Hi, sorry fairly bland question here, but has anyone been to Tibet and/or Nepal in December/January and able to shed some light on the weather situation at that time of year? I am keen to go there at that time, however am concerned it will be too cold. I would like to go trekking. How possible is this at that time of year? Also, I read somewhere buses may stop running in Tibet due to snow, is this true?

Basically, Im just wondering how viable it is to travel in Tibet and Nepal in December/January.

Id really appreciate any info or tips! Thanks heaps

Tibet is huge (greater Tibet covers almost 30% of the total area of China) so the weather is going to vary depending on where you go. In Zhangmu (ele. 2300m) it is going to be a lot warmer than Mado (ele. 4500m) which is 1350km north. The southern region of Tibet (Lhasa-Shigatse) is the warmest region of Tibet, while northern Kham, Amdo and Ngari are the coldest regions.

Most tourists to Tibet go only to the Friendship Highway area (Lhasa to the Nepal border). This region sees very little snowfall and the temperatures are milder than most of Tibet. It will still be cold, but not nearly as cold as some regions. It is rare for buses to not run or for 4WD's to not be able to drive due to snow in southern Tibet. Other areas of Tibet see snow often. The road to Golmud, Namtso and Jyekundo are often closed due to heavy snow.

Check out my website for more information of Tibet weather. I have an article that gives temperature ranges for winter and summer.

Life in Tibet

Thanks heaps for all the info! Ive checked out your website, its bloody awesome! Thanks again

Losang has given you some excellent info so I only have this to add.Having travelled from Nepal to Lhasa in Jan it is cold, but bearably so. It's a great time of year to be in the country as the tourist crowds are considerably smaller.

I agree with nushka, its a good time to go because the tourist crowds are very small and the treks are more serene. I did the Annapurna circuit Jan/02, it was beautiful with excellent weather, until later in the month it started to snow steadily at 3000m. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.