# Potanin Glacier, China: what it is and when to go > Potanin Glacier is The largest valley glacier in the Altai Mountains, located at the junction of the Tavan-Bogdo-Ula massif and the Mongolian Altai Mountains, in Mongolia (Потанин) in China. Interests: Nature. The best time to visit is April to May and September to October. In June there are 15 h 59 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 01. It has articles in 16 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in China: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. Here is what it is, where it lies, when to come, how to get there and what else is nearby to turn it into a trip. - Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/potanin/ - Reviewed on: 2026-10-08 - Language: en ## In a nutshell - **What it is:** The largest valley glacier in the Altai Mountains, located at the junction of the Tavan-Bogdo-Ula massif and the Mongolian Altai Mountains, in Mongolia · Nature - **Local name:** Потанин - **Where:** China - **Best time:** April to May and September to October. - **Nearest airport:** XIY Xi'an, 2,383 km as the crow flies - **Coordinates:** 49.13974, 87.88155 ## What it is and where Potanin Glacier is The largest valley glacier in the Altai Mountains, located at the junction of the Tavan-Bogdo-Ula massif and the Mongolian Altai Mountains, in Mongolia (Потанин) in China. It has articles in 16 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in China: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. Its coordinates are 49.13974, 87.88155; the nearest main airport is Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY, Xi'an), 2,383 km as the crow flies. How to get around China (train, car, bus) is covered in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/#moverse). - [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=49.139742%2C87.881545) - [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=49.139742%2C87.881545) It is one of the [Nature](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/naturaleza/) places in China. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap. ## When to go The best time to visit Potanin Glacier is **April to May and September to October**. | Mes | Época | Hours of daylight | | --- | --- | --- | | January | Possible | 8 h 26 | | February | Possible | 9 h 53 | | March | Possible | 11 h 34 | | April | Best time | 13 h 28 | | May | Best time | 15 h 05 | | June | Possible | 15 h 59 | | July | Possible | 15 h 37 | | August | Possible | 14 h 12 | | September | Best time | 12 h 21 | | October | Best time | 10 h 30 | | November | Possible | 8 h 51 | | December | Possible | 8 h 01 | In June there are 15 h 59 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 01. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather. When to go to China in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/#cuando-ir). ## Before you go to China To enter China there are 9 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “Passport valid for six months”: they are all, with their deadlines, in [the China checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/#antes-de-salir). Currency: Yuan or renminbi (CNY); plugs: Type A, C and I · 220 V · 50 Hz (you need an adapter); emergencies: 110 police · 120 ambulance · 119 fire brigade. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it. ## What is nearby - [Khüiten Peak](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/khuiten-peak/): The highest mountain of Mongolia and the Tavan-Bogdo-Ula mountain range · 4.8 km - [Wkok muzdığı - Wū kē kè bīngchuān - Ukokskiy lednik](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/wkok-muzdigi-wu-ke-ke-bingchuan-ukokskiy-lednik/): Glacier · 43 km - [Bukhtarma Glaciers](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/ulken-buqtirma-muzdigi/): Glaciers in Kazakhstan · 47 km - [Muzdy-Bulak](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/muzdibulaq-muzdy-bulak/): Mountain in Russia · 52 km - [Altai Tavan Bogd National Park](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/altai-tavan-bogd-national-park/): National park of Mongolia · 80 km Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the China guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/). ## More in China: Nature - [Mount Everest](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/monte-everest/): Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas - [K2](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/k2/): 2nd-highest mountain on Earth - [Terracotta Army](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/guerreros-de-terracota/): collection of ancient Chinese military statues - [Makalu](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/mount-makalu/): mountain in Nepal/China; 5th highest in the world - [Lhotse](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/lhotse/): mountain in Nepal - [Mount Kailash](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/kailash/): mountain in Tibet, China Every China place under Nature, each with its season, is on [its page](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/naturaleza/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Potanin Glacier? It is The largest valley glacier in the Altai Mountains, located at the junction of the Tavan-Bogdo-Ula massif and the Mongolian Altai Mountains, in Mongolia (Потанин in the local language) in China. It has articles in 16 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in China: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. ### When is the best time to visit Potanin Glacier? April to May and September to October. In June there are 15 h 59 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 01. ### How do you get to Potanin Glacier? The nearest main airport is Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY), 2,383 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=49.139742%2C87.881545) opens the route on the map, and how to get around China is explained in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/#moverse). ### How do I add it to my trip? With one tap. In Kokai it is already on the China map, next to the places you save yourself: add it to a day's plan, give it a time and, if you like, get a reminder when you pass nearby. ### What else is around here? Nearby you have [Khüiten Peak](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/khuiten-peak/), [Wkok muzdığı - Wū kē kè bīngchuān - Ukokskiy lednik](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/wkok-muzdigi-wu-ke-ke-bingchuan-ukokskiy-lednik/), [Bukhtarma Glaciers](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/ulken-buqtirma-muzdigi/). The rest is in [the China guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/). Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/26778338), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2604390), CC0. More about Potanin Glacier on [Wikipedia](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaciar_de_Potanin). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).