15 Days Beijing Xian Chengdu Hangzhou Huangshan Shanghai Tour

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Beijing

   Welcome to Beijing, China's capital, for the 15-day China tour. Upon arrival at the airport, your local private driver will send you to your downtown hotel for check-in. The remainder of the day is yours to relax or explore the city at your leisure.

   Note: If you land at Daxing Airport, the transfer fare will be slightly higher than if you land at Capital International Airport.

   Meal: N/A

   Accommodation: in Beijing

2. Day 2: Beijing Highlights
   Explore Royal Heritage and the Lives of Locals in Beijing

   After breakfast, meet your tour guide and she/he will take you first to walk around one of the largest city squares in the world - Tian'anmen Square. Here you can see many buildings from the Tiananmen Tower and the Monument to the People's Heroes to the Great Hall of the People from outside.

   Then walk north to the Forbidden City. Also called the Palace Museum, it was the imperial palace of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911). Now, it is the best-preserved wooden ancient architecture complex in the world. Follow your guide through time and space to learn about the life of the Chinese royal family.

   

   In the afternoon, take a rickshaw to explore the hutongs. The hutongs in Beijing are places where ordinary people live and important stages for the evolution of Beijing culture. It records the changes in history and the style of the times. Passing through narrow alleyways, we will visit a local family who lives in a quadrangle courtyard and learn about the traditional layout.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Beijing

3. Day 3: The Great Wall Hiking
   Hike on the Beautiful Mutianyu Great Wall

   This morning you will be taken on a visit to the Temple of Heaven, the most extensive ancient sacrificial architecture complex in China. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, emperors prayed to heaven here for grains and rain. In 1998 it was opened to the public as a proper park. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the main building, circular with three layers of eaves, and is the location for holding sacrificial ceremonies.

   

   After the visit, drive to the Mutianyu Great Wall. Mutianyu is the best preserved and longest section of the Great Wall of China. Enemy buildings are densely packed here, which is difficult to see in other sections of the Great Wall. Mutianyu also boasts breathtaking natural scenery. Forests cover over 90% of the scenic area. The views here vary throughout the year - in spring, flowers bloom; In summer, trees dress the hills green; In autumn, the leaves turn red and yellow, covering the mountaintop with a layer of gold; In winter, the Great Wall is covered with white snow.

   To save time, you can optionally take a round-way cable car (at your own expense) to go up and down the Great Wall.

   After the hike on the Great Wall, drive you back to the downtown hotel for a good rest.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Beijing

   

4. Day 4: Beijing to Xi'an by High-speed Train
   See Over 6,000 Life-sized Warriors

   After breakfast, be sent to the railway station for a high-speed train to Xian. Upon arrival, the local guide in Xi'an will take you to Lintong District for the lunch.

   In the afternoon, start your Xian tour with one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the 21st century - the Terracotta Warriors and Horses. This is a set of life sized clay sculptures arranged in a battle formation, ordered to be built by the first emperor of China. You will spend 2-2.5 hours visiting 3 pits, among which Pit 1 is the largest, with over 6,000 warriors inside, lifelike and each with a unique facial expression.

   After the visit, drive you back to the downtown area for check-in.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Xi'an

   

5. Day 5: Mount Huashan Exploration
   Challenge the Most Precipitous Mountain in the World

   You're going on an hiking adventure today. After breakfast, we will drive to Huashan Mountain, one of the Five Great Mountains of China, 120 km east of Xi'an. It has been known since ancient times as "the most precipitous mountain in the world."

   Mount Hua has five main peaks, of which the North and West Peaks can be reached by cable car; the South Peak is the highest one, 2,154.9 meters above sea level; the East Peak is famous for the sunrise views; and the Middle Peak, aka Jade Maiden Peak, the necessary place to go to the other four peaks, is covered with lush woods and has a quiet environment. You will have about four hours of leisure time to explore Huashan Mountain.

   After descending the mountain, we return to downtown Xi'an around evening.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Xi'an

   

6. Day 6: Xian City Center Sightseeing
   Explore the Landmarks of the Ancient City

   After breakfast at hotel, be picked up to walk on the iconic Ancient City Wall. This is the largest and most well preserved city wall in China, with a total length of 13.74 meters. The city wall has four main gates, among which the South Gate is the most exquisite. Usually, some important welcoming ceremonies are held in the square in front of the South Gate. You can take a bike on the city wall to save energy (optional, at your own expense).

   

   Then go to visit another landmark of Xian, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Located in the Daci'en Temple, this is a Buddhist holy site founded in the Tang Dynasty. The monk Xuanzang once traveled to India and brought a lot of Buddha statues, scriptures, and relics. These are preserved in the pagoda. If you want to, you can climb the top to overlook the city views of Xi'an (fees to climb the pagoda are paid on site).

   In the afternoon, be transferred to Xi'an Museum. Learn about thousand-year history of founding the capital and the development of Xian. You can admire a large collection of cultural relics from all eras of Xian. In addition, visit some thematic displays, such as Buddhist statue art, ancient paintings and calligraphy, and jade wares. In this scenic area, you can also see the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. After the tour, take a flight to Chengdu for the night.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Chengdu

7. Day 7: Chengdu Panda Tour
   Observe the Daily Life of Cute Pandas Up Close

   This morning, the Chengdu tour guide will meet you and lead you to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Here are home to over two hundred pandas. Observe these cute animals in their natural habitat and at the same time glimpse the conservation activities to save the species. You will get some interesting information on the lifestyle habits of the pandas, and an exceptional chance to see the baby pandas at up close.

   

   After lunch, explore the Wuhou Shrine, which was first built in 221 AD to commemorate Zhuge Liang. He was an outstanding politician, military strategist, and literary figure in ancient China. Later, the Liu Bei Hall was built (Liu Bei was the monarch of Zhuge Liang). Admire ancient buildings and statues while learning about the stories of historical figures. Another popular spot in this scenic area - the vermilion long corridor hidden in bamboo.

   In the late afternoon, walk down the nearby Jinli Old Street. The popular pedestrian street is lined with the Ming and Qing dynasties architecture and various Sichuan snacks. Try street food, shop for small handicrafts, and experience the lively ambiance.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Chengdu

   

8. Day 8: Drive from Chengdu to Leshan
   Walk Closely the Largest Cliff Carved Statue in China

   After breakfast, drive for 2 hours to Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area. The Great Buddha is 71 meters high and has ears that are 7 meters long, making it the largest cliff carved statue in China. Can you imagine? It took 90 years to complete.

   You can see two King statues with a height of more than 16 meters on the cliffs on both sides of the big Buddha. You need to climb 333 steps to observe the solemn expression of the Buddha up close. If you're interested, pay for a boat ride on site to get a panoramic view of the giant Buddha.

   

   After the visit, we drive to Emeishan city. At night you can explore Emeishan's nightlife on your own. The tour guide will give you some good advice.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Emeishan

9. Day 9: Mt. Emei Exploration
   Enjoy the Sea of Clouds and Marvel at Golden Buddha

   Spend whole day in exploring the Mount Emei. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it is widely recognized for beautiful scenery and a deep Buddhist culture, as well as exceptional levels of biodiversity. Millions of visitors come each year to Mount Emei, to hike, take photographs and experience its culture, with 3,200 species of plants and 2,300 species of animals.

   

   When you arrive at the base, follow your guide to a sightseeing bus that takes you to Leidongping, where you will continue on an easy 30-minute hike to Jieyin Hall before taking a cable car to the incredible Golden Summit (3,077 meter). Here you get a chance to see the sea of clouds covering the peaks if the weather permits. Also on the summit is a wonderfully golden statue of a Bodhisattva. You may wonder how is it possible that such a magnificent structure was erected at such a high elevation?

   Return via cable car to Leidongping and transfer to the sightseeing bus down the mountain. Warm note: put any food items deep within your bag, as the monkeys are known to steal food aggressively.

   Finish the Emei Mountain hiking, you'll be comfortably escorted back to your hotel in Chengdu.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Chengdu

10. Day 10: Chengdu to Hangzhou by Flight
    Learn about the Profound History of Hangzhou

    Catch a morning flight to Hangzhou, Zhejiang province's capital, renowned for its beauty.

    Your local guide and driver will meet you at the airport and then directly transfer you to visit Lingyin Temple. The temple with a history of about 1,700 years is considered one of the most significant Buddhist temples in China. 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.

    

    Next, go to visit the Six Harmonies Pagoda. Situated along the Qiantang River, this pagoda was originally constructed during the Southern Song dynasty (12th-13th century). Its architecture features a ‌13-storey exterior‌ with ‌seven accessible interior levels‌. You can see ‌intricate Song-dynasty brick carvings‌, Ming-Qing stone steles, and Buddhist reliefs. Surrounding the pagoda, ‌centuries-old trees‌ shade mountain trails.

    After the visit, drive you to the hotel for check-in.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: in Hangzhou

    

11. Day 11: Hangzhou to Huangshan
    Ride along West Lake and Enjoy the Scenery on the One Yuan Banknote

    West Lake, the best attraction in Hangzhou, is one of the top sought-after scenic spots in China which has been praised by many Chinese literati. The scenery in all four seasons is beautiful and worthy of visiting. A boat trip on West Lake is a must-do activity for visitors looking to fully appreciate the natural beauty of the lake and its surrounding hills.

    

    After lunch, drive for 3 hours to Huangshan city, a city in Anhui province and the gateway to the renowned Yellow Mountain.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: in Huangshan

12. Day 12: Explore the Yellow Mountain
    Hike to See the Pine Trees and Strange Rocks

    After breakfast, we will drive for an hour to one of the top five famous mountains in China - Huangshan Mountain. Take a cable car at the Yungu Cable Car station, and go up to North Sea Scenic Area. Here are many pine trees and strange rocks. Get off the cable car and hike to Begin-to-Believe Peak for the sea of clouds. Keep pressing your shooting button.

    

    Then walk pass by the famous Black Tiger Pine to Dispelling Cloud Pavilion, where overlook the amazing views of the West Sea Grand Canyon.

    After check in at the hotel on the mountain, if energy permits, spend about an hour appreciate the sunset at Bright Summit (1840 meters/6102 feet) and seeing Flying-over Rock.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: on the Mountain

13. Day 13: Train from Huangshan to Shanghai
    See Amazing Sunrise over the Yellow Mountain

    Get up early and walk to Refreshing Terrace to catch the spectacular sunrise. Return to the hotel for breakfast. Continue your hiking tour along the wooden path to Lion Peak (1690 meters/5544.6 feet) and Monkey Watching the Sea. This stone statue depicts a monkey gazing into the magnificent sea of clouds, hence its name. Walk back to the cable car station and go down the mountain.

    

    After a Hui-style lunch, you will be escorted to the railway station for a high-speed train to Shanghai, China's largest and most modern city.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: in Shanghai

14. Day 14: Iconic Sights of Shanghai
    Glimpse Shanghai’s Past and Modernization

    Start your Shanghai trip at the Shanghai Museum, situated on the southern side of People's Square. Here, you'll explore 4 exhibition floors showing more than 100,000 invaluable artifacts - bronze vessels, ceramics, calligraphy works, jade pieces, and crafts from ethnic minorities.

    Next go to visit Yuyuan Garden, a typical Jiangnan classical garden, built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The garden is exquisitely designed, with rockeries, water pools, covered bridges, and pavilions. The nearby Yuyuan Market is also worth visiting. You can see many antique buildings, go shopping, and taste local snacks.

    

    In the afternoon, be guided to ascend the Shanghai Tower (632 meters) in Pudong New Area. It is China's tallest building and the world's third tallest building. You’ll take the elevator to the viewing floor on the 118th (546 meters), to enjoy a bird's eye view of skyscrapers and the Huangpu River.

    The last is the Bund, a symbol of Shanghai. Here you will learn about its importance in the past and its modern appearance. Strolling along waterfront avenue, you can see colonial era buildings that blend different Western architectural styles. At night, enjoy the beautiful night view of the Huangpu River and the high-rise buildings on the opposite bank. After the sightseeing, return to the hotel to rest.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: in Shanghai

    

15. Day 15: Departure from Shanghai

    Enjoy your free time in the morning until your driver send you to the airport. Say goodbye to China. Your 15-day classic China tour with Mt. Huangshan ends here.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: N/A