7-Day Xian In-depth Tour: Terracotta Warriors & Mount Hua

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Xi'an Arrival

   When you land at the airport and walk out of the arrival hall, your private guide and driver are waiting for you at the exit with a welcome sign "China Xian Tour". Then take a ride to a comfortable hotel downtown to check in.

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   4-Star Hotel in Xi'an
2. Day 2: Terracotta Warriors & Cultural Street
   The underground army meets Tang Dynasty splendor

   After about an hour’s drive from your hotel, you will arrive at the Museum of the Terracotta Army, the eighth wonder of the world.

   You can't help but hold your breath the moment you step into Pit 1 — there's a huge loess pit in front of you where thousands of terracotta warriors and horses are arranged in precise military formations, with an average height of about 1.8 meters, just like real people.

   Walk slowly along the edge of the pit and browse the Terracotta Warriors in front of you. You can even notice incredible details, like the hair and the folds in their clothing — each face is unique, some round, some square, some long, with expressions ranging from serious to determined.

   

   Then take a drive back to downtown Xi'an and head to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Scenic Area. From a distance, you can see this seven-story brick pagoda, which was built by the Buddhist monk Xuanzang during the Tang Dynasty to store the scriptures he brought back from India.

   You can take photos at the red wall on the west side of the pagoda; the tip of it just pops up over the wall, which makes for really picturesque shots. Right in front of the Pagoda, you can also watch a large music fountain, which is the biggest music fountain in Asia.

   As night falls, wander the streets of the Grand Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City, about 2.1 kilometers long. You will instantly be surrounded by dazzling lights: Tang-style buildings on both sides outlined in golden LEDs, giant lamp posts with illuminated figures of historical icons like Emperor Taizong, Li Bai, and Yang Guifei. You can stroll on tiles patterned after the Tang Dynasty, watching young people in Hanfu weaving through the streets, while street performers play the guzheng or xun (Traditional Chinese musical instruments).

   

   If you get hungry, you can try street snacks at your own expense, like steamed cakes, kebabs, and persimmon cakes.

   After that, a private car will take you back to the hotel to rest.

   Optional Activity:

   Make your own miniature Terracotta Warrior at a nearby workshop and take it home as a souvenir.

   Vehicle

   Breakfast, Lunch

   4-Star Hotel in Xi'an
3. Day 3: Xi'an to Mount Huashan by Private Vehicle
   Uncover the martial arts legend of the Mount Hua summit

   Today, you will head to Mount Hua, famously known as 'the most perilous mountain in China.' Upon arrival at the scenic area, take the park shuttle bus into the mountain and then switch to the North Peak cable car for an easy ascent. As the cable car slowly climbs, you can fully enjoy the breathtaking view of Mount Hua's sheer cliffs.

   After reaching the North Peak via the cable car, the first stop will be at the famous 'Hua Shan Sword Discussion' (Competition on Huashan) stele for a photo. This is the sacred place where the heroes in Jin Yong's novels (a famous Chinese martial arts novelist) compete.

   

   Then, you can choose to explore freely. Without a guide, you can decide your hiking route based on your physical condition. If you're energetic, we highly recommend taking on the full five-peak panoramic loop: starting from the North Peak, passing through the treacherous Canglong Ridge, then visiting the Central Peak, East Peak, South Peak (the highest peak of Mount Hua), and West Peak, before returning to the North Peak.

   

   This hiking route requires some physical effort and has a few challenges, but it allows you to take in the most stunning and unique peaks of Mount Hua all at once.

   Of course, if you prefer a more relaxed visit, you can stroll around the North Peak area, enjoy the sea of clouds and the strange pine trees, and return by the same route whenever you like.

   No matter which hiking option you prefer, please remember to come back to the North Peak cable car station.

   We'll take the cable car down safely, and then your private driver will be waiting in the scenic area to escort you back to Xi'an, wrapping up an exciting and unforgettable Mount Hua adventure.

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   Breakfast, Lunch

   4-Star Hotel in Xi'an
4. Day 4: Ancient Famen Temple & Qianling
   Explore the imperial temple and unveil the legend of China's only empress

   After breakfast, a private car will take you west for about 2 hours to Famen Temple in Fufeng County. Along the way, you’ll see beautiful countryside scenery: fields of golden rapeseed flowers in spring, or stretches of cornfields in autumn, with the occasional old farmer slowly driving a bullock cart along the ridges.

   Upon arriving at Famen Temple, you can see the "He Shi Relic Pagoda" — a modern Buddhist structure 148 meters high, shaped like hands pressed together, which looks stunning under the blue sky.

   

   The most sacred moment is paying respects to the Buddha's finger relic (open to the public on weekends and official holidays; on weekdays, you might only see it from outside or view a replica). If it happens to be an open day, slowly move with the crowd to the depths of the underground palace, where, at the center surrounded by layers of golden treasure boxes, you’ll see a finger bone about 4 cm long, resembling white porcelain.

   Even if the relic isn’t on display, you can still see 121 precious artifacts offered by the Tang royal family, mainly including gold and silver items, while listening to the guide describe the discovery when the underground palace was accidentally unearthed in 1987 during tower repairs.

   In the afternoon, drive about 1.5 hours to Qian County to visit Qianling — the joint tomb of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu Zetian. Stroll along the 600-meter-long sacred path, seeing large stone statues on both sides, including huabiao columns (ceremonial pillars), winged horses, ostriches, and horse handlers.

   

   The most notable feature is a blank stele — a huge 7.53-meter-high stone weighing about 98.8 tons, with no inscriptions. You can walk around it and see the small marks left by later generations’ writings (from the Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties). The guide will tell you the story of how Wu Zetian left her deeds to be judged by others.

   Nearby lies the tomb of Princess Yongtai, Wu Zetian's granddaughter, who died tragically at the age of 17. It is the only princess's tomb in Chinese history to be elevated to imperial mausoleum status, featuring exquisite murals and a mysterious underground palace.

   Finally, return to the hotel in Xi’an to rest.

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   Breakfast, Lunch

   4-Star Hotel in Xi'an
5. Day 5: Xi’an Exploration
   Stroll along the ancient city wall and savor the bustling vibe of the local streets

   Today, climb the Xi'an City Wall. Start at the South Gate (Yongning Gate) to go up, where you can see the drawbridge, gate tower, Moon City, barbican, and main tower laid out in order — this is China's most complete and grand ancient city wall, with a perimeter of about 14 kilometers. You can stroll along the wall, noticing the densely packed rooftops of residences inside the city, and the rippling green moats outside. In the distance, the TV tower, Bell Tower, and Drum Tower dot the skyline.

   You can also choose to cycle along the city walls for sightseeing, which is a very popular activity around here.

   

   After coming down from the wall, walk to Yongxingfang — Shaanxi's intangible cultural heritage food street. Wander through ancient-style buildings and see each shop with a blue signboard with white letters hanging at the entrance, smelling the strong mix of vinegar, spice, and meat in the air. A must-try is the “Smash Bowl Wine” — after drinking a bowl of rice wine, smash the earthen bowl onto the ground, hearing a crisp “crack” which symbolizes safety and peace.

   Make your way to the Bell and Drum Tower Square. The bell tower and the drum tower stand at both ends, facing each other across the square. With a history dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), the two buildings have majestic roofs covered in dark green glazed tiles that look shining in the sun.

   Then, head into the Great Mosque located in Huajue Lane north of the Drum Tower. This mosque is one of the oldest and best-preserved Islamic temples in China (built in 742). You’ll be surprised to see that it doesn’t have a domed crescent style, but instead uses a traditional Chinese courtyard layout with gray bricks and wooden structures such as pavilions and halls. Walking inside, you may notice Arabic calligraphy on the walls, blending with Chinese carved beams and painted rafters.

   The final stop is the Muslim Quarter. At dusk, when the lights are just coming on, the whole street is lit by incandescent lights and red lanterns, bustling with people. You’ll be surrounded by the steam rising from food stalls and the vendors shouting. Let the rich, savory aromas guide you through the alleys, where you can grab a plate of steaming lamb paomo, juicy soup dumplings, or crispy pan-fried buns.

   

   Optional Activity:

   City Wall cycling is optional, and your tour guide can help you with that.

   Vehicle

   Breakfast, Lunch

   4-Star Hotel in Xi'an
6. Day 6: Half-Day Free Tour in Xi'an
   Visit Xi'an Museum and enjoy a half-day free trip to Xi'an

   Today, a half-day free tour will be arranged for you, allowing you to explore this vibrant city at your own pace.

   In the morning, you can visit the Xi'an Museum (located in the same park as the Small Wild Goose Pagoda). You'll first walk into the museum exhibition halls, where you can see models showing the changes in Xi'an city from prehistoric times to the Ming and Qing dynasties—a large sand table with LED screens displaying the city’s boundaries over time.

   Get closer to the display cases, and you can see the delicate engraved patterns on Tang dynasty gold and silver items, or painted scenes of granaries, pigsties, and wells on Han dynasty pottery tomb models.

   

   After leaving the exhibition hall, walk around the Small Wild Goose Pagoda (a Tang dynasty brick pagoda with closely spaced eaves, about 43 meters tall) and see the unique "three cracks and three merges" on its body caused by over 70 earthquakes—it even healed itself after the fourth earthquake, which is fascinating.

   

   Then head to the morning exercise square near the Small Wild Goose Pagoda to watch local seniors practicing Tai Chi, kicking shuttlecocks, or singing opera—it's a really lively and interesting scene.

   Continue your journey to Shuyuanmen Cultural Street. This street is named after the Guanzhong Academy and features two-story, faux-ancient shops on both sides. You'll see rows of stalls selling brushes, ink, paper, and ink stones, with old craftsmen painting on Xuan paper (traditional brush paper) or carving a stone seal. You can stop and watch them carve characters into tiny stones, hear the scraping sound of the chisel on the stone, and smell the distinct aroma of ink and Xuan paper.

   The afternoon is free for half-day self-guided activities.

   Free Time Idea:

   If you want to bring some interesting souvenirs for your friends or family, you can also go shopping or stroll around.

   Optional Activity:

   You can pay a craftsman to carve a personalized Chinese name seal for a keepsake (around 50-200 yuan).

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   Breakfast, Lunch

   4-Star Hotel in Xi'an
7. Day 7: Xi’an Departure

   Today marks the end of your Xi'an story. Based on your flight schedule, your private driver will be waiting in the hotel lobby 3.5 hours in advance to take you to the airport or train station.

   We look forward to seeing you write the next chapter of your Xi'an story!

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   Breakfast