Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best times to visit Leshan. Temperatures are comfortable, the light is good for photography, and the summer crowds are absent. Summer (June to August) is hot and humid and brings the largest number of Chinese domestic tourists — queues for the staircase descent can be several hours long during Golden Week (National Day, early October) and the summer school holidays.
Sichuan weather is notoriously changeable. Rain is possible at any time of year, and the river valley creates its own microclimate — misty mornings are common even in summer. The Buddha often emerges from morning cloud in a way that is genuinely atmospheric, but it also means photographs can be unpredictable.
Winter visits are possible and the crowds are thin, though some of the outdoor paths on Lingyun Mountain can be slippery after rain or frost.