Compared to most places in China, Yunnan is warmer in winter and cooler in summer. In general, October to April is the best time to travel to Yunnan.
However, the best time for you to visit Yunnan depends on your interests and what you hope to experience. Check out our best times advice and see which one suits you most.
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The Best Times to Visit Yunnan for Good Weather
Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Yunnan for good weather.
Spring (March to May) enjoys pleasant weather, especially if you prefer milder temperatures and enjoy witnessing the region's natural beauty in bloom. Daytime temperatures typically range from 15 to 25°C (59–77°F).
During the autumn months, from September to November, you can expect pleasant and comfortable weather with clear skies. It is also the best season for outdoor activities. Daytime temperatures are about the same as temperatures in spring.
China Highlights, Asia Highlights, and Global Highlights collaborate to provide families and couples with personalized and stress-free experiences in diverse destinations.
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A memorable experience, excellent China Highlights and Dali tour!
The China Highlights and tour of Dali was absolutely wonderful. The tour guide Daisy was so nice, knowledgeable and provided an excellent, memorable experience of Old Town Dali, Erhai Lake, the Three Pagodas and so much more. I have been on many tours and this one was the best, exactly what we were looking for, including the pace, the food, the attention to details, care and professionalism. Everything was positively great! more
Jan 2024,
AW D
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Excellent China Tours ~ with Dali Highlights, highly recommended.
Our family tour with China Travel was absolutely wonderful. The China highlights of Dali was planned with the great care and help from Vanessa, and the actual tour guide, Daisy, who was knowledgeable, flexible, helpful, and provided an excellent, memorable experience for my family. We toured several locations and I especially liked the pace of Old Town Dali, the scenic view of Erhai Lake, and the history of the Three Pagodas, and so much more. I have been on many tours and this one was the best, exactly what we were looking for, including the pace, the food, the attention to details, care and professionalism. Everything was positively great! Highly more
Jan 2024,
Alanna D
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Our Experience in Dali with Daisy!
My mother and I greatly enjoyed our trip to Dali. Our tour guide was Daisy and she did a wonderful job taking us on an adventure around to everywhere we wanted to go. We even went to some under appreciated areas that we had been interested in! We visited a bit after my mother's birthday and Daisy was kind enough to give my mother a gift! more
Jan 2024,
Sam
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My China Travel tour/Highlights and tour guide: Highly recommended!
Our family tour with China Travel was absolutely wonderful. The China highlights of Dali was planned with the great care and help from Vanessa, and the actual tour guide, Daisy, who was knowledgeable, flexible, helpful, and provided an excellent, memorable experience for my family. more
Jan 2024,
AWD
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Yunnan Adventure
Our tour guides Doyle Cheng (Kunming), Daisy Shi (Dali), Martin (Lijiang) were knowledgeable about the local culture and folklore regaling us with many stories, history mixed with witty remarks and jokes.They made us feel safe, comfortable during the many trips feeding us with local snacks, sweets, pastries, fruits. Our shopping list were all taken care off with their well recommended shops and even bargain hunting.They were sensitive and alert to our toilet breaks, flexible to last minute changes and recommended good dinner restaurants.Big thank you to Martin for your extra attention given to our children when they werent feeling well. more
Jan 2024,
Kathleen Chew Gaik Suan
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Great Dali experience with Daisy
Our tour guide Daisy, in Dali, was great. She was caring, thoughtful and accomodating to our requests. Thanks for making our trip memorable. more
Jan 2024,
Susi
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Great first trip to Yunnan
Dali - our guide Alice gave us a comprehensive insight into Dali, its lifestyle and people and she shared with us many many stories about her hometown too. We told her we wanted to buy some Pu'er tea to bring back home and she brought us to a place where we ended up staying 2 hours studying and savouring different kinds of tea. Our hotel was in a great spot and it is in a heritage building but renovated so the rooms are quite modern. Somehow I wish we spent more days in Dali. more
Jan 2024,
wenakins
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marvellous and fascinating trip in Yunnan province
Our trip thru Yunnan province had been organized flawlessly by Liberman catered to our wishes (outdoor quiet and rural with daily physical activity more
Jan 2024,
Aude
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Amazing discovery of Yunnan province China with China Highlights
More hiking and biking with our guide Daisy enthusiastic, generous and fun. she took us to an amazing Bai village where the market and the tie-dye skills fascinated us. more
Jan 2024,
Aude P
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Trip to Yunnan from December 9th to
Daisy, our guide in Dali, was an incredible source of knowledge, enriching our journey with her profound understanding of local history and culture. Her engaging storytelling and passion for the region truly enhanced our experience in Dali. more
Dec 2023,
Bong
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Love our trip in Dali
Love our trip in Dali. We have excellent tour guide, Nancy, to service us with excellent service. She is professional and service minded. The hotel arranged for us is what we asked for. more
Dec 2023,
Khim Boo
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The china highlight tour by our guide
The china highlight tour by our guide Nancy Dali is very interesting and informative! She’s bilingual so i could understand most of the history of china, very eye opening experience xiaxia more
Dec 2023,
HH
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Dear Nancy
Your professionalism, combined with your warm and approachable demeanor, made all the difference. This trip was not just a journey through a beautiful part of the world; it was an enriching experience that broadened our horizons, thanks to your guidance.Thank you for not just being a tour guide, but a true ambassador of Dali and its rich heritage. You have set a new standard for what a guided tour can be, and for that, we are immensely grateful. more
Dec 2023,
May Low
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It’s our first trip to Dali
It’s our first trip to Dali. Our guide, Daisy, from China Highlights took care of our family of six even before we reached China. We had a wonderful 2 days with a variety of activities and were never rushed. more
Dec 2023,
Mio
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Relaxing time in Dali
Overall the pace was not too rushed and relaxing. Our knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide Daisy brought us to see the local crafts such as tie-dye and embroidery. We also got fruits fresh from the local farmers and did some cycling. more
Dec 2023,
Ele
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Lovely 2 day trip in Dali
Daisy was so attentive to our group and went above and beyond to make us feel happy and satisfied ?? had a great time appreciating Dali’s culture and the cycling next to the lake was the highlight of our trip! we are so grateful for her ?? more
Dec 2023,
Emelia BOON
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Great time in Dali!
Had a great time with Daisy from China Highlights in Dali! She brought us to many delicious places to eat and even taught me how to ride a bicycle for a bike ride around Erhai Lake. Super knowledgeable and friendly too - she was full of stories and facts about the places we visited. more
Dec 2023,
Elysia Boon
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Thank you Daisy for the wonderful time
Thank you Daisy for the wonderful time we had in Dali. She was very passionate and helpful; definitely maximised our time here! more
Dec 2023,
Emerson Boon
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Daisy is an excellent guide
Daisy is an excellent guide. We really enjoyed her company. Her enthusiasm and local knowledge made our trip really enjoyable. We will recommend her highly. more
Dec 2023,
Tiong Oen Pouw
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Wonderful trip in Dali
Wonderful trip in Dali! Nancy our tour guide is very experienced and knowledgeable. She is well versed with China's history and treated us like brother and sister. We are well taken under her care, will definitely return to visit again! more
Dec 2023,
Chanice
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The Best Times to Visit Yunnan for Family Travel
Undoubtedly, spring and autumn are the best seasons for families of all ages. Your family could enjoy a wide range of activities, from cultural experiences to outdoor adventures.
If you're traveling with school-age children, summertime might be a suitable time. Although summer is the rainy season, your family could still enjoy some outdoor adventures, such as hiking, cycling, and exploring nature.
Northern and central cities, such as Dali, Kunming, and Lijiang, receive less rainfall than southern ones.
If your family is looking for a unique Christmas and New Year celebration, winter could also be a good time. Yunnan experiences relatively mild winters (December to February) compared to many other parts of China.
Lowland areas, such as Kunming, Dali, and Xishuangbanna, have pleasant daytime temperatures, typically ranging from 10–20°C (50–68°F).
If you are planning a family trip to Yunnan and need professional advice and itinerary planning, feel free to contact us.
The Best Times to Visit Yunnan for Ethnic Festivals
If you want to experience the exotic Yunnan ethnic customs, April is recommended.
In April, you could experience the Water Splashing Festival in Xishuangbanna. People gather in the streets and on the riverbanks to douse each other with water as a symbol of cleansing and good luck. You would also witness colorful parades featuring traditional Dai clothing, music, and dance.
The San Yue Jie ethnic festival in Dali would also be held in the third lunar month (usually in April). You would have the opportunity to enjoy traditional cultural performances and explore bustling markets featuring a wide array of handicrafts, artworks, and local delicacies.
Yunnan enjoys rich and colorful ethnic cultures and traditions. If you are particularly interested in this, we could arrange some experiences for you in the itinerary according to your interests. Just contact us.
The Worst Time to Visit Yunnan
Yunnan does not have a worst time for sightseeing. Because Yunnan is located on a high plateau at a low latitude, this leads to excellent spring-like weather throughout the four seasons. There is no scorching heat or severe cold. Whenever you visit, you could enjoy its seasonal weather advantages and activities.
But if you dislike heavy rainfall and want to avoid wet weather, then the rainy season (June to August) might be the worst time for you to visit Yunnan.
Many areas, especially in the south (such as Xishuangbanna), experience frequent and sometimes torrential rain. Kunming, Dali, and Shangri-La would be better choices. Flexible arrangements need to be made to cope with occasional rain.
When it doesn't rain, you could still do many outdoor activities, such as hiking and cycling. When it rains, you could also have many rich indoor cultural experiences, such as dyeing a handkerchief in the traditional Bai way at a family tie-dyeing workshop.
We would create a hassle-free trip based on your travel time and requirements. Feel free to contact us.
Yunnan Travel Guide by Month
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
Yunnan in January
- Average daily temperature range: 3–17°C (37–63°F)
- Average rainy days: 3
- Average cloudy days: 11
- Average sunny days: 17
January brings crisp, cool weather to Yunnan. Xishuangbanna is a good place to escape the cold winter.
Lijiang, Dali, and Kunming also have mild and sunny weather. It is suitable to enjoy various outdoor activities.
There are also relatively few visitors to Yunnan in January.
Recommended China Tours in Yunnan
We are ready to solve the problems of planning a complex trip in an unfamiliar region for you, helping to save you time and effort while ensuring that your travel needs and desires are met. Just contact us to customize your trip.
All of our tours, including those recommended below, can be adjusted/customized based on your requirements: