Tibet weather & when to go: August
August overview
August is usually considered a good time of year to visit Tibet, but it’s worth remembering that this is the height of the rainy season, with precipitation of around 125mm over the course of the month. This can play merry havoc with travel, especially off the beaten track where there is a risk of flooding and landslides.
August's weather in detail
Many exciting festivals take place across Tibet during August, including the popular Shoton Festival, which involves operatic performances at the Norbulinka Festival, and locals presenting monks with bowls of homemade yoghurt to reward them for their penance during July. Sporting events are also commonplace at this time of year, with the Nagchu Horse Racing Festival being the most spectacular.
It’s pleasantly mild across Tibet in August, with temperatures ranging from 9°C to 22°C, although it gets much colder after the sun goes down. The Holy Lakes, always beautiful, are particularly attractive under August’s often moody skies, and on the occasional clear day you’ll still get a staggering view of Mount Everest.
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Our recommended journeys
Tibet may not be the easiest place in the world to reach but it is well worth the effort. Give us two weeks of your time and you’ll be rewarded with an unforgettable experience to an extraordinary, mystical region.
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Key Festivals & Religious Ceremonies
Shoton Festival
Literally, the ‘yoghurt festival’, when ravenous monks emerging from a long meditation period are rewarded with homemade yoghurt by locals, and a series of opera performances take place at the Norbulingka Palace.
Nagchu Horse Racing Festival
Tibet’s most spectacular festival takes place on the grasslands outside Nagchu, when daring riders assemble to race and perform amazing acrobatic feats, complimented by a host of other sporting and cultural activities.
Bathing Festival
Tibetans flock to the plateau’s pristine rivers and lakes for frigid outdoor baths, during a period when the water is considered to have especially beneficial health properties.