Best Time to Visit Lanzhou

September to October is the best time to visit Lanzhou. The weather conditions are pleasant in the two months: mild temperatures and abundant sunny days with a daylight of 11 - 12 hours create a lot of opportunities for travelers to visit around. Charming scenes can be found anywhere. At White Pagoda Park and Five Springs Park, you can appreciate colorful autumn leaves. It’s also the season of fruit harvest. White melon, honeydew melon, and grapes taste so sweet thanks to the abundant sunshine and large day-night temperature difference. 
May to June serves as the second-best, when Lanzhou gets rid of frequent floating dust weather in early to mid-spring, and has not seen the high temperatures of summer. Other than visiting popular attractions, blooming tulips, roses, and peonies at Lanzhou Botanical Garden and along the Yellow River can be an extra reward for your Lanzhou trip. Besides, the water flow of the river is slow, offering opportunities for those who don’t like thrills to experience relatively peaceful sheepskin rafting.

Zhongshan Bridge with a Few Tourists in Low Season

Without frequent dust weather of early spring and low temperature of winter, Lanzhou welcomes its peak tour season from May to October. 

Other than mild climatic conditions and beautiful scenes in the two periods mentioned above, the cool evenings in Lanzhou from July to August attract numerous visitors every year to escape from the heat. Put it vividly, there is no need to use air conditioning when you return to the hotel after a day trip. What’s more, various nighttime activities, such as the light show by the Yellow River and cruise ship sightseeing, allow people to make the best of their time during the trip. Some night service spots like Zhengning Road Night Market open until midnight. The most famous scene in Lanzhou is the running Yellow River. It gets most spectacular during July to August, its rainy season. Companied with summer vacation, they contribute to a peak of family outings and student outings. 

Besides, entering autumn, many tourists set Lanzhou as the beginning of their colorful northwestern China trip to Zhangye, Dunhuang, and Xinjiang, when the total number of travelers remains high.

Spectacular Yellow River in High Water Season

The weather of Lanzhou is cold and dry from November to February in the next year. With blowing wind, the perceived temperature can be lower, especially along the Yellow River. Therefore, people who prefer a warm environment may not choose this city as the destination for their winter trip. Some facilities, such as cruise ships, are not in service, and many attractions also shorten their service times due to the short daylight and a few tourists. These greatly decrease people’s choices. Moreover, the Yellow River is not yellow in its low-water season, and there are not many other natural scenes that attract tourists. 

Although it turns warm entering March, floating dust weather frequently visits, mainly in April, and the climate gets much drier, preventing people in other cities from traveling to Lanzhou. 

Actually, you are not advised to choose the above period, if you plan to visit Lanzhou in 2025; if you have to, pack warm clothes and always wear a mask to protect your respiratory system.

Busy Night Market during Holidays

Numerous tourists flock to Lanzhou during the two major public holidays. Hot destinations like the Statue of Mother Yellow River, Waterwheel Garden, Bingling Temple, Zhangye Road Pedestrian Street, and Zhongshan Bridge are overcrowded with people, and you may need to queue up for 1 - 2 hours to visit. Some attractions may limit the number of tourists. For popular Gansu Provincial Museum, it’s difficult to get the entrance ticket on site. Besides, traffic congestion always occurs, taking up the time for sightseeing. Also, you need to spend more on accommodations and catering, as their prices can see a sharp increase. 
 Other than the same disadvantages of public holidays due to summer holiday, mid-July to mid-August sees a high temperature during the daytime and strong sunshine, especially at noon. Frequent showers come to bother in August. 

If you have to travel during this period in 2026, try to choose weekdays, and have a rest during the hottest time within a day. Or you can arrange some indoor attractions and escape from the heat at places with shade around noon.