10 Days Classic China Tour from Beijing – First Touch of China

Airport/train station pick up & hotel check in

Ni Hao, welcome to Beijing, the iconic city as well as the capital of China!

You will be met by your local tour guide at the arrival hall of your arrival airport or train station, then be escorted to check in to your hotel in downtown by a private comfortable vehicle. The rest of today is on your own to relax. If you want to explore nearby, feel free to get some practical suggestions from your tour guide.

Arrival Ideas: At present, there are many international and domestic flights to Beijing. Besides, you can take a high speed train to this capital city from Shanghai (4.5-6 hrs), Xian (4-6 hrs), Guangzhou (7.5-8 hrs), Chengdu (7.5-10 hrs), Chongqing (7-9 hrs), Hong Kong (8 hrs), etc.

Today's highlights: Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Jingshan Park

After breakfast, you will start a journey through Beijing's storied past with a brief visit to Tiananmen Square, the world's largest public plaza. This iconic site is where Chairman Mao proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China from the imposing Tiananmen Gate.

Step through Tiananmen Gate and into the heart of imperial China - Forbidden City (Palace Museum). This vast palace complex of nearly 10,000 rooms, once home to 24 emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties, stands as a marvel of architectural brilliance and historical grandeur. Admire the intricate details, from the dazzling yellow-glazed tile roofs to the refined white marble bases. As you explore the myriad rooms and courtyards, envision the lives of emperors, empresses, and their courtiers.

After leaving the Forbidden City, take a short walk to Jingshan Park, where you can ascend to its summit for a panoramic view. From here, marvel at the sweeping vistas of the Forbidden City to the south and the serene landscapes of Beihai Park, Shichahai Lake, and the iconic Drum Tower to the north. For unforgettable photos, make your way to one of the palace's corner towers, a favorite spot among photography enthusiasts.

Following lunch, drive to the outskirts of Beijing to experience the enchanting Summer Palace. Once the exclusive summer retreat of the imperial family, this site is renowned as China's largest and most well-preserved royal garden. Discover a stunning array of ancient pavilions, grand mansions, serene temples, and elegant bridges. The Long Corridor, stretching along the peaceful shores of Kunming Lake, is adorned with thousands of vibrant paintings that tell captivating stories of history and mythology.

Lastly, be escorted back to your hotel.

Optional Night Activities:
1) Enjoy a thrilling acrobatic show featuring incredible feats of strength, balance, and agility.
2) Or experience the classic Chinese performing art of Peking Opera at the renowned Liyuan Theater.

Today's highlights: Mutianyu Great Wall, Sacred Way, Olympic Park

This morning, you'll be driven approximately 70 km (about 1.5 hours) to the iconic Mutianyu Great Wall, a less-crowded yet beautiful section of this World Wonder. Begin your adventure by ascending the wall via an enclosed cable car, reaching No. 14 Watchtower, your starting point for an unforgettable experience. Hike westward along the wall, passing through towering watchtowers and capturing breathtaking panoramic views. The trail is moderate, suitable for most fitness levels, including families with children. For the more adventurous, challenge yourself by climbing the Great Man Slope to No. 20 Watchtower, the highest point, offering an even more spectacular vista. After exploring the wonderful sightseeing, hike back to No. 14 Watchtower and descend by the enclosed cable car.

Optional Toboggan Experience: For an extra thrill at Mutianyu, travelers (under 60 years old) may consider taking the toboggan ride to descend the Great Wall, available at No. 6 Watchtower. Note that there might be a queue, especially during peak seasons like Chinese holidays.

Continue your trip to Sacred Way, a 7-kilometer-long passage leading to the Imperial Tombs of the 13 Emperors of the Ming Dynasty. The Emperor, known as the Son of Heaven, would travel from Heaven to his country through the Sacred Way and return to Heaven through this road. Take a walk through the largest archway in China and the Great Palace Gate, and you'll see the magnificent stone guard statues of 12 sets of mythical animals and 12 officials. Then, drive back to Beijing and take a short stop at the Beijing Olympic Village to view its famous Bird’s Nest and Water Cube from the outside.

Lastly, be escorted back to your hotel.

Optional Night Activity: After the day's tour, treat yourself to a great dinner and taste the famous Peking Roasted Duck, a world-renowned dish with crisp skin and juicy meat.

Today's highlights: Temple of Heaven, Hutongs

After breakfast, you will visit Temple of Heaven, a historic site once used by emperors for sacrificial ceremonies. As you explore this grand complex of buildings and gardens, you'll discover the rituals and beliefs of the Ming and Qing emperors, who sought divine blessings for good harvests through intricate ceremonies. Beyond its historical importance, you'll observe vibrant local life, with residents practicing Tai Chi, dancing, and engaging in various exercises among the lush pine woods.

Then get back to the central city to hop on a rickshaw to experience the Beijing Hutongs - narrow alleys lined with historic quadrangle dwellings. This journey will immerse you in the traditional Beijing lifestyle, where you can explore charming antique shops, boutique stores, and witness the city's historical evolution. You'll also visit a local family's home in the Hutongs, offering a glimpse into everyday life.

Your Beijing tour is now about to end. Your tour guide will see you off at the Beijing West Railway Station for a high speed train trip to Xian (about 5 hours). You will be picked up by your tour guide at Xian North Railway Station and escorted to your hotel in Xian. The rest of the day is on your own to explore this ancient capital of China.

Today's highlights: Terracotta Warriors, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City

After breakfast, drive about 40 km to discover one of the greatest man-made wonders in the world - the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, built by the first emperor of China Qin Shihuang to protect him in his afterlife. Over 8,000 life-size warriors, horses and chariots, buried in 3 pits for more than 2,000 years until uncovered by a local farmer in 1974, form an ancient military army with complete battle units of infantry, cavalry, etc. Standing in front of these figures, one can’t help being amazed not only by the ambition of Emperor Qin Shihuang but also by the fabulous artistic skills of ancient Chinese artisans.

After lunch, return to Xian to visit Da Cien Temple, a famous Buddhist sutra translation site during the Tang Dynasty. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is the most famous building in the temple. The pagoda, rising to a height of 64.5 meters, was built by the famous Buddhist master Xuanzang to preserve classic scriptures he bought back from India during the early Tang Dynasty. Xuanzang was the prototype character for Tang Seng in the famous Chinese novel “Journey to the West”. (Note: It costs an extra 30 RMB if you want to climb up the Big Wild Goose Pagoda).

This evening you will be offered an interesting visit to Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City which is a great place to walk, enjoy amazing nightscape and recall the prosperity and glory of the mighty Tang Dynasty most importantly. Seeing this area at night is totally different than during the day as the lighting is marvelous yet tastefully done.

Optional activities: 1) trying on the Hanfu which is traditional clothing of the Han Chinese in the ancient dynasties. Seize this rare opportunity to take some photos to record this unique memory! 2) enjoy a wonderful Tang Palace Dance Show (usually from 8pm to 9pm).

Today's highlights: Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Xian Museum, Ancient City Wall, Muslim Quarter

After breakfast, start today's tour with an educational visit to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and Xi’an Museum to learn a lot about the history and culture about the ancient city of Xi’an. They are together located in a clean and beautiful park. The Small Wild Goose Pagoda is rather smaller and 55 years younger than its “sister” - the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. Built during 707 to 709 AD, the pagoda is 43.4 meters tall with 13 tiers (originally 15 tiers), looking like a very tall rectangular pyramid. An interesting fact about the Small Wild Goose Pagoda is that the pagoda has survived nearly 70 earthquakes, and now still standing firm and sturdy. You can walk around to appreciate the beautiful design and take photos of the pagoda. Then you will go to visit Xi’an Museum which is only several minutes’ walking from the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. This museum has more than 130,000 pieces of jade relics, seals, paintings, porcelains, Buddhist statues, stone carvings and many other precious relics.

Later, go to spend a leisure time on the Ancient City Wall, the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China. Just like the merchants and envoys on the Silk Road thousands of years ago, you will enter the interior of the city walls through the Hanguang Gate. There you will visit a mini museum to see the real Tang Dynasty city wall ruins from over 1400 years ago, including gateways, cross-sections of the wall, and the remains of water channels. After the museum visit, get up to the city wall to enjoy a leisure stroll and pleasant panoramic views of modern Xian. Rent a bike (extra cost: 45RMB) to enjoy a relaxing cycling on the Wall is strongly recommended. The cycling routes and duration are flexible. Feel free to discuss with your tour guide. Leave the City Wall, then go to wander leisurely around the bustling and lively Muslim Quarter, a place where you can try different local snacks and explore Muslim culture.

The rest of today is free for you until get escorted to catch flight to Guilin (about 2hrs), the darling of tourists. You will be welcomed by local tour guide at airport, then be escorted to your hotel in Guilin City. The rest of today is at your leisure to have fun.

Today's highlights: Li River Cruise, West Street, Yulong River

As the declaration in Chinese textbook "Guilin's landscape is the best under heaven", today you will explore this best landscape starting with a relaxing sightseeing cruise along the Li River from Mopanshan Pier to Yangshuo Town. Along the 84-kilometer cruise, dazzling scenery overwhelms your eyes like a vast endless Chinese painting of winding river, green limestone karst mountains, fascinating countryside views, amazing scene of A Painting of Nine Horses, and notable view printed on the back of the 20 RMB note. (Please note: Lunch is served by the cruise with simple local Chinese cuisine. And you can take some snacks when getting on board.)

After about 4 hours' cruise, disembark in Yangshuo Town, and check into your hotel.

After a short break, start your impressive exploration of the best charming sightseeing and ideal countryside ease at Yulong River. Let all the refreshing scenes please your eyes and souls to the utmost. Just enjoy every moment with the Karst hills dotted around, chatting stream, rippling mountain reflection, swaying floras, patches of vivid crops, comfortable breeze... There are diverse kinds of ways for your enjoyment of the fun and beauty, including biking, hiking, bamboo rafting and driving. You can easily choose and combine your ideal way(s) and part of Yulong River. (Please tell your likes to your travel consultants before booking the tour, as the final prices will differ by activities you choose).

Biking (some physically demanding & sightseeing by the river) - Ride to enjoy the river view and the real fields (route: Yangshuo - Jima - Shuiedi Dock - Gongnong Bridge - West Street; for 1.5-2 hours).

Bamboo Rafting (relaxing and interesting & sightseeing on the river) - have fun with the classic bamboo rafting (Route A: Shuiedi Dock - Gongnong Bridge about 40 minutes; Route B: Jima Dock - Gongnong Bridge about 70 minutes) to see the more serene view like pieces of traditional Chinese landscape ink paintings.

Driving (most leisurable and comfortable & sightseeing on the road) - drive and travel from Jima to Gongnong Bridge to appreciate the lovely countryside view (about 0.5 hour). You can get off and on anywhere on the middle way to explore more about your interested place.

After that, walk leisurely on the ancient West Street to witness how the western culture and Chinese culture perfectly and peacefully coexist here. Whether you want to enjoy a cup of drink in bar, taste some local food, or just experience the relaxing atmosphere, you get it here.

Note: according to the regulations of Yulong River Tourism, children less than 1 meter high and elders over 70 years old are not allowed to take the bamboo rafting.

Optional evening activity:

Watch the splendid evening performance of Impression Liu Sanjie with the Li River itself as the stage, which was directed by famous director - Zhang Yimou (usually performs for an hour between around 19:45 and 22:20).

Today's highlights: Elephant Trunk Hill, Reed Flute Cave

After breakfast, transfer back to Guilin in a comfortable vehicle (1.5~2hrs). Then make a visit to the symbol of Guilin landscape - Elephant Trunk Hill. A giant rock hill vividly shapes like an elephant which is drinking water. Besides, there are many historical sites here for you to explore, such as stone carving, Buddhist temple, relic exhibition, etc. Then, drive about 7 kilometers to next attraction - Reed Flute Cave, a majestic underground palace with sparkling different colors. The magical Mother Nature condenses millions years of natural efforts to form the incredible stalactite, stalagmite, stone shield and stone waterfall of different sizes and shapes.

Lastly, your tour guide will take you to airport to catch your flight to Shanghai, the most flourishing metropolis in China. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be escorted by local tour guide to check in your downtown hotel. The rest of today is free for you to explore this cosmopolitan.

Today's highlights: Shanghai Tower, Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden, Nanjing Road, The Bund

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel to start your Shanghai exploration. Your will firstly visit Lujiazui and ride one of the world's fastest elevators to the 118th-floor observation deck (at 546 meters / 1,791 feet) of the Shanghai Tower - the tallest building in China and the third tallest in the world, standing at 632 meters (2,073 feet). From this incredible height, you'll enjoy a jaw-dropping 360° panoramic view of Shanghai's dynamic skyline, including the modern Pudong area, the historic Bund, and the winding Huangpu River. Then, drive to the Shanghai Museum East, which collected many international-standard exhibits of bronzes, paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramics, jade from more than 5,000 years ago to the Qing dynasty. An Audio Explanation Device will be prepared for you to help you learn about the history and facts about the relics in the museum easily.

Then, transfer to Shanghai old town to visit Yu Garden (Yuyuan), a famous Southern China classical garden which was originally built about 450 years ago. Walk around to view the ancient pavilions, halls, towers with jagged carved cornices and decorations, grotesque rockeries, glittering ponds filled with swimming kois and many old plants. These buildings, laid out in an asymmetry, fully embody impressive Chinese architectural style, art and skills, from which you can imagine an ancient living scene and find a magic harmony between human and nature. Yuyuan Bazaar outside the garden is an interesting place for shopping traditional Chinese handicrafts and artworks and tasting a variety of local snacks.

Later, get to Nanjing Road, Shanghai's earliest commercial street and one of the most popular current landmarks. Lots of big name brands, restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops and towering buildings can be seen when you stroll around this busy pedestrian mall. Continue your walk to the Bund, the No.1 attraction in Shanghai and the best viewing deck for the skyline of Lujiazui across the Huangpu River, a cluster of futuristic skyscrapers including Shanghai Tower, Jinmao Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and Oriental Pearl Tower rising from what was once a fishing village. The view captures Shanghai's extraordinary transformation from a treaty port to a global financial hub and innovation powerhouse. Lined with 52 historic European-style buildings, the Bund is also often hailed as an open-air museum of world architecture. Take a pleasant stroll along the promenade, enjoying both the grandeur of the past and the futuristic skyline.

After the tour, drive back to your hotel. (If you want to spend free time at the Bund, Nanjing Road or somewhere else please let your tour guide know.)

Optional Activity - Take a relaxing Huangpu River night cruise to see the city’s most significant edifices and streets sparkling under the atmospheric cover of darkness (about 50 minutes).

Today's highlights: Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, Tianzifang

Have you wondered why Shanghai developed into a modern, vibrant and cosmopolitan city from what was originally a shabby fishing village? This morning’s tour to Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center will answer that question fully while also giving you an overview of the City’s ambitious plans for future. The Center is a fashionably designed modern museum, themed with "City, Citizens, Environment and Development". Different usages of photography, models and interactive multimedia displays make your visit enjoyable and entertaining. The best features are the old rare photos of landmarks, such as the Bund, Nanjing Road, Yu Garden, during the international settlement, and the large scale model showing the detailed layout of Shanghai.

Next, you will be transferred to Tianzifang which is touristic arts and crafts enclave that has developed from a renovated traditional residential area. It is the typical tourist attraction to appreciate the preservation of local Shikumen architecture. In this place full of rich flavor of life, you can leisurely stroll along the clean old alleys to watch the daily life of local Shanghai people, savor a cup of drink at the open-air café, and find some interesting things in the novel shops to feel the international feature mixed with real Shanghai culture.

In the afternoon, your guide will escort you to the airport for your flight to next destination or home.