12-Day China Essence Private Tour: Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, Yangshuo and Shanghai | Forbidden City | Great Wall | Terracotta Army | Pandas | Li River | The Bund

What you'll experience

Highlights

12 days

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1 — Beijing

   Touching down at Beijing airport, your guide will meet you for a swift transfer to your downtown hotel for refreshments.

   Meals: B: Excluded, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: Beijing Novotel Peace Hotel
2. 2

   Day 2 — Beijing

   Embark on your exploration of the capital city starting with Tiananmen Square, a significant political landmark in modern China. Enter the 600-year-old Forbidden City, an imperial citadel of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and immerse yourself in the architectural marvels and captivating stories of the royal families.
   Following an authentic Chinese lunch, ascend Jingshan Park for sweeping views of the magnificent royal palace complex and the historic central axis of the city.

   

   Tiananmen Square

   

   Jingshan Park

   Meals: B: Included, L: Included, D: ExcludedStay: Beijing Novotel Peace Hotel
3. 3

   Day 3 — Beijing

   Commence your day at the Temple of Heaven, where you'll admire the architectural elegance and witness locals engaging in morning exercises such as Tai Chi, sword dancing, and practicing Chinese calligraphy on the ground with large brushes and water.
   Later, embark on a two-hour drive to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall. Ascend this ancient rampart by cable car and hike on it to take in its awe-inspiring surroundings.

   

   Mutianyu Great Wall

   

   Temple of Heaven

   Meals: B: Included, L: Included, D: ExcludedStay: Beijing Novotel Peace
4. 4

   Day 4 — Beijing - Xi'an

   Have a relaxing morning to explore the Summer Palace, strolling around its exquisitely laid-out gardens, lakes, and temples and reading the storied paintings on the roof of its Long Corridor.
   Afterward, board a high-speed train to Xi'an. Upon arrival in approximately five hours, be met and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

   

   Summer Palace

   Meals: B: Included, L: Included, D: ExcludedStay: Eastern House Boutique Hotel
5. 5

   Day 5 — Xi'an

   Embark on a remarkable encounter with the legendary Terracotta Army. Despite being buried for over 2,200 years, these terracotta warriors and horses retain a lifelike quality, each face telling a unique story.
   In the evening, wander into the brightly-lit Great Tang All Day Mall, with elaborately dressed boys and girls in ancient costumes shuttled around giving a feeling as if you have traveled back to the heyday of Tang Dynasty in 1,200 years ago.

   

   Terracotta Warriors and Horses

   Meals: B: Included, L: Included, D: ExcludedStay: Eastern House Boutique Hotel
6. 6

   Day 6 — Xi'an - Chengdu

   Get up to the 600-year-old ancient City Wall and take a sweeping view of the old city of Xi'an. Nearby, stroll Muslim Street and visit a four century-old courtyard, where you will be treated to a lively shadow puppet play.
   In the afternoon, board a high-speed train to Chengdu. Arriving in approximately four hours, be met and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

   

   Ancient City Wall

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: Dorsett Chengdu
7. 7

   Day 7 — Chengdu

   Rise early and arrive at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding around 8:30 am to observe the pandas during their active morning routines, enjoying breakfast and gamboling around.
   Then, following a passionate hotpot lunch, visit the Chengdu Museum to discover unique themed exhibitions, vagarious bronzes and potteries, and lively scenes of local life in the old days. For the rest of the day, explore the Wenshu Temple to encounter locals in worship or join the others savoring a cup of refreshing tea.

   

   Wenshu Temple

   

   Chengdu Panda Breeding Center

   Meals: B: Included, L: Included, D: ExcludedStay: Dorsett Chengdu
8. 8

   Day 8 — Chengdu - Guilin

   After breakfast, the guide and driver will escort you to the railway station for a bullet train to Guilin.
   On arrival, your guide in Guilin will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel. After a break in your room, you can take a short walk around the Banyan Lake and Cedar Lake to enjoy its scenic downtown.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: Guilin Bravo Hotel
9. 9

   Day 9 — Guilin - Yangshuo

   This morning, you will be transferred to the dock, about 50 minutes to downtown by drive, to embark on a 4-hour Li River Cruise down to Yangshuo. Along the way, soak up the world-famous karst landscape and otherworldly countryside scenery.
   When disembarking in Yangshuo, you can join in the hustle and bustle of West Street or take a private transfer directly to your peaceful and cozy countryside hotel.

   

   Li River

   Meals: B: Included, L: Included, D: ExcludedStay: Yangshuo Li River Resort
10. 10

    Day 10 — Yangshuo - Guilin - Shanghai

    The idyllic countryside of Yangshuo is why so many visitors come here. If you're good at cycling, the best way to enjoy the pastoral views is to ride a bicycle through its tranquil rice paddies, towering peaks, clear waters, and small villages. Or, your driver and guide can show you around the countryside in your private vehicle.
    After the tour, proceed to the airport for your flight to Shanghai.

    Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: Sunrise on The Bund
11. 11

    Day 11 — Shanghai

    Discover Shanghai's iconic landmarks, starting with the Bund, where colonial buildings of diverse styles have graced the skyline since the 1920s. Next, visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall to understand how the cosmopolitan metropolis grew from a small fishing village. Then, at the Yu Garden, catch tranquility from the urban hustle and bustle, and take a relaxing walk from Fuxing Park to Bugaoli in the Former French Concession, during which you will stop at a food market and try some tasty dim sum. To cap off the day, get up to Shanghai Tower – the second tallest building in the world to capture a panoramic view of the imposing mega city.

    

    The Bund

    

    Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center

    Meals: B: Included, L: Included, D: ExcludedStay: Sunrise on The Bund
12. 12

    Day 12 — Shanghai

    It's the time to bid farewell to colorful China.
    Meet your driver at the appointed time for the transfer to the airport and embark on your next journey.

    Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: Excluded

What's included

Cancellation policy

Important info

Tour operator