The opening ceremony of the Harbin Ice Festival is predicted to be on January 5th, 2026, but the ice and snow sculptures in the Harbin Ice and Snow World are expected to open around Christmas and last until February 2026.
Worried about how to stay warm in temperatures of minus 20 or 30 degrees? Concerned about waiting for a ride in the icy snow? Afraid of missing out on the true culture of Northern China? Leave all these worries to us.
Our recommended Harbin tours below are designed to help you start to plan a memorable winter vacation in Northeast China.
Feel free to tell us your requirements and interests — our experienced travel advisors are ready to tailor-make your dream trip.
With China Highlights, your travel will be:
- FlexibleTravel at your own pace and make last-minute changes.
- ReliableWith over 20 years of experience, we provide 24/7 private advisor assistance.
- No obligatory visits to tourist shopsWe do not organize visits to tourist shops unless you request them.
Harbin Ice Festival Private Tours
Harbin, Snow Valley, Snow Town
Harbin, Snow Town, Dunhua, Erdaobaihe, Changbai Mountain
Volgar Manor, Ice & Snow World, Beginner-Friendly Ski Resort
Ice & Snow World, Hengdaohezi, Diamond Sea
Great Wall, Forbidden City, Ice & Snow World, Polarland Park
Sun Island, Foodie Tour, Ice & Snow World
Siberian Tiger Park, Ice & Snow World, Sun Island, Yabuli Club Med
Harbin, Yabuli, Snow Town
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Amazing time in Beijing
Tom has been an amazing guide during our trip to Beijing. He explained us a lot about all the attractions we have visited, giving details about the history behind.Always on time, always flexible to accomodate our needs and requests. He gave us a lot of great suggestions about what to do in the free time and about restaurants.Has been a real pleasure to have him as guide, hope everyone can have someone like him during their time in Beijing. more
Aug 2025, giulio
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Experienced and knowledgeable private guide
Mark is a knowledgeable private guide with good English skills. He always had a story or tips to share at each location we visited. Also he and Mr Joe the driver were very flexible. We were there leading up to a military parade and so some locations were restricted around Tiananmen Square and so they worked late to help us navigate the situation and accomplish our goal to see the square. more
Aug 2025, taylor kevin
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Best Experience Ever! (Thanks Bruce!)
We had the chance for traveling to the Great Wall (Mutianyu section) and we really enjoyed the experience.Bruce was our guide and was absolutely helpful and supportive.And also a great photographer! more
Aug 2025, giorgiocY8586FY
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Explore Beyond Harbin: Winter Wonders Across China
While Harbin offers a magical snowy experience, you can also explore the warmth of China's highlands like Yunnan and Tibet or enjoy the mild winter in the south like Guangzhou, Chaoshan, and Xiamen.
Kunming, Dali, Shaxi, and Lijiang
Chaozhou, Shantou, Jieyang, and Meizhou
Guangzhou, Chaozhou, Shantou, and Jieyang
Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Lhasa, Nyingchi, and Bome
FAQ about Harbin Winter Trip
1. What are the main venues for the Ice and Snow Festival?
The Ice and Snow World venue, the Sun Island Snow Sculpture Art Expo, and the Zhaolin Park Ice Lantern Festival venue are the three main venues for Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival.
2. What can I do in December before the festival?
Before the opening of the Ice and Snow Festival venues, huge snow and ice sculptures are being created in the middle of December. As the venues are closed before late December, you are unable to see the sculpting process up close. However, there are still many other places to see...
At Central Street, you can see how people make (smaller) snow sculptures if lucky enough. Take the warm shuttle bus to Siberian Tigers Park, and you can see Siberian tigers in the outdoors. Have a skiing day or holiday, soak in a hot spring… Although the Ice and Snow Festival doesn't start yet, you can still have fun in Harbin!
3. How to protect my digital products?
Batteries are affected easily by low temperatures. When outside, put your cell phone and camera in a warm bag or inside your coat. If you plan to take a lot of pictures, do bring a spare battery as batteries run out quickly in low temperatures.
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