10 Best Cold Weather Winter Destinations in China 2023

Harbin Ice and Snow Festival

Harbin Sun Island

China Snow Town around Harbin, the No.1 Snow Town in China

Yabuli Ski Resort Skiing Experience

When December comes of a year, Harbin will be a dreaming winter paradise. Its annual grand Ice & Snow Festival, which is one of the four greatest International Ice and Snow Festivals in the World, is really a big allure. A must-visit highlight is the mysterious human-created Harbin Ice and Snow World. Everything inside is made of ice blocks, including its castles, banks, towers, bridges, sculptures, walls, etc. And all of them are in colorful illuminated instead of only in toneless white. Imagine strolling around such an ice kingdom, isn’t it a magical experience to get close to the fairy tales? In addition to the ice works, Harbin Ice and Snow World also displays some vivid snow sculptures. However, all of them are in small or middle size. If you are looking for the most breathtaking snow works, look no further than the Sun Island next to Ice and Snow World. Hundreds of snow sculptures in big or small, including some award-winning works in international competitions, are exhibited there!

Besides the attractions in Harbin downtown, there is another wonderland named China Snow Town. This small town can fulfill all your fantasies about fairy-tale world. And if you happen to visit the town during New Year Festival, the grandest festival in China, you will get a unique celebration atmosphere!

Harbin also has China’s largest amount of ski resorts, among which Yabuli Ski Resort is the largest one in China! If you are skiing fans, you are highly suggested to enjoy thrilling rush there!

• Winter Weather in Harbin: Winter in Harbin usually starts in December and lasts to February of next year, with snow comes in November. January is the coldest month, with an average high temperature at -13 °C (8 °F) and an average low at -25 °C (-13 °F). Dress as warm as you can. Thermal underwear, sweater, fleece series, wool cap, down coat and water-proof snow boot are all necessary!
• Recommended Length to Visit: 3~5 days

• ❉ Tips for Harbin Winter Tour:
• 1. Wear brightly color clothing, especially when you are skiing. Others may cannot notice you if you dress in white, which may be cause possible collision.
• 2. Never travel alone, because it is really a dangerous thing if you get lost in such an extremely cold place.
• 3. Take standby battery or power bank with you.
• 5. Keep your camera, telephone and other electronic equipment warm in case of sudden shutdowns.
• 5. The flight, train and accommodation options, especially during the festival period, are limited. You are suggested to plan your Harbin tour as early as possible!

Beijing Great Wall in Winter

Beijing Hot Pot

Beijing Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Festival

Considering the beautiful snow scenery, cheerful festival atmosphere and discounts on entrance fee, winter is also a great time to visit Beijing. Plus Beijing is one of the best landing cities, many visitors still prefer to travel Beijing in winter!

You must have seen a lot of summer and autumn photos of the iconic Great Wall. However, can you imagine this landmark covered in white? Snow creates unique and spectacular view. All the steps and nearby ridges of mountains are all decorated in beautiful white snow, with only the wall left creeping into the distance. What is more appalling is the absence of crowds (apart from the Chinese New Year), which is rare happen during the rest seasons! You can even build a snowman on the Great Wall, without troubling any other visitors! Near Badaling Great Wall, there is also Badaling Ski Resort for visitors to enjoy fun of skiing!

Winter is also the season to celebrate some great festivals. At Longqing Gorge of Beijing, there will be an Ice Lantern Festival every winter. Similar to Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, Beijing Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Festival will display dizzying ice sculptures for visitors. Though the celebration venue is much smaller when compared with Harbin Ice & Snow World, it is still an interesting experience to get close to those vivid ice sculptures in dragon, ice castles, and temples there.

After the day travel, do not forget to treat yourself a Beijing Hot Pot meal. Different from the spicy-flavor hot pot in Sichuan and Chongqing, the hot pot in Beijing style cares more about the authentic flavor of the materials. All the food will boil in copper pot with charcoal burning under it instead of iron pan and gas.

• Winter Weather in Beijing: Winter in Beijing is long, dry and cold, with average temperatures of 5 °C/41°F in the highest and -5°C/23°F in the lowest from December to February. Wear thick clothes like down jackets, sweaters and gloves to keep warm. Beijing in Winter >>
• Recommended Length to Visit: 1~3 days

• ❉ Tips for Beijing Winter Tour:
• 1. You are suggested to wear anti-skid shoes for the road may be slippery.
• 2. During Chinese New Year Holidays, the scenic areas like Great Wall, Forbidden City and Summer Palace may be very busy.

Terracotta Warriors in Xian in Winter

Bronze Bamboo-joint-shaped Censer in Shaanxi History Museum

Xian Ancient City Wall in Winter

Being once a capital of 13 ancient China dynasties, Xian has long been a popular tourist destination for Chinese culture lovers, with massive brilliant historical ruins, museums and relics to be explored.

Though winter in Xian is cold, it is usually as pleasant as spring inside the rooms, because every household has connected the indoor heating system. In addition, Xian hosts more appealing indoor activities than outdoor ones, so you will have little worries about the weather spoiling your plans. This famous city is always busy with tourists from home and abroad. However, compared with the rest seasons, Xian is much less touristy in winter. And if you are not a big fan of having to rub shoulders with tourist hordes, why not visit Xian in winter?

Visiting Xian in winter, and then you will have more opportunities to stand at the top of queue to appreciate the ancient army of the first Emperor of China - Terracotta Warriors and Horses. And stroll some of the best museums in China, like Shaanxi History Museum, in peace without stretching your neck to have a glimpse of the relics. It will also be an amazing experience to enjoy biking at Xian Ancient City Wall covered with snow. When you feel hungry, you can treat yourself a bowl of warm dumpling soup at Muslim Quarter.

Winter is also the off season with discounts on entrance fee and the price of hotels. If you ever dreamed of staying right in the center of Xian close to the attractions or splurging on a luxury property, winter is the absolute perfect time to do so.

• Winter Weather in Xian: When it compared with cities like Harbin, Xian is far from that cold in winter. However, it is still cold. Temperatures at that time usually changes between -2°C and 7°C. And sometimes it may drops to -8°C and even -13°C. Even if you are going to have indoor activities like museums visiting only, you are suggested to keep warm and wear thick clothes such as down jackets, sweaters, gloves, because it is cold on your way to the museum. Xian in Winter >>
• Recommended Length to Visit: 1~2 days or so

• ❉ Tips for Xian Winter Tour:
• Most of the museums will be closed on Monday, so you are suggested to check your plan carefully.

Yellow Mountain in Winter

Huangshan Stone Monkey Glazing at the Sea in Winter

The winter cold never stops the steps of Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) lovers. On the contrary, part of visitors prefers the winter scenery with stunning snow. Four wonders of Huangshan, including strange pine trees, odd stones, sea of clouds and hot springs are all available in winter. Besides, due to the great temperature difference between layers in the atmosphere, winter create more opportunities to meet with Sea of Clouds and The Light of Buddha!

From every early December, snow begins to spread the Yellow Mountain Scenic Area. While all the pine trees have dressed in shining white rime, the bare and steep rocks never lose its yellow color. With mist flowing in the air, you will be rewarded with ever-changing marvelous scenery. It will be great if you capture the yellow hills from a natural viewing window surrounded by rimes. Once you climb up to upper regions of the mountain and standing higher than the clouds of sea, you will certainly be amazed by what you are appreciating and be grateful of stepping out your bed for such an amazing tour! And if you are attracted by The Light of Buddha in Huangshan Mountain very much, congratulations, you will have bigger chance to enjoy such natural magic in winter. After the hiking tour, never forget to relax yourself at the hot spring situated at the foot of Huangshan Mountain. It must be the best gift to free your tired legs. And if you have one more day in Huangshan, you are highly suggested to add the nearby Hongcun Village into your Huangshan tour. This 900-year-old ancient village is really a must to for Chinese rural village and architecture lovers. In 2000, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Winter Weather in Huangshan (Yellow Mountain): Winter with an average temperature ranging from -5℃ to 5℃ is the coldest season of Huangshan. With the altitude climbs, the weather is colder. Yellow Mountain in Winter >>
• Recommended Length to Visit: 2~4 days

• ❉ Tips for Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) Winter Tour:
• 1. For safety concern, some parts like West Sea Grand Canyon, Lotus Peak and Celestial Capital Peak will be closed in winter. However, there is still a lot to see and visit.
• 2. The cable cars on Huangshan Mountain will be closed to have annual inspection regularly, which often happen in December. The four cable cars will be closed in different period of that month, with at least one opened at a time for you to go up and down. However, it may still upset your plan, so you are suggested to do recheck carefully before your tour! Or, you can just contact us to create a Huangshan tour with the real-time information!

Mount Emei

Mount Emei in Winter

Different from winter hiking tours to visit Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) to seek for the natural mountain beauty only, a winter tour to Mount Emei is for marvelous natural scenery, adorable monkeys, skiing and also sacred Buddhist culture! It is really a winter paradise!

While hiking in Mount Emei in winter, surprises are always waiting ahead. It may be a group of lovely monkeys, an adorable squirrel, an elegant pavilion, or a sacred temple. You will hike under trees dressed in dazzling rime and snow and get greets from other visitors. Once you feel tired and want some breaks, you can also play snow fight with your friends.

In the middle of the Mount Emei near Leidongping, you can also find a ski resort to enjoy skiing and snowboarding. And once you reach the Golden Summit, there are two rows of giant golden elephant sculptures waiting for you, from where you are going to explore the profound Buddhist culture and pray for good luck. Sea of Clouds is also prepared. If you are lucky enough, you can even get a majestic view of Mount Gongga - the King of Mountains in Sichuan from a distance.

Soaking in hot springs is somewhat the best option after a snow mountain hiking, and Mount Emei is no exception! There are two hot springs at the foot of Mount Emei, including Hongzhu Hot Spring and Lingxiu Hot Spring. Hongzhu hot spring is a part of the Hongzhushan Hotel. If you want one night stay at the foot after hiking, and then it will be a good choice!

• Winter Weather in Mount Emei: Winter in Mount Emei is usually full of snow in its middle and upper regions. It is cold, humid and rich in mist. The average highest and lowest temperature in this season are about -10°C / 14°F and 7°C / 45°F. Normally, the top of the mountain is about 14℃ / 57°F colder than its foot. Snowfall usually starts from late November or early December to early March in Emei Mountain. Wear layers while hiking so that you can get off the coat when you feel hot and dress on it when cold. Mount Emei in Winter >>
• Recommended Length to Visit: 2~3 days

• ❉ Tips for Mount Emei Winter Tour:
• 1. Compared with hiking from the foot to the top, enjoy hiking from the middle to the top is more recommended in winter, because the winter scenery in the upper regions of Mount Emei is more beautiful.
• 2. The hiking trail of Mount Emei after snowfall is very slippery, so you are suggested to wear on-slip mountaineering shoes. And an alpenstock is also recommended, which can be easily found along the hiking trip.

Xiling Snow Mountain in Winter

Xiling Snow Mountain Ski Resort

A famous poem by Du Fu has described “Snow accumulated through thousands years on the west snow mountain could be viewed within a glance from my window. Ships from the Eastern-Wu State of miles away are anchoring at the dock outside the house”. This is the place called Xiling Snow Mountain, located 115 kilometers west of Chengdu City.

Xiling Snow Mountain begins to snow in middle December and the temperatures falls down to 0°C or below. The whole world turns into white - the trees, houses, stone, ground, etc. all covered with snow, like a fairytale world. Xiling Snow Mountain is regarded as the largest ski resort in south of China, providing more than 20 different kinds of activities in ski field. You can try skiing, zorb, snow cubing, snowmobiling, bounce-flying… Travelers can completely enjoy the excitement of ski sports.

After doing the fun activities on Xiling Snow Mountain, it is recommended to enjoy a hotpot when getting back to Chengdu. That’s the perfect way to spend a cold day in these places.

• Winter Weather in Xiling Snow Mountain: Winter is a little long for Xiling Snow Mountain with thick snow more than 60 centimeters, and the temperature is usually around -6°C in the daytime. Take umbrellas, rain capes being the best, all the way for the various change of weather. And wear comfortable shoes that are antiskid.
• Recommended Length to Visit: 1 or 2 days

• ❉ Tips for Xiling Snow Mountain Winter Tour:
• 1. Since the temperature in Xiling Snow Mountain is very low in winter, it is recommended to take enough clothes and a pair of gloves of flexibility to keep warm.
• 2. Keep your camera from cold and put it rapidly into the bag after photography.
• 3. Take water with yourself because there is no drinking water at the top mountain area.

Crystal-clear Haizi with the Decoration of Snow of Jiuzhai Valley

Jiuzhaigou Valley in Winter

With reputations like “the Most Beautiful Waterscape in China” and Word Natural Heritage Site, Jiuzhaigou is really a fairytale land. In Jiuzhaigou Valley, every lake, waterfall, temple, forest and even a tree has its beauty to tell. And its beauties are splendid throughout the year, even in the cold winter days. Winter is also the off season of Jiuzhaigou Valley, so it is less touristy. There is also almost 50% discount on the entrance fee, making it a great choice to visit Jiuzhaigou Valley in winter.

If you happen to visit Jiuzhaigou in winter, you will find that time seems stops there. The dropping waterfalls have all been frozen and hanging in the air. Trees stand quietly, with very little responds to the wind, and so for the lakes, temples and bridges. Only the floating mist and changing sunlight tell you that time is still passing and you are in a real world.

About 150 kilometers away from Jiuzhaigou Valley, there is another popular attraction named Huanglong Valley, which is mainly famous for incredible calcified scenery with colorful travertine lakes and ponds. If your time allows, you are highly suggested to extend your Jiuzhaigou tour to Huanglong for more natural wonders!

• Winter Weather in Jiuzhaigou Valley: Jiuzhaigou in Winter is overall cold and dry in Jiuzhaigou Valley. There is not much rainfall and you will have a big chance to see the snow scenery. The average highest temperature in this season is about 7.9℃, and the lowest is about -1.6℃. Jiuzhaigou has a large temperature difference in winter, so even if on sunny days and it looks not that cold, you need to dress warmly. Warm clothing is recommended, like thermal underwear, sweater, thick coat, and gloves. Wear a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sunshine reflected by the snow. Jiuzhaigou Valley in Winter >>
• Recommended Length to Visit: 2 days or so

• ❉ Tips for Jiuzhaigou Valley Winter Tour:
• 1. Jiuzhaigou Valley maybe close if there is extreme weather like heavy snows.
• 2. The food and snacks options inside the scenic area are very limited. You are suggested to pack some hot water and snacks with you in case you get thirsty and hungry on the road.

Wusong Island in Jilin

Wusong Island in Jilin

As one of the major members of Northeastern China which mostly famous for snow landscape and fun, Jilin never disappoints winter lovers. Skiing, snowboarding, hot springs socking are all available in Jilin. However, what makes Jilin stand out most is its natural beautiful Rime Scenery. Along with the Karst Landscapes in Guilin, Stone Forest in Yunnan Province and Three Gorges on the Yangtze River, Rime Scenery in Jilin is reputed as “China’s Top Four Natural Wonders” amongst which the Rime Scenery in Jilin is the most beautiful one in winter.

When fogs meet cold air, they change to ice crystals attached to tree branches and leaves, and thus forming magic Rime Scenery. When looking from a distance, those transparent ice crystals just like blooming pear flowers decorating the tree. The best place to admire the rime scenery is Wusong Island on Songhua River, where there is a mass of such flourishing trees with blooming rime flowers waiting for your exploration. Besides the great rime scenery, Jilin is also home to some best National Nature Reserves in China. Go further southeast from Jilin to the border of China and North Korea, there is also Changbai Mountain (Changbaishan), a dormant volcano with extremely beautiful natural landscape and great ski resort.

• Winter Weather in Jilin: The temperature in winter in Jilin usually changes between -30℃ and 2℃, with an average temperature for about -5℃ in the daytime and -17℃ in the night hours. Wear warm clothing like down jacket, scarf, wool hat and anti-slip snow boot. And bring a bottle of hot water with you.
• Recommended Length to Visit: 1 day or so

• ❉ Tips for Jilin Winter Tour:
• 1. The best time to enjoy the rime scenery at Wusong Island is in the winter morning from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. And you re also advised to get there early to appreciate the sun rise scenery!
• 2. Changbai Mountain Scenic Area is a little bit far from Jilin, which takes at least 5 hours by car. You are suggested to book a private car service in advance if you want to visit this hidden gem.

Yuanjiajie Scenic Area inside Wulingyun Scenic Area

Wulingyun Scenic Area

Gorgeous Yellow Dragon Cave

99 Avenue of Tianmen Mountain

Zhangjiajie is mostly famous for its Avatar style mountains in its Wulingyuan Scenic Area (Zhangjiajie National Park included), nowhere else on our planet! Visiting Zhangjiajie Avatar Mountains in summer or autumn with bright sunshine and broad view is, of course, an unbeatable experience. However, the mountain scenery in winter is also appealing. You will see the quartzite rock spires thrusting up from the fog below, with rime decorated the trees on the hill top. The flying snow dances in the air and then gentle kisses the hills, tress, hiking trails and your forehead. You just cannot believe you are in the real world instead of the Floating Pandora of the 3D movie Avatar.

In addition to the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, Zhangjiajie also welcomes visitors with gorgeous karst caves and magnificent human-made wonders like Glass Bridge and 99 winding turns. Riding a cable car to the top of Tianmen Mountain, you will find 99 turned Avenue winding to the distance, which just like a sleeping silver dragon lying there. In a sunny day, it will also be a breathtaking experience to enjoy walking on Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, the longest glass bridge hanging on 300 feet in the air. When there are heavy snows in winter and outdoor hiking seems unavailable, you can also turn your way to Yellow Dragon Cave to discover the secrets under the ground.

• Winter Weather in Zhangjiajie: It is normally cold and dry in winter in Zhangjiajie. The average temperature in winter is slightly higher than 0°C, which maybe higher in the day and lower in the night. And it will be colder in the mountains than in the city. The most likely time to see snow scenery in the mountains is from mid-January to late February. Antiskid hiking shoes, sunglasses and thick coats, sweaters and are all musts of visiting Zhangjiajie in winter. Zhangjiajie in Winter >>
• Recommended Length to Visit: 3~4 days or so

• ❉ Tips for Zhangjiajie Winter Tour:
• 1. 99 Bends sightseeing bus of Tianmen Mountain will be closed in winter. Visitors heading to explore Tianmen Mountain are required to ride cable cars for up and down.
• 2. Tianmen Cave may also be closed in some winter days with severe weather, so you are suggested to look weather report before getting there.

Red Rock Shoal at Hailuogou

Hailuogou Glacier Park

Hailuogou Glacier Park in the western Sichuan is the only glacier park in China. It is also the largest scaled and most beautiful glacier among those at the same latitude! Also, few places in the world can introduce such majestic ice glacier as Hailuogou Glacier Park. Glaciers there dramatically plunge more than 1,100 meters across a 1000-meter wide span! It is even more than 10 times larger than the famous Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou, China, which is the largest waterfall in Asia. Visitors are offered opportunities to ride a cable car moving slowly over the glaciers, with grand snow mountains in a distance as backdrop. Mount Gongga, the King of Sichuan Mountains, can be also well views there.

Besides the typical otherworldly glacier scenery, which is certainly a must-visit, Hailuogou Glacier Park also hosts cloud-kissing snow mountains, amazing red rocks, mysterious sea of clouds and enjoyable hot springs. Only one or two days are enough to take all these wonders into your pocket!

• Winter Weather in Hailuogou Glacier Park: Winter in Hailuogou Glacier Park is chilly, with an average temperature around 9°C, and in the coldest months of January and February, the temperature wound lower than 0°C. Sunglasses and thick coats, sweaters and antiskid hiking shoes are musts of visiting Hailuogou Glacier Park in winter.
• Recommended Length to Visit: 2 days or so

• ❉ Tips for Hailuogou Glacier Park Winter Tour:
• Please be aware that some visitors may get altitude sickness in Hailuogou Glacier Park, because it belongs to the high altitude localities, with an altitude about 1,940-3,600 meters above sea level. So, you need to sleep well, drink enough water, have enough fruits and vegetables, and keep a calm mood to release your body when visiting there.