# Tea Horse Road, China: what it is and when to go > Tea Horse Road is a network of caravan paths winding through the mountains of Southwest China and Tibet (茶马古道). Interests: History. The best time to visit is March to May and September to October. In June there are 13 h 34 of daylight, and in December, 10 h 26. 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/tea-horse-road/ - Reviewed on: 2026-10-08 - Language: en ## In a nutshell - **What it is:** Network of caravan paths winding through the mountains of Southwest China and Tibet · History - **Local name:** 茶马古道 - **Where:** China - **Best time:** March to May and September to October. - **Nearest airport:** CTU Chengdu (Shuangliu), 713 km as the crow flies - **Coordinates:** 25.29886, 99.81533 ## What it is and where Tea Horse Road is a network of caravan paths winding through the mountains of Southwest China and Tibet (茶马古道). Its coordinates are 25.29886, 99.81533; the nearest main airport is Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU, Chengdu (Shuangliu)), 713 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=25.298862%2C99.815326) - [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=25.298862%2C99.815326) It is one of the [History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/historia/) 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 Tea Horse Road is **March to May and September to October**. | Mes | Época | Hours of daylight | | --- | --- | --- | | January | Possible | 10 h 35 | | February | Possible | 11 h 09 | | March | Best time | 11 h 49 | | April | Best time | 12 h 36 | | May | Best time | 13 h 14 | | June | Possible | 13 h 34 | | July | Possible | 13 h 26 | | August | Possible | 12 h 53 | | September | Best time | 12 h 08 | | October | Best time | 11 h 23 | | November | Possible | 10 h 44 | | December | Possible | 10 h 26 | In June there are 13 h 34 of daylight, and in December, 10 h 26. 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 - [Gongchen Tower](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/gongchen-tower-gate/): Former monument in Weishan, Yunnan Province, China · 50 km - [Xinggong Pavilion](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/xinggong-tower-gate/): History · 50 km - [Dengjue Temple](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/dengjue-temple/): History · Temples · 50 km - [ancient buildings in Nanzhao Town](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/nanzhao-town-ancient-buildings-wenhua-academy/): Nature · History · 50 km - [Pagoda of Fotu Temple](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/snake-bone-pagoda/): History · Architecture · 53 km Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the China guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/). ## More in China: History - [Forbidden City](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/ciudad-prohibida/): Chinese imperial palace in Beijing - [Terracotta Army](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/guerreros-de-terracota/): collection of ancient Chinese military statues - [Potala Palace](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/potala-palace/): 7th-century Tibetan fortress and palace in Lhasa, rebuilt in the 17th century as the winter seat of the Dalai Lamas - [Tiananmen Square](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/plaza-de-tiananmen/): public square in Beijing, China - [Temple of Heaven](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/templo-del-cielo/): imperial complex of religious buildings in Beijing, China - [Mogao Caves](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/mogao-caves/): caves in Dunhuang City, Gansu, China Every China place under History, each with its season, is on [its page](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/historia/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Tea Horse Road? It is a network of caravan paths winding through the mountains of Southwest China and Tibet (茶马古道 in the local language). ### When is the best time to visit Tea Horse Road? March to May and September to October. In June there are 13 h 34 of daylight, and in December, 10 h 26. ### How do you get to Tea Horse Road? The nearest main airport is Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU), 713 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=25.298862%2C99.815326) 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 [Gongchen Tower](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/gongchen-tower-gate/), [Xinggong Pavilion](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/xinggong-tower-gate/), [Dengjue Temple](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/dengjue-temple/). The rest is in [the China guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/). Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/14864368), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1199700), CC0. More about Tea Horse Road on [Wikipedia](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%8C%B6%E9%A9%AC%E5%8F%A4%E9%81%93). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).