The Best Time to Visit the Great Wall

Written by Sally Guo Updated Apr. 6, 2021

You can visit the Great Wall any time of the year. But saying which time is the 'best' isn't easy. How much you enjoy your visit often depends on good plans. If your trip isn't well organized, even perfect weather and beautiful views might not make it great.

If you ask about weather and scenery, spring and autumn are often the best times to go. The weather is usually nice and warm then.

Visiting the Great Wall in Spring (March to May)

Spring is a great time to visit because the weather is usually pleasant. Plus, the big tourist crowds haven't shown up yet, so the Wall is more peaceful.

Weather: Generally, the climate starts to warm up from the end of March, with occasional chilly days. By April and May, there should be warm and comfortable weather that makes spring one of the most suitable seasons to visit the Great Wall, with an average daytime temperature of 11°–24°C (52°–75°F).

Scenery: Spring is full of vigor, as everything comes to life. Trees and plants turn green, while flowers come into full bloom. The Wall will thus be surrounded by abundant flora and fauna, presenting lively views to its visitors.

Travel Tips:

Better take a light jacket or sweater with you due to an obvious temperature gap between days and nights during this period.
Remember to avoid the first week of May, which is a popular time for Chinese people to go on holiday, so there will be more crowds on the Great Wall. You may also encounter troublesome traffic jams and higher-priced hotels in that week.

Visiting the Great Wall in Summer (June to August)

Summer brings hot weather and it's also the busiest time for travel. But with good planning, you can still have a fantastic trip to the Great Wall.

Weather: Temperatures in this season increase swiftly from June, and reach their peak in July and August, with an average temperature of 30°C (86°F). The Great Wall, however, is far away from the central city, and visitors will feel cooler as they ascend higher.

Alongside its sweltering temperatures, Beijing’s summer also brings most of the annual precipitation, due to the influence of the southeast humid monsoon winds.

Scenery: Under the bright sunshine, the wall looks like a glittering dragon winding up and down the hillsides, surrounded by lush forests and wildflowers. Visitors who climb to the top of the fortification will enjoy a splendid view, with cool breezes to caress their faces.

Travel Tips:

With the arrival of the summer holidays, a great number of domestic tourists make the Great Wall their target destination, so summer is a peak tourist season. Thus it is highly recommended that you make your bookings early.
Remember to bring an umbrella with you, to cope with frequent rainfall and ultraviolet radiation from the scorching sunshine.

Visiting the Great Wall in Autumn (September to November)

Considering the weather and views, autumn is the best time to visit. The climate is just right, not too hot or cold. It's also a popular time for travel. To avoid crowds, ask a local travel company to arrange the trip for you as they know the area well.

Weather: With average temperatures ranging from 8°C (46°F) to 18°C (64°F), autumn in Beijing is generally cool and dry, which makes this season the best time for travel. The weather, however, tends to be changeable, with occasional rainy days and sudden cold snaps.

Scenery: When autumn arrives, trees start to dress in colorful new clothes, and whole mountain ranges surrounding the wall are thus carpeted in red, gold, yellow, and brown.

It is a wonderful time of year for travelers to admire the magnificent feat of engineering, meandering across deserts, grasslands, plateaus, and mountains, below a blue sky and white clouds.

Travel Tips:

Try to a void the first week of October, when the National Day of China is celebrated.
Check the weather forecasts before your trip to see whether it will be misty (as it often is in this season), as this may affect your plans, especially plans to take photos.

Visiting the Great Wall in Winter (December to February)

Winter is the least crowded time at the Great Wall, and it's cheaper to travel then too. You can enjoy some peaceful moments on the Wall during this season.

Weather: Most days during Beijing’s winter are chilly and windy, with sudden cold snaps often hitting the city, lowering the temperatures to below freezing. There may be some snowfall.

Scenery: A layer of snow may cover the Great Wall and surrounding mountains, providing a spectacular snowy scene. With fewer tourists in this season, the panoramic view of this splendid giant dragon may feel exclusive to you.

Travel Tips:

Winter is an off-peak tourist season due to the chilly weather. However, remember to avoid the Chinese New Year period, about 15 days either in late January or February).
Bring clothes such as down coats, sweaters, gloves, thick pants, and warm shoes, to keep warm and avoid catching a cold.

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