13 Days Beijing Xian Chengdu Zhangjiajie Shanghai Tour

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Beijing
   Explore Serene Imperial Retreat, Stunning Lake, and Mountain Scenery

   This 13 day China group tour starts from the capital city of Beijing! After arriving at Beijing Capital International Airport, your tour guide and driver will greet you at the airport from 10 am to 11 am and escort you to the hotel.

   In the afternoon, go to explore the peaceful Summer Palace in the western suburbs of Beijing. This palace was a summer resort for the Qing emperors and their families, built around Kunming Lake and Wanshou (Longevity) Hill. It was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998. Your well-informed tour guide will take you on a glimpse of the history of the Chinese royal family.

   Meal: N/A

   Accommodation: in Beijing

   

2. Day 2: Beijing Great Wall Hiking Tour
   Drive to Scenic Mutianyu, Ascend by Cable Car, and Hike

   After breakfast, your Beijing tour begins at the Temple of Heaven, where you will catch a glimpse of the local culture by witnessing the locals doing morning exercises. The Temple of Heaven is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a masterpiece of Chinese royal architecture.

   

   Next, we will drive for 2 hours to reach the 5400 meter long Mutianyu Great Wall. It is undoubtedly an ancient engineering miracle surrounded by lush vegetation. When you ascend the Great Wall by cable car, your guide will tell you the rich historical stories of the Great Wall and tell you the best shooting locations. The winding paths of this UNESCO World Heritage site stretch endlessly.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Beijing

   

3. Day 3: Beijing City Tour
   Visit the Vast Square and Grand Imperial Palace

   The morning kicks off at Tiananmen Square, a symbol of Beijing. The square covers an area of 440,000 square meters and can accommodate 1 million people for a grand gathering at the same time. You will see the National Flag Pole, the Monument to the People's Heroes, Chairman Mao's Memorial Hall and the Zhengyangmen Gate along the central axis from north to south. After that, continue walking a short distance north to the Forbidden City, the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties and the symbol and icon of ancient China. Admire the large-scale precious architecture and millions of valuable artifacts.

   

   You will enjoy delicious Beijing Roast Duck, a specialty dish of Beijing, for lunch. In the afternoon, take you for a stroll on Yangmeizhuxie Street and explore the peaceful Shichahai. Later, you will experience taking a rickshaw through traditional hutongs. Your tour guide will tell you about the daily life of Beijing people.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Beijing

4. Day 4: Beijing to Xian Tour by High-speed Train
   Sample Authentic Regional Snacks at Muslim Quarter

   Savor a leisurely morning at your hotel. In the afternoon, your driver will escort you to the railway station for a high-speed train journey to Xian.

   Upon arrival, the guide will show you around the Muslim Quarter and taste authentic local snacks, such as Biangbiang noodles, ice peak (a kind of drink), soup dumplings, mirror cake, sour plum soup, dried persimmon and lamb skewer. (at your own expense)

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Xian

   

5. Day 5: Xian Terracotta Army Tour
   Marvel at Unique Clay Figures of Terracotta Warriors

   This morning, the local English-speaking tour guide will greet you in the hotel lobby. After an hour's drive from the city center, you will visit the Terra Cotta Warriors, an archeological miracle with thousands of life-size clay soldiers, horses and chariots. Over 2000 years ago, the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, built this world heritage site. You will be surprised that each soldier displays a unique expression.

   

   Optional: If you are interested in making a replica small terracotta soldier, we'd like to arrange that for you. Around 1h making, costing RMB 90 per person.

   After lunch, visit another landmark of Xi'an - the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. At around 65 meters tall, the pagoda was built in 652 (in the Tang Dynasty) to store Buddhist scriptures brought back by Xuanzang from India. Have a relaxing time there. After that, head to Grand Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City, which is next to the Great Wild Goose Pagoda. It is like a time travel when you walk among many Tang Dynasty-style architectures.

   

   In the evening, your guide will take you to one of Xi'an's most famous restaurants for a sumptuous dinner, including Calabash Chicken, Hele Made of Buckwheat Flour, Small Hard Flour Pancake with chili, etc.

   Meal: Breakfast + Dinner

   Accommodation: in Xian

6. Day 6: Xian History & Food Tour to Chengdu
   Visit the Historic Pagoda and Tour the Ancient City Wall

   Today we will go to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, which is a Buddhist building with a long history dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). You will be amazed by its complex carvings. You can leisurely stroll in the surrounding gardens. In the scenic area, you will be led to visit the Xi'an Museum, which will show you more about the history of this ancient city.

   

   Then, go to Xi'an Ancient City Wall, and be introduced to the most complete and oldest city defenses with ancient walls, ramparts, gates, watchtowers, and horse passages. You can walk on the massive wall (tall, long, and thick), or rent a bicycle (optional, rent the bike at your own expense) to get some good views of the city and the surrounding moat.

   Say goodbye to Xi'an as you board a high-speed train to Chengdu.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Chengdu

   

7. Day 7: Chengdu to Leshan Tour
   Capture the World's Largest Stone Carved Maitreya Buddha

   After breakfast, drive to Leshan to visit the Leshan Giant Buddha. The Giant Buddha is 71 meters high and is a masterpiece of Tang Dynasty cliff sculpture art. It is also the world's largest stone carved Maitreya Buddha sitting statue. You will climb up the stairs to get a close-up view of this majestic Buddha statue, or pay an extra fee to choose to cruise along the river and see the Buddha statue from a distance.

   

   Afterwards, we return to Chengdu to embark on a culinary adventure in Wide and Narrow Alley. Here you'll taste the most authentic Sichuan snacks, such as Dandan Noodles (with peppery sauce), Zhong Dumplings, Bo Bo Chicken, and other popular snacks.

   Meal: Breakfast + Snacks

   Accommodation: in Chengdu

8. Day 8: Chengdu Panda Tour to Zhangjiajie by Flight
   Watch the Lovely Pandas up Close and Experience Cooking

   At around 08:30 am, our tour guide and driver will pick you up, and your amazing Chengdu tour of China begins!

   You will be taken to visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which is well known for the protection and breeding of the endangered giant pandas which are unique to China. The base is definitely a highlight for most visitors to Chengdu. There are adorable pandas everywhere. You can watch them eating bamboo, playing with each other, and of course sleeping.

   

   Afterwards, you will be transferred to the Sichuan Cuisine Museum, which features displays on the culture of Sichuan cuisine. Here, you will experience hands-on preparation of several representative Sichuan dishes under the guidance of a chef. Finally, enjoy the delicious dishes you have prepared.

   After that, your driver escorts you to the airport for your flight to Zhangjiajie, the filming location for the famous movie Avatar.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Zhangjiajie

   

9. Day 9: Zhangjiajie Avatar Mountain Tour
   Tour Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie with Stunning Views & Bailong Elevator

   After breakfast, your China group tour in Zhangjiajie takes you Tianzi Mountain. Take a sightseeing bus up to the mountain and you will witness rugged rocks and a forest of stone peaks. One of the spectacular sights is the sea of clouds after rain if you are lucky. After the visit, take a cable car down the mountain.

   Continue your adventure in the Yuanjiajie, the inspiration for Hallelujah Mountain in the super famous movie Avatar. Bailong Elevator, the highest outdoor sightseeing elevator (operating at a height of 326 meters) in the world, is a highlight in Yuanjiajie. You will ride the elevator up to the top, which takes only 66 seconds. A breathtaking landscape is waiting for you, with massive quartz-sandstone pillars.

   At the end of the visit, your guide and driver will take you back to your hotel.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Zhangjiajie

   

10. Day 10: Zhangjiejia Grand Canyon Tour
    Challenge to Walk on the World's Longest Transparent Glass Bridge

    After breakfast, your Zhangjiajie tour today begins at the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, a landform museum of Zhangjiajie, integrating mountains, rivers, and caves. You'll challenge walking on the world's highest and longest transparent glass bridge, the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge. The bridge arches about 400 meters above the valley floor and spans a total length of approximately 370 meters. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

    

    Then, head to Tianmen Mountain. You will take the 7,455-meter-long cable car up to the top of the mountain for 28 minutes. Walk on the thrilling Glass Skywalk & Ghost Valley Plank Road that hang on the cliffs. Explore the Tianmen Cave, a natural water-eroded cave with the highest elevation in the world. You can conquer the 999 steps to Tianmen Cave and enjoy the wonderful scenery from above.

    After the China tour in Zhangjiajie, you will take a flight to the bustling metropolis of Shanghai.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: in Shanghai

11. Day 11: Shanghai Highlights Tour
    Embark on a Journey of Shanghai's Past and Present

    After breakfast, start your Shanghai tour from the classical Yu Garden and the bustling Yuyuan Bazaar. You will be immersed in the modernization of Shanghai. Yu Garden is a Chinese classical garden, whose history can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Your guide will take you on a tour of carefully arranged gardens, bridges, and ponds.

    

    Next, climb onto the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, one of Shanghai's landmarks, and overlook the panoramic view of the city. Then take a stroll along Nanjing Road, the first commercial pedestrian street in China, and savor the openness and prosperity of this city. The last stop is the must see attraction in Shanghai - the Bund, where you will admire 52 buildings with different styles such as Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, etc.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: in Shanghai

    

12. Day 12: Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour
    Take a Stroll around the Venice of the East and Enjoy Huangpu River Night Cruise

    Your 13-day China group tour is coming to an end. After breakfast today, drive to the "Venice of the East" of Zhujiajiao Water Town. The canals and stone bridges dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties (1616-1911) present a quaint charm. You can stroll along the cobblestone streets lined with handicraft shops, tea houses, and ancient residences. Your tour guide will share rich historical facts with you.

    

    You can choose to leisurely cruise along the ancient waterway by boat and appreciate the unique charm of this town from different perspectives.

    After the tour, return to Shanghai and take a night tour along the Huangpu River. The ship will pass the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Tower, the historic Bund and other landmark buildings.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: in Shanghai

    

13. Day 13: Departure from Shanghai

    Enjoy your free morning at the hotel. Then, your driver will escort you on a plane or train. The 13-day group tour in China ends. If you are interested in other destinations in China, we are always at your service.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: N/A