Tour Code: TBXCCZGS-523-17D
Explore the route: click a numbered stop to see the visit details.
Welcome to Beijing. Upon arrival at the airport or railway station, your private guide will be there to greet you together with your driver. After a warm welcome, your guide will briefly go over the essentials for your stay in Beijing and help make sure everything begins smoothly and comfortably. You will then be escorted by private vehicle to your hotel for check-in and some well-deserved rest after the journey.
Depending on your arrival time and energy level, the rest of the day can be kept flexible. If you feel up to it, your guide can suggest a light and easy introduction to the city, allowing you to start getting a feel for Beijing without rushing into full sightseeing. For dinner, if needed, your guide will be happy to recommend suitable restaurants based on your tastes and preferences that day, and can also assist with reservations.
Accommodation: Beijing
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast at the hotel, begin your first full day in Beijing with a visit to Tiananmen Square, one of the largest public squares in the world and a place deeply woven into China’s modern history and national identity. Surrounded by monumental landmarks such as the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the Mao Memorial Hall, the square carries a solemn atmosphere that immediately reveals the capital’s political and symbolic weight.
From here, continue into the Forbidden City, the grand heart of imperial Beijing and the largest ancient palace complex in the world. As you move along its central axis, vast ceremonial courtyards, majestic halls, and more intimate residential spaces unfold one after another. Beyond its sheer scale, the palace reveals the logic of imperial rule itself — hierarchy, ritual, power, and the carefully ordered world of the Ming and Qing courts.
Afternoon:
After leaving the Forbidden City, ascend Jingshan Park for one of the most rewarding views in Beijing. From the hilltop, the golden roofs and symmetrical layout of the palace spread out beneath you, offering a striking perspective on the scale and harmony of traditional imperial planning. It is a moment that makes the grandeur of the morning feel even more complete.
Later, continue to the Temple of Heaven, where emperors once came to perform sacred rites for good harvests and harmony under Heaven. Here, architecture becomes more than beauty alone: every structure, color, and spatial arrangement reflects the ancient belief in the connection between heaven, earth, and imperial authority. Compared with the formal majesty of the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven feels more spiritual, more contemplative, and quietly profound.
Evening:
As the light softens, head to Nanluoguxiang for a different side of Beijing. This historic hutong neighborhood offers a more intimate and lived-in atmosphere, where old courtyard lanes, local life, and contemporary cafés and boutiques sit side by side. It is a gentle and enjoyable way to end the day — not with imperial ceremony, but with the texture of everyday old Beijing and the city’s changing urban rhythm.
Accommodation: Beijing
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, leave the city behind and drive north toward Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved and most rewarding sections of the Great Wall. Compared with busier stretches, Mutianyu offers a more comfortable and spacious experience, while still preserving the Wall’s original grandeur as it rises and falls across the mountain ridges like a stone dragon. With round-trip cable car included, you can ascend with ease and focus on the views, the atmosphere, and the remarkable scale of the site itself. As you walk along the battlements, your guide will bring the Wall to life through its military design, watchtowers, defensive logic, and strategic role in protecting the empire’s northern frontier.
Afternoon:
After returning to the city, continue to the Shichahai Historical and Cultural Area, once an important water transport hub during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Today, it offers a different side of Beijing — quieter, more intimate, and deeply tied to the rhythms of old local life. Stroll along the lakeside lanes and hutongs, where former princely residences, traditional courtyard homes, and shaded waterside paths reveal the texture of the old capital beyond its grand imperial monuments. If you wish, you may also enjoy a boat ride on the lake, taking in the historic architecture and the relaxed charm of this long-lived neighborhood from the water.
Evening:
Later, head to Qianmen Street, a lively historic district known for its long-established Chinese brands and its restored late Qing and early Republican-era streetscape. As day turns to evening, the atmosphere shifts again, blending nostalgia, local life, and the energy of a city that has never stopped evolving. To end the day, a special dinner will be arranged with views toward Beijing’s modern CBD skyline, where landmarks such as the CCTV Headquarters rise in striking contrast to the city’s older quarters. It is a memorable finale to a day that moves from imperial defense and historic waterways to the living layers of old Beijing and the modern capital beyond.
Accommodation: Beijing
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, begin the day at the Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. Here, the grandeur of royal architecture unfolds gently through landscapes rather than ceremony alone. As you walk along Kunming Lake and look up toward Longevity Hill and its layered palace buildings, the harmony between nature and design becomes immediately clear. Your guide will introduce the Chinese garden concept of borrowing scenery, in which distant hills, water, trees, and architecture are carefully composed into one flowing visual experience. Along the way, you will also pass through the famous Long Corridor, richly painted with thousands of scenes drawn from history, legend, and classical literature — a place where art, storytelling, and imperial leisure come together in one of the most refined expressions of traditional Chinese culture.
Afternoon:
Later, you will be transferred to the railway station and board a high-speed train to Xi’an. As the train leaves Beijing behind, the scenery gradually shifts from the capital’s northern landscape to the broad plains of North China and onward toward the Guanzhong heartland, once the political and cultural center of several great dynasties. The journey itself offers a smooth and comfortable transition between two of China’s most important historic capitals, allowing the day to unfold not as a simple transfer, but as a passage from imperial Beijing to the ancient world of Chang’an.
Evening:
Upon arrival in Xi’an, begin your first evening in the city with a look at the illuminated Bell Tower and Drum Tower, two of the old capital’s most recognizable landmarks. Once the ceremonial center of urban timekeeping and city administration, they still anchor the historic core of Xi’an with quiet authority. From there, continue to the Gao Family Courtyard, one of the best-preserved official residences from the Ming and Qing periods. Here, the atmosphere becomes more intimate and cultural, as you take in traditional folk performances such as Huaxian shadow puppetry, Huayin old tunes, and Qinqiang opera, while also encountering local heritage arts including Shaanxi paper-cutting and Thangka painting.
The evening continues into the Muslim Quarter, where Xi’an reveals yet another side of itself — lively, aromatic, and deeply rooted in the city’s long history of cultural exchange. More than just a food street, this is a neighborhood shaped by generations of Hui Muslim life, where local customs and bold northwestern flavors come together in a distinctly local atmosphere. As you wander through its animated lanes, you may sample specialties such as yangrou paomo and roujiamo, while absorbing the energy of a place where trade, faith, food, and everyday life have long met at the heart of the old city.
Accommodation: Xi’an
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, set out for the Mausoleum Site Museum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, home to the world-famous Terracotta Warriors. Often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” this extraordinary archaeological discovery offers one of the clearest windows into the birth of a unified imperial China. As you explore the pits, your guide will help bring the site into sharper focus — from the formation of infantry, cavalry, and chariot units to the military system that supported the first emperor’s rule. Beyond its historical importance, the museum also reveals a remarkable level of artistic achievement: the facial features, hairstyles, postures, and dress of the warriors vary from figure to figure, creating the powerful impression that each soldier was made as an individual rather than as part of a mass.
Afternoon:
Later, return to the city and continue to the Ancient City Wall of Xi’an, one of the most complete surviving city walls in China. Built during the Ming Dynasty and stretching for nearly 14 kilometers, it still defines the outline of the old capital with impressive clarity. You may choose to walk or cycle along the top of the wall, where the contrast below is especially striking: on one side lies the ordered layout of the old city, and on the other, the expanding energy of modern Xi’an. It is one of the best places to feel how the city’s past and present continue to exist side by side.
From there, head to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, one of Xi’an’s most iconic landmarks. Built to house the Buddhist scriptures brought back by the monk Xuanzang, the pagoda stands as an enduring symbol of the city’s importance during the Tang Dynasty. Its dignified form reflects the architectural spirit of the era, while the surrounding temple grounds preserve a quieter, more contemplative atmosphere. Here, Xi’an feels less like a former capital of armies and walls, and more like a center of faith, learning, and cultural exchange.
Evening:
As night falls, continue to Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City for an atmospheric evening walk. Designed around the cultural memory of the High Tang period, this immersive district combines lights, music, sculpture, and Tang-style architecture to recreate the splendor of ancient Chang’an at its height. As you stroll through the illuminated avenues, the city seems to shift in mood once again — no longer archaeological, defensive, or solemn, but cosmopolitan, theatrical, and full of movement. With its glowing streets and revived sense of grandeur, it offers a memorable final impression of Xi’an, where echoes of the Silk Road and the elegance of the Tang world still feel vividly alive.
Accommodation: Xi’an
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the railway station and board a high-speed train to Chengdu. As the journey moves southwest, the atmosphere begins to shift as well — from the weight of Xi’an’s ancient dynasties to the more relaxed, flavor-filled rhythm of Sichuan. Upon arrival, Chengdu feels immediately different: softer in pace, more casual in mood, and full of the kind of everyday energy that makes the city so easy to enjoy.
Afternoon:
Begin your first exploration of Chengdu in Chunxi Road, the city’s most iconic commercial district and one of the best places to sense its modern pulse. Long regarded as the heart of urban Chengdu, this lively area brings together shopping, food, street life, and the city’s ever-present mix of tradition and trend. Nearby, stop at the IFS International Finance Center to see the city’s famous giant climbing panda sculpture, now one of Chengdu’s most recognizable landmarks and a playful symbol of its contemporary charm.
From there, continue to Kuanzhai Alleys and Kuixinglou Street, where old Chengdu reveals itself through a more textured and local atmosphere. As you wander through the lanes, traditional courtyards, local snack shops, and casual restaurants create a setting that feels both historic and alive. This is a wonderful place to sample Chengdu flavors, from beloved local sweets such as san da pao and tang you guozi to the rich, bold tastes that make Sichuan cuisine so widely loved.
Evening:
Later, slow the pace at People’s Park, one of the best places to experience Chengdu’s famously relaxed way of life. Sitting down in a historic teahouse with a bowl of covered tea in hand, you begin to understand the city not through monuments, but through rhythm — conversation, leisure, and the unhurried pleasure of simply being present.
As night falls, continue to Jiuyanqiao, one of Chengdu’s best-known evening districts along the Jinjiang River. Here, old bridge views, riverside lights, and the glow of the surrounding nightlife come together to create a more modern and energetic side of the city. After a day that moves from railway arrival to old streets, teahouse calm, and riverfront lights, Chengdu leaves a first impression that is both lively and wonderfully easygoing.
Accommodation: Chengdu
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, begin the day at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where you will have the chance to see some of the city’s most beloved residents up close. Watching the young pandas climb, play, and tumble through their surroundings is not only delightful, but also one of the most memorable and distinctly Sichuan experiences of the journey. Beyond their charm, the visit offers a more personal encounter with one of China’s most treasured national symbols, bringing a softer and more playful mood to the day.
Afternoon:
Later, continue to the Chengdu Museum for a broader look at the city and the world that shaped it. Through collections related to Bashu culture, natural history, and the development of modern Chengdu, the museum offers a deeper understanding of the region beyond its food and relaxed lifestyle. It is a valuable stop that helps connect the city’s everyday charm with its longer cultural and historical foundations.
From there, visit Wuhou Shrine, one of the most important places associated with the Three Kingdoms period. With its quiet courtyards, ancient cypress trees, and strong historical atmosphere, it offers a more reflective side of Chengdu and a meaningful introduction to one of the most enduring chapters in Chinese history. The site is especially resonant for those interested in loyalty, strategy, and the cultural memory of the Shu kingdom.
Evening:
To end the day, take a stroll through Jinli Ancient Street, where the spirit of old western Sichuan lingers in a lively and approachable form. Lantern-lit lanes, traditional-style façades, local snacks, folk crafts, and the steady flow of evening life create a setting that feels both festive and rooted in place. After a day that moves from pandas and museum collections to historical remembrance and old street atmosphere, Chengdu leaves an impression that is warm, vivid, and deeply human.
Accommodation: Chengdu
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the railway station and take a high-speed train to Chongqing, a journey of around 1.5 hours. On arrival, the atmosphere shifts immediately. Compared with Chengdu’s relaxed rhythm, Chongqing feels more dramatic, more layered, and more intense — a city shaped by steep hills, rivers, bridges, and an unmistakable sense of verticality.
Your first stop is Liziba Station, one of Chongqing’s most iconic urban sights, where the monorail famously passes straight through a residential building. Watching the train glide through the structure is one of those moments that perfectly captures the city’s unusual geography and bold urban character. From the official viewing platform, you can take in this remarkable scene from the best angle and begin to understand why Chongqing is unlike anywhere else in China.
Afternoon:
Continue to Eling No. 2 Factory, a former banknote printing plant from the Republican period that has been transformed into a creative cultural park. Here, old industrial buildings, art spaces, murals, cafés, and rooftop viewpoints come together in a way that feels both nostalgic and contemporary. From the upper terraces, the city opens up in layers, with the rivers, hillsides, and dense skyline stretching into the distance.
Later, experience the Yangtze River Cableway, often called the first aerial corridor across the mighty Yangtze. As the cable car crosses above the river, Chongqing reveals itself from a completely different perspective — a city of stacked streets, dramatic slopes, and tightly packed urban life rising from the water’s edge. It is short in duration, but unforgettable in atmosphere.
After that, head to Baixiangju near the Jiefangbei area, one of Chongqing’s most fascinating residential landmarks. Built into the hillside and linked by elevated passageways, the complex reflects the city’s layered architectural character in a raw and authentic way. From certain viewpoints, you may even catch the striking sight of the cableway moving through the urban landscape, adding yet another layer to Chongqing’s already cinematic scenery.
Evening:
As night falls, make your way to Hongyadong, the city’s most famous night-view landmark. Built against the hillside along the river, its eleven levels of traditional Bayu-style stilted architecture glow with warm light after dark, creating a scene that feels almost dreamlike. With its tiered façades, overhanging eaves, and dramatic riverside setting, Hongyadong is often compared to a scene from a fantasy film, but in person it feels even more vivid and immersive. You may browse the food streets, take in the riverside atmosphere, and enjoy the energy of one of Chongqing’s most iconic evening settings.
To round off the day, take a walk on Qiansimen Bridge, which stands just beside Hongyadong and offers one of the best panoramic night views in the city. From here, the full beauty of Chongqing comes into view: illuminated stilt-house architecture, flowing river reflections, passing light rail lines, and a skyline alive with color and movement. It is a spectacular ending to your first day in this unforgettable mountain city.
Accommodation: Chongqing
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, set out for the Dazu Rock Carvings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the highest achievements of later Chinese grotto art. Carved into the cliffs with extraordinary skill and expressive detail, these sculptures reveal not only religious devotion, but also a deeply human and worldly vision of life. As your guide leads you through the site, you will gain a deeper understanding of the Buddhist themes, artistic craftsmanship, and cultural ideas that make Dazu such an important chapter in China’s artistic and spiritual heritage.
Afternoon:
Later, return to the city and explore the Mountain City Trail together with Shibati, one of the most evocative places to experience old Chongqing. Here, the character of the city is felt not through grand monuments, but through its terrain and everyday textures — stone stairways, stilted houses, old courtyards, elevated walkways, and layered streets all woven into the hillside. As you move between the upper and lower parts of the city, the view keeps changing, with river scenery, historic architecture, and the living pulse of the mountain city unfolding at every turn. It is one of the best places to feel how Chongqing has grown out of its dramatic landscape rather than simply sitting upon it.
Continue to Huguang Guild Hall, the largest surviving Qing Dynasty guild hall complex in the center of any Chinese city. Built during the Kangxi period and beautifully set against the riverside, it stands as a powerful reminder of the great migration movement known as “Huguang filling Sichuan.” With its yellow walls, dark tiled roofs, carved beams, and finely detailed courtyards, the complex offers both architectural beauty and a deeper look into the social history that helped shape Chongqing and the wider region.
Evening:
As night falls, head to Chongqing Raffles City for one of the city’s most striking modern night views. Rising dramatically at the meeting point of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers, the complex is known for its bold “sails to the sky” design and has become one of the defining landmarks of the city’s futuristic skyline. Illuminated after dark, it presents a completely different side of Chongqing — sleek, dazzling, and unmistakably contemporary. With the glowing towers, the river reflections, and the city’s layered lights all around you, it is a memorable finale to a day that reveals both the historical depth and the modern spectacle of this remarkable mountain city.
Accommodation: Chongqing
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the railway station and take a high-speed train to Zhangjiajie, with a journey of around two hours. As the landscapes of Chongqing gradually give way to the mountains of western Hunan, the mood of the trip shifts once again — this time from dramatic urban scenery to one of China’s most extraordinary natural worlds.
Upon arrival, head straight to Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, one of the most iconic highlights in Zhangjiajie. Ride the famous high-altitude cable car up to the summit, soaring above valleys, forested slopes, and the winding “Heaven-Linking Avenue” below, with its ninety-nine sharp bends carving through the mountainside. The ascent itself is already a spectacular experience, and the views become more and more dramatic as you rise into the clouds.
Afternoon:
Once on the mountain, continue your exploration along the cliffside paths and experience the thrilling glass skywalk suspended against the sheer rock face. Standing high above the valley, with the vast drop beneath your feet and the mountains stretching into the distance, the scenery feels both exhilarating and almost unreal. It is one of those places where the scale of nature is felt in a very direct way.
Later, continue to Tianmen Cave, the immense natural opening in the mountain known as the “Gate to Heaven.” This rare karst formation is not only visually striking, but also one of the defining landmarks of Zhangjiajie. Here, your guide will explain how this remarkable natural arch was formed, adding geological depth to a place that already feels almost mythical in appearance.
Evening:
In the evening, visit the 72 Qilou Scenic Area, where layers of traditional Tujia-style stilted architecture rise in a dreamlike display of lights and structure. Illuminated after dark, the entire setting feels theatrical, immersive, and full of fantasy-like atmosphere, offering a very different side of Zhangjiajie after the grandeur of the mountains. With its stacked wooden buildings, glowing lights, and rich ethnic character, it makes a memorable ending to your first day in this extraordinary region.
Accommodation: Zhangjiajie
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, continue into the heart of Zhangjiajie’s extraordinary sandstone world. Begin with the Bailong Elevator, the highest outdoor sightseeing lift in the world, which carries you from the valley floor to the mountaintop in just moments. The ascent itself is an experience — a dramatic meeting of engineering and nature, as sheer cliffs rise around you and the scenery opens out with breathtaking speed.
From there, continue to Yuanjiajie, one of the most iconic sections of Zhangjiajie and the place most closely associated with the floating-mountain world that later inspired Avatar. Here, towering stone pillars rise straight from the earth in astonishing clusters, creating a landscape that feels less like ordinary mountain scenery and more like a natural labyrinth suspended between earth and sky. As you move between the cliffside viewpoints, the famous Qiankun Pillar comes into view, surrounded by layer upon layer of dramatic vertical peaks.
Afternoon:
Later, head to Tianzi Mountain, an area celebrated for its sea of clouds, dense peak forest, and ever-changing light. The scenery here is grand yet poetic, especially when the stone pinnacles appear one behind another like an unfolding ink painting. Standing before the Imperial Brush Peaks, you can fully appreciate the elegance and rhythm of this landscape, where nature feels both monumental and strangely delicate at the same time.
After that, continue to the Ten-Mile Gallery, where the atmosphere softens into a more relaxed and picturesque experience. You may take the sightseeing train through the valley, allowing the scenery to unfold at an easy pace. Along the way, naturally shaped peaks and rock formations appear one after another, including well-known sights such as the Herb-Gathering Old Man and the Three Sisters Peaks. With the stories and local legends shared by your guide, the landscape begins to feel even more vivid and full of character.
Evening:
In the evening, enjoy Charming Xiangxi, one of the best-known cultural performances in Zhangjiajie. Blending music, dance, folklore, and striking stage effects, the show brings together the living traditions of the Tujia, Miao, Yao, Bai, and other ethnic communities of western Hunan. Rich in atmosphere and local identity, it offers a powerful contrast to the day’s mountain scenery — a chance to encounter not only the beauty of the land, but also the cultural spirit of the region itself.
Accommodation: Zhangjiajie
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the railway station for your high-speed train to Guilin. By the afternoon, you will arrive in a city long celebrated in China for its extraordinary natural beauty. For centuries, Guilin has been praised as a place where the landscape itself feels almost poetic, and its limestone peaks, winding rivers, and soft southern atmosphere have come to represent one of the most classic expressions of Chinese scenic aesthetics.
Afternoon:
On arrival, begin with Elephant Trunk Hill, Guilin’s most iconic landmark. Resembling a giant elephant lowering its trunk to drink from the river, the hill is more than just a striking natural formation — it also reflects the close relationship between landscape and imagination that runs through so much of Chinese culture. Standing here, you can immediately sense why Guilin has long been associated with beauty not only in nature, but also in art, poetry, and visual memory.
Later, continue to the area of the Sun and Moon Pagodas and enjoy a relaxed walk through East-West Alley. Here, Guilin reveals a gentler and more lived-in side of itself, where historic streets, traditional-style architecture, local shops, and everyday city life come together in an easy and pleasant rhythm. Compared with the dramatic scale of Zhangjiajie, Guilin feels softer, calmer, and more lyrical — offering a different but equally memorable face of China’s natural beauty.
Accommodation: Guilin
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, board a carefully selected four-star Li River cruise and begin one of the most iconic scenic journeys in China. As the boat glides through the most celebrated stretch of the river, the landscape unfolds slowly on both sides — limestone peaks rising in elegant forms, soft reflections drifting across the water, and villages appearing quietly along the banks. Along the way, you will pass well-known sights such as Nine Horses Fresco Hill and Yellow Cloth Shoal, where the classic beauty of Guilin reveals itself not in one dramatic moment, but in a continuous flow of mountain, river, and light. With lunch served on board, the cruise allows you to experience the Li River in a relaxed and immersive way, as though moving through a living Chinese scroll painting.
Afternoon:
Later, continue to Silver Cave, one of the region’s best-known karst caverns. Inside, the atmosphere shifts from open river scenery to an enclosed world of shimmering stone formations, where stalactites and stalagmites take on an almost dreamlike quality under the lights. The cave’s intricate shapes and layered chambers create a striking contrast with the calm openness of the river earlier in the day, adding another dimension to Guilin’s limestone landscape.
Evening:
In the evening, enjoy Impression Liu Sanjie, a large-scale outdoor performance set against the real landscape of Guilin’s rivers and karst peaks. Blending local ethnic culture, music, light, and visual artistry, the show transforms the natural surroundings into a living stage. After a day shaped by the quiet beauty of the Li River and the hidden wonder of the cave, it offers a memorable finale — atmospheric, poetic, and deeply rooted in the spirit of the region.
Accommodation: Yangshuo
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Breakfast, Li River cruise lunch
Morning:
After breakfast, begin the day with a bamboo raft ride on the Yulong River, one of the most peaceful and intimate landscape experiences in the Guilin–Yangshuo region. As the raft drifts gently over the calm water, the scenery unfolds at an unhurried pace — limestone peaks rising on both sides, fields and village paths appearing along the banks, and the quiet beauty of the countryside revealing itself in a way that feels both simple and timeless. Compared with the grandeur of the Li River, the Yulong River offers something more personal and close at hand, allowing you to experience the softer, more pastoral side of southern China.
Afternoon:
Later, continue to the Ten-Mile Gallery, where the landscape is best enjoyed at a slower and more immersive rhythm. Rather than looking out from a distant viewpoint, you move directly through the countryside, passing village lanes, rice fields, and karst hills that seem to rise almost effortlessly from the land. Cycling here brings a very different feeling from the dramatic mountain scenery of Zhangjiajie: the beauty is gentler, more open, and more connected to everyday rural life. It is an ideal way to spend time in Yangshuo, where the charm lies not only in the scenery itself, but in the relaxed pace at which it is experienced.
Accommodation: Yangshuo
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Guilin Airport for your flight to Shanghai, China’s most international and cosmopolitan city. As the journey moves from the quiet karst countryside of Guilin to the fast-paced energy of the east coast, the atmosphere of the trip shifts once again — this time toward a city shaped by global influence, layered history, and a distinctly modern rhythm.
Afternoon:
Upon arrival, begin your Shanghai experience with a visit to Zhujiajiao Water Town, the best-preserved ancient water town in the Shanghai area and often praised as the “Venice of Shanghai.” Built along canals and lined with stone bridges, old lanes, and Ming- and Qing-era buildings, it offers a gentler and more traditional side of the city. Strolling through its waterside streets, you can slow down and take in the quiet charm of Jiangnan life, where architecture, water, and everyday rhythm remain closely intertwined.
Later, continue to Jade Buddha Temple, one of Shanghai’s most respected Buddhist temples. Known for the two precious jade Buddha statues enshrined within, the temple offers a different atmosphere from the city outside — calmer, more contemplative, and filled with the quiet presence of living religious practice. With its grand halls, curling incense, and serene spiritual setting, it adds a more human and inward-looking layer to your first day in Shanghai.
Evening:
As night falls, head to the Bund and enjoy a cruise on the Huangpu River, one of the most memorable ways to experience Shanghai after dark. From the water, the city reveals its most dramatic contrast: on one side, the historic façades of the Bund reflect the elegance of old Shanghai; on the other, the soaring skyline of Lujiazui rises in a striking display of glass, steel, and light, with landmarks such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and Shanghai Tower creating one of the most recognizable urban silhouettes in Asia. When the lights come on and both banks of the river begin to glow, the scene feels both cinematic and distinctly Shanghai — a fitting and impressive arrival into the city’s modern grandeur.
Accommodation: Shanghai
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning:
After breakfast, begin the day at Yu Garden, a classical Jiangnan-style private garden first created during the Ming Dynasty. As you move through its pavilions, rockeries, ponds, and zigzag bridges, the garden reveals the Chinese art of shaping space through contrast, layering, and carefully framed views. Here, beauty does not come from scale alone, but from the way architecture, water, stone, and planting are brought into quiet harmony. With every turn, the atmosphere shifts subtly, offering a more intimate and contemplative side of Shanghai beneath the city’s cosmopolitan surface.
Afternoon:
Later, continue to Wukang Road and Sinan Mansions, two of the most evocative areas in the former French Concession. Shaded by plane trees and lined with historic residences, elegant villas, and protected heritage buildings, these streets reveal a Shanghai shaped by many cultural influences yet unmistakably its own. Walking here is less about ticking off landmarks and more about absorbing the city’s texture — the curve of the roads, the interplay of architectural styles, and the everyday grace of a neighborhood where history still lives naturally within modern urban life.
From there, head to Tianzifang, one of Shanghai’s best-known examples of how old Shikumen lanes have been reimagined for contemporary life. Within its narrow alleys and preserved stone-gate houses, cafés, studios, small galleries, design shops, and independent boutiques now coexist with the area’s historic structure. It is an easy and enjoyable place to slow down, browse for something unique, pause for a coffee, or simply take in a more creative and lived-in side of the city. Compared with the grandeur of central Shanghai, Tianzifang feels more intimate, more textured, and closer to the rhythms of daily urban life.
Evening:
As evening falls, continue to Xintiandi for a stylish and atmospheric night walk. One of Shanghai’s most iconic Shikumen districts, it is especially charming after dark, when the historic façades glow softly beneath the lights and the streets take on a more polished, cosmopolitan energy. International dining, creative bars, and boutique storefronts give the area a vibrant but relaxed mood, making it an ideal place to experience the city’s modern lifestyle in a setting still rooted in its architectural past. Whether you choose to linger over a drink on a terrace or simply stroll through the illuminated lanes, the evening offers a fitting final taste of Shanghai — elegant, lively, and effortlessly contemporary.
Accommodation: Shanghai
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Depending on your flight time, your private driver will escort you to the airport for your onward journey. If you have a later departure, a relaxed final outing can be arranged so that your last hours in Shanghai feel easy and worthwhile rather than rushed.
You may begin with a stroll through People’s Square, where the open urban space, surrounding landmarks, and steady local rhythm offer one last glimpse of daily life in the city center. From there, continue to the City God Temple area, one of old Shanghai’s liveliest quarters, where narrow lanes, traditional architecture, and local snack stalls still preserve a strong sense of the city’s historic character. It is also a pleasant place to enjoy lunch before the afternoon continues.
Later, head to Xujiahui for a different side of Shanghai. Pause outside the grand Xujiahui Catholic Church to admire its striking architecture, then visit Xujiahui Library, often regarded as one of the city’s most beautifully designed reading spaces. Compared with the energy of the old town, this part of the day feels quieter and more reflective, offering a gentle and well-balanced final impression of Shanghai.
At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to the airport. Your guide will assist with check-in, baggage procedures, and the departure process, helping ensure that everything goes smoothly and comfortably. With memories of the Great Wall, imperial capitals, giant pandas, dramatic mountain landscapes, classic river scenery, and Shanghai’s modern skyline, your 17-day journey through China comes to a memorable close. We wish you a pleasant flight and hope to welcome you again on another journey in the future.
Accommodation: Not included (Departure day)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Handpicked boutique hotels (Local 4-Star Standard or above) are arranged throughout your 17-day China journey.
Hotel details will be confirmed before final booking, and we can arrange upgrades or alternative properties based on your preferences and budget.
Private airport and railway station transfers, private vehicles with drivers for local sightseeing in each destination, high-speed train travel, and the domestic flight from Guilin to Shanghai are included as listed in the itinerary.
Daily hotel breakfast is included. Lunch on the 4-star Li River cruise is also included. Other lunches and dinners are kept flexible, allowing you to enjoy local food at your own pace. Your guide can recommend suitable restaurants based on your tastes and preferences and assist with ordering.
All entrance tickets for the sightseeing attractions listed in the itinerary are included.
China-based travel accident insurance during your journey is included.
Full policy details can be provided upon request.
International transportation to and from China is not included in the tour price. We are happy to assist with flight recommendations or booking arrangements to help ensure a smooth connection with your itinerary.
China visa application and related fees are not included.
Basic local travel accident insurance is included in this tour, but it does not replace comprehensive international travel insurance.
We recommend arranging suitable coverage in your home country prior to departure for full protection during your trip.
Any experiences, tickets, or transportation not specified in the itinerary are not included.
Optional shows, special experiences, or upgrades arranged during free time may incur additional costs.
Personal expenses such as shopping, individual purchases, and discretionary spending are not included.
Gratuities for your guide and driver are not included and are entirely at your discretion based on your satisfaction with the service.
This itinerary is relatively fast-paced, as it covers several of China’s most famous destinations in one trip. It is best suited to travelers who want to see more of the country’s highlights rather than travel at a slower pace. If you prefer a more relaxed journey with fewer hotel changes and more free time, the route can be adjusted before booking.
Yes. This journey is a strong choice for first-time visitors who want a broader introduction to China. It combines imperial history in Beijing and Xi’an, local culture in Chengdu and Chongqing, dramatic natural scenery in Zhangjiajie and Guilin, and the modern energy of Shanghai, giving you a well-rounded first experience of the country.
Yes. As a private tour, this itinerary can be adjusted to better match your interests, pace, and travel style. We can reduce the number of destinations, add extra nights in selected places, upgrade hotels, adjust sightseeing intensity, or fine-tune the route based on your preferences and travel priorities.
This tour is best for travelers who want to experience a wide range of China in one journey. It is especially suitable for first-time visitors, travelers who enjoy both culture and scenery, and those who want to go beyond the usual Beijing–Xi’an–Shanghai route by adding Chengdu, Chongqing, Zhangjiajie, and Guilin. It is less suitable for travelers who prefer a very slow-paced trip.
Spring and autumn are generally the most comfortable seasons for this itinerary, with milder temperatures and pleasant sightseeing conditions across most destinations. Summer brings greener landscapes, especially in Zhangjiajie and Guilin, but some cities can be quite hot. Winter is usually less crowded, though the weather can vary more from region to region. The best time ultimately depends on whether you prioritize scenery, comfort, or fewer tourists.
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17-Day China Private Tour from Beijing to Shanghai with Pandas, Chongqing, Zhangjiajie & Guilin
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