Itinerary
- Day 1
Shanghai
Your local guide and driver pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel in a private vehicle. After settling in, the rest of the day is open for you to relax or start wandering around Shanghai on your own.
- Start point
- China (Shanghai)
Optional Activities
- Explore Shanghai city
- Day 2
Shanghai
Start at the Shanghai Museum to see their well-known collections. Then head to Yu Garden with its 16th-century architecture, followed by a walk along the Bund to see Old Shanghai's 1920s character. During the afternoon, you'll have time in Fuxing Park and can check out the traditional Stone Arched Gates at Bugaoli before trying dim sum at a local food market. If you're interested, there's an Acrobatic Show option in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Shanghai Museum visit
- Yu Garden visit
- Bund stroll
- Fuxing Park leisure time
- Bugaoli Stone Arched Gates visit
- Dim sum at food market
Optional Activities
- Acrobatic Show attendance
Landmarks/POIs Shanghai Museum Yu Garden The Bund Fuxing Park Bugaoli - Day 3
Shanghai to Guilin
You'll have some free time in Shanghai before your transfer to the airport. The flight to Guilin takes about 2.5 hours. When you land, your local guide meets you and takes you to your hotel, where you can spend the rest of the day getting familiar with the area.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Free time in Shanghai before departure
- Explore Guilin at own pace
- Day 4
Guilin to Yangshuo to Guilin
After breakfast, your driver takes you about 50 minutes to Zhujiang Pier where you board a Li River cruise to Yangshuo. The scenery features dramatic karst pinnacles rising from the water. By around 1:30 pm you'll arrive and can wander through West Street for souvenirs. Later you'll drive back to Guilin, which takes roughly 1.5 hours.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Li River cruise to Yangshuo
- West Street stroll in Yangshuo
Landmarks/POIs Li River Yangshuo West Street - Day 5
Guilin to Chengdu
Check out of your hotel and visit the Reed Flute Cave to see the Karst formations with their colorful lighting. From there, you'll head to the airport for your flight to Chengdu. Your local guide and driver meet you upon arrival and take you to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Reed Flute Cave visit
Landmarks/POIs Reed Flute Cave - Day 6
Chengdu
Be at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding before 8:30 am when the pandas are most active. You'll walk through bamboo areas to see pandas of different ages up close. Next is Wenshu Temple where you can see Buddhist architecture and experience the slower pace of local life. Finish at Jinli Old Street with local food, handmade crafts, and folk performances.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding visit
- Wenshu Temple visit
- Jinli Old Street visit
Landmarks/POIs Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding Wenshu Temple Jinli Old Street - Day 7
Chengdu to Xi'an
You have leisure time in Chengdu before heading to the railway station for your high-speed train to Xi'an. When you arrive, your guide meets you and transfers you to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Leisure time in Chengdu before departure
- Day 8
Xi'an
Begin with the Terracotta Warriors, where thousands of lifelike soldiers, horses, and chariots are displayed. In the afternoon, go to the Ancient City Wall, which is the largest and best-preserved one in China, then explore the Muslim Quarter where you can experience the culture and try local food. There's a Tang Dynasty Show available in the evening if you want to catch traditional Chinese music and dance.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Terracotta Warriors visit
- Ancient City Wall visit
- Muslim Quarter visit
Optional Activities
- Tang Dynasty Show attendance
Landmarks/POIs Terracotta Warriors Ancient City Wall Muslim Quarter - Day 9
Xi'an to Beijing
Take a cooking class with a local family in Xi'an and learn to make dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, and other traditional dishes. If there's time, go to the market with your host to pick out fresh ingredients, then eat the dishes you've prepared for lunch. Later you'll be driven to the airport for your flight to Beijing.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch with dishes prepared during cooking class)
Included Activities
- Cooking class with local family
- Dumpling and hand-pulled noodle preparation
- Lunch with prepared dishes
Optional Activities
- Market visit with host family
- Day 10
Beijing
Start at Tiananmen Square where major moments in Chinese history took place. Then move on to the Forbidden City, the former home of 24 Ming and Qing emperors. After that, visit the Temple of Heaven where ancient emperors made offerings for good harvests. Consider an optional Kung Fu Show in the evening featuring martial arts, stories, music, dance, and acrobatics.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Tiananmen Square visit
- Forbidden City visit
- Temple of Heaven visit
Optional Activities
- Kung Fu Show attendance
Landmarks/POIs Tiananmen Square Forbidden City Temple of Heaven - Day 11
Beijing
After breakfast, drive for about 2 hours to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. This quieter part has 22 blockhouses and watchtowers with great views of the wall and mountains. A round-trip cable car gets you up there easily, and you can do some moderate hiking on the wall itself. Then visit Changling Tomb to see rare items from Emperor Yongle's time, a major period of the Ming Dynasty.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Great Wall of China - Mutianyu section visit
- Cable car round-trip
- Hiking on the Great Wall
- Changling Tomb visit
Landmarks/POIs Great Wall of China - Mutianyu Changling Tomb - Day 12
Beijing
Spend your morning at leisure. Your guide and driver will collect you at the time arranged and take you to the airport for your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Leisure time in Beijing
