Itinerary
- Day 1
Beijing
Your guide meets you outside customs at Beijing Airport and drives you to your hotel. After settling in from your flight, the rest of the day is yours to rest up.
- Day 2
Beijing
Start with a tour briefing, then head to Tiananmen Square and walk through the Forbidden City to see its halls, courtyards, and the Treasure Gallery with imperial objects. After lunch with Peking Roast Duck, you'll go to the Temple of Heaven where emperors once prayed. By evening, catch a Chinese Acrobatic Show at the Red Theater.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local restaurant in traditional setting with a range of dishes including Peking Roast Duck)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Tiananmen Square
- Guided exploration of Forbidden City and Treasure Gallery
- Visit to Temple of Heaven
- Chinese Acrobatic Show at Red Theater
Landmarks Tiananmen Square Forbidden City Temple of Heaven Red Theater - Day 3
Beijing
Travel to Mutianyu section of the Great Wall and take a round-trip cable car up so you can walk around comfortably. On the way back to Beijing, stop by the Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium for photos. Later, spend 40 minutes on a rickshaw through historic Hutongs with narrow lanes and traditional courtyards, including a visit to a local family's home. Return to your hotel for the evening.
Included Activities
- Great Wall of China visit at Mutianyu with round-trip cable car
- Photo stop at National Stadium (Bird's Nest)
- Rickshaw ride through Hutongs
- Visit to local family's Siheyuan
Landmarks Great Wall of China - Mutianyu National Stadium (Bird's Nest) - Day 4
Beijing to Xi'an
After breakfast, check out the Summer Palace with its gardens and grand structures (lotus flowers bloom in early July if you visit then). Have lunch with local dishes, then your guide takes you to the airport for a high-speed train to Xi'an. A Xi'an guide meets you there and transfers you to your hotel for check-in.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Local specialties)
Included Activities
- Guided visit to Summer Palace
Landmarks Summer Palace - Day 5
Xi'an
Visit the Terracotta Army to see life-sized warriors in their original pits and a new exhibition hall with 230 preserved artifacts. Stop at the farmer's home who discovered the first warrior in 1974, and potentially meet him. At a terracotta workshop, watch craftspeople work and make your own miniature warrior. See the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda from the Tang Dynasty. End with a dumpling dinner and the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dumpling dinner followed by Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show)
Included Activities
- Guided visit to Terracotta Army and exhibition hall
- Visit to Yang Zhifa's home (farmer who discovered first warrior)
- Terracotta warrior workshop with hands-on miniature warrior making
- Visit to Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and Da Ci'en Temple
- Dumpling dinner
- Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show
Landmarks Terracotta Army Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Da Ci'en Temple - Day 6
Xi'an
Start at City Wall Park to watch locals with morning activities like singing and dancing (you can join in if interested). Optionally take a traditional Tai Chi class. Walk or cycle along the City Wall, one of China's best-preserved urban fortifications from the 1300s. Have lunch at a restaurant in the Muslim Quarter with traditional dishes. See the Great Mosque with its Islamic and Chinese garden design. Finish at the Shaanxi History Museum with artifacts from when Xi'an was capital of thirteen dynasties.
- Meals
- Lunch (Popular restaurant in Muslim Quarter with traditional dishes including sweet steamed rice, green bean cake, persimmon cake, and rice cake)
Included Activities
- Visit to City Wall Park
- Visit to City Wall with walking access
- Guided exploration of Muslim Quarter
- Visit to Great Mosque
- Visit to Shaanxi History Museum
Optional Activities
- Traditional Tai Chi class
- Cycling on City Wall (bike rental at own expense)
Landmarks City Wall Muslim Quarter Great Mosque Shaanxi History Museum - Day 7
Xi'an to Chengdu
Take a morning train from Xi'an to Chengdu (about four hours). Your local guide meets you at the station and helps with hotel check-in. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore on your own, like visiting Taikoo Li shopping district or Chunxi Road. Both are easy to reach by Metro Line 2 with a station right outside your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit to Taikoo Li shopping and dining district
- Visit to Chunxi Road commercial street
- Train seat upgrade to first class (at additional fee)
- Day 8
Chengdu
Head to the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in the morning when pandas are most active. Afterward, walk through the charming Wide and Narrow Alleys from the Qing Dynasty with teahouses and craft shops. In the afternoon, visit the Jinsha Site Museum with relics from ancient Shu civilization, including the famous Gold Foil of Sun and Immortal Bird. End at Renmin Park where you can relax in gardens and try Gaiwan tea or a traditional ear-cleaning.
Included Activities
- Visit to Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
- Guided exploration of Wide and Narrow Alleys
- Visit to Jinsha Site Museum
- Visit to Renmin Park
Optional Activities
- Traditional ear-cleaning service at Renmin Park
Landmarks Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding Wide and Narrow Alleys Jinsha Site Museum Renmin Park - Day 9
Chengdu to Shanghai
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Your guide meets you and takes you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is yours to explore. Nanjing Road pedestrian street is just outside your hotel, or take a taxi to Tianzifang with its art studios, boutiques, and markets.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit to Nanjing Road pedestrian street
- Visit to Tianzifang arts and boutique district
- Day 10
Shanghai
In the morning, visit the Shanghai Museum with its collection of ancient art. See the Yu Garden with its Nine Zigzag Bridge and browse the nearby bazaar for souvenirs. In the afternoon, stroll along the Bund, then take a one-hour Huangpu River cruise to see Shanghai's contrasting skyline from historic buildings to modern landmarks like the Oriental Pearl Tower. After the cruise, you have more free time at the Bund before heading back to your hotel.
Included Activities
- Visit to Shanghai Museum
- Guided exploration of Yu Garden
- One-hour Huangpu River cruise
Optional Activities
- Shopping at Yu Garden bazaar
Landmarks Shanghai Museum Yu Garden The Bund Oriental Pearl Tower Jinmao Tower - Day 11
Shanghai
After breakfast, you may have some time to explore Shanghai further, do last-minute shopping, or relax depending on your flight time. Then head to the airport for your onward flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
