4-Day Nanjing Imperial Capital Tour: Ming Tombs & the Qinhuai River

This is a four-day private tour of Nanjing for travellers who want a Chinese imperial capital without the crowds of Beijing or Xi'an. It runs from the Ming tombs on Purple Mountain to the night markets of the Qinhuai River, and it is available for any party size from two to thirty with English-speaking guiding throughout.

Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu Province and one of China's four great ancient capitals alongside Xi'an, Beijing and Luoyang. It has more than 2,400 years of city history and some 1,700 years of intermittent capital history: it served the Six Dynasties from 229 to 589, became the founding capital of the Ming in 1368 before the court moved to Beijing in 1421, and was the seat of the Republic of China government from 1927 to 1949. Four days is enough to read that sequence on the ground rather than in a guidebook, because the layers sit within a few kilometres of each other.

The route is built around two UNESCO-listed places and a working museum city. The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, where the founding Ming emperor Zhu Yuanzhang was buried, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2003. The Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum above it climbs 392 steps through eight flights, and was designed in 1925 as a plan shaped like a freedom bell. Between them you have the Nanjing Museum, the Presidential Palace, Xuanwu Lake, the Yangtze River Bridge and the Qinhuai River, which has been the city's commercial spine since the Ming.

Who it suits. Independent travellers and couples who want depth in a single city; families with older children; and travellers already in the Yangtze Delta who want two or three days of real content added to a Shanghai itinerary. Nanjing Lukou International Airport and Nanjing Railway Station are both designated ports under China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy, and Jiangsu sits inside the Yangtze River Delta permitted stay area with Shanghai, Zhejiang and Anhui.

Frequently asked.

• Is four days enough for Nanjing? For the imperial and republican core, yes. Four days covers Purple Mountain, the old walled city, the Qinhuai district and the modern Yangtze north bank comfortably. Add a fifth day if you want Suzhou or Yangzhou as an extension, which we can arrange.
• How much walking is involved? Two of the four days are walking-heavy. The Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum is 392 steps up and the same number down, and Qixia Mountain involves hillside paths. Everything else is gentle, and we can re-sequence the days or arrange a shuttle where mobility is limited.
• Is the Nanjing Massacre Memorial suitable for children? It is a sober and confronting exhibition. We schedule it for the middle of the day and keep the visit to about an hour, but you may prefer to step outside; the rest of that day is a hill temple and a city viewpoint, so the balance is deliberate.
• When is the best time to visit? Late March to May and September to November. Qixia Mountain is at its best in late November when the maple leaves turn; the Nanjing International Plum Blossom Festival draws large domestic crowds in February and March.
• Do you arrange the Qinhuai River cruise? Yes, the evening cruise past the Confucius Temple is included in the Day 1 programme with a private boat where availability allows, and the surrounding lanes are where most visitors end up eating.

• Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site - the burial place of Zhu Yuanzhang, founder of the Ming dynasty. Work began in 1381, the emperor was interred in 1398 and the great memorial stele was raised in 1413; it was added to the World Heritage List in 2003 with the other imperial tombs of the Ming and Qing.
• Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum - built between 1926 and 1929 above the Ming tomb, with 392 granite steps in eight flights rising 70 metres over a 700-metre axis, laid out to a competition-winning plan shaped like a freedom bell.
• The Qinhuai River by night - a lantern-lit cruise past the Confucius Temple and the Ming and Qing lanes of the old commercial quarter, with the city's best street food a short walk from the landing stage.
• Nanjing Museum and the Presidential Palace - the provincial collection across Bronze Age, Six Dynasties and Ming material, then the compound that housed the government of the Republic of China.
• Xuanwu Lake and the Ming city wall - the lake sits inside the walled city with Purple Mountain behind it. The Ming wall that enclosed Nanjing ran for more than 34 kilometres, and about 20 kilometres of it still stands, the most extensive surviving city wall in China.
• Qixia Mountain - temples and grottoes on the northeastern edge of the city, and one of China's four great maple-viewing sites when the leaves turn in late November.
• Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge and the Nanjing Eye - the double-deck rail and road bridge completed in 1968, with a road deck of 4,588 metres, and the modern pedestrian bridge across the river.
• Private English-speaking guiding throughout - one guide for the whole programme, with a licensed vehicle and driver at your disposal on every day.

• Three nights in good 4-star or equivalent hotels in central Nanjing, twin share, with daily breakfast
• Meals as listed in the itinerary, including the Qinhuai River evening dining stop, with dietary requirements and allergies arranged in advance
• Private air-conditioned vehicle with licensed driver throughout, plus all airport or high-speed rail transfers on arrival and departure
• Professional English-speaking guide for the full four-day programme
• All entrance fees to the sites named in the itinerary, including Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, Linggu Temple, the Presidential Palace and Qixia Mountain, with the Qixia Mountain shuttle bus already included in the ticket price
• Evening Qinhuai River cruise past the Confucius Temple on Day 1
• Travel insurance: 30 CNY per person per day
• Luggage handling at 10 passengers and above
• Bottled water, tour headsets where group size requires them, and local handling services
• All government taxes and service charges as itemised in the quotation

• International air tickets to and from China, and any domestic flights or high-speed rail fares not listed in the itinerary
• China visa fees and any documentation or notarisation costs
• Zifeng Tower observation deck admission and any other optional viewpoint or attraction not named in the itinerary
• Meals and drinks not listed in the itinerary, including all alcoholic beverages
• Optional evening performances and additional excursions
• Personal expenses: laundry, telephone, minibar, shopping and personal items
• Gratuities for guides and drivers (entirely at your discretion)
• Anything not expressly listed under "What is included"
• Costs arising from events beyond our control, such as flight delays, weather, or changes to opening hours imposed by the sites

Before you book.

• Do I need a visa to visit Nanjing? Many nationalities do not. China grants unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of a range of countries for stays of up to 30 days, and Jiangsu sits inside the Yangtze River Delta region covered by the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, which Nanjing Lukou airport and Nanjing railway station both accept as entry ports. The eligible-country list and the policy itself change, so confirm your own nationality's status with the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate before booking. We supply a confirmed hotel booking and full itinerary to support any application.
• How do I pay once I am there? Alipay and WeChat Pay both accept international Visa and Mastercard, and mobile payment is by far the most convenient option in shops, taxis and restaurants. Carry a small amount of cash for the rare vendor who does not take cards, and tell your bank you are travelling.
• Is the Nanjing Massacre Memorial suitable for children? It is a sober and confronting exhibition rather than a light stop. We schedule it late morning and keep the visit to about an hour, but you may prefer to wait outside; the rest of that day is a hill temple and a city viewpoint, so the balance is deliberate. Tell us in advance if you would rather it were replaced.
• What should I pack, and how much walking is involved? Comfortable walking shoes matter more than anything else here. Two of the four days are walking-heavy, including 392 steps up and down at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and hillside paths on Qixia Mountain. Late March to May and September to November are the best conditions; bring layers for spring and autumn, and note that Qixia Mountain is at its finest in late November when the maples turn.
• Passport, insurance and pace. Ensure your passport has at least six months' validity and blank pages. The insurance included is a standard inbound policy at 30 CNY per person per day; we strongly recommend you also hold a comprehensive policy covering medical evacuation and cancellation. Tell us in advance if any member of your party has limited mobility and we will re-sequence the days.
• Changes. Museum and site opening hours can change at short notice, and the Massacre Memorial closes on certain days. Where a named visit becomes unavailable we substitute an equivalent experience and inform you before arrival.