Beijing – Xi’an – Chengdu – Chongqing – Dazu – Changsha – Zhangjiajie – Guilin – Shanghai
Prepare to be awestruck by China’s most iconic landmarks on a journey that will inspire and captivate your soul. From the grandeur of the Great Wall to the serene beauty of Guilin’s limestone peaks, and the ancient mysteries of Xi’an’s Terracotta Army, this tour invites you to experience the rich history, culture, and natural beauty of one of the world’s most fascinating countries. Explore the surreal landscapes of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, where the towering sandstone pillars inspired the floating mountains in the movie Avatar. Every stop will immerse you in China’s unique heritage, offering a deeper connection to its ancient traditions, breathtaking landscapes, and vibrant cities. Get ready for an unforgettable adventure through the Wonders of China!
Important Features
- Small group size – 20 maximum
- Outstanding guides handpicked by company owners
- North American standard luxury hotels
- No annoying forced shopping of any kind
- Quality meals at non-tourist restaurants
- Unlimited supply of bottled water during group activities
- Great Wall visit at Mutianyu including cable car tickets
- Day hike at Longji terraced rice fields
Options Available
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- Peking Opera show in Beijing
- Tang Dynasty cultural show in Xi’an
- Traditional face mask changing performance in Chengdu
- Half-day immersive tea farm visit in Guilin
TOUR ITINERARY – scroll down for dates, prices & hotel list
Meal Code: B = breakfast / L = lunch / D = dinner
Day 1/Thu: Departing for Beijing
The trip starts with your transpacific flight departing from a city of your choice. You’ll lose a day upon crossing the International Date Line.
Day 2/Fri: Arrival in Beijing
Meet the driver on arrival for transfer to the hotel. You’ll have the remainder of the day at leisure. The guide will get in touch with you tonight.
Day 3/Sat: Beijing (B/L/D)
Beijing is China’s capital, a major cultural and educational hub with a population of 22 million. Known for its opulent palaces, temples, and historic walls, it is the country’s most visited city.
Today’s itinerary begins with a visit to the Forbidden City, home to emperors from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, completed in 1420, consists of 980 buildings spread across 72 hectares.
Next, visit Tian’anmen Square, one of the world’s largest public squares and a focal point of China’s modern history.
In the afternoon, explore the Temple of Heaven, another UNESCO site, where emperors once conducted grand sacrifices.
If you’re interested in shopping, the Hongqiao Pearl Market is near near Temple of heaven is recommended.
We end the day with a traditional dinner featuring Beijing’s famous roast duck.
Day 4/Sun: Beijing (B/L)
After an early breakfast we embark on a full-day excursion to the legendary Great Wall at Mutianyu, 75 km northeast of the city.
Zigzagging over 6,000 kilometres from east to west along the undulating mountains, the Great Wall was built to hold off tribal invaders from the north. As history shows, the Wall failed the Chinese rulers miserably, especially in the case of Kublai Khan who and his men swept across China from the Mongolian steppe, thus the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368).
Construction of the earliest sections of the Wall started in the 7th century BCE. A major renovation started with the founding of the Ming Dynasty in 1368 and took 200 years to complete. The wall we see today in Beijing is almost exactly the result of this effort.
Day 5/Mon: Beijing – Xi’an (B/L/D)
Begin your day with a visit to one of Beijing’s historic hutong neighborhoods characterized by traditional courtyard houses. Next, explore the Summer Palace, a UNESCO site built as an imperial retreat. In the afternoon, board a high-speed train to Xi’an.
Day 6/Tue: Xi’an (B/L)
With a history going back over 3,000 years, Xi’an served as China’s capital of several ruling dynasties including the Han (206 BCE – 220 CE) and the Tang (618 – 907). It is home to the famous Terracotta Army and the eastern terminus of the ancient Silk Road – a network of trade routes connecting China proper with regions as far as the Mediterranean beginning in the Second Century BCE.
We spend the morning visiting the Terracotta Army. Built on the excavation site, the museum is located 30 km east of the city. Designed to follow the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) into eternity, the Terracotta Army represents one of the greatest archeological discoveries of the 20th century.
After lunch we return to the city for a stroll on the ancient city wall. Declared a national treasure by the State Council in 1961, the wall (first built in 1370) encircles an area of 14 square kilometres. It runs 13.7 kilometres long and measures 12 metres in height with a thickness at the base between 15 to 18 metres.
Day 7/Wed: Xi’an – Chengdu (B/L/D)
Morning sightseeing begins at Shaanxi Provincial Museum. The modern, well-organized museum was completed in 1992 and traces the history of Xian from prehistory to the Qing dynasty (1644-1912). The extensive galleries and exhibitions offer the visitor an excellent introduction to the area that greatly improves understanding of the numerous historical sites in and around the city.
We then visit the grand mosque in the old town centre and the adjacent Muslim bazaar. The mosque was established in the 8th century but the majority of the complex was constructed in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was further expanded in the Qing Dynasty. Unlike most mosques in Middle Eastern or Arab countries, this mosque is completely Chinese in style. It has neither domes nor traditional minarets.
This afternoon we ride the bullet train (G1975, 14:34/18:25) to Chengdu, the capital of populous Sichuan Province. The ancient city has a population of 14 million with half of that within the urban centre and the remainder in the surrounding districts. The fertile Chengdu Plain, on which Chengdu is located, is also known as “Country of Heaven”, a phrase also often translated as “The Land of Abundance”. The discovery of the Jinsha site suggests the area of Chengdu had become the centre of the Bronze Age Sanxingdui culture around the time of the establishment of the state of Shu, prior to its annexation by Qin in 316 BCE.
Day 8/Thu: Chengdu (B/L)
Morning sightseeing at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The giant panda, unrelated to the red or lesser panda, is a bear native to south central China, living in mountainous regions. It is easily recognized by the large, distinctive black patches around its eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda’s diet is over 99% bamboo. The giant panda has an insatiable appetite for bamboo. A typical animal eats half the day – a full 12 out of every 24 hours – and relieves itself dozens of times a day. Giant pandas are solitary creatures. They have a highly developed sense of smell that males use to avoid each other and to find females for mating in the spring. After a five-month pregnancy, females give birth to a cub or two, though they cannot care for both twins. The blind infants, born fully white, weigh only 5 ounces (142 grams) at birth and cannot crawl until they reach three months of age.
The panda is a conservation reliant endangered species. Recent statistics shows 728 pandas living in captivity with most of them inside China. The most recent estimate by the Chinese government puts the number of giant pandas living in the wilderness at 1900.
We spend most of the afternoon at Jinsha Museum. In February 2001, construction workers chanced upon a significant archaeological discovery in modern China. The discovery led to the naming of Jinsha culture (1200 – 650 BCE) and a museum was erected at the excavation site. Jinsha culture flourished around 1000 BCE and shares similarities in burial objects with the Sanxingdui site located 50 km from Chengdu. Objects made of ivory, jade, bronze, gold and stone were unearthed at the site. Unlike the site at Sanxingdui, Jinsha did not have a city wall. Jinsha culture is believed to be a final phase of Sanxingdui civilization and represents a relocation of the political center in the ancient Shu Kingdom.
Day 9/Fri: Chengdu – Chongqing (B/L/D)
Free morning to explore on your own.
Afternoon sightseeing following lunch includes Wang Jiang Lou Park and a typical local tea house. “Wang jiang lou” means “river-overlooking tower” and the park is so named because of the ancient pagoda-shaped wooden tower onsite. The beautiful little park dotted with verdant bamboo groves has long been a favourite spot among locals for leisure.
We ride the bullet train (G2889, 16:10/17:43) to Chongqing.
Day 10/Sat: Chongqing – Dazu – Chongqing (B/L/D)
After breakfast, we drive 2 hours (120 km) westbound to visit world-famous Dazu Rock Carvings – a UNESCO World Heritage site. These ancient carvings are renowned for their exquisite artistry, historical significance, and religious importance. The carvings dating back to the 7th to 13th centuries reflect a mix of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, making them important representations of Chinese religious and philosophical thought during this period.
Afternoon sightseeing back in the city takes in People’s Square and Ciqikou. The latter is a historical waterfront district once known for its porcelain production during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Day 11/Sun: Chongqing – Changsha – Zhangjiajie (B/L/D)
The early morning flight to Changsha takes an hour and half.
Located in the heart of China’s Hunan Province, Changsha is a vibrant city that beautifully blends history, culture, and modernity. Known for its rich heritage, delicious local cuisine (especially the spicy Hunan dishes), and scenic spots, Changsha offers something for every traveler.
Visit Tianxin Pavilion for stunning views of the city, explore the ancient Mawangdui Han Tombs, and take a stroll along the Orange Isle to enjoy nature and local life.
Late in the day, we continue on to Zhangjiajie by high-speed train, which takes approximately 2 hours to reach Zhangjiajie.
Day 12/Mon: Zhangjiajie (B/L/D)
Nestled in the northwest of Hunan Province, Zhangjiajie is a breathtaking destination renowned for its stunning natural beauty. Famous for its tall sandstone pillars that inspired the floating mountains in the movie Avatar, the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park offers dramatic landscapes that are a paradise for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike.
We start the day with a visit to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, home to the iconic sandstone pillars. Take the Yellow Stone Village cable car for panoramic views of the towering peaks. Once at the top, explore the various walking trails.
From Yellow Stone, we head to Huangshi Village. Enjoy a scenic hike with stunning views of the Avatar Mountains. This is the perfect spot for photos and to see some of the park’s most famous peaks.
After lunch, we ride the cable car to Tianzi Mountain, famous for its towering peaks and misty landscapes. Explore the walking paths around the mountain for stunning views, including the “West Sea” and “East Sea” viewing platforms.
We continue our adventure by visiting the Pine Tree Forest and the Stone Pillars area for more breathtaking views of the rock formations.
Tonight, we enjoy a delicious Hunan-style dinner at a local restaurant, famous for its spicy dishes like spicy fish.
Day 13/Tue: Zhangjiajie – Guilin (B/L)
We start our day with a trip to Tianmen Mountain where we go on the world’s longest cable car ride to reach the summit (about 7.5 kilometers). Enjoy the stunning skywalk along the cliffs and the famous Tianmen Cave, a natural arch in the mountain.
After lunch, we head to Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and walk across the world’s highest and longest glass bridge, suspended between two cliffs. For an added thrill, try the glass walk with transparent floors!
We ride the high-speed train back to Changsha in late afternoon to connect another train for Guilin (3 hours).
Day 14/Wed: Guilin (B/L)
Enjoy a full-day hiking excursion to the terraced rice fields in Longji. Located 80 km (2-hour drive) to the north of Guilin, Longji (meaning dragon’s back), is famous for its terraced rice fields. Because the villages at Longji are in the jurisdiction of Longsheng County, the tourist attraction is often collectively referred to as Longsheng Terraced Fields. The scenery is arguably at its best in early May during transplanting and in late September to mid-October when the fields turn golden.
Built by local farmers of different ethnic groups from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the mountainous fields cover a total area of 66 square kilometres, rising between 300 meters and 1,100 metres above sea level.
Optional Tea Farm Visit
If time permits, we can arrange a late afternoon visit to Guilin Tea Science and Research Institute for a nominal fee, subject to a minimum of 6 participants. Founded in 1956, the state-owned institute has an experimental tea farm covering an area of 42 hectares and boasts 250 species of tea plants. The predecessor of the institute was said to be one of the tea suppliers to the imperial court during the Ming Dynasty. The farm sits on fertile soil ideal for tea growing. During harvesting season, the farm employs 150 workers full time to pick tea leaves. Each year the institute produces around 42 tons of organically grown tea of different flavours.
Day 15/Thu: Guilin (B/L)
We begin today with a five-hour cruise down the Li River. The 83 km stretch of the river between Guilin and Yangshuo affords breathtaking scenery as the river snakes through tall karst mountains, gigantic bamboo sprays, and picturesque villages — sights that have inspired countless poets and painters for generations.
We disembark in Yangshuo after lunch on board and drive back to Guilin. We wrap up the day with a quick tour of Fubo Hill (elevation 63 metres) located 2 km from the hotel. Walking back to the hotel along Li River is a perfect way to soak in the beauty of the city.
Day 16/Fri: Guilin – Shanghai (B)
Free morning to explore on your own. Transfer to the airport for late afternoon flight to Shanghai.
With a population close to 25 million, Shanghai is China’s largest city and a dynamic hub of global trade and cultural exchange. The city delights visitors from around the world with its futuristic skyline and historical landmarks.
Day 17/Sat: Shanghai (B/L/D)
We begin our day with a visit to Jade Buddha Temple located in an old neighbourhood. We then walk the famous Bund – a waterfront promenade with a riveting history.
After lunch, we stroll the historical People’s Park and adjacent People’s Square in the heart of the city. Originally part of the Shanghai Race Club first established in 1850, the park and the square are surrounded by world-class museums and shops, which attract millions of visitors each year.
We wrap up the day’s sightseeing with a tour of the exquisite Yu Garden in the old town centre.
Day 18/Sun: Shanghai (B)
Free day to explore on your own.
If you are interested in art and history, Shanghai Museum would be a great place to spend half a day. This museum houses a huge collection of precious national treasures. Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum and Nanwaitan Fabric Market (high-end tailor shops) are also recommended.
Optional Suzhou Day Tour
After breakfast we ride the high-speed train (30-40 minutes) to Suzhou, an ancient city most famous for its gardens, ancient canals and silk industry. In the late 13th century a Venetian named Marco Polo visited Suzhou and was very impressed by what he saw. He vividly described the prosperous silk industry and dubbed Suzhou “Venice of the East” due to the small waterways crisscrossing the city.
Our full-day schedule takes in the historic Tiger Hill, Humble Administrator’s Garden, North Pagoda, a short canal cruise, and a visit to Suzhou Silk Embroidery Research Institute if time allows. We return to Shanghai by train in early evening.
The all-inclusive price with lunch starts from US$250 per person and requires a minimum of 2 participants to operate.
Day 19/Mon: Shanghai – Home City (B)
The incredible China tour ends this morning. Transfer to the airport any time for return flight. Guests flying back to North America will regain a day upon re-crossing the International Date Line, thus arriving home the same day as departing from Shanghai.
| City | Nights | Hotel | Category |
| Beijing | 3 | New Otani Chang Fu Gong | Luxury |
| Xian | 2 | Sheraton Xian North City | Luxury |
| Chengdu | 2 | Sofitel Chengdu Taihe | Luxury |
| Chongqing | 2 | Glenview ITC Plaza | Luxury |
| Zhangjiajie | 2 | Pullman Zhangjiajie | Luxury |
| Guilin | 3 | Sheraton Guilin | Luxury |
| Shanghai | 3 | Amara Signature Shanghai | Luxury |
Dates & Prices
discount available
| Depart (Thu) |
Return (Mon) |
Land Only* CA$/US$ |
Single Supplement CA$/US$ |
| 2025 | |||
| 08-May | 26-May | $7798/$5570 | $1960/$1400 |
| 15-May | 02-Jun | $7798/$5570 | $2170/$1550 |
| 22-May | 09-Jun | $7798/$5570 | $2170/$1550 |
| 29-May | 16-Jun | $7910/$5650 | $2170/$1550 |
| 05-Jun | 23-Jun | $7700/$5500 | $1960/$1400 |
| 12-Jun | 30-Jun | $7700/$5500 | $1960/$1400 |
| 19-Jun | 07-Jul | $7700/$5500 | $1960/$1400 |
| 26-Jun | 14-Jul | $7700/$5500 | $1960/$1400 |
| 07-Aug | 25-Aug | $7700/$5500 | $2170/$1550 |
| 14-Aug | 01-Sep | $7700/$5500 | $2170/$1550 |
| 21-Aug | 08-Sep | $7700/$5500 | $2170/$1550 |
| 28-Aug | 15-Sep | $7910/$5650 | $2170/$1550 |
| 04-Sep | 22-Sep | $8060/$5760 | $2240/$1600 |
| 11-Sep | 29-Sep | $8060/$5760 | $2240/$1600 |
| 09-Oct | 27-Oct | $8330/$5950 | $2240/$1600 |
| 16-Oct | 03-Nov | $8330/$5950 | $2240/$1600 |
| 23-Oct | 10-Nov | $8330/$5950 | $2240/$1600 |
| 30-Oct | 17-Nov | $8120/$5800 | $2240/$1600 |
| 06-Nov | 24-Nov | $7980/$5700 | $2170/$1550 |
| 2026 | |||
| 12-Mar | 30-Mar | $7980/$5700 | $2170/$1550 |
| 19-Mar | 06-Apr | $7980/$5700 | $2170/$1550 |
| 26-Mar | 13-Apr | $8120/$5800 | $2170/$1550 |
| 02-Apr | 20-Apr | $8330/$5950 | $2380/$1700 |
| 09-Apr | 27-Apr | $8330/$5950 | $2380/$1700 |
| 07-May | 25-May | $8330/$5950 | $2380/$1700 |
| 14-May | 01-Jun | $8330/$5950 | $2380/$1700 |
| 21-May | 08-Jun | $8330/$5950 | $2380/$1700 |
| 28-May | 15-Jun | $7980/$5700 | $2170/$1550 |
| 04-Jun | 22-Jun | $7980/$5700 | $2170/$1550 |
| 11-Jun | 29-Jun | $7980/$5700 | $2170/$1550 |
| 18-Jun | 06-Jul | $7980/$5700 | $2170/$1550 |
| 27-Aug | 14-Sep | $8330/$5950 | $2170/$1550 |
| 03-Sep | 21-Sep | $8330/$5950 | $2240/$1600 |
| 10-Sep | 28-Sep | $8330/$5950 | $2240/$1600 |
| 08-Oct | 26-Oct | $8679/$6199 | $2240/$1600 |
| 15-Oct | 02-Nov | $8679/$6199 | $2240/$1600 |
| 22-Oct | 09-Nov | $8679/$6199 | $2240/$1600 |
| 29-Oct | 16-Nov | $8330/$5950 | $2240/$1600 |
| 05-Nov | 23-Nov | $8120/$5800 | $2170/$1550 |
* Land Only price does NOT international airfare. Please contact us for a fare quote.
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What the tour price includes:
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What the tour price excludes:
See Terms & Conditions for more information. |
