8-Day Beijing and Xian Family Tour: Pandas, Warriors & Mount Huashan

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Beijing Arrival

   When you arrive at Beijing airport or train station, your local tour guide will greet you at the exit by holding a welcome sign "China Xian Tour". Please board the private car to the well-selected hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free at your disposal.

   Free Time Idea:

   If you and your family are passionate about food, we’ll provide you with a carefully curated culinary guide map. It’s the key that will unlock the flavors of Beijing at renowned, time-honored restaurants.

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   4-Star Hotel in Beijing
2. Day 2: Exploring Beijing's History
   View Magnificent Royal Palaces and Admire Cultural Relics

   Your guided China family tour in Beijing begins after breakfast. After a short sightseeing tour at Tiananmen Square to learn about its history, architecture, and anecdotes, walk across the Golden Water Bridge and come to the splendid Forbidden City built 600 years ago, where you will be impressed by the gorgeous imperial palaces and vast storage of historical relics.

   With the tour guide's help, your children can look up to find the rows of small glazed ceramic mythical creatures perched on the roof ridges and guess their names and meanings.

   Getting out of the back door of the Forbidden City, walk up to the Jingshan Park just opposite the street. In the park, the guide will point out the best spot for taking a panoramic photo of the Forbidden City.

   

   National Museum of China is one of the most popular museums in China. The museum will surprise you and your kids with large quantities of exquisite cultural relics. It’s a real feast for students, and history and culture lovers.

   In the evening, enjoy Peking duck. Watch the chef skillfully carve the duck right at your table. Afterward, the server will demonstrate the authentic way to eat it: take a thin pancake, place crispy duck skin and tender duck meat on it, add shredded scallions, cucumber strips, and sweet bean sauce, then roll it up. With one bite, a variety of flavors blend in your mouth.

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   4-Star Hotel in Beijing
3. Day 3: Hiking the Beijing Great Wall
   Enjoy the Fun of Sliding Down the Great Wall

   Today it will be a whole day’s hike on the world-famous Mutianyu Great Wall, an ancient engineering miracle surrounded by lush vegetation. For more fun, your children will ascend the Great Wall on the chairlift ride.

   The guide will tell you the rich history of the Great Wall as you hike. The winding paths of this UNESCO World Heritage site stretch endlessly. Your kids can experience the exhilarating toboggan slide down the Great Wall.

   

   On the way back to the hotel, pass by the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube. There is an opportunity for you to take some family pictures there.

   Note: Riding the toboggan down the mountain is an optional activity; your guide can help you purchase tickets on-site. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult.

   Dinner Idea (Optional): Copper hot pot is another major highlight of Beijing cuisine. The whole family gathers around a copper pot steaming, dipping hand-sliced fresh beef or lamb into the clear broth - it cooks in just a few seconds - and coating it with a rich sesame sauce for a delicious meal.

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   4-Star Hotel in Beijing
4. Day 4: Visiting Beijing's Pandas & Local Life
   Have a Closer Observation of the Cute Pandas

   Your children will definitely enjoy today's itinerary. The first site to visit is Panda House in Beijing Zoo. The panda is famous as a “National Treasure” in China. Here, your family will have the opportunity to get an up-close look at the star panda, “Menglan.” From 8 to 10 a.m. is Menglan’s breakfast and exercise time when he is at his most active.

   

   Transfer to the Summer Palace. This palace was a summer retreat for the Qing emperors and their families, built on Wanshou Mountain and Kunming Lake. It is truly a tranquil escape adorned with classical Chinese gardens.

   The palace is brimming with stories and charm. As you stroll along the Long Corridor and admire the vivid murals painted on the beams and brackets, it feels as if you're reading a three-dimensional book of myths.

   After that, visit the Beijing local folk residence: Hutong Alley. Take a rickshaw to explore the hutong to see the daily life of native Beijing people. Following the local expert guide, you will find another face of the city that is different from what you see on major streets.

   Optional Experiences:

   If you’d like to add more fun to your visit, you can try a Qing Dynasty princess or prince costume and makeup. Dressed in the exquisite Manchu attire, have your photos taken in front of the Yulan Hall at the Summer Palace - it’s as if you’ve instantly “traveled back in time” to the bygone era of this imperial garden.

   While exploring the hutongs, you can choose to learn calligraphy in a siheyuan courtyard; hand-paint a “Tu’erye” clay figurine; or design a unique Peking Opera face mask.

   

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   4-Star Hotel in Beijing
5. Day 5: Beijing to Xian by Bullet Train
   Visit the Landmark Building in Xi'an

   In the early morning, take a high-speed train to Xi'an (suggested G653/7:39-13:38 or train with a similar schedule). Arriving in Xi'an, meet your private guide and driver and board the private car to the hotel for check-in.

   Your family tour first takes you to visit the landmark of this ancient city: Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It was originally built to hold Buddhist sutra and figurines of the Buddha that Xuanzang brought back from India in the Tang Dynasty, 652 A.D. Climbing the tower offers a panoramic view of the city of Xi'an.

   There is a big square surrounding the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, divided into North Square and South Square. At the North, see Asia’s largest musical fountain, and at the South, your family can take a photo with the bronze statue of Monk Xuanzang. The design of the buildings and statues is in Tang style, showing the everlasting glory of that great time.

   Note: Climbing the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is optional, and your guide can assist you with tickets.

   Travel Tip: Our tour ends around 5:00 p.m. If you’d like to experience the night views of the Great Tang Everbright City, you need to make your own way back to the hotel after exploring.

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   4-Star Hotel in Xi'an
6. Day 6: Discovering the Terracotta Warriors
   Try to Make a Mini Terracotta Soldier

   Your guide will take you to explore the "Eighth Wonder" of the world, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th century.

   The museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into three sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit, and No. 3 Pit, respectively. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China. After that, your kids can make a replica small terracotta soldier.

   

   Drive back to the downtown area to visit the Ancient City Wall, the most complete and the best-preserved city wall in China. The city wall of Xi'an is an extension of the prior Tang dynasty structure, presenting a rectangular structure. Touch 600 years of history with your hands and rent a bicycle to ride along the walls, taking in both the millennia-old history and the vibrancy of the present day.

   After that, check in the Bell and Drum Tower Square, the symbol of this old capital. Walking forward, come to the Muslim Quarter to find authentic local snacks and many special local products.

   

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   4-Star Hotel in Xi'an
7. Day 7: Xian to Mount Huashan
   Take Cable Car Ride up the Mountain and Enjoy a Happy Family Time

   We will pick you up from your hotel lobby at 8 am. Arrive at Mount Huashan after 2 hours of driving. First, take a shuttle bus to North Cable Car Station and a cable car to the North Peak.

   Along the way, appreciate the amazing scenery on the thrilling cable car ride and listen to the interesting introduction about this famous mountain from the tour guide.

   When you get to North Peak, your tour guide will suggest a detailed route to explore the peaks one by one according to your physical condition and interest, and also appoint a meeting place after your hiking. Then it’s the free time on your own to enjoy the adventure here.

   At the top of the mountain, there are several spots, such as the Buddhist and Taoist temples, sculptures, and engravings. You will enjoy yourself very much on the 5 peaks. Your family will have a good time in the fresh air on Huashan Mountain!

   You are advised to prepare some food for the whole climb. Lunch is on your own because there is no restaurant on the mountain top.

   Please return to North Peak and take the same way down to the mountain by North Peak cable car and shuttle bus. Meet the driver at the appointed place and get back to your hotel together.

   

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   4-Star Hotel in Xi'an
8. Day 8: Xian Departure
   See Many Thematic Displays in Xian Museum

   Please pack your luggage and meet the tour guide in the lobby. You will have a 2-hour tour of the Xi'an Museum before the transfer to the airport. Learn about the thousand-year history of founding the capital and the development of Xi'an. Also, admire a large collection of cultural relics from all eras. In addition, visit many thematic displays, such as Buddhist statue art, ancient paintings and calligraphy, and jade wares.

   At last, escort your family to the airport according to your flight time. Your 8-day China family tour to Beijing and Xian comes to a perfect end.

   Note: We recommend that you book a flight departing after 4:00 p.m.

   

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