Mt. Wutai's high altitude — the valley floor sits at 1,700 metres, the northern terrace at 3,058 — gives it a much cooler and shorter season than the rest of north China. The practical visiting window is May to early October. June, July, and August are the most reliable months for clear roads to the five terrace summits; spring and autumn often bring sudden snow or sleet at altitude.
The peak Chinese tourist season is July and August, when day-trip buses from Beijing pour in and the central temples can be uncomfortably crowded around lunchtime. The Tibetan Buddhist religious calendar brings pilgrims at specific times — the bodhisattva Manjusri's birthday in the fourth lunar month (usually May) is one of the busiest. Late September, after the schools have gone back, is one of the best windows: the air is dry, the autumn colours start on the lower slopes, and the central valley is quieter than at any other time. Winter visits (November to April) are possible but the upper terraces are closed by snow.