Spring (April to May) is the most spectacular time to visit Guide, when the peach orchards on the terraced hillsides bloom in waves of pink and white against the red sandstone cliffs. This is when domestic visitors from Xining arrive in largest numbers for day trips.
Summer (June to August) is warm and green, with the river at its most navigable and the surrounding countryside lush. Autumn brings good clear weather and the harvest season in the orchards. Winter is cold but mild by Tibetan Plateau standards — Guide sits at only 2,200 metres, noticeably warmer than Xining — and the hot springs are particularly appealing when the temperature drops.