Tour Code: P-BXCSS-15D
Beijing → Xi’an → Chongqing → Shanghai → Suzhou → Shanghai
Begin among Beijing’s palace courtyards and mountain watchtowers, then follow China’s changing city life south and east. In Xi’an, the Terracotta Warriors and old city walls bring the ancient capital into focus. Chongqing adds a different energy: river crossings, stepped lanes, a neighbourhood teahouse and buildings glowing above the waterfront.
The final five nights are based in Shanghai. Take a high-speed train to Suzhou for gardens and canals, returning to the same hotel that evening, then explore Shanghai from its old lanes to the 118th floor of Shanghai Tower. A full free day leaves room for shopping and discoveries of your own.
Private local guides bring context to the places you visit, while station and airport transfers connect each stage of the journey. Four hotel bases keep hotel changes manageable, with five consecutive nights in Shanghai and a day to spend as you choose. Several sightseeing days are full; before booking, we can refine the pace and balance of visits around your interests and walking comfort.
Your private driver meets you at Beijing airport and transfers you to your city hotel. Settle in after the flight and take the rest of the day at your own pace, whether that means a short walk nearby or a quiet evening to adjust to the time difference.
Your first four nights are in Beijing, giving you a settled base for its imperial landmarks, old neighbourhoods and the Great Wall.
Accommodation: Beijing
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Not included today
Morning: Begin at Tiananmen Square, then enter the Forbidden City to explore the palace complex of the Ming and Qing emperors. Your guide introduces the ceremonial courtyards, halls and architectural details that reveal how imperial life was organised, from the grand central axis to the more intimate spaces around it.
Afternoon: Continue to Jingshan Park. The climb to its hilltop viewpoint rewards you with a broad view across the Forbidden City’s tiled roofs and Beijing’s north–south axis. Later, slow the pace around Shichahai, walking beside the lakes, across Yinding Bridge and through hutong lanes lined with traditional courtyard homes.
The hutong walk focuses on neighbourhood life and the character of the lanes; entry to private residences is not assumed. Your guide can help you choose a place for dinner before you return to the hotel.
The Forbidden City requires advance reservations and is normally closed on Mondays outside public holidays. We arrange the order of your Beijing sightseeing around ticket availability and opening days.
Accommodation: Beijing
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning: Leave Beijing by private vehicle for the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. Take the cable car up, then explore a walking section chosen with your guide, pausing at the watchtowers for views across the mountain ridges.
The stone steps can be steep and uneven, even with cable-car access. Wear shoes with good grip and tell us in advance about any mobility concerns so we can plan a manageable visit.
Late afternoon: Return to Beijing and stop at Olympic Park for exterior views of the Bird’s Nest stadium and Water Cube. Their bold modern forms offer a striking change from the stone walls and mountain setting of the morning.
Mutianyu cable-car access is included as described. Operation depends on weather and the scenic area’s arrangements; the Olympic venues are viewed from outside.
Accommodation: Beijing
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning: Explore the Temple of Heaven, where imperial ritual shaped a landscape of ceremonial buildings and old cypress trees. At the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, your guide explains how colour, proportion and the relationship between circular and square forms express ideas about heaven and earth.
Afternoon: Continue to the Summer Palace for a different expression of imperial life. Walk along the painted Long Corridor, visit the Tower of Buddhist Incense area, and take in the views around Kunming Lake and the Seventeen-Arch Bridge. The lake, hillside buildings and framed vistas reveal the thought behind this large royal garden.
There is considerable walking across both sites. We plan breaks and the order of the visit around your pace; the climb near the Tower of Buddhist Incense involves steps.
Accommodation: Beijing
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
After breakfast, your driver transfers you to the railway station for the high-speed train to Xi’an. Watch the scenery change as the journey takes you from the capital towards one of China’s great historic cities.
Your Xi’an driver meets you on arrival and takes you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to settle in, take a short walk or enjoy an unhurried first meal in the city.
Allow approximately 4.5 hours on a suitable train service. The actual journey time depends on the service available for your travel date; departure and arrival times are confirmed when tickets are arranged.
Accommodation: Xi’an
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning: Travel with your private guide and driver to the Terracotta Warriors museum. The scale of the excavated army is impressive, but the visit also rewards looking closely: armour, hairstyles, faces and military formations bring the craftsmanship of the Qin period into view.
Afternoon: Return towards the old city for a walk on Xi’an’s ancient City Wall. From the elevated walkway, look across the gates and streets that still define the city centre. Continue for exterior views of the Bell and Drum Towers, then explore the Muslim Quarter, where your guide can introduce local specialities and help you decide what to try. Food purchases are at your own expense.
Evening: Visit Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City, an illuminated pedestrian district inspired by Tang-era Chang’an. Walk among the architectural displays and street activity before returning to your hotel.
This is a full sightseeing day with an early start and an evening finish. An extra Xi’an night is a useful option if you prefer longer visits and more rest.
Accommodation: Xi’an
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Transfer to the railway station for your high-speed train to Chongqing. Allow around five hours on the train; the final timetable will depend on the service selected for your dates.
On arrival, your private driver meets you at the station and takes you to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day independently. A nearby restaurant or a gentle neighbourhood walk is a good first introduction to Chongqing before two fuller days of exploration.
Accommodation: Chongqing
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning: Ride the Yangtze River Cableway for a new perspective on Chongqing’s riverbanks and layered buildings. Back at street level, explore Shibati, the Eighteen Steps district, where stairways connect different levels of the city and restored lanes recall its hillside neighbourhoods.
Midday: Continue to Ciqikou Ancient Town. Browse its lanes and riverside streets, with time to choose lunch and local snacks at your own expense.
Afternoon: Watch Chongqing 1949, a large indoor stage production near Ciqikou. Its theatrical sets and moving stage tell stories set in the city during the events of 1949. Your guide can introduce the historical context before the performance.
Evening: Return to the central waterfront to see Hongya Cave’s illuminated stilt-house-style buildings beside the Jialing River. Finish with time for photographs and the night views before the drive back to your hotel.
The show is part of the planned included programme. Your guide coordinates the day around the performance time, cableway queues and city traffic.
Accommodation: Chongqing
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning: Watch a train pass through the building at Liziba, then explore Eling Second Factory, a former industrial site now used by creative businesses, cafés and shops. The hillside setting gives you another sense of how the city is built across different levels.
Midday: Visit the Jiefangbei monument and Bayi Food Street. Your guide can introduce local favourites and help you choose somewhere for lunch.
Afternoon: Continue to Huangjueping Graffiti Art Street and Jiaotong Teahouse. Sit down for a traditional covered-bowl tea experience and observe the rhythm of an old neighbourhood teahouse, a quieter counterpoint to the city’s busy central streets.
Evening: Head to Nanshan Yikeshu, the One Tree viewing area, for a panorama across the river towards central Chongqing. Return to your hotel after the night view.
Today crosses several parts of the city and includes steps. Traffic affects transfer times, and the clarity of the Nanshan view depends on weather.
Accommodation: Chongqing
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Your driver transfers you to Chongqing airport for the domestic flight to Shanghai. Airport transfers and the flight are included in the route; the airline and flight time are selected once your travel dates are known.
A private driver meets you at Shanghai airport and takes you to your hotel. Settle into the base you will keep for five nights, with the remainder of the day free to rest or explore nearby.
Accommodation: Shanghai
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning: Transfer to the station for your high-speed train from Shanghai to Suzhou. Local station transfers are arranged at both ends. In Suzhou, begin at the Humble Administrator’s Garden, where pools, pavilions and carefully framed views invite a closer look at classical garden design.
Continue to Pingjiang Road, walking beside canals and traditional houses in the historic quarter. Pause here for lunch at your own expense and enjoy the contrast between the garden’s composed scenery and everyday life along the waterways.
Afternoon: Explore Tiger Hill, known for its leaning pagoda, historic sites and wooded slopes. Allow time for the paths and steps before your transfer back to the railway station.
Return to Shanghai by high-speed train, where your driver takes you back to the same hotel. You do not need to repack for an overnight stay in Suzhou.
An early train and a suitable return service allow time for all three visits. Train seats, garden reservations and seasonal closing times are coordinated when dates are confirmed.
Accommodation: Shanghai
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning: Visit Yu Garden, a classical garden set within Shanghai’s old city. Explore its rockeries, halls and enclosed views, then walk through the nearby City God Temple bazaar area, with time to browse and choose Jiangnan-style snacks at your own expense.
Afternoon: Walk along Nanjing Road to experience the city’s busy commercial centre, then continue by private vehicle to Tianzifang. Its narrow lanes, small shops and studios introduce the intimate scale of Shanghai’s older neighbourhoods.
Evening: Explore Xintiandi, where restored shikumen buildings now house restaurants, cafés and shops. Your guide can help you choose a dinner spot before the return to your hotel.
This visit includes Yu Garden and the surrounding old-town streets. Separate entry to the City God Temple’s religious halls is not included.
Accommodation: Shanghai
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Morning: Begin with an exterior visit to Tian An 1000 Trees, the planted development beside Suzhou Creek. Continue to Wukang Road and Anfu Road, where tree-lined streets, older buildings and contemporary cafés reveal a more residential side of Shanghai.
Afternoon: Walk along the Bund to see its historic waterfront façades, then cross to Lujiazui for a riverside stroll and a visit to Shanghai Tower’s 118th-floor Top of Shanghai Observatory. From above, trace the bends of the Huangpu River and the contrast between the two banks.
Evening: Board a scheduled sightseeing cruise on the Huangpu River. The illuminated waterfront brings together the Bund’s older buildings and Pudong’s skyline, providing a memorable final guided evening in the city.
This is a full day, with short neighbourhood walks, several road transfers and timed sightseeing. The tower visit and shared cruise are included; visibility, cruise operation and the final boarding time depend on local conditions.
Accommodation: Shanghai
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Spend the day independently, with time for shopping, returning to a favourite neighbourhood or enjoying a slower day at your hotel. Your travel team can suggest areas that suit your interests, from boutiques around the former French Concession to larger shopping streets.
No guided sightseeing or dedicated sightseeing vehicle is scheduled today. Additional touring can be arranged before travel if you would like a more structured final day.
Accommodation: Shanghai
Hotel: Handpicked boutique hotel (Local 4-Star Standard or above)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Enjoy breakfast and any free time your flight schedule allows. Your private driver then transfers you to the airport for your onward journey.
The tour ends in Shanghai after 15 days and 14 hotel nights. If you need a late check-out or an additional night, we can quote that separately before booking.
Accommodation: Not included (Departure day)
Meals: Hotel breakfast included
14 nights in handpicked boutique hotels (Local 4-Star Standard or above): four in Beijing, two in Xi’an, three in Chongqing and five in Shanghai. Hotel names and room arrangements are set out in your quotation before booking; upgrades can be arranged. No hotel night is included on Day 15.
Private local English-speaking guides for the scheduled sightseeing. Other languages can be requested, subject to local availability. Different local guides may assist in different destinations; Day 14 is independent free time.
Daily bottled water and support from our local travel team throughout your journey. Private guiding and vehicles cover the sightseeing and transfers set out in your itinerary.
Private airport and railway-station transfers and vehicles for the scheduled sightseeing; high-speed trains Beijing–Xi’an and Xi’an–Chongqing; the Chongqing–Shanghai domestic flight; and return Shanghai–Suzhou high-speed trains with station transfers in both cities. Rail class and flight details are itemised in the quotation. Scheduled transport is shared with other passengers.
14 hotel breakfasts, from Day 2 through Day 15. Lunches, dinners and street-food purchases are not included, leaving you free to choose meals with advice from your guide on guided days.
Admission for the included sightseeing described in the daily programme, including the Mutianyu cable-car visit, Yangtze River Cableway, Chongqing 1949 performance, Shanghai Tower 118th-floor observatory and a shared Huangpu River sightseeing cruise. The Jiaotong Teahouse tea experience is part of the programme. Exterior-only visits remain exterior visits; additional special exhibitions and optional experiences are excluded.
China-based travel accident insurance during the journey is included. Policy terms and coverage can be provided before booking. This is separate from comprehensive international travel insurance.
International flights to China and onward flights from China are not included. The domestic Chongqing–Shanghai flight listed in the itinerary is included.
Visa fees and any related application services are not included. Entry requirements depend on your nationality and travel circumstances.
Comprehensive international travel insurance, including any cover you require for medical treatment, cancellation or evacuation, is not included.
Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks other than the specified hotel breakfasts, daily bottled water and planned teahouse experience.
Extra sightseeing, special exhibitions, additional hotel nights, late check-out and touring added to the free day unless included in your final quotation.
Shopping, laundry, minibar purchases, personal transport during free time and other personal expenses.
Tips for guides, drivers and other service staff are not included.
It suits travellers who want major historical sights alongside everyday city life and contemporary China. You visit four main hotel bases, add a day trip to Suzhou and have a free day in Shanghai. It works well for first-time visitors who are comfortable with walking and several full sightseeing days.
The route is Beijing → Xi’an → Chongqing → Shanghai → Suzhou → Shanghai. There are 14 hotel nights: Beijing 4, Xi’an 2, Chongqing 3 and Shanghai 5. Suzhou is a high-speed-train day trip from Shanghai, with private station transfers at both ends and a return to the same Shanghai hotel.
The starting price is US$4,677 per person. Your final quotation depends on your travel dates, party size, hotel and room choices, rail class and flight availability. It confirms the room arrangements, transport class and included services before booking.
The tour includes 14 nights in handpicked boutique hotels at Local 4-Star Standard or above, plus 14 hotel breakfasts on Days 2–15. Hotel names and room categories are provided before booking. Lunches and dinners are not included; upgrades or special accommodation preferences can be arranged.
Local sightseeing vehicles, scheduled airport and station transfers, and guided land visits are arranged for your party. High-speed trains, the domestic flight, cableways, theatre seating and the Huangpu River cruise are shared services. Day 14 is independent free time rather than a guided day.
Yes. Beijing–Xi’an and Xi’an–Chongqing high-speed trains, the Chongqing–Shanghai flight, and Shanghai–Suzhou return high-speed trains are included, with the relevant private station and airport transfers. Exact services, rail class and flight arrangements are set out in the quotation once travel dates are known.
Arrival days and the longer transfer days allow time to settle in, and Day 14 is free. The guided programme is more active: the Great Wall has uneven steps, Chongqing has slopes and stairs, Suzhou involves garden walks, and Days 6 and 13 run from morning into the evening. Tell us about your walking comfort before booking; adding a night in Xi’an or adjusting the programme can create more time.
Yes. The programme includes Chongqing 1949, Shanghai Tower’s 118th-floor observatory and a scheduled shared Huangpu River sightseeing cruise, as well as the cableway and cable-car visits described. Performance times, ticket availability, visibility and weather affect the final scheduling. Any proposed change is discussed before the arrangements are confirmed.
Yes. This is a private itinerary to be arranged around your dates, hotel preferences and interests. English-speaking local guides are the standard arrangement, with other languages available on request where possible. Sightseeing order is coordinated around reservations and opening days, including the Forbidden City’s usual Monday closure.
Day 14 is independent time in Shanghai for shopping or your own plans; a dedicated guide and sightseeing car are not scheduled. Day 15 includes hotel breakfast and a private airport transfer. The tour does not include another hotel night after departure.
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15-Day China Private Tour: Beijing, Xi’an, Chongqing, Suzhou & Shanghai
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