11-Day All-in-One China Experience: Beijing, Xi’an, Yangtze River Cruise, Shanghai

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Beijing Arrival

   Your personal tour guide will pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel for check-in. You are free to make your own plans for the rest of the day.

   Free time ideas:

   • You can go shopping for international brands and at fashion boutiques in Sanlitun. Around evening, make your way to Yangmei Zhuxie Street near the Front Gate. There are many bars hidden in the hutongs that are quiet and interesting.
   • If you’d like to try some local foods and snacks, why not seek out some old brands in the hutongs. We have prepared for you a detailed guide to the best Beijing foods for your reference.

   Vehicle

   4-Star Hotel in Beijing
2. Day 2: Beijing City Exploration
   Explore the Imperial History of the Ancient Capital

   The first stop of your Beijing tour will be Tian’anmen Square. The world’s largest city square is wide and majestic.

   Walk across the Tian’anmen Gate, and you’ll reach the Forbidden City. This massive palace complex is characterized by red walls and golden roof tiles. Spend about 2 hours to tour along the central axis. As you walk past the main structures, your tour guide will tell you about historical events like the enthronements of emperors and important court assemblies that took place there.

   Exit through the Gate of Divine Prowess and get to the top of Jingshan Park. From there, you’ll be able to overlook the entire palace ground of the Forbidden City.

   

   You’ll spend the afternoon at the Temple of Heaven. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the iconic landmark. It’s a round structure with three-tiered roofs and blue glazed glass tiles. 3 or 4pm is the best time for photography. The lighting is ideal, and there tends to be fewer visitors.

   Take a walk in the Temple of Heaven Park under the cypress shade. Many locals like to spend their free time here. Some people practice calligraphy on the ground with a huge brush. Some play chess or jianzi (Chinese shuttlecock).

   More fun activity:

   Go see an impressive acrobatic show. The performing artists on stage demonstrate excellent courage, balance, and flexibility. It’s a form of art expressed through movements and choreography.

   Vehicle

   B,L

   4-star hotel in Beijing
3. Day 3: Beijing Great Wall Hiking
   Embark on a Hiking Trip on the Magnificent Great Wall

   Today will become a highlight of your China tour because you will hike up one of the greatest man-made wonders in human history, the Great Wall.

   Badaling Great Wall is the best preserved and most representative section of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. Travelers who are active and enjoy outdoor activities can hike up the North Section to the highest point, the No. 8 North Tower. Take in the view from above, the rolling green hills and the Great Wall sprawling over them. The famous Hero Slope is also part of this section.

   If you’re traveling with elders or kids, we recommend taking the cable car to No. 4 Watchtower of the South Section and starting your hike there. The South Section has overall more gentle slopes as well as fewer travelers, but you can feel the magnificence of the Great Wall just the same.

   

   On your way back to Beijing city center, we’ll make a stop at the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube. These are the two major venues for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After the night falls, the colorful lights come on to make the architecture even more futuristic. You can take some photos here.

   Travel tips:

   • Drone delivery: A unique feature of the Badaling Great Wall section is its drone delivery service. At No. 5 Watchtower of the South Section, you can scan the QR code to order a milk tea or snack. In about 10 minutes, a drone will deliver your order to the pick-up shelf.
   • If you’d like to save more time for sightseeing, you can choose to take the cable car up and down the Great Wall. Your tour guide can help you purchase tickets on site.

   Dinner idea:

   Taste the famous Peking Duck. Watch the skillful chef slice the roasted duck and learn the traditional way of having it by wrapping a thin slice of pancake around pieces of duck and condiments like cucumber sticks, spring onion, and sweet bean sauce.

   Vehicle

   B,L

   4-star hotel in Beijing
4. Day 4: Beijing to Xi'an by Flight
   Walk around the Imperial Garden and along the Hutong Alleys

   You’ll have a relaxing morning at the Summer Palace. The iconic Seventeen-Arch Bridge stands quietly over the lake. If you’re lucky enough to visit after a snowfall, the arches and the mountains in the distance form a surreal picture.

   Walk down the 728-meter Long Corridor. Over its roofs and pillars, there are over 14,000 exquisite paintings which have earned it a Guinness World Record.

   

   If you visit in March or April, you might catch the magnolias and peach blossoms in bloom at the Hall of Happiness and Longevity.

   After your visit, head down the Beijing hutongs and take a rickshaw ride. As you slowly pass the old houses and Chinese Scholar Trees, you’ll discover the most authentic Beijing local life.

   You’ll then take a flight to Xi’an where your driver will pick you up to take you to the hotel.

   Optional activities:

   • If you’re tired from walking around the Summer Palace, you can take a boat ride over Kunming Lake. Over the quiet and open water, find yourself among the reflections of hills and pavilions.
   • Visiting a sihe courtyard in the hutongs is a great way to get to know more about Beijing local life. You can try to learn Chinese calligraphy, make dumplings, and attend other cultural experiences.

   Vehicle

   B,L

   4-star hotel in Xi'an
5. Day 5: Terracotta Warriors Tour
   Witness the World Wonder of Terracotta Army and Visit the Landmarks of Xi’an

   You’ll begin your Xi’an tour at the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum. You’ll see thousands of life-size clay soldiers in three excavation pits. Each warrior differs in facial expression, armor, and hairstyle.

   Your tour guide will tell you about how these warriors were made over 2,000 years ago and why they lost their colors.

   

   Afterwards, return to the downtown area and visit the Ancient City Wall of Xi’an. Bike or walk over the stone brick walls with over 600 years of history. Today, it still plays its part in the modern life of Xi’an encircling the old city center.

   The Bell and Drum Tower Square is the landmark of downtown Xi’an. Both the Bell and Drum Tower are Ming Dynasty structures with over 600 years of history. Their warm yellow lights come on around dusk.

   A five-minute walk will take you to the busy Muslim Quarter. The air is filled with smells of sweet pastries and beef and lamb skewers. You should try local Xi’an snacks like Chinese Hamburgers with Meat, Liangpi, and sour plum drink.

   

   For dinner, you’ll attend an exquisite dumpling feast. You can taste dumplings with different fillings in various shapes and sizes.

   As you enjoy your meal, a Tang Dynasty music and dance performance will be brought on stage in front of you. Musicians and dancers in traditional costumes will reenact the beautiful cultural scene back in the golden days of Xi’an as the capital.

   After the show, you’ll be transferred back to your hotel to rest.

   Travel tips:

   • If you’re interested, you can handmake your own mini clay soldier at a factory near the Terracotta Warrior Museum.
   • Biking over the City Wall is a great way of sightseeing while saving time and energy.

   Vehicle

   B,L

   4-star hotel in Xi’an
6. Day 6: Xi'an to Chongqing by Flight, Board the Cruise
   Trace back the History of Xi’an as an Ancient Capital

   Learn more about the city’s history through the artifacts at Xi’an Museum. There’s a large collection of bronzeware and jade ware that showcases its 3,000 years of rich history.

   In the same scenic area, your tour guide will take you to see the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and tell you about its stories related to the Silk Road.

   Then you’ll head over to Da Ci’en Temple to see the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a famous landmark of Xi’an. It was built to preserve Buddhist scriptures. You can climb to the top of the pagoda to overlook the entire district.

   

   At the end of your Xi’an tour, take a flight to Chongqing. After you land, your tour guide will take you to board the Yangtze River cruise.

   Notes:

   • There are more than ten wharves at Chongqing Chaotianmen. Different cruise ships dock at different wharfs. The time for boarding varies according to the water level, season, weather, and other factors. Your travel consultant will notify you of the specific location for boarding the day before departure.
   • Some cruise ships may not provide dinner services the night of boarding. We suggest you eat before boarding or bring some snacks with you.

   Flight, Vehicle, Cruise

   B,L

   4-Star Hotel on Yangtze Cruise
7. Day 7: Yangtze River Cruise
   Settle in on Your Yangtze River Cruise Journey

   You can pick up today's activity schedule at the cruise front desk. In the morning, attend a Tai Chi lesson on the deck. Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese martial art that improves your health and strength through a series of slow movements.

   Have your lunch while admiring the beautiful sceneries that you sail past.

   

   Go on a shore excursion to Shibaozhai Pagoda, an amazing architectural wonder. It has 12 floors entirely built of wood but without the use of any nails. You can climb to the top on the wooden stairs and see the wide Yangtze River below as well as the rolling mountains on the other side.

   After your excursion, return to the cruise for more cultural activities. In the evening, you will enjoy the captain’s welcome banquet.

   Optional activity:

   After dinner, you can choose to watch the War Fire of Three Kingdoms Show. It’s a live outdoor show with the Three Gorges as its actual background. In the venue by the river, you’ll see a story told through lighting, music, choreography, fire, and water to enact war horses galloping and legends of the Three Kingdoms era.

   Cruise

   B,L

   4-Star Hotel on Yangtze Cruise
8. Day 8: Past the Three Gorges
   Sail Past the Beautiful Three Gorges and Go on Shore Excursions

   Sunbathe on the deck after you wake up in the morning. It’s a great feeling to get some fresh air and relax your body and mind. Your cruise ship will sail past two of the Three Gorges today, Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge. Make sure you’re out on the deck to see the gorgeous views.

   

   When you get to Shennv Stream between Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge, take a small boat down the narrow waterway. Get close to this untouched part of the Three Gorges among the green cliffs and quiet valleys.

   After dinner, watch a music and dance show on the cruise ship.

   Tips:

   Different cruise companies and routes have different onshore excursions. Your detailed activity plan depends on the cruise you choose.

   Vehicle

   B,L

   4-Star Hotel on Yangtze Cruise
9. Day 9: Yichang to Shanghai by Flight
   End Your Yangtze River Cruise Journey at the Three Gorges Dam

   The Three Gorges Dam will mark the end of your Yangtze River Cruise trip. Located in the middle section of Xiling Gorge, it’s the world’s largest hydropower station.

   At Tanziling Park, you can have a bird’s eye view of the entire construction. The 185 Observation Deck aligns with the height of the dam. You can have a close-up view of this massive structure.

   

   The cruise will dock in Yichang where your personal tour guide will be waiting to pick you up. You’ll be transferred to the airport for a flight to Shanghai.

   Notes:

   After you disembark the cruise, you will first be transferred in a vehicle arranged by the cruise company to the port.

   Flight, Vehicle

   B,L

   4-star hotel in Shanghai
10. Day 10: Shanghai City Sightseeing
    Look to the Past and Future of Shanghai through its Highlights

    Early in the morning, enter Yu Garden as soon as it opens for admission. You’ll be able to avoid the crowds and find some peace of mind during your visit. Watch the morning sunlight filtering through the leaves and make an intricate pattern of shadows on the ground.

    Admire the Ming Dynasty Great Rockery and the delicate Yulinglong. Walk over the Nine-Zigzag Bridge and see the koi fish swimming in the reflection of the pavilion. Immerse yourself in the landscaping of this classical Chinese garden.

    Learn about the history behind this international metropolis at Shanghai Museum.

    Then head to Shanghai Old Street. There is Ming styled architecture with white walls and black tiles, Qing-style residences with carved windows and crow-stepped gable, as well as red-bricked Western buildings from the 1930s in the Former French Concession. Together with the stone steps and trees, they create a nostalgic, cinematic vibe.

    

    The Bund is the meeting point of history and modernity in this city. Your tour guide will tell you about the hundred-year developments of Shanghai while you walk past the historic building cluster.

    The other side of the Huangpu River is the world-famous Lujiazui skyline with the Oriental Pearl Tower being the most iconic landmark.

    Optional evening activity:

    At night, you can take a Huangpu River Cruise to see the colorful lights of the skyscrapers reflected in the water and the dynamic city life happening on the shore.

    Vehicle

    B,L

    4-star hotel in Shanghai
11. Day 11: Shanghai Departure

    If you feel like you haven’t seen enough of Shanghai, why not book your flight in the afternoon. You’ll be able to enjoy a slow morning, sleep in, or have breakfast at a street café.

    We can provide you with a detailed guide to shopping in Shanghai. Whether you’re looking for special souvenirs or a last-minute shopping spree, you’ll find the right place for you.

    Your China tour will conclude here as the driver transfers you to the airport. Thank you for traveling with China Xian Tour.

    Vehicle

    B