Gansu has a variety of climate types, mainly due to its geographical location at the crossroads of three plateaus: the Loess Plateau, the Tibetan Plateau and the Inner Mongolian Plateau. Specifically, Gansu's climate types from south to north include four major types: subtropical monsoon climate, temperate monsoon climate, temperate continental arid climate and plateau mountain climate. Gansu has low winter temperatures, especially in the northern and western regions, and relatively high snowfall. This cold climatic condition has an impact on both agricultural production and residential life. Compared with the typical temperate monsoon climate, the boundary between spring and summer in Gansu is not very clear. Temperatures rise more quickly in spring, but weather phenomena such as inverted spring cold may also occur; summer is relatively short, with higher temperatures but less precipitation.

The best time to visit Gansu is from May to October. Due to the diversity of its geographical location and climatic conditions, the best time to visit Gansu varies slightly from region to region, but in general, spring (March-May), summer (June-August), and fall (September-November) all have their unique charms. In spring, the southern part of Gansu, such as the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, where temperatures are gradually warming up and everything is recovering, is an excellent time to enjoy the grassland scenery and wildflowers. In summer, the western regions of Gansu, such as Zhangye and Jiuquan, have warmer temperatures but can enjoy the magnificent Danxia landforms and Gobi beaches, making them ideal for outdoor activities. In autumn, the northern regions of Gansu, such as Qingyang and Pingliang, have moderate temperatures and blue skies, where you can enjoy the autumn colors of the forests and the idyllic scenery of a bountiful harvest.

Gansu specialties: Lanzhou beef noodles, Longxi bacon, Linxia mutton, Jingning roasted chicken, etc. Gansu specialty agricultural products: such as Dunhuang grapes, Qingyang apples, Dingxi potatoes, Jingyuan wolfberries, Minqin honeydew melon, etc. Gansu specialty handicrafts: traditional handicrafts such as Tianshui lacquer carving, Linxia brick carving, Jiuquan luminous cups, etc. Gansu characteristic natural landscape: besides Zhangye Danxia landform, Gansu also has Mogao Caves, Jiayuguan Great Wall, Yellow River Stone Forest and other natural landscapes.