A two-week grand tour spanning Beijing & The Great Wall, Guilin, Yangshuo & Li River, Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou, Zhangjiajie & Fenghuang, Xi'an (Terracotta Warriors), and Chengdu, Giant Pandas & Chongqing.
Day 1 (Beijing & The Great Wall) — Arrival in Beijing & The Great Wall:Arrive at Beijing Capital (PEK) & Daxing (PKX) Airports + Beijing South / West High-Speed Rail Hubs and explore Beijing & The Great Wall Historic Center & Old Quarter.
Day 2 (Beijing & The Great Wall) — The Forbidden City (Palace Museum / 故宫) & Jingshan Park — CRITICAL: Tickets are NEVER sold at the gate! Book exactly 7 days in advance at 20:00 Beijing Time on the official Palace Museum WeChat Mini-Program or `bookingticket.dpm.org.cn` using your passport number (¥60 Apr–Oct / ¥40 Nov–Mar; closed Mondays). Afterwards, climb Jingshan Park hill right across the north moat (¥2) for the iconic golden-roof panorama! & Mutianyu Great Wall (慕田峪长城) or Jinshanling Great Wall — Skip overcrowded Badaling; take the Mubus direct shuttle from Dongzhimen (¥80 round-trip) to Mutianyu (¥40 entry + ¥140 cable car up & toboggan slide down between Watchtowers 14 and 6!).:Full day in historic Beijing & The Great Wall.
Day 3 (Beijing & The Great Wall) — Temple of Heaven (天坛 — UNESCO) & Morning Park Tai Chi — Arrive at 07:30 via the East Gate to watch locals practicing Tai Chi and ribbon dancing before visiting the blue-tiled Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (¥34 through-ticket). & Local Markets:Market tasting tour featuring Beijing Roast Duck (Peking Duck Carved Tableside) and Jianbing.
Day 4 (Guilin, Yangshuo & Li River) — Overnight in Guilin, Yangshuo & Li River:Short hop to Guilin, Yangshuo & Li River to experience Li River Cruise from Guilin (Mopanshan / Zhujiang Pier) to Yangshuo (4 Hours) — Sail 83 km past Nine-Horse Fresco Hill and Yellow Cloth Shoal (the exact view on the ¥20 RMB banknote—bring a physical ¥20 bill for the photo! 3-Star Boat ¥245 / 4-Star Boat ¥390). after day-trippers leave.
Day 5 (Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou) — Rail to Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou:Ride China Railway (12306) Fuxing 350 km/h High-Speed G-Trains (Your Physical Passport IS Your E-Ticket at the Manual/Passport Lane!) to Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou Central Station and settle into Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou Historic Center & Old Quarter.
Day 6 (Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou) — The Bund (外滩), Nanjing Road & Lujiazui Skyline (Shanghai Tower 118th Floor) — Walk the 1.5 km riverside promenade at dusk as Pudong's Oriental Pearl and Shanghai Tower light up (cross the river on the ¥2 Dongjin Line ferry or Metro Line 2!). & Former French Concession (Wukang Road, Anfu Road & Fuxing Park) — Plane-tree-shaded boulevards lined with 1930s lane houses (shikumen), specialty coffee bars, and the flatiron Wukang Mansion.:Explore Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou's signature monuments and museums.
Day 7 (Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou) — Hangzhou West Lake (西湖 (45–75 mins by regional transit):Scenic day excursion from Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou.
Day 8 (Zhangjiajie & Fenghuang) — Transfer to Zhangjiajie & Fenghuang:Head to Zhangjiajie & Fenghuang (3–4 days · ¥520–¥1,250 ($73–$175) / day) and explore Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Wulingyuan / 武陵源 — 4-Day Pass ¥227) — Ride the 326-meter glass Bailong Elevator up to Yuanjiajie (Avatar Hallelujah Mountain & First Bridge Under Heaven), take the free ridge bus to Tianzi Mountain, and walk lush Golden Whip Stream (Jinbianxi)..
Day 9 (Zhangjiajie & Fenghuang) — Tianmen Mountain (天门山 — Right in Zhangjiajie City) — Ride the world's longest alpine cable car (7,455 meters, 28 minutes straight from downtown!) up to the 999 steps of Heaven's Gate natural mountain arch and the cliff-hugging West Skywalk (¥278 Line A/B/C). & Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge — 430-meter-long transparent glass bridge suspended 300 meters above a lush canyon.:Full day in Zhangjiajie & Fenghuang with regional dining (Xiaolongbao (Soup Dumplings)).
Day 10 (Xi'an (Terracotta Warriors)) — Onward to Xi'an (Terracotta Warriors):Arrive in Xi'an (Terracotta Warriors) and check into Xi'an (Terracotta Warriors) Historic Center & Old Quarter.
Day 11 (Xi'an (Terracotta Warriors)) — Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (Terracotta Army / 兵马俑) — Take Xi'an Metro Line 1 → Line 9 to Huaqingchi + Bus 613 (or direct tourist shuttle) to see Pits 1, 2, and 3 plus the remarkable new Bronze Chariots Museum (¥120 flat ticket; visit Pit 1 → Pit 3 → Pit 2). & Cycling the 13.7 km Ming Dynasty City Wall (西安城墙, 1370 CE) — Rent a bike atop the 12-meter-wide stone ramparts at South Gate (Yongningmen) at 16:30 to complete the full loop as red lanterns illuminate at dusk (¥54 wall entry + ¥45 bike rental).:Signature day in Xi'an (Terracotta Warriors).
Day 12 (Chengdu, Giant Pandas & Chongqing) — Continue to Chengdu, Giant Pandas & Chongqing:Travel to Chengdu, Giant Pandas & Chongqing (3–5 days · ¥450–¥1,150 ($63–$161) / day) via Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) / Shuangliu (CTU) & Chongqing Jiangbei (CKG) or Chengdu, Giant Pandas & Chongqing Central Station.
Day 13 (Chengdu, Giant Pandas & Chongqing) — Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (大熊猫繁育研究基地) — Arrive at 07:30 opening via Metro Line 3 (Panda Avenue)! Giant pandas are most active during their morning bamboo breakfast between 08:00 and 10:00 before napping at midday (¥55 admission + ¥30 electric park shuttle). & People's Park (Heming Teahouse), Kuanzhai Alley & Jinli Ancient Street — Sip covered-bowl Gaiwan jasmine tea under bamboo trees and watch Sichuan Opera Bian Lian (Face-Changing) performances at Shufeng Yayun.:Explore Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (大熊猫繁育研究基地) — Arrive at 07:30 opening via Metro Line 3 (Panda Avenue)! Giant pandas are most active during their morning bamboo breakfast between 08:00 and 10:00 before napping at midday (¥55 admission + ¥30 electric park shuttle). and celebrate your final night with Shengjianbao (Pan-Fried Pork Buns).
Day 14 (Chengdu, Giant Pandas & Chongqing) — Departure:Fly home from Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) / Shuangliu (CTU) & Chongqing Jiangbei (CKG) or connect back to Beijing Capital (PEK) & Daxing (PKX) Airports + Beijing South / West High-Speed Rail Hubs.