6 Days Beijing Shanghai Group Tour

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Beijing Arrival

   Welcome to Beijing, China’s capital city. Upon your arrival, the driver will pick you up at the exit of the arrival hall by holding a welcome sigh "China Xian Tour". Then he will send you to our selected hotel in the downtown area. The rest of the day is free for you to relax (no tour guide service). Your guided Beijing group tour will start tomorrow!

   Meal: N/A

   Accommodation: in Beijing

2. Day 2: Best of Beijing
   Trace Imperial Stories from Crimson Thrones to Palace Halls

   Between 7:00 and 8:00 in the morning, your guide will meet you at your hotel and take you to Tian’anmen Square. It is the largest city square in the world, where you can see important landmarks such as the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the National Museum. Get to know some key historical events happened here from your guide. Next, walk to the world’s largest ancient wooden palace complex – the Forbidden City. Along the central axis are some highlights like the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and the Imperial Garden. Learn about stories of the daily lives of Ming and Qing emperors, and admire the red walls and yellow roofs.

   Spend your afternoon first at the Temple of Heaven, where Ming and Qing emperors once held ceremonies to pray for good harvests. You will mainly visit the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, with its triple eaves of blue glazed tiles, and the Echo Wall. Around the temple is a lively park where locals exercise and play music.

   Next, we drive for about 1 hour to the Summer Palace, China’s best royal garden. Don’t miss the Seventeen-Arch Bridge and the Long Corridor. The Corridor stretches 728 meters, decorated by over 8,000 colorful paintings. Kunming Lake accounts for three-quarters of the total area of the Summer Palace and was once called West Lake in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). You can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the garden from different angles by boating on the lake (optional, extra fee on site). At a suitable time, you’ll visit a pearl factory to see how pearls are cultivated and processed.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Beijing

   

3. Day 3: Great Wall Hiking
   Walk Through Several Famous Watchtowers to Learn About the History

   After breakfast, drive about 80 kilometers north to reach Mutianyu Great Wall, known as one of the best-preserved and most scenic sections. It’s famous for its many watchtowers. You can take a cable car straight to Tower No. 14 to save time and energy.

   Mutianyu gets beautiful nature all year round. In spring, blooming apricot flowers surround its over twenty enemy towers; in summer, lush greenery creates the sight of “Green Dragon.” Autumn paints the forest in golden colors, while winter covers the winding wall in snow. You’ll spend about three hours here, visiting some famous towers like Zhengguantai Terrace and Big Corner Tower.

   On the way back to the city center, have a stop by a jade workshop to learn about how jade is mined and carved.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Beijing

   

4. Day 4: Beijing to Shanghai by High-speed Train

   After breakfast this morning, the driver in Beijing will pick you up and then escort you to the railway station for a high-speed train to Shanghai, one of the busiest cities in China.

   Arrive in about 4 and a half hours. The Shanghai local driver will meet you with a recognizable welcome sign and send you to a hotel in the city center for check-in. You can explore on your own for the rest of today. Here is a guide on the Top Things to Do in Shanghai at Night. Hope it is helpful to you.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Shanghai

5. Day 5: Essence of Shanghai
   Time-Hop from Ming Rockeries to Modern Skyscraper

   Your Shanghai English-speaking guide will pick you up from your hotel at 8:30 am. First, be led to visit Yuyuan Garden, a Ming Dynasty gem built in 1559 by Pan Yunduan as a retirement gift for his parents. Though it suffered war damage over 400 years, it was restored and reopened in 1961. This classic Jiangnan garden features elegant bridges, beautiful pavilions, and rock formations.

   Next, take a relaxing walk along the Bund, one of Shanghai’s most famous areas. During the late Qing Dynasty, it became a British settlement and later the heart of Shanghai’s financial district. It’s a perfect spot for photos of the city skyline. Nanjing Road is the oldest shopping street in Shanghai. Your guide will point out 4 famous traditional stores - Yong’an, Xianshi, Xinxin, and Daxin - and tell you their history. You can also try some local snacks here. Afterward, explore Xintiandi, where the old Shikumen alleys have been transformed into trendy art galleries and shops.

   In Jade Buddha Temple, you can see two‌ 19th-century white jade statues - one seated, one reclining - glistening under crimson lanterns. You may see monks chant in the ‌Grand Hall‌. Then a 15-minute bus ride west leads you to ‌M50 Creative Park‌, where graffiti-splashed factories house avant-garde galleries‌. Peek into studios or sip coffee at a loft cafe overlooking Suzhou Creek.

   Rising like a concrete forest along Suzhou Creek, ‌1000 Trees‌ stuns with its staggered terraces crowned by 1,000 potted trees. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, this architectural marvel blends brutalist pillars with cascading greenery. Hidden gems: the rooftop ‌"Sky Farm"‌ with city views, and the underground ‌art tunnel‌ featuring rotating digital installations. Last, your guide will take you to a Tea House to experience the tea ceremony.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Shanghai

   

6. Day 6: Shanghai Departure

   Check out of the hotel before 2:00 pm and the driver will transfer you to the airport at the agreed time. This is the end of your 6-day Beijing Shanghai group tour. If you want to continue traveling in China, contact your travel consultant to arrange an extension tour - we will be happy to help.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: N/A