January in Lijiang — reliably good (6th best month)
Good · 8.1/10January averages 5°C (40°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rain is a non-issue at 11 mm for the month, with about 30 sunny days and 10.7 hours of daylight to work with.
It scores 8.1/10 here, 6th of 12 months, against 9.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in.
If your dates are flexible, April is materially better in Lijiang — 1.5 points higher on the same scale.
February in Lijiang — reliably good (5th best month)
Good · 8.2/10February averages 6°C (42°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Expect 36 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 27 sunny days and 11.3 daylight hours.
It scores 8.2/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 9.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in.
March in Lijiang — the year's strongest window
Best window · 9.2/10March averages 11°C (52°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rain is a non-issue at 15 mm for the month, with about 30 sunny days and 12 hours of daylight to work with.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Lijiang at 9.2/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in.
April in Lijiang — the year's strongest window
Best window · 9.6/10April averages 13°C (56°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Expect 32 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 28 sunny days and 12.8 daylight hours.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Lijiang at 9.6/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening.
May in Lijiang — reliably good (7th best month)
Good · 7.8/10May averages 15°C (60°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
At 112 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 27 sunny days in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.
It scores 7.8/10 here, 7th of 12 months, against 9.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, April is materially better in Lijiang — 1.8 points higher on the same scale.
June in Lijiang — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.9/10June averages 17°C (62°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
279 mm of rain puts this in monsoon territory — about 25 sunny days across the whole month, and multi-day washouts are normal.
It scores 5.9/10 here, 9th of 12 months, against 9.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, April is materially better in Lijiang — 3.7 points higher on the same scale.
July in Lijiang — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.8/10July averages 17°C (63°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
320 mm of rain puts this in monsoon territory — about 25 sunny days across the whole month, and multi-day washouts are normal.
It scores 5.8/10 here, 11th of 12 months, against 9.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, April is materially better in Lijiang — 3.8 points higher on the same scale.
August in Lijiang — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 6/10August averages 17°C (62°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
220 mm of rain puts this in monsoon territory — about 27 sunny days across the whole month, and multi-day washouts are normal.
It scores 6/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 9.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, April is materially better in Lijiang — 3.6 points higher on the same scale.
September in Lijiang — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.7/10September averages 15°C (60°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
238 mm of rain puts this in monsoon territory — about 26 sunny days across the whole month, and multi-day washouts are normal.
It scores 5.7/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 9.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, April is materially better in Lijiang — 3.9 points higher on the same scale.
October in Lijiang — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.9/10October averages 12°C (54°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
At 148 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 27 sunny days in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.
It scores 5.9/10 here, 10th of 12 months, against 9.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, April is materially better in Lijiang — 3.7 points higher on the same scale.
November in Lijiang — reliably good (3rd best month)
Good · 8.3/10November averages 8°C (47°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Expect 40 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 28 sunny days and 10.8 daylight hours.
It scores 8.3/10 here, 3rd of 12 months, against 9.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in.
December in Lijiang — reliably good (4th best month)
Good · 8.3/10December averages 6°C (42°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rain is a non-issue at 12 mm for the month, with about 30 sunny days and 10.5 hours of daylight to work with.
It scores 8.3/10 here, 4th of 12 months, against 9.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Expect peak pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in.
