13-Day Epic China Tour: History, Nature, Modernity & Cultural Immersion

Afternoon — Arrival in Beijing
Welcome to Beijing, the capital of China! To make your arrival as smooth as possible, your private guide greets you in the arrivals hall and escorts you to your hotel by private vehicle. Your guide also handles your luggage and assists with the hotel check-in process.

Evening — At Your Leisure
Lunch or dinner will be arranged according to the voucher provided for you; otherwise, you can find some local restaurants nearby or dine at the hotel. The rest of the day is yours to rest and recover from your journey.

Morning — Temple of Heaven
Begin your day at the Temple of Heaven, an esteemed complex of religious structures where emperors once prayed for good harvests, epitomizing the connection between Earth and Heaven. Built in the Ming Dynasty and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is also a beloved public park where you can watch local residents practicing their distinctive morning exercises.

Lunch — A Well-Known Local Eatery
For lunch, enjoy a meal at a well-known local eatery featuring authentic regional cuisine. Your guide assists you in selecting dishes that suit your taste.

Afternoon — Tian'anmen Square & the Forbidden City
Stroll through Tian'anmen Square, one of the world's largest public squares, then delve into the enigmatic Forbidden City, the world's largest imperial palace. Home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties, it contains hundreds of halls and courtyards; venturing off the main axis uncovers fascinating tales of notable figures often overlooked by conventional tours.

Evening — At Your Leisure
The evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure in Beijing.

Morning — Mutianyu Great Wall
After breakfast, head to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. As your guide leads you to the most rewarding stretches for a leisurely walk, you learn the fascinating stories behind this world wonder. Restored Ming Dynasty watchtowers line the ridge, and the surrounding hills offer sweeping views.

Afternoon — Simatai & Gubei Water Town
In the afternoon, travel to the Simatai section of the Great Wall and spend time exploring the picturesque Gubei Water Town, nestled at the foot of the wall. You also have the option to unwind with a soak in a hot spring.

Evening — Simatai Night Views
As evening falls, your guide accompanies you on a cable car ride up to the Simatai section to enjoy breathtaking night views, a unique experience distinct from the daytime scene. Simatai is the only section of the Great Wall that is open and illuminated at night. For a more romantic experience, visiting between April and October allows a special dinner with a view of the wall glowing along the mountain ridges.

Morning — Summer Palace
Explore the Summer Palace, a Qing Dynasty masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site set around Kunming Lake. Highlights include the Marble Boat, Longevity Hill, and the Long Corridor, whose beams are covered with thousands of painted scenes. A dragon-boat ride across the lake offers a royal perspective on the gardens.

Lunch — Local Restaurant
Pause for lunch before your afternoon train.

Afternoon — High-Speed Train to Xi'an
Board a high-speed train to Xi'an, a journey of roughly 4.5 to 6 hours that carries you past rural landscapes and ancient villages.

Evening — Arrival in Xi'an
On arrival, transfer to your hotel and check in.

Accommodation
Hotel options include Mercure Xi'an, a comfortable hotel with easy access to the sights; Grand Mercure Xi'an, a hotel in traditional Chinese style near the Shaanxi Provincial Government; Hyatt Xi'an, a luxury hotel near South Lake in the city's Cultural Development Zone; and Legend, a luxury hotel in the walled area of Xi'an.

Morning — Terracotta Army and Clay Warrior Workshop
The Terracotta Army was built to guard the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (221–206 BC), the first emperor of a unified China. The subterranean escort he commissioned includes thousands of life-sized warriors, along with chariots, horses, and weapons, each figure uniquely crafted with distinct facial features; four pits have been excavated so far, and many figures remain buried. Your guide will lead you through the pits, explaining the discovery, construction techniques, and historical significance of this extraordinary find. Afterward, you will have the chance to craft a clay warrior yourself at a local artisan's workshop set within a cave dwelling.

Cultural Insight
The terracotta figures were originally painted in vivid colors, but most of the pigment faded within minutes of exposure to air after excavation.

Afternoon — Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Hanfu Experience
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was first built in 652 AD during the Tang Dynasty by the monk Xuan Zang as a repository for the Buddhist scriptures and relics he had brought back from the West. It began with five stories, was later expanded under Empress Wu Zetian, and after damage in war stands today as a seven-story brick tower; from the top visitors enjoy a spectacular view of the city. At a local Hanfu experience center, you can choose a set of traditional robes and period makeup, then continue your day in costume — a memorable way to step back into the Tang Dynasty.

Evening — Datang Everbright City
In the evening, dressed in Hanfu, you will continue to Datang Everbright City, a large pedestrian street lined with a cluster of Tang-style buildings. Stroll among the illuminated architecture and enjoy interactive experiences such as light shows and palace dancing performances, along with authentic local cuisine.

Morning — Xi'an Ancient City Wall
Today you will visit the 600-year-old Xi'an City Wall, one of the largest and best-preserved ancient military defense systems in the world, rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty on the foundation of the earlier Tang city wall. It stretches 13.7 kilometers in a rectangle around the old town and still retains its moat, drawbridges, ramparts, watchtowers, and crenellations. From atop the wall you can enjoy sweeping views of both the historic and modern districts, and cycling along it is a truly memorable experience.

Afternoon — Muslim Quarter and Great Mosque
Xi'an, the starting point of the famous Silk Road, has drawn traders from the West since the 1st century BC, and their descendants have long lived alongside the Han population. Spend the afternoon in the lively Muslim Quarter, browsing its exotic shops and restaurants and tasting the local cuisine and traditional markets. Nearby, the Great Mosque is one of the largest and best-preserved early mosques in China; by the 8th century Xi'an had become one of the world's largest cities, and this complex of pavilions, towers, and courtyards blends Islamic design with traditional Chinese architecture.

Evening — Muslim Quarter at Night
As night falls, the Muslim Quarter becomes one of the busiest places in the city, its streets lit and its food stalls in full swing. It is an ideal spot for an evening stroll and a bite of local cuisine.

Morning — Hanyang Mausoleum (Hanyangling)
Visit the Hanyang Mausoleum, the joint tomb of Emperor Jing and his empress of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC–24 AD) and among the most intact royal mausoleums in China. An underground exhibition hall lets you view thousands of unearthed miniature terracotta figures and animal sculptures, while the emperor's truncated-pyramid tomb mound dominates the site.

Lunch — at your leisure
Lunch is at your own arrangement before your flight.

Afternoon — Flight to Guilin
After lunch, fly to Guilin. On arrival, your personal guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for a good night's rest.

Evening — at your leisure
The evening is free in Guilin.

Morning — Elephant Trunk Hill
Visit Elephant Trunk Hill, Guilin's emblem, a natural limestone formation resembling an elephant drinking from the Li River. Explore the park's caves, pagodas, and riverside paths, and see the Water Moon Cave where the moon seems to float on the water at night.

Afternoon — Reed Flute Cave
Discover Reed Flute Cave, a luminous underground world of millennial stalactites, stalagmites, and colorful illuminated formations. Highlights include the Crystal Palace chamber and rock shapes named after myths—an otherworldly natural spectacle.

Evening — Transfer to Yangshuo
In the evening, transfer to Yangshuo and check into your hotel. Stroll West Street, a lively mix of cafés, souvenir shops, and street performances blending Chinese and Western atmospheres.

Morning — Yulong River Bamboo Rafting
Glide down the Yulong River on a traditional bamboo raft, surrounded by karst peaks, rice paddies, and grazing water buffalo. This peaceful, less-crowded alternative to the Li River offers intimate rural views.

Afternoon — Countryside Cycling
Cycle through Yangshuo's idyllic countryside, passing villages such as Chaoyang and Jiuxian. Stop at a local farm for a hands-on cooking class to learn Guilin rice noodles or beer fish, immersing in authentic rural flavors.

Evening — Impression Liu Sanjie Show
Watch the open-air “Impression Liu Sanjie,” directed by Zhang Yimou and staged against the Li River's natural backdrop. Over 600 performers use lights, music, and Zhuang ethnic traditions to retell the folk tale of Liu Sanjie, the “Song Fairy.”

Morning — Li River Cruise
Take a short Li River cruise toward Xingping, an area whose karst peaks appear on the 20-yuan banknote. Capture the iconic Nine Horses Fresco Hill and Yellow Cloth Shoal before returning to Guilin. Your guide points out the landscapes that define this classic Chinese scenery.

Afternoon — Departure
Transfer to Guilin Liangjiang International Airport or the train station for your onward journey.

Evening — Flexible Evening
The evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure as you travel onward.

Morning — Shanghai Museum
Visit the Shanghai Museum, a large-scale museum devoted to ancient Chinese art and one of the country's first national first-class museums. Its galleries present masterpieces of bronze, ceramics, calligraphy, painting, and jade, offering a wide-ranging introduction to China's artistic heritage.

Afternoon — Yu Garden & Markets
Visit Yu Garden and the surrounding markets. Laid out in the Ming Dynasty, Yu Garden is both a historical and cultural landmark of Shanghai and a treasure of traditional Chinese garden design, with rockeries, koi ponds, and zigzag bridges. The bustling bazaar around it is a lively place to browse local crafts and snacks.

Evening — At Your Leisure
The evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure in Shanghai.

Morning — Depart Shanghai for Suzhou
Depart Shanghai and travel to Suzhou, the historic canal city renowned across China for its classical gardens. Begin with the Humble Administrator's Garden, one of the most famous classical gardens in Suzhou, laid out in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty. It is admired for its graceful water features, rockeries, and pavilions, and for the harmonious balance of nature and architecture that defines the Chinese garden tradition.

Lunch — Local Restaurant in Suzhou
Enjoy a meal at a local restaurant in Suzhou before continuing your exploration of the city.

Afternoon — Pingjiang Road & Lingering Garden
Stroll along Pingjiang Road, a historic lane that preserves the traditional architecture and culture of Suzhou and is lined with canals, stone bridges, and small shops. Afterward, explore the Lingering Garden, a compact and delicate classical garden known for its sequence of interconnected halls, pavilions, and courtyards, each with its own distinctive charm.

Evening — Return to Shanghai
Take the high-speed train back to Shanghai, concluding your day trip to Suzhou. Your guide sees you back to your hotel.

Morning — Departure from Shanghai
Your guide assists with hotel checkout, and a private vehicle transfers you to Shanghai Pudong International Airport for your onward journey. Your guide helps with your luggage and sees you to the departure hall, ensuring a smooth end to your time in China.