Jiuzhaigou Weather in March

Weather: March in Jiuzhaigou is a transition from winter to spring, with average temperatures ranging from 3–16°C (37–61°F). The weather can be unpredictable, and you may get snow, cloudy skies, or sunny days. Expect around half of the month to have rain or snow.

Clothing: Bring a windproof jacket, a down coat, thermal leggings, a hat, gloves, and heat packs. Jiuzhaigou in March is still quite cold, especially in the morning and evening, so you need to keep warm.

Is March Good to Visit Jiuzhaigou?

I went to Jiuzhaigou in late March, and from my visiting experience, March is not really the best time in terms of scenery. It's the dry season, and may trees haven't grown new leaves yet.

But if you prefer traveling when there are fewer people and lower prices, or if you want to experience the transition between winter and spring, March can still be worth considering.

1. Jiuzhaigou's Daily Visitors are around 5,000-13,000 in March (35,000+ during Peak Season)

On the day we went, there were only around 13,000 visitors. We queued for about ten minutes at the entrance to get on the shuttle bus.

Inside the park, it felt quite peaceful, and even at Nuorilang Center(the transfer hub and dining area), we didn’t have to line up for food. When taking the shuttle buses between scenic spots, we almost always found seats.

There weren't many people at Norilang Center and Five Flower Lake

2. Visiting in March Means a Later Start and a Relaxed Pace

 If you’re visiting Jiuzhaigou in March, entering the park around 8:30 or later is perfectly fine. Unlike the peak season, you don’t have to get up at 6 am just to make it in by 7:30.

You’ll still have plenty of time to explore, and unless you’re doing a Tibetan-style photoshoot inside the park, you can easily cover most of the main sights.

But you still need to dress warm. When we set out at 8:30 am, it was around 5°C (41°F), so gloves and a hat were necessary. By noon, it warmed up to above 20°C (68°F), and we could take off our jackets and just wear sweaters.

3. You Can Enjoy a Lower Budget for Tickets and Hotels.

Both hotels and entrance tickets cost only about half of the peak season price. 

In March, you can still enjoy the discounted tickets, but from April onwards, you’ll need to pay the full peak season rates.

4-Day Immersive Jiuzhaigou Nature and Culture Exploration Tour Unveil the Mysteries of Natural Beauty and Tibetan Culture

Best Spots to See in Jiuzhaigou in March

Jiuzhaigou is shaped like a “Y,” with three main routes. In March, you'll find snow scenery is mostly along the upper sections of the left route (Zechawa Valley) and the right route (Rize Valley), while peach blossoms are concentrated in the lower section of the Shuzheng Valley.

Where to See Snow

Long Lake: The entire lake is still frozen in March, so you can enjoy the snow scenery even if it’s not snowing.

Jiuzhaigou, Long Lake

Five-Color Pool: Snow covers the surrounding forest and lake area, though the water level is relatively low in March.

Jiuzhaigou Valley, Five-Color Pool

Panda Lake: On the uphill path to the viewing platform, you can see the side of an ice waterfall. You can only admire it from a distance, as the path to the waterfall was destroyed in the earthquake and is no longer accessible.

Actually, apart from these spots, you can also see snowy mountain peaks from most other locations in Jiuzhaigou.

Where to See Peach Blossoms

Tiger Lake: You can enjoy the contrast of Tiffany-blue waters and pink peach blossoms.

The peach blossoms were about to bloom in Tiger Lake when we went

Reed Lake: Along the roadside and on the hills, you’ll find plenty of blooming peach trees. This was where we saw the most peach blossoms.

We saw blooming peach flowers in Reed Lake

Reed Lake: Along the roadside and on the hills, you’ll find plenty of blooming peach trees. This was where we saw the most peach blossoms.

Just note that the peach flowers usually bloom from late March to mid-April.

My Favorite Lakes

Arrow Bamboo Lake: After the sun comes out (around 10 am), the lake turns into a green, glass-like sea. Here, you can get very close to the water and clearly see sunlight reflecting in it. You can also visit the Arrow Bamboo Lake Waterfall nearby.

Arrow Bamboo Lake

Note: The path to the viewing platform can be icy in the early morning and has no railing, so be careful while visiting in the morning, especially if you’re traveling with elderly people.

Five Flower Lake: I think this is the most beautiful lake in Jiuzhaigou at this time of year. 

There is still abundant water in Five Flower Lake, and you can find the most viewing platforms and diverse scenery here. Whether it's for sightseeing or taking photos, this is the best place.

The Five Flower Lake I captured, no filters

Spots like Shuanglong Lake, Shuzheng Waterfall, Sparkling Lake, Pearl Shoal Waterfall and Mirror Lake don’t look as impressive in March compared to other sites. But if you don’t mind, they’re still worth a quick look.

Shuanglong Lake, Shuzheng Lake, Sparkling Lake, and more I saw in March

If You also Want to Visit Huanglong

In March, Huanglong is also covered in snow and ice, but the Five-Color Pools at the top aren’t completely frozen, and you can still see a half-frozen, colorful “palette.”

Huanglong is still frozen in March

We recommend taking the cable car plus the sightseeing bus both ways. The hiking trails don’t offer much in terms of views in this season.

And in March, you’ll only need to wait about 10–15 minutes for the cable car (2hrs in peak season), and just a few minutes for the sightseeing bus. Overall, the visit is quite relaxed, especially if you don’t have altitude sickness.

Popular Tours with Jiuzhaigou

If you're interested in visiting the fairyland in person, why not browse our popular tours below for inspiration?

• 8-Day Chengdu,Jiuzhaigou and Chongqing Tour
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Jiuzhaigou Weather by Month

• Jiuzhaigou Weather in January
• Jiuzhaigou Weather in February
• Jiuzhaigou Weather in March
• Jiuzhaigou Weather in April
• Jiuzhaigou Weather in May
• Jiuzhaigou Weather in June
• Jiuzhaigou Weather in July
• Jiuzhaigou Weather in August
• Jiuzhaigou Weather in September
• Jiuzhaigou Weather in October
• Jiuzhaigou Weather in November
• Jiuzhaigou Weather in December