China Travel in July

China Travel in July will introduce the China weather in July, what to pack for China travel in July, best places to visit in July and festivals in July. Most parts of China is scorching hot and humid in July, which is the hottest month of the year. In some places, July is also the wettest month of the year. The peak tourist season in China starts in July and lasts until October, when the most popular tourist scenic spots are usually packed with Chinese tour groups.

China Weather in July

Summer travel could be kind of difficult in China, especially if you are sensitive to heat and humidity. July is the wettest month in China, often with heavy rain. In addition, high temperatures are common throughout the country in July. If it rains for a long time, the weather will be slightly cooler.

China Weather in July By Region & What to Pack

With a vast territory, China is featuring different weather conditions in different regions.

North China in July

  • Representative Cities: BeijingXianHarbinChangchunJinanShenyangTianjin
  • Weather Feature: North China is hot and rainy in July. July and August are rainy months. Try to avoid afternoon thunderstorms. In Beijing, the average temperature in July is 22-31°C, usually with more than 10 days of rain.
  • What to Pack: T-shirts, shorts and other summer clothes. Remember to bring rain gear.

East China in July

  • Representative Cities: ShanghaiHuangshanNanjingHangzhou
  • Weather Feature: East China is experiencing the highest temperature all year round in July, but unlike most parts of China, rainfall in east China decreases. It is a good time to visit mountains, such as Mount Huangshan, where it is cooler. In hot July, rainfall in Shanghai is much less than in June or August. Most of the rain falls in early July. The average temperature in July in Shanghai is 25-32°C. The situation is similar in other eastern cities such as Suzhou, Hangzhou and Nanjing. In mountain areas like Huangshan, the temperature will be even lower, with an average temperature of 17-22°C.
  • What to Pack: Shorts, waterproof jacket, light clothing. Remember to bring rain gear. 

Central China in July

  • Representative Cities: WuhanChangshaNanchangZhangjiajie
  • Weather Feature: Central China, near the Yangtze River, is the hottest in July and August, with heavy rainfall and sweltering heat. The mountains around Zhangjiajie are cool and good places to escape summer heat. The average temperature of Zhangjiajie in July is 25-34°C, with more than 10 days of rain.
  • What to Pack: Shorts, T-shirt, summer clothes. Remember to bring rain gear. 

South China in July

  • Representative Cities: GuilinGuangzhouSanyaHong KongMacauShenzhen
  • Weather Feature: South China is hot and wet in July, so you must be prepared for the tropical climate. Sometimes typhoons bring heavy rain to South China. The average temperature in Guilin is 26-33°C, and the rainfall in July is generally 16 days. Southern cities, such as Guangzhou and Hong Kong, have higher temperatures. Hong Kong is hot and rainy, with occasional rainstorms or tropical storms.
  • What to Pack: Shorts, T-shirt, summer clothing. Remember to bring rain gear. 

West China in July

  • Representative Cities: ChengduKunmingLhasaChongqing
  • Weather Feature: The tourist climate in west China is better in July. Mountains and valleys in Yunnan and Sichuan benefit from pleasant weather. The weather in July in Tibet is more comfortable than in other areas. The average temperature in July is 12-22℃ in Lhasa, 22-30℃ in Chengdu, 18-25℃ in Kunming and 15-23℃ in Lijiang.
  • What to Pack: T-shirts, shirts, shorts/jeans are fine to wear. Remember to bring rain gear. If you go to Lhasa, put on more layers of clothes, bring coat and sunglasses.

China Weather and Climate in July by Cities

Best Places to Visit in July

In recent years, summer in China has become hotter and hotter, especially in the east and south of China. However, in July, China still has some places to enjoy the natural scenery and participate in some important ethnic festivals. It is suggested that tourists go to some cool summer resorts, such as Tibet, Qinghai, Guizhou and Huangshan.

Tibet

July is suitable for long-distance travel in Tibet. After arriving in Lhasa, spending about 3 days in Lhasa adapting to the altitude environment, then going to Everest base camp along the 318 national highway, and then going back to Xinjiang-Tibet highway to Ngari for visitting Mount Kailash, Lake Manasarova and Guge Kingdom, and reaching Shiquanhe Town in Ngari. Passing through Ngari and Nagqu all the way to the east, to enjoy plateau lakes on Nagqu Grassland, then getting back to Lhasa via Namtso Lake. If time permits, you can also tour the Lhasa-Nyingchi-Shannan route. When travelling in Lhasa, the scenic spots that tourists often go are Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Norbulingka Palace, Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery and the like. In addition, many minority and religious festivals are held in July, including Horse Racing Festival and Tashilhunpo Thangka Festival, through which you can observe and experience Chinese ethnic culture and buddhist culture closely. 

Keep Reading 

Read More: Tibet Travel in July

Guizhou

Guizhou is a good summer resort. You can enjoy the unique charm of Huangguoshu Waterfall, which is surrounded by peaks and dense vegetation. In Guizhou, canyons, caves and stone pillars can be seen everywhere, which is a typical karst landform. Guizhou has the second largest number of ethnic minorities in the country after Yunnan Province. Tujia, Miao and many other minorities have made Guizhou an important place of ethnic culture. You can learn traditional techniques that are disappearing, such as batik and silver handicraft. Visitors can also go to Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village, Zhenyuan Ancient Town and other minority villages to attend local parties and dance to folk music. In Guizhou, wearing local ethnic clothes and taking photos under green hills and waters are the most important things.

Huangshan

Huangshan is a good place to escape the heat. This area will be crowded in July. After hiking on the mountain, you can go down the mountain to visit nearby ancient villages. It usually takes two days to visit Huangshan. Tourists can book rooms or bring tents for the night at the top of the mountain. Tourists can enter the scenic area through the north gate and the south gate, but it is better to go up through the south gate and down through the north gate to save energy. Tourists can also take the cable car up and down the mountain to save time and enjoy the scenery, because the scenic area is very large. Please note that the cable car usually closes at 5 pm. After visiting Huangshan, you can also visit some scenic spots nearby, such as Hongcun Village, Xidi Village and Tunxi Ancient Street.

Inner Mongolia

July is the greenest and most beautiful month of Inner Mongolia grassland. Under the blue sky and white clouds, you can see the vast green pastures. Apart from the beautiful scenery, tourists can also ride horses, watch wrestling and horse racing, and have a grassland-style “mutton feast” on the grassland to experience the unique customs of herdsmen.

Silk Road (Xi’an- Lanzhou- Dunhuang- Urumqi)

Tourists can enjoy the desolate and magnificent natural landscape along the Silk Road. In addition, many cultural relics are scattered on this ancient trade road. In Xi’an, it is recommended to visit the Wild Goose Pagoda and Terra-cotta Warriors. In Lanzhou, tourists can go to Zhongshan Bridge, Bingling Temple and Wuquanshan Park. In Dunhuang, the Mogao Grottoes and Yangguan will tell you about the prosperity of the Silk Road in the past. In Urumqi, Red Hill and Grand Bazaar cannot be missed.

Qinghai Lake

July is the most beautiful and the best time to photograph Qinghai Lake. Thousands of acres of rape flowers are in full bloom around the lake. Together with the pure blue sky and colorful prayer flags, they are like an “oil painting”. The nearby Menyuan county is a good place to enjoy the July rape flowers. Chaka Salt Lake is a salt field with a history of more than 3,000 years. There is a large amount of salt, which naturally crystallizes into a white lake. Visitors can also walk barefoot to the lake.

Chengdu

Visiting the lovely panda in Chengdu is a good choice for both adults and children. Watching pandas at night can help you avoid the heat of the day and let you know about panda nightlife that many people don’t know. You can explore the habitat of wild giant pandas in nature reserves. You can also visit Emei Mountain, which is one of the most famous summer resorts in China. There in Emei Mountain, you can experience pleasant atmosphere, natural scenery and Buddhist culture.

Zhangjiajie

Mountain area is a good place for escaping summer heat, so Zhangjiajie is an ideal tourist destination. Zhangjiajie has beautiful mountains and clear water, and owns the first national forest park in China- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The towering mountains, clear streams and fresh air make the park a natural air conditioner and natural oxygen bar. Take the world’s longest cable car to Tianmen Mountain, when you arrive at the top of the mountain, the heat dissipate. The scenery at the top of the mountain is very charming, especially under the conditions of misty rain and fog.

Yunnan

Due to its special geographical location and dense vegetation, the weather in Yunnan is not very hot. Therefore, it gradually becomes one of the best choices for summer vacation. The best tourist cities in Yunnan are Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La. From Kunming, take a look at the spectacular Stone Forest, enjoy a relaxing trip to the Erhai Lake in Dali, go to the Lijiang Ancient Town, take a cable car to Yulong Snow Mountain, and then visit the spectacular Tiger Leaping Gorge. Finally, by visiting Songzanlin Temple and Pudacuo National Park, immersing youself in Shangri-La’s amazing natural beauty and sacred religious atmosphere.

Read More: Yunnan Travel in July

China Festivals and Events by Month

In July, the main festivals and events in China include Gyantze Horse Racing Festival, Naadam(July 11-15, 2020), etc. 

Travel Tips For China Travel in July

  • July is the beginning of the summer vacation in China, lasting about two months. Students in schools are taking a holiday in July, so the number of school group tours and student tours across the country has a great increase.
  • July is a good time for families to travel in China. Many customers arrange their families to travel during the children’s summer vacation. They don’t need to pack as much luggage as in winter, so packing is simpler and smaller. There are more things to do, from mountain climbing to outdoor boating. This is a good time to enjoy the scenery of green mountains, clear waters and vast grasslands.
  • July is the peak season for Chinese residents. In view of this, it is expected that crowds and humid and rainy weather will be encountered in tourist destinations such as Beijing and Shanghai. If you plan to visit China in summer, be sure to book hotels and make an itinerary in advance.
  • China holds many cultural festivals in July. Tibet is a holy place for Buddhist culture. Due to its high altitude, the temperature in summer is much lower than other regions in China. The Gyangze Horse Racing in this area attracts a large number of people. Its features are horse racing, archery, local handicraft market, Tibetan opera, traditional dance and competitive games.
  • When travelling to China in July, in order to cope with summer shower and humid weather, you are suggested to prepare rain coat and umbrella, as well as summer clothing like shorts and T-shirt. In addition, comfortable and easily dry shoes are also essential.