Best Time to Visit Terracotta Warriors: Best Seasons and Days

Written by Candice Zhao | Updated May 01,2026

To avoid larger crowds, the best time to Terracotta Warriors is from December to February in winter. Considering the weather, March – May and September – November are more recommended periods, which are also the best times for a Xian tour. Just remember to avoid May Day Holiday and National Day Holiday.

About the best time of the day, you will see the fewest tourists if visiting before 10:00 AM or after 3:00 PM. Non-Chinese public holidays and non-weekends will also offer a better travel experience.

Please avoid public holidays, like Chinese Spring Festival and summer vacation, when many Chinese will also travel there and the museum is always full of tourists.

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• Best Seasons and Months
• Best Days – Non-holiday Days
• Best Time of Day
• Periods to Avoid
• Explore with China Xian Tour

Best Seasons and Months to Visit

Spring and autumn are the best times to visit the Terracotta Army. Though the site is indoors and can be visited all year round, the two seasons offer comfortable weather and are also the best times to visit other attractions in Xian, allowing you to enjoy a leisurely trip. Winter is recommended for tourists who do not mind the cold weather and prefer a tranquil tour.

March – May and September – November: Most Recommended Periods

Spring and autumn are the choices of most travelers. Not only is the weather during these two seasons pleasant, but there are also lighter crowds in these months. To appreciate the majesty of this underground army and learn more about the specifics and enigma of these terracotta soldiers and treasures, a visit during these times is more pleasurable.

November – March: Least Crowds

If you don’t mind the cold weather in Xian in winter, we recommend you visit in the off-peak season from November 16th to March 15th. During this time, there are fewer tourists than other periods. So you can enjoy a tranquil travel experience and observe the details of the Terracotta Warriors carefully. Just remember to bundle up to stay warm and avoid Chinese New Year.

Best Days to Visit – Non-holiday Days

For a more peaceful and comfortable experience, it is best to visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses on non-holiday days and non-weekends.

Non-Chinese Public Holidays

The number of tourists during non-holiday days may be reduced to 1/5 of that in public holidays. It means that the queuing time for ticket checking and entry will be shortened by 1 – 2 hours. And during the visit, you can control the travel pace by yourself and visit the exhibition halls twice if interested. For tourists who join a guided tour, the guide will have sufficient time to answer your questions and even provide further explanations.

Non-Weekends

On workdays, tourists are far less than during other periods, allowing you to take your time exploring the terracotta figures. Generally, Tuesdays to Thursdays offer you the best experience, as there are fewer tour groups and tourists. You can stop in front of the tunnel for a longer time and observe the details of each terracotta figure carefully. The number of visitors on Mondays and Fridays is slightly higher, but still far lower than that on the weekend.

Best Time of Day for Terracotta Warriors

For a quieter travel experience, the best time to visit Terracotta Warriors is in the early morning and late afternoon. The busiest hours of the museum are usually from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. So, if possible, you’d better skip this time window. And please note that you should leave around 3 hours to explore the Terracotta Army and the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

Early Morning: Enter at the Opening Time

The museum typically sees the least crowds before 10:00 AM. So, to escape the crowds, a good option is to arrive at the site in the early morning and get in line before 8:00 AM. Then you can enter the museum as soon as it opens. Before the tour groups arrive, you can enjoy a more tranquil experience and take photos with fewer tourists. The temperature is also cool and comfortable in the morning.

Late Afternoon: After 15:00

From 15:00, most tour groups are about to leave. To effectively avoid larger crowds, it is wise to pay a visit after 15:00. The lights are also gentle, providing ideal conditions for you to capture the details of the terracotta figures. Just note that the admission time is before 16:30 from Nov. 16^th to Mar. 15^th and before 17:00 from Mar. 16^th to Nov. 15^th.

Periods to Avoid

If possible, you’d better avoid visits to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses during the following periods, as the museum can get extremely crowded by then. Otherwise, you may end up seeing more of other visitors’ heads than the Terracotta Army itself.

Chinese Spring Festival: From Chinese New Year’s Eve to the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, for a total of seven days. Chinese also take a week off and travel around, including the guides. So there are fewer guide and the guide fees tend to triple.

Chinese National Day Holiday: Especially from the 2nd day to the 6th day of the holiday. The traffic to Terracotta Warriors would be very bad, taking 2 hours or even longer.

Summer Vacation: Early July to the end of August is the summer vacation for Chinese students, so the museum receives more visitors than normal days. Besides, the weather during these summer months in Xi’an is also very hot, making your visit not so comfortable.

Explore Terracotta Army with China Xian Tour

The Terracotta Army is relatively far from city center. For international travelers who are not familiar with the city, it takes time to complete transfers between different transportation means. Besides, without knowing the historic stories of this underground army, you may feel the tour failing to meet your expectations.

Travelling with China Xian Tour, we will assign a driver and a guide for you to ensure a smooth and in-depth experience. We are also experienced in tailor-made trips and we are glad to offer help if you need. Just contact us now.