Best Time to Visit UEruemqi

Spring and autumn: the sweet spots

April and May are the easy choice. Days warm up from mild to properly pleasant, and the air is dry, so it never feels sticky. Rain falls on five or six days a month, but it's light. September is just as good and has the sunniest weather of the year, about seven hours a day. October stays comfortable too, though evenings get cold fast.

These months suit city days. You can wander the Xinjiang Region Museum, which has well-known ancient mummies, and browse the Erdaoqiao Bazaar (the big covered market) without melting. Try da pan ji, a spicy chicken and noodle dish, and lamb skewers at the night stalls. Travelling with kids? Spring and early autumn are also the easiest for day trips.

Summer: hot, dry and busy

June to August brings highs from 30°C to 33°C, with July the warmest. It's dry heat, so shade feels like real relief. This is the best time to leave town. Tianshan Tianchi (Heavenly Lake), in the mountains east of the city, is cooler and green. Grassy valleys such as Nanshan make good picnic stops. Many people also use Ürümqi as a base for the long trip to Kanas or Turpan.

Summer is high season. Chinese school holidays run through July and August, and the early October Golden Week holiday is the other big rush. Trains, hotels and lake sites fill up then. If you hate crowds, aim for late May, June or September instead.

Winter: cold, quiet and good for skiing

From December to February, highs sit around or below freezing, and nights drop to about -11°C in January. That's properly cold, and the sun is weak. The ratings are Poor for good reason if you want to sightsee. November is Fair, with a chilly, grey feel and lows below zero.

But if you ski, winter is the point. Resorts near the city, such as Silk Road Ski Resort, run on the snow the Tianshan range gets. Hotels are cheaper and the bazaars are quiet. Winter also brings Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) in late January or February, when many shops close for a few days. March is a short, muddy in-between month, with highs finally above 10°C.