and spectacular snow scenes.
- Days 1‒5: Beijing sightseeing with tai chi classes and a hutong family visit
- Days 6‒7: Xi'an sightseeing with hands-on experiences like making clay warriors and making dumplings
- Days 8‒10: Chengdu with a panda volunteer program and a food tour (if you want to ski at Bipenggou, you would need two more days. Just contact us.)
- Days 11‒13: Shanghai sightseeing with a Disneyland day
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This is an exceptional travel firm
Evan,our fantastic guide, listed below, who were not only knowledgeable, but also warm and welcoming, sharing many interesting insights about life in China: more
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Chengdu Adventure
Our experience was enormously enhanced by our guide, Fifi. Her enthusiasm, passion, and knowledge about the Pandas made the whole experience complete! We definitely enjoyed Chengdu’s food and nightlife. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the Wenshu Monastery with Fifi providing detailed information and history that I found mind inspiring. You know, I had been to many monasteries before…but this was fascinating. We also had fun at the markets! LOL more
Oct 2024, Jeffery
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8D/6N Chengdu/Jiuzhaigou
Special mention to the agility of our bilingual guide Helen of Chengdu City.We just bade farewell to Helen, and have now reached sunny Songpan via high speed train. more
Oct 2024, Maggie
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4. If You're Looking for a Unique Winter Experience
Here are some itinerary ideas for if you're seeking off-the-beaten-path destinations, unique winter scenery, and experiences, or a warm winter holiday:
- 6-Day Hulunbuir Winter Tour with Reindeer Experience
- 8-Day North Xinjiang Tour with Kanas
- 7-Day Kunming, Dali, and Lijiang Winter Tour
- 5-Day Sanya Tour with the Best Beach
Costs for a Winter Trip to China
Winter is a relatively cost-effective time to travel, except for holiday times like around Christmas and New Year, and Chinese New Year. During these holidays, the prices of air tickets and hotels will increase greatly.
For a private tour, the average cost per day is about US$220–350 per person, including flights/trains within China, 4- or 5-star hotels, lunches, attractions, guides, and private transport. Kids under 10 get 30 to 50 percent off.
If you are planning a trip to China, please book it at least 3 to 6 months in advance. We offer a free cancellation policy: you'll receive a 100% refund of any payments made to China Highlights if you cancel up to three weeks before departure. (See more details.)
Crowding on a Winter Trip to China
Winter is the off-season for tourism when crowding is generally not an issue in China. However, there are a few holidays in winter in China, when there are crowds of Chinese tourists at attractions.
Christmas is not an official holiday in China, so there are not many tourists in December. There will be crowds during the New Year's Day holiday on January 1–3.
Chinese New Year falls in late January or early-to-mid-February. Train stations and airports see huge increases in traffic for weeks before and after. But there are usually not many tourists at scenic spots, because most Chinese people get together at home during this holiday.
Tour China with Us
Our private tours are designed to be the most convenient and fulfilling option for your trip to China. We would create an itinerary according to your flight times, interests, and any other requirements. Just contact us.
- 8-Day Beijing – Xi'an – Shanghai Highlights Tour
- 11-Day Beijing – Xi'an – Guilin/Yangshuo – Shanghai Tour
- 2-Week Beijing – Xi'an – Chengdu – Yangtze Cruise – Shanghai Tour
- 2-Week Beijing – Xi'an – Zhangjiajie – Guilin/Yangshuo – Shanghai Tour