Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Beijing
Your driver meets you at Beijing airport with a TCT signboard and takes you to your 4-star hotel. After checking in, the rest of the day is yours to relax and adjust to the time difference.
- Start point
- Beijing, China (Pickup in Beijing Capital iternational airport by your guide and driver., 09:00 - 21:00)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
- Day 2
Beijing
Your guide meets you at the hotel to kick things off at the Temple of Heaven, where you'll see the grand ancient architecture and watch locals practicing tai chi and other activities. After that, you're taking a rickshaw tour through Beijing's historic hutongs and stopping by a local family's home. Grab lunch at a restaurant in the area, then head to Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City, where you'll have over 2 hours to wander through the palace halls, gardens, and art treasures. From there, it's back to your hotel to wrap up the day.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast), Lunch (A la carte Chinese lunch at local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Visit Temple of Heaven
- Beijing Hutong tour by rickshaw with local family visit
- Visit Tian'anmen Square
- Explore Forbidden City
Optional Activities
- Chinese Kung Fu Show at Red Theater (evening entertainment)
- Acrobatic Show (evening entertainment)
Landmarks Temple of Heaven Tian'anmen Square Forbidden City - Day 3
Beijing: Great Wall at Mutianyu, Bird Nest and Water Cube
An early pickup takes you about 2 hours north to Mutianyu Great Wall, a well-preserved section built in the mid-6th century. You'll ride the cable car up and down to explore the wall at your own pace. Lunch happens at a restaurant at the base, then you'll drive back to Beijing with a stop for photos at the Bird Nest and Water Cube from the 2008 Olympics before returning to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast), Lunch (A la carte lunch at restaurant at the foot of Mutianyu)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Visit Mutianyu Great Wall section
- Round-trip cable car at Mutianyu Great Wall
Optional Activities
- Photo stop outside Bird Nest and Water Cube
Landmarks Mutianyu Great Wall Bird Nest (National Stadium) Water Cube (National Aquatics Center) - Day 4
Beijing to Xi'an: Summer Palace and High Speed Train
After checking out, you visit the Summer Palace, China's largest imperial garden with Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake. There's an optional boat trip on the lake, and you can walk the Long Corridor with its painted beams. You'll grab lunch at a local restaurant, then head to Beijing West Railway Station for a high-speed train to Xi'an (5 to 5.5 hours, 2nd class). Your Xi'an guide meets you at the station and transfers you to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast), Lunch (A la carte lunch at local restaurant on the way to Beijing West Railway Station)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Visit Summer Palace - largest imperial garden in China
- Walk Long Corridor - world's longest corridor
- High-speed train Beijing to Xi'an (2nd class seat)
Optional Activities
- Boating trip on Kunming Lake at Summer Palace
Landmarks Summer Palace Longevity Hill Kunming Lake 
- Day 5
Xi'an
Start your morning at the City Wall, where you can walk along the ancient fortifications that ring Xi'an. After that, head to the Terracotta Warriors site, but first you'll stop at a cave dwelling pottery workshop to see how artisans work with clay using traditional methods. By lunch time you'll have built up an appetite, so grab a meal before spending the afternoon looking at the thousands of warriors, horses, and chariots arranged in battle formation. Later in the day, make your way to Bell Tower Square, which gets pretty lively in the evening with locals and visitors around. Head back to your hotel after exploring the area.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel breakfast), Lunch (A La Carte Lunch at a local restaurant near Terracotta Warriors)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Visit Xi'an City Wall
- Cave dwelling pottery workshop with hands-on terracotta warrior creation
- Visit Terracotta Warriors archaeological site
- Walk around Bell Tower Square
Optional Activities
- Bicycle ride on Xi'an City Wall (excluded from tour price)
- Tang Dynasty Show (evening entertainment - available locally)
Landmarks Xi'an City Wall Terracotta Warriors Bell Tower Square - Day 6
Xi'an to Zhangjiajie
You have the morning to yourself to wander around before checking out with your guide's help. Next, head into the Muslim Quarter to visit Gao's Courtyard and learn about shadow puppetry traditions that have been passed down through generations. Around noon, go to Big Wild Goose Pagoda North Plaza for photos and to watch the music fountain show there (though this depends on availability). Later you'll catch a night flight to Zhangjiajie, the region known for its dramatic mountain landscapes that inspired the Avatar film. Once you land, settle into your hotel in downtown Zhangjiajie for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel breakfast), Lunch (A La Carte Lunch)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Visit Gao's Courtyard in Muslim Quarter
- Explore shadow puppetry culture
- Photo stop at Big Wild Goose Pagoda North Plaza
- Watch music fountain show at Big Wild Goose Pagoda North Plaza (subject to availability)
Landmarks Gao's Courtyard Muslim Quarter Big Wild Goose Pagoda North Plaza 
- Day 7
Zhangjiajie: Tianmen Mountain
After breakfast you spend the full day on Tianmen Mountain seeing its six attractions: cable car, Glass Skywalk, Tianmen Temple, Bonsai Garden, Tianmen Cave, and Connected-Heaven Avenue. On the way back to your hotel, you stop at Tujia Minority Custom Park to learn about the local Tujia ethnic group's culture and architecture. The evening is free to explore Zhangjiajie city or try optional entertainment.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast), Lunch (Lunch)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Tianmen Mountain full day visit - six wonders including cable car, Glass Skywalk, Tianmen Temple, Bonsai Garden, Tianmen Cave, and Connected-Heaven Avenue
- Stop at Tujia Minority Custom Park - folk culture and architecture
Optional Activities
- Tianmen Huxian (Fairy Fox at Mt. Tianmen) singing and dancing night show
Landmarks Tianmen Mountain Tianmen Temple Tujia Minority Custom Park - Day 8
Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan: Yuanjiajie, Bailong Elevator, Tianzi Mountain, Ten-mile Gallery
You take the Bailong Elevator into Yuanjiajie Scenic Area to see the Hallelujah Mountains and the First Stone Bridge. A battery car takes you through Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve where you see valleys, forests, and possibly clouds. There's a small train through Ten-mile Gallery (at your own expense) showing rock formations over 5km. Then you transfer back to your hotel in Wulingyuan.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast), Lunch (A la carte lunch)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Visit Yuanjiajie Scenic Area by Bailong Elevator
- Visit Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve by battery car - mountains, valleys, original forests
Optional Activities
- Small train ride through Ten-mile Gallery (at your own expense)
Landmarks Yuanjiajie Scenic Area Hallelujah Mountains Bailong Elevator Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve Ten-mile Gallery - Day 9
Zhangjiajie to Chongqing: Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, High Speed Train, Yangtze Cruise
After breakfast you visit the Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, the world's longest and highest glass bridge. A lunch box is provided for the train ride. You transfer to Zhangjiajie railway station for a high-speed train to Chongqing (about 3 hours). Your Chongqing guide meets you and takes you to the Victoria cruise ship. Check-in happens between 18:00 and 20:30, and the ship departs at 21:00.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast), Lunch (Lunch Box)
- Accommodation
- Houseboat
Included Activities
- Visit Grand Canyon Glass Bridge - longest and highest glass bridge in the world
- High-speed train Zhangjiajie to Chongqing
Optional Activities
- Chongqing Hot Pot dinner (if time available before embark)
Landmarks Grand Canyon Glass Bridge 
- Day 10
Yangtze River Cruise: Fengdu, Shore Excursions
You spend the full day on the Yangtze River cruise. Early morning offers coffee and tea with optional Tai Chi on deck, then buffet breakfast. A morning shore trip goes to Fengdu Shuangguishan National Park (depending on river conditions), and you can add the Ghost City for extra cost. Lunch and dinner are buffet meals on board. There's a Captain's Welcome Reception in the afternoon and an optional evening show about the Three Kingdoms at additional cost.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early Bird Coffee and Tea; Practice Tai Chi on board; Buffet Breakfast), Lunch (Buffet Lunch on board), Dinner (Captain's Welcome Reception with Buffet Dinner)
- Accommodation
- Houseboat
Included Activities
- Fengdu Shuangguishan National Park shore excursion (subject to river conditions)
- Captain's Welcome Reception
Optional Activities
- Additional shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City (extra fee)
- Feng Yan San Guo (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) Show evening excursion (extra cost)
Landmarks Fengdu Fengdu Shuangguishan National Park Fengdu Ghost City - Day 11
Yangtze River Cruise: White Emperor City, Three Gorges, Goddess Stream
Another early morning with coffee, tea, and optional Tai Chi practice on the upper deck, followed by buffet breakfast. At 07:30 there's an optional shore trip to White Emperor City (featured on the 10-yuan bill) with views of Qutang Gorge. Back on the ship you sail through the three gorges: dramatic Qutang, deep Wu Gorge with forested mountains, and scenic cruising. Lunch happens on board, and in the afternoon you take a boat to Goddess Stream. The evening brings the Captain's Farewell Banquet with dinner and a crew show.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early bird coffee and tea; practice Tai Chi at upper deck; Buffet Breakfast), Lunch (Buffet Lunch on board), Dinner (Captain's Farewell Banquet - set-menu table dinner)
- Accommodation
- Houseboat
Included Activities
- Sail through Three Gorges - Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge
- Goddess Stream (or Shennong Stream) boat excursion
Optional Activities
- White Emperor City shore excursion at 07:30 (RMB295 per person)
Landmarks White Emperor City Qutang Gorge Wu Gorge Goddess Stream Shennong Stream - Day 12
Yichang to Shanghai: Three Gorge Dam, High Speed Train
You visit the Three Gorge Dam, which is planned as the world's largest hydroelectric project and takes 2.5 to 3 hours to tour. A local guide meets you and takes you to a restaurant for lunch. Then you head to the train station for high-speed rail to Shanghai (about 7.5 hours). Your Shanghai guide meets you at the station and helps with your transfer to the hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast), Lunch (A la carte lunch), Dinner (Dinner box)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Visit Three Gorge Dam - world's largest planned hydroelectric project
- High-speed train to Shanghai
Landmarks Three Gorge Dam 
- Day 13
Shanghai: Shikumen, Yuyuan Garden, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, The Bund
You explore Shanghai's neighborhoods and landmarks by walking through Nong Tang alleys in Shikumen to see local life and unique architecture. Yuyuan Garden comes next, a classic Chinese garden in downtown, followed by the nearby Bazaar. After lunch at a local restaurant you visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower area and the Shanghai City History Museum. The elevator takes you to the 2nd ball for views across Shanghai. You drive through the Lujiazui financial district to see modern skyscrapers, then end at the Bund to see illuminated buildings reflected in the Huangpu River.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast), Lunch (A la carte lunch at local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Walk Nong Tang alleys in Shikumen - local life and architecture
- Visit Yuyuan Garden - Chinese classic garden
- Explore Yuyuan Bazaar (Chenghuangmiao Old Street)
- Visit Shanghai City History Museum (Former Shanghai Wax Museum)
- Elevator to 2nd ball of Oriental Pearl TV Tower for Shanghai views
- Drive through Lujiazui financial district
- Visit The Bund - illuminated buildings along Huangpu River
Landmarks Shikumen Yuyuan Garden Yuyuan Bazaar Oriental Pearl TV Tower Shanghai City History Museum Lujiazui The Bund - Day 14
Departure from Shanghai
Your China tour ends today. Your TCT driver transfers you to the airport where you board your international flight home.
- End point
- Shanghai, China (Drop off in Shanghai Pudong international airport by your driver, 09:00 - 21:00)
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast)
