Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Beijing
Your private guide meets you right at Beijing airport and gets you sorted with luggage. You'll ride in a private car straight to your hotel where the team helps with check-in, so everything's taken care of from the moment you land.
- Day 2
Beijing
Start at Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City with an expert guide walking you through everything. After that, head to Jingshan Park to catch views across the city, then wander through the old Hutong alleys with their narrow streets and traditional courtyards. Later you'll watch Beijing Opera Facial Makeup artistry being done, and the day finishes with Peking Roasted Duck dinner at Quanjude restaurant.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Tian'anmen Square
- Guided tour of the Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
- Panoramic views from Jingshan Park
- Walk through Beijing Hutongs (traditional alleyways)
- Beijing Opera Facial Makeup experience
- Peking Roasted Duck dinner at Quanjude
Landmarks/POIs Tian'anmen Square Forbidden City (Palace Museum) Jingshan Park - Day 3
Beijing
You'll go out to Mutianyu on the Great Wall and climb up the ancient stone steps, checking out watchtowers and guard stations along the way with nice views across the landscape. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Heaven and try a guided Tai Chi session right there on the temple grounds while everything's calm and quiet around you.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Mutianyu section of the Great Wall
- Explore watchtowers and guard stations
- Visit Temple of Heaven
- Tai Chi experience with guided instruction
Landmarks/POIs Mutianyu section of the Great Wall Temple of Heaven - Day 4
Beijing to Xi'an
Spend the morning at Summer Palace taking a leisurely walk through the Long Corridor and around Kunming Lake, then visit the Tower of Buddhist Incense. From there you'll check out Yonghe Temple and the Confucian Temple with its Imperial College. After some free time, head to the train station for a 4.5-hour bullet train to Xi'an, then transfer to your hotel for the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Leisurely stroll through Summer Palace
- Visit Long Corridor and Kunming Lake
- Visit Tower of Buddhist Incense
- Explore Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple)
- Visit Confucian Temple
- Visit Imperial College
- High-speed train transfer from Beijing to Xi'an
Landmarks/POIs Summer Palace Long Corridor Kunming Lake Tower of Buddhist Incense Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple) Confucian Temple Imperial College - Day 5
Xi'an
Start with a bike ride along Xi'an's ancient city wall early in the day. Then go see the Terracotta Army with thousands of life-sized warriors, horses, and chariots from Emperor Qin Shi Huang's tomb. You'll even get to make your own small terracotta warrior piece in an authentic cave dwelling to take home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Bicycle ride atop the ancient city wall
- Guided tour of the Terracotta Army
- Create your own miniature terracotta warrior
Landmarks/POIs Xi'an City Wall Terracotta Army - Day 6
Xi'an to Guilin
Begin at Big Wild Goose Pagoda, then try on traditional Hanfu clothing and get family photos done in the outfits. Head to a local family's home to make dumplings by hand with them and learn how it's done. Later, transfer to the airport for your flight to Guilin with a hotel transfer once you land.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda
- Hanfu (classical Chinese clothing) experience with family photos
- Dumpling-making class in an authentic Chinese home
Landmarks/POIs Big Wild Goose Pagoda - Day 7
Guilin
Take a walk through the Longji Rice Terraces with their tiered fields shaped over centuries by Zhuang and Yao communities. You'll stop at Dazhai Village to see traditional wooden houses and meet locals, then ride a cable car to get aerial views of the terraces and surrounding mountains. Dinner features local minority dishes from the region.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Local minority cuisine including oil tea, ciba (sticky rice cake), and bamboo rice cooked inside a bamboo tube with savory ingredients)
Included Activities
- Explore Longji Rice Terraces
- Walk through rice terraces and learn about farming techniques
- Visit Dazhai Village
- Explore traditional wooden houses
- Cable car ride above the village
- Dinner with local minority cuisine
Landmarks/POIs Longji Rice Terraces Dazhai Village - Day 8
Guilin to Yangshuo
Cruise the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo, which takes about 5 hours (9:00-14:00) and shows you karst peaks, water buffalo, and rice paddies along the way. After you arrive, go cycling through the countryside on your choice of bike (sidecar, e-bike, or traditional), try some farming activities, visit Fuli Town for painted fan workshops, then explore Yangshuo town and the famous West Street.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo
- Countryside cycling tour with flexible transport options
- Experience authentic farming activities
- Visit Fuli Town
- Traditional painted fan workshop
- Walk through Yangshuo town
- Explore West Street
Landmarks/POIs Li River Yangshuo Fuli Town - Day 9
Yangshuo to Shanghai
Walk along the Yulong River trail through the countryside, passing local vendors selling Yangshuo snacks and fresh seasonal fruits. Then travel back toward Guilin, stopping at Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill to see those spots. After that, head to the airport for your flight to Shanghai with a hotel transfer when you get there.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Leisurely stroll along Yulong River trail
- Sample authentic Yangshuo snacks and seasonal fruits
- Visit Reed Flute Cave
- Visit Elephant Trunk Hill
- Private transfer from Yangshuo to Guilin
Landmarks/POIs Yulong River Reed Flute Cave Elephant Trunk Hill - Day 10
Shanghai
Start at a busy wet market with your guide finding seasonal ingredients, then visit a local family home to learn traditional cooking and make dumplings followed by lunch they prepared. In the afternoon, walk along the Bund checking out historical buildings and artifacts. Grab shengjian at a Michelin-starred restaurant, order local food through a popular app, take a public ferry across the Huangpu River, then ride the world's fastest elevator up Shanghai Tower.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Home-cooked lunch with local family)
Included Activities
- Visit bustling wet market with guide
- Visit local family home and learn traditional cooking techniques
- Make dumplings with local family
- Home-cooked lunch
- Stroll along the Bund
- Explore historical Bund buildings
- Sample pan-fried buns (shengjian) at Michelin-starred restaurant
- Order local delicacies via takeout app
- Board public ferry to cross Huangpu River
- Ride Shanghai Tower's fastest elevator to the top
Landmarks/POIs The Bund Huangpu River Shanghai Tower Pudong New Area - Day 11
Shanghai
Your driver picks you up and takes you directly to Shanghai Disneyland Theme Park for the full day. You'll have the whole time to enjoy the park, and then your driver brings you back to your hotel in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Private round-trip transfers to Shanghai Disneyland Theme Park
Optional Activities
- Shanghai Disneyland Theme Park entry and attractions
Landmarks/POIs Shanghai Disneyland Theme Park - Day 12
Departure from Shanghai
You'll have free time in the morning and early afternoon. Your guide arrives when it's time to take you to the airport for your onward flight.
