The best time to visit Shigatse is April to October, when the weather is dry and the mountain views clear. Summer (June–August) brings occasional afternoon rains but remains the most popular season; the Friendship Highway to Nepal is reliably passable. Spring and autumn offer the sharpest light and cooler temperatures.
Winter (November–March) is cold and sometimes brutal — temperatures drop well below freezing at night and the road to Nepal can be blocked. The monastery reduces its activities and fewer monks are in residence. The Chinese government also periodically restricts tourist access to Tibet around politically sensitive anniversaries, particularly in March; checking current access conditions before travel is essential at any time of year.
Tashilhunpo Monastery holds major festivals tied to the Tibetan lunar calendar. The Tashilhunpo Thangka Festival, usually in late June or early July by the Gregorian calendar, involves the outdoor display of enormous silk thangka paintings — a rare and spectacular sight.