8 Days Classic Xian Guilin Shanghai Tour

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Xian Arrival

   Our driver will meet you at Xian airport/train station by holding a welcome sign. Then you will be transferred to the hotel we have booked for you and check in. The rest of the day, take the time to relax or explore the ancient city.

   Accommodation: Xian

2. Day 2: Xian History Tour
   Explore the Historical and Cultural Sites of the Ancient City

   Your private Xian tour guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel at 08:30 am. Today's first stop is the famous Terracotta Warriors and Horses, about a one-hour drive away from the city center. It shows a much higher level in handicraft and sculpture, which are the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th century. We will spend 2-2.5 hours here and visit Pit 1 (the largest one), Pit 2, and Pit 3.

   

   In the afternoon, drive back to the city center to visit the Ancient City Wall, the most completely preserved and the largest city wall in China. It was built for military defense in ancient times. You can optionally ride a bike (at your own expense, CNY 45 P.P.) on top of the City Wall to see the city from a unique angle.

   Going down from the City Wall, you will roam the Shuyuanmen Ancient Street. The 570-meter-long ancient Chinese-style pedestrian street houses over 100 book stores and stationery stores.

   Last, visit a new food street in Xian - Yongxingfang Local Food & Folk Culture Quarter. It is an excellent place to try some local snacks in good sanitary conditions. Then you will walk around for a while to have a glimpse of the lifestyle of the local people.

   Accommodation: Xian

   

3. Day 3: Xian to Guilin Tour by Flight
   Admire Iconic Buildings in the City Center, Taste Local Snacks

   After breakfast, today's guided tour in Xian will take you to visit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda first, which is one of the two completely preserved Tang Dynasty Buddhist Pagodas in Xian. Next, at Xian Museum, you will find historical relics and learn about the history of this ancient capital city.

   Later, go to visit the North Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The pagoda here was built in the Tang Dynasty for keeping Buddhist Sutra and figurines of the Buddha that Master Xuanzang brought back from ancient India. Now surrounding the Pagoda is the large public square for leisure.

   

   After lunch, continue to explore the graceful Bell and Drum Tower Square which locates in the very center of the city and is considered as the symbol of this old capital. Then, walk to the Muslim Quarter to find many special local products and authentic local snacks.

   In the end, you will be escorted to the airport for a flight to Guilin. You will be met by a local private driver and transferred to the hotel in Guilin.

   Accommodation: Guilin

   

4. Day 4: Guilin to Yangshuo Tour by Cruise
   Enjoy a Leisurely Cruise with the Stunning Karst Landscape

   Today is the highlight of your Guilin tour as you will embark on a ship to cruise down the picturesque Li River!

   Taking the cruise on the Li River, you will admire the picturesque scenery of this land with a harmonious combination of the green hills, rivers, lakes and fields. But its beauty is not like a still painting, it’s alive when vivid – brisk bamboo rafts leaving wrinkles on the water and cormorants hovering under the working fishermen…

   Our guide will uncover the hidden history and culture behind the natural screen before you during your cruise. You will learn from the local expert about how the city formed and developed and how local people manage their life along the famous Li River.

   

   Friendly Tips: The Li River Cruise takes around 4 hours, and you will be staying on the boat to enjoy the scenery for most time, so 3-star boat as included would be  adequate according to most tourists’ experience.

   Noon: You are suggested to have a good breakfast at your hotel and take some snack as there will be only simple box lunch be provided on the boat.

   After the 4 hours' cruise, you will disembark at Yangshuo. Follow your guide to explore the famous Yangshuo West Street to admire the antique buildings and local crafts, hanging out in bars and coffee shops, and try some delicious local snacks.

   Last, transfer to Yangshuo local hotel for overnight.

   Accommodation: Yangshuo

   

5. Day 5: Guilin Rice Terraces Tour
   Hike the Painting-like Longji Terraces, Glimpse Minority Cultures

   After breakfast, drive to the painting-like Longji Rice Terraces, which have thousands of years of history. It is hard to believe that the minority people were able to bring the remote mountains under cultivation by the slash-and-burn method over 2,000 years ago. Now the rice terraces not only feed the local people but also provide the people around the world a retreat from everyday life.

   

   Arrive at the Longji Terraces Scenic Area, you will enjoy the one-of-a-kind Long Hair Show performed by Yao Minority women in Huangluo village, which was awarded the "World's Longest Hair Village" by Guinness World Records. Famous for their long and shiny hair, the women of Huangluo cut their hair only once in their lives upon turning 18. In addition to that, you can also have a glimpse of the Zhuang and Yao minority people's lifestyles through this visit.

   After enjoying the spectacular rice terraces, the fragrant bamboo-tube-cooked rice will be waiting for you. The soaked rice is put inside a fresh bamboo tube, and the mouth of the tube is plugged with fresh leaves. The rice will be ready after cooking over a fire for about half an hour. When you cut open the bamboo tube by using a knife, the delicate fragrance will greet your nostrils.

   Accommodation: Guilin

6. Day 6: Guilin to Shanghai Tour by Flight
   Visit the City Highlights of Guilin

   In the morning meet the guide and the driver in your hotel and start your Guilin city tour with Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of Guilin City. Afterward, head to Fubo Hill which towers in the river. Climbing up to the hill top, you will have a overlook of Guilin City.

   After lunch, continue the tour to Reed Flute Cave, one of the most famous Karst Caves in China. The last top will be Seven-Star Park, the best park in Guilin City where you will appreciate a great work including hills, rivers, courtyards, architecture, and cultural relics.

   After the visit, transfer to Guilin Airport and take the flight to Shanghai, the most prosperous city of China. Upon arrival in Shanghai, meet a local driver and check in hotel in city area.

   Accommodation: Shanghai

   

7. Day 7: Shanghai Highlights Tour
   Feel Modern and Traditional Charm of the Metropolis

   Our English-speaking Shanghai local guide will pick you up at the downtown hotel after breakfast. Your tour in Shanghai begins with the famous Yuyuan Garden, boasting a history of more than 450 years. As one of the three famous gardens in Shanghai during the Ming Dynasty, Yuyuan Garden has the typical landscape of Jiangnan gardens - quiet, beautiful, and exquisite. This was originally a private garden, which was first opened to the public in 1961.

   

   Nearby is the lively Yuyuan Market, a popular place to find some traditional Chinese crafts and local delicacies. Don't forget to haggle for a better price.

   After that, move on to your visit to the Shanghai Museum (closed every Monday ). You will be guided to visit four floors and appreciate various cultures including ancient bronze, sculpture, ceramics, calligraphy, painting, jade, furniture, and more.

   In the afternoon, continue your private Shanghai tour to visit the former French Concession, the largest and most prosperous concession among the four major French concessions in old China. This region was ruled by France for almost a century.

   

   Afterward, go to Nanjing Road, known as "the first commercial street in China", with a total length of 1,528 meters, from the Bund in the east to Xizang Middle Road in the west. This place gathers many well-known domestic and foreign brands, making it a shopping paradise. Also, you can appreciate rich historical buildings such as the Yong'an Department Store.

   Last, enjoy your sightseeing in one of the landmarks of Shanghai - the Bund. You may not know that the area used to be a desolate tidal flat, but turned into a British settlement and Shanghai's financial center in the late Qing Dynasty. It is the perfect place to take great photos of the amazing skyline. Make sure to bring your camera!

   Accommodation: Shanghai

   

8. Day 8: Shanghai Departure

   This morning is free at leisure for you. Then, you will be escorted to the airport for your flight back home. If you are interested, we can arrange the Maglev train ride to Pudong airport. This is the end of your 8-day private Xian Guilin Shanghai tour.