10 Days Beijing Xian Hangzhou Suzhou Shanghai Tour
Tour Overview
This 10-day Scenic China tour takes you to beautiful Suzhou and Hangzhou, the ancient capital of 13 dynasties, Xi’an, as well as the bustling Beijing and Shanghai. You will be led to find China’s finest tea and silk, and visit world-famous historical landmarks and natural landscapes. The China trip includes 9 nights accommodation in 4 or 5 star hotels, professional local guides in each destination and is perfect for families.
The itinerary below is just one possibility that can inspire your tailor-made trip. Our travel experts will customize your China trip according to your interests and budget.
Starting in the capital of China – Beijing, you will visit imperial sites such as the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, and the most beautiful section of the Great Wall – Mutianyu. Next, travel to Xi’an, a melting pot of cultures, cuisines and traditions to see the world-famous Terracotta Warriors and Horses. You will also learn about the culture of Halal cuisine. Then, come to two of China’s top ten most beautiful cities, Hangzhou and Suzhou, to get a glimpse of the tea culture, visit the exquisite gardens and explore the tranquil water towns. Besides, visit the West Lake, which is featured on 1 yuan bank note. The final stop on this 10-day China private tour is the bustling city of Shanghai, enjoying the Bund skyline, visiting the Shikumen Museum, strolling the streets of the Former French Concession, and more.
Travel destinations: Beijing, Xi’an, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Shanghai
Suitable for: Family, First-timers
Tour type: Private
Highlights of this tour:
- Explore famous ancient wonders of China such as the Forbidden City, the Terracotta Warriors, and the Ancient City Wall of Xian.
- Capture beautiful natural beauty on camera, from the majestic Mutianyu Great Wall to the tranquil West Lake of Hangzhou and the classical gardens of Suzhou.
- Learn about China’s tea culture at the China National Tea Museum in Hangzhou and glimpse Shaanxi region’s rich history at Shaanxi History Museum.
- Taste the specialties at Beijing’s Sanyuanli Food Market and Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter.
- Stroll through the vibrant Former French Concession of Shanghai and explore the city’s historic Shikumen neighborhoods.
Day-by-day Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrival in Beijing
Welcome to the capital city - Beijing, the starting point of your 10-day China private tour! Your private driver will greet you at the exit of the arrival hall by holding a welcome sign and then transfer to your Beijing downtown hotel.
The rest of the day is for your own arrangement. If you need any suggestions on your free time, we will be very happy to help you.
Meal: N/A
Accommodation: in Beijing
- Day 2: Beijing City TourAdmire the Magnificent Imperial Buildings from Hundreds of Years Ago
After breakfast, meet your guide and driver at the hotel lobby and then start your Beijing tour with Tiananmen Square, the heart and symbol of Beijing and the largest city square in the world. The spacious square has been used for many public celebrations, ceremonies, and demonstrations for over a hundred years.
Next, walk to the Forbidden City, one of the largest and most completely preserved palace complexes built of wood. It functioned as the imperial palace in the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1912). 24 emperors of the two dynasties once lived here.
Forbidden City In the afternoon, move on to Summer Palace. With an area of 2.9 square kilometers, this palace was the best place where the emperors of the Qing Dynasty spent their summers. Here you will enjoy the amazing lake view, explore the exquisite long corridor, appreciate precious cultural relics, step on the elegant stone bridge, etc. In addition, you can take the option of a boat ride to enjoy the stunning Kunming Lake (optional).
After that, end today's itinerary with an exterior visit to the marvelous Bird's Nest and Water Cube which were built for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Walking around the outside of the building to appreciate the unique design and take some pictures is recommended.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Beijing
- Day 3: Beijing Great Wall TourThe Great Wall Hiking & An Insight into the Education in Ancient China
Wake up early in the morning and your guide will take you on a culinary tour of the Sanyuanli Food Market, where you can sample local snacks and immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of a traditional Chinese morning market.
Then, you will be transferred to enjoy a Great Wall hiking tour on Mutianyu Section. Built in the early Ming Dynasty in 1368 and stretching for 5,400 meters, it is the most scenic part of the Chinese Great Wall. 90 percent of the Mutianyu is covered by vegetation. So in each season, this part of the Great Wall will treat visitors with its unique scenery.
If pure hiking is too much for you, there are also options for cable car and toboggan to see the spectacular scenery from different angles (optional).
Mutianyu Great Wall After coming down from the Great Wall, your driver will escort you to see the Temple of Confucius, a place where Confucius was worshipped during the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1616-1912) in ancient China. Your guide will take you on an insightful tour of education in ancient China. Finally, take a leisurely stroll through the narrow alleys of the Hutongs to learn about local life and the rich cultural heritage of Beijing.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Beijing
- Day 4: Beijing to Xian Tour by High-speed TrainLearn about Ancient Chinese Royal Rituals at a World Heritage Site
The last scenic site of your China tour in Beijing will be the Temple of Heaven. Located in the southern part of Beijing, it served as a complex of sacrificial buildings where emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties prayed for peace and harvest.
Temple of Heaven After the visit, it's time to say goodbye to Beijing! Your driver will then escort you to the train station for your high-speed train to Xi'an. Upon arrival, your private Xian driver will be waiting for you at the exit gate and then transfer you to the hotel in downtown area. In the evening, you can wander around the bustling streets and sample local snacks.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Xi'an
- Day 5: Xian Terracotta Army TourDig into Profound Historic Heritages of the Ancient City
Your China tour in Xian will start with the Terracotta Warriors. Known as the Eighth Wonder of the World, the Terracotta Warriors slept under the ground for 2,200 years before the accidental discovery by local farmers who were digging wells. The life-size terracotta warriors differ from one another in clothing, hairstyle, posture, and facial expression. Since its opening to the public in 1979, it has attracted millions of people from all over the world each year and has become one of the things that represent China throughout the world.
Chinaxiantour's customers in Terracotta Army After a Chinese-style lunch, we will drive back to Xian downtown to visit the Ancient City Wall, a military defensive system in old times. You can optionally ride a bike on the top of the City Wall and enjoy the amazing view of the entire area inside the City Wall.
The next stop is the famous Muslim Street, which is a paradise for food lovers where you can find many kinds of delicious local snacks such as Biang Biang Noodle, Roujiamo (Chinese Hamburger), and Yangrou Paomo (Mutton and Bread Pieces in Soup).
Food stalls in the Muslim Quarter After that, have a walk on Bell Tower & Drum Tower Square, a landmark building in Xian.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Xi'an
- Day 6: Xi'an to Hangzhou TourVisit the History Museum for relics and the Pagoda for Buddhist History
After breakfast, you will be guided to Shaanxi History Museum, which houses over 380,000 cultural relics including simple stone tools used in prehistoric times, bronze ware from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, terracotta warriors from various dynasties, gold and silver utensils from the Han and Tang dynasties, and tomb murals from Tang Dynasty. It is an excellent place to learn about the history and culture of Shaanxi and ancient Chinese civilization.
Next, head to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. It was built to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and traveler Xuanzang in the Tang Dynasty. At the end of the tour, escort you to a downtown hotel to have a good rest.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda After the tour, your driver will escort you to the airport for your flight to Hangzhou., a paradise on earth. Upon your arrival, the local driver will greet you and transfer to Hangzhou downtown hotel.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Hangzhou
- Day 7: Hangzhou TourExplore around West Lake and Enjoy the Tea Culture
Your China tour of Hangzhou would be hardly complete without a visit to the impressive West Lake. As one of the top sought-after scenic spots in China, it has been praised by many Chinese literati. The scenery in all four seasons is beautiful and worthy of visiting.
Next, head to Lingyin Temple. The temple has a history of about 1,700 years and is considered one of the most significant Buddhist temples in China. You will listen to your guide about its history and stories, and admire various buildings. Then move to Feilai Peak, which is a pure limestone mountain and totally different from the sandstone mountains around.
Enjoy a leisure cruise on West Lake After lunch, we will visit the first-class protected area of West Lake Longjing Tea, Dragon Well Tea Plantation, which is also the main source of the Longjing tea. Just walk around the plantation, smell the faint aroma of tea in the air, and try some fine tea. If you come here in spring, you even can join the locals to pick up tea leaves.
Today's last stop is the China National Tea Museum, the only national museum focusing on tea and tea culture in China. You can learn the history of tea and tea customs of different areas in China and admire delicate tea wares. After the whole day tour, go back to your hotel.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Hangzhou
- Day 8: Hangzhou to Suzhou TourWander around Exquisite Gardens & Beautiful Water Towns
In the morning, you will be transferred to catch the bullet train to Suzhou. After about 1.5 hour's train ride, you will arrive in Suzhou and see your Suzhou guide waiting for you at the exit of the train station.
Your China tour in Suzhou begins at the Master of the Nets Garden, a perfect example of a small to medium-sized garden, less than one-sixth the size of the Humble Administrator's Garden. However, through the clever layout, the bridges, streams, and pavilions in the garden are well distributed without being too confined.
Master of the Nets Garden After the garden tour, we head to another feature of Suzhou - the water town. We will take you to visit Tongli Ancient Town, which is surrounded by lakes. A network of rivers divides the town into seven islands, and almost every house in the town is adjacent to the water. Strolling along the narrow alleys, you will see many old buildings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
After the Suzhou tour, your guide and driver will escort you to board the high-speed train to China's bustling metropolis, Shanghai.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Shanghai
Tongli Water Town - Day 9: Shanghai TourExperience the Past and Present of the Magic City
After a hearty breakfast, you will be transferred to Shanghai Museum, which houses millions of collections and especially features bronze wares, porcelain works, paintings, and calligraphy works. Next, stroll on the Bund. You will admire buildings of various styles, enjoy the beautiful Huangpu River, and listen to your guide explaining its history. Then wander around Nanjing Road to see traditional department stores and optionally try some authentic Shanghai snacks.
The Bund After lunch, you will move on to Yuyuan Garden. It is a famous classical garden which was originally built by the owner as a place for his parents to enjoy a tranquil and happy time in their old age. Afterwards, your guide will take you to the Shikumen Museum, which is converted from an old Shikumen house built in the 1920s. The whole museum covers an area of 367.2 square meters and displays 7 rooms, such as study, master bedroom, children's room and kitchen.
Last, you will visit the former French Concession, a perfect place to learn the history of Shanghai from 1849 to 1943.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Shanghai
Former French Concession - Day 10: Departure from Shanghai
Your 10-day picturesque China Tour of Beijing Xian Hangzhou Suzhou Shanghai ends here. Enjoy a leisure morning after breakfast. Your private driver will escort you to the airport for your departure flight (usually 4 hours in advance for international flights and 2 hours for domestic flights). Wish you a pleasant journey!
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A
