---
title: "Six Cities, No Queues"
description: "14 days from the Forbidden City to a rice valley in the karst at family pace"
type: "tour"
route_id: "china-six-cities-family-14-days"
total_days: 14
price: 4510
highlights: ["Beijing", "Xi'an", "Chengdu", "Guilin", "Yangshuo", "Shanghai"]
url: "https://www.lyriktrip.com/en-GB/tours/china-six-cities-family-14-days"
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# Six Cities, No Queues

14 days from the Forbidden City to a rice valley in the karst at family pace

Six cities, one family pace. The Great Wall by cable car, the Terracotta Warriors, pandas and a teahouse, with English-speaking guides city by city.

- Light to moderate, and set by the slowest walker in the party. Cable cars do the climbing at the Great Wall. The palace morning is the longest walk of the trip and your guide plans sit-downs into it. The river valley day is taken seated in the vehicle. Three easy days fall on day 4, day 8 and day 12, one in every three.

## Overview

Most first journeys to China are built for one pair of legs. This one is built for three generations of them. Fourteen days, six cities, and a rhythm that repeats. Beijing takes two full days for the palace and the wall. Xi'an gives a whole day to the buried army and puts nothing after it. Chengdu holds three nights with an afternoon that has no plan in it at all. The karst river country gets three nights in one bed. Shanghai is where you fly home from. Every climb has a cable car. Every third day is an easy one. The two long travel days are cleared of sightseeing on purpose, so nobody arrives at dinner already finished. Two weeks in, you'll notice the family has stopped splitting up into the fast ones and the slow ones.

— LyrikTrip travel designers

Every LyrikTrip journey begins with a conversation. Tell us the ages in your party and the dates you are looking at, and we build the pace around the person who walks slowest, not the person who walks fastest. First reply within four hours; a clear price for your dates within one business day. On this route we will also tell you plainly where the family room situation stands before you commit to anything.

## Summary

- Route ID: china-six-cities-family-14-days
- Duration: 14 days / 13 nights
- Starting price: $4,510
- Status: active
- Highlights: Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, Yangshuo, Shanghai
- Cover image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/doeYBJEl.webp

## Hero tags

- private
- From 1 guest
- Max: no fixed limit

## Highlight notes

- Six cities, one family pace. The Great Wall by cable car, the Terracotta Warriors, pandas and a teahouse, with English-speaking guides city by city.
- 14 days from the Forbidden City to a rice valley in the karst. See China together.

## Selling points

- Walk into the palace that ran China for five centuries with your entry slot already booked, so the morning starts on time instead of in a queue.
- Put all three generations on the Great Wall in the same morning: the cable car does the climbing, and the way down is a toboggan run.
- Stand in front of an estimated eight thousand clay soldiers, then go up onto the wall that still rings the old city of Xi'an.
- Spend a morning with the pandas while they are still awake, then an entire afternoon in a park teahouse where the only rule is that your cup keeps getting refilled.
- Take the Yulong River valley seated, at the pace of whoever in your party walks slowest: rice fields, farmhouses and limestone towers going past the window.
- Finish in a classical garden in the middle of Shanghai's old town, an hour of pavilions and rockeries before the airport.
- Unpack three times, not six: three nights in Beijing, three in Chengdu and three in the river valley, with the two long travel days cleared of everything else.

## City highlights

- Beijing (3 days): You land, and that is the day
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/i5BaKrZV.webp
- Xi'an (2 days): A slow morning by the lakes, then the train south
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dEp17FuG.webp
- Chengdu (3 days): Up on the wall, then through the mountains
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/j3ivUQcK.webp
- Guilin (1 days): A travel day, and nothing more
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f8tQUpf0.webp
- Yangshuo (3 days): Out of the city, into the valleys
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dRk6ic7T.webp
- Shanghai (2 days): Out of the valley, into Shanghai
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8mWf7khq.webp

## Experiences

Six cities, one family pace. The Great Wall by cable car, the Terracotta Warriors, pandas and a teahouse, with English-speaking guides city by city.

- The Forbidden City (Beijing): The palace from which the Ming and Qing courts governed the country, completed in 1420 and inhabited for five centuries. You walk a single axis: the ceremonial halls, the living quarters behind them, the imperial garden, then out through the north gate to Jingshan. Entry is by timed reservation, and the booking system does not work well with overseas mobile numbers, so your quote states in writing who books your slot and by when. The admission itself is included in the base price. Audio guides and guides hired inside the palace are not. Guests often find the site tiring, so the route is limited to that single line with places to sit, and no departure places this day on a Monday, when the palace is closed.
  - Subtitle: the palace from which the Ming and Qing courts governed the country, completed in 1420 and inhabited for five centuries.
  - Tags: Heritage
  - Host: Beijing, Beijing Lens — Imperial capital and Great Wall
  - Access: the palace from which the Ming and Qing courts ran the country, completed in 1420 and inhabited for five centuries. You walk one axis: the ceremonial halls, the living quarters behind them, the imperial garden, then out through the north gate to Jingshan. Entry is by timed reservation and the booking system sits poorly with overseas mobile numbers, so your quote states in writing who books your slot and by when. The admission itself is in the base price. Audio guides and guides hired inside the palace are not. Guests regularly find the site tiring, so the route is cut to that single line with places to sit, and no departure puts this day on a Monday, when the palace closes.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7f313a6dab74.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8a6cdb9ca2b9.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/de8d1138706b.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/cb45218f2b95.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/08a2b46a7206.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/43c9d4d18be6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/49598606918a.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/17cfe569ced7.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/aff552490ca6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/db0255c2930c.jpg
- Cloth-Shoe Workshop (Beijing): Cloth shoes are the everyday footwear of old Beijing, and the sole tells the whole story: layers of fabric pasted together, pressed, and then hand-stitched row after row. You sit at a workbench and work on a pair, and the finished pair goes home with you. About an hour, indoors, and the one thing on this trip a child carries out in both hands.
  - Subtitle: Cloth shoes were the everyday footwear of old Beijing, and the sole tells the whole story: layers of fabric pasted together, pressed, and then hand-stitched, row after row.
  - Tags: Hands-on
  - Host: Beijing, Beijing Lens — Imperial capital and Great Wall
  - Access: Cloth shoes were the everyday footwear of old Beijing, and the sole is the whole story: layers of fabric pasted together, pressed, and then hand-stitched, row after row. You sit at a workbench and work on a pair, and the finished pair goes home with you. About an hour, indoors, and the one thing on this trip a child carries out in both hands.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/d2abe68eee61.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/254de8dfe9e7.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2215cfac4269.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2e813f89d0a8.jpg
- Mutianyu Great Wall (Beijing): A well-restored Great Wall section with open views and easier walking conditions for first-time visitors.
  - Subtitle: A classic Great Wall section near Beijing
  - Tags: Great Wall
  - Host: Beijing, Beijing Lens — Imperial capital and Great Wall
  - Access: A refined Great Wall experience with flexible cable car or walking options.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f6c07b2f8772.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3a661e194c2f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1b0f83ddd1e5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7207d6532c2f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/e88879531691.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/926d916b9408.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/91465599744f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a720fb1678e6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/608cdc21a04d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9b968ec44131.jpg
- Great Wall Toboggan (Beijing): the way down from Mutianyu is a metal chute laid along the hillside, one person to a sled, hand brake under your palm and your own speed. It takes minutes rather than the long descent on foot, which is the point when both a seventy-year-old and an eight-year-old are on the wall. In your base price.
  - Subtitle: the way down from Mutianyu is a metal chute laid along the hillside, one person to a sled, hand brake under your palm and your own speed.
  - Tags: Active
  - Host: Beijing, Beijing Lens — Imperial capital and Great Wall
  - Access: the way down from Mutianyu is a metal chute laid along the hillside, one person to a sled, hand brake under your palm and your own speed. It takes minutes rather than the long descent on foot, which is the point when both a seventy-year-old and an eight-year-old are on the wall. In your base price.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1b0f83ddd1e5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7207d6532c2f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/e88879531691.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/04f2360efbcf.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3a3c19dd2f50.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/76eecb6e2189.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/66b9de4750ca.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/91465599744f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a720fb1678e6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/608cdc21a04d.jpg
- Old Beijing Hutongs and Shichahai (Beijing): courtyard lanes and lakeside streets where old Beijing still runs its daily life: grey brick, doorway stones, bicycles, the water at the end of the alley. Level ground the whole way, about two hours, and the walk stretches or shortens to fit the morning.
  - Subtitle: courtyard lanes and lakeside streets where old Beijing still runs its daily life: grey brick, doorway stones, bicycles, the water at the end of the alley.
  - Tags: City
  - Host: Beijing, Beijing Lens — Imperial capital and Great Wall
  - Access: courtyard lanes and lakeside streets where old Beijing still runs its daily life: grey brick, doorway stones, bicycles, the water at the end of the alley. Level ground the whole way, about two hours, and the walk stretches or shortens to fit the morning.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3b11e432aa93.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c24addfaebbd.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/d2df22905bb0.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/fe9f94178424.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/04a1b8761320.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f33f3be71930.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b3f2f5a11e6c.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8f53a337fbca.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9334df3db1e2.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/748ea658803d.jpg
- Terracotta Warriors (Xi'an): the excavation halls outside Xi'an holding the underground army of Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor, and one of the country's most significant archaeological finds. You look down into the pits at ranked columns of soldiers: individual faces, armour by rank, formations still legible after two millennia of burial. Your guide teaches you to read them: which are officers, which are archers, what the formation was for. Why it rewards a slow visit: the scale reads in one glance, the craftsmanship only up close.
  - Subtitle: the excavation halls outside Xi'an holding the underground army of Qin Shi
  - Tags: Heritage
  - Host: Xi'an, Xi'an Lens — Warriors and ancient capital
  - Access: Essential Xi'an access to one of China's most renowned archaeological sites.
  - Images: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1528866310106-4459b39622ed?q=80&w=2064&auto=format&fit=crop&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&ixid=M3wxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8fA%3D%3D, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/70bc50b897e9.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/788c1d294602.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/d1bf545bf0ba.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8ff4c8890b77.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9b2f4e2d90b4.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ed2c5f141848.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4cd4eb7405cc.jpg
- Xi'an City Wall (Xi'an): the Ming-era rampart that still rings the old city, broad enough on top to walk or cycle. You go up in the late afternoon and take it at your pace: a stretch on foot, or a longer run by bike, with the gate towers ahead of you and the moat below. Why it earns its hour: from up here the city explains itself, old streets inside the wall, tower blocks beyond it.
  - Subtitle: the Ming-era rampart that still encircles the old city, broad enough on
  - Tags: Active
  - Host: Xi'an, Xi'an Lens — Warriors and ancient capital
  - Access: Why it earns its hour: from up here the city explains itself, old streets inside the wall, tower blocks beyond it.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/daf832e303d0.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8f7c7a922b33.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f864b69ac4b1.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9c4dc5e6e575.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b69829f31585.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ad143f00bca6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dabb4f7b21b8.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/e3a18a929d13.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/6c4bc5467067.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2a992375c8dd.jpg
- Chengdu Panda Base (Chengdu): the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, visited in the morning: that is when pandas eat, climb and are actually active. You watch them at close range and hear how breeding research and conservation work here.
  - Subtitle: the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, visited in the morning
  - Tags: Nature
  - Host: Chengdu, Chengdu Lens — Pandas and Sichuan culture
  - Access: You watch them at close range and hear how breeding research and conservation work here.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8e596b76ae58.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/201ef19af23f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c910f00284ac.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/fb8f2b170763.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f84d52332ce8.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3e8e1eba78b6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/106d08f5e8be.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/df22c3d68f08.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/cdab22c7bcf5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bcdc08962f93.jpg
- People's Park Teahouse (Chengdu): your first sit-down with the city, on day one. A bamboo chair beside local residents, tea in a gaiwan, the lidded cup China brews in, and your guide on what a teahouse does for a neighbourhood: meeting hall, living room and news desk in one.
  - Subtitle: your first sit-down with the city, on day one
  - Tags: City
  - Host: Chengdu, Chengdu Lens — Pandas and Sichuan culture
  - Access: A bamboo chair beside local residents, tea in a gaiwan, the lidded cup China brews in, and your guide to what a teahouse does for a neighbourhood: meeting hall, living room and news desk all in one.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/77584e962219.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/34f6c86b2f9f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/89eb340e5ae2.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2726fdc3c516.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a27d0f4e6224.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3b775398e844.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b33e34d550fa.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3cbc8f748897.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/aa9f96490a8c.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bb9ce7deea94.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1ea505e390f1.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/221e3aa47210.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/54273121005d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/02b99824f5c6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4e4bd21b9b97.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9d549716c30b.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/46bb3f1c4d8b.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9cf32f1b02e8.jpg
- Market Visit and Sichuan Cooking Class (Chengdu): You go to a neighbourhood market with the instructor first and buy the day's ingredients, then cook a short set of Sichuan home dishes and eat what you made. Sichuan food outside China is read as heat; here you find out it is built on numbing pepper, fermented bean paste and timing. Children can cook alongside the adults. In your base price.
  - Subtitle: You go to a neighbourhood market with the instructor first and buy the day's ingredients, then cook a short set of Sichuan home dishes and eat what you have made.
  - Tags: Hands-on
  - Host: Chengdu, Chengdu Lens — Pandas and Sichuan culture
  - Access: You go to a neighbourhood market with the instructor first and buy the day's ingredients, then cook a short set of Sichuan home dishes and eat what you made. Sichuan food outside China is read as heat; here you find out it is built on numbing pepper, fermented bean paste and timing. Children can cook alongside the adults. In your base price.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/509feac27646.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bf8d95c494b6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/004c2f626e6d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/91ffcae78a16.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/990bf3ea9324.jpg
- Community Sichuan opera (Chengdu): a neighbourhood theatre rather than a hotel ballroom show. You go backstage before it starts, watch the performers put their faces on, and then see face-changing from close range: the painted mask becomes another one in the time it takes the performer to swing his head. The ticket, the backstage visit and the face-changing piece are in the base price as listed by the theatre; if the theatre's programme for your date turns out to run differently, your quote says so before you pay. About two hours, seated.
  - Subtitle: a neighbourhood theatre rather than a hotel ballroom show.
  - Tags: Stage
  - Host: Chengdu, Chengdu Lens — Pandas and Sichuan culture
  - Access: a neighbourhood theatre rather than a hotel ballroom show. You go backstage before it starts, watch the performers put their faces on, and then see face-changing from close range: the painted mask becomes another one in the time it takes the performer to swing his head. The ticket, the backstage visit and the face-changing piece are in the base price as listed by the theatre; if the theatre's programme for your date turns out to run differently, your quote says so before you pay. About two hours, seated.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/984b6ea21914.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/41a954b10a49.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/64ef87441097.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9504e34cb716.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7fb9607dad55.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c7adcea03a38.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c084683a4ac6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/00bbe0d6022a.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7727dea96809.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/551fdba21a23.jpg
- Yulong River Valley (Yangshuo): the farmland valley behind Yangshuo, where limestone towers stand straight up out of rice fields and the river runs between farmhouses and lanes. Locals cross it three ways, by bicycle, by electric bike or seated in a vehicle; this plan takes it seated, so the whole party moves together at one pace. Touring on day 11 is in your base price. Bamboo rafts and river cruises are separate tickets and are not part of this plan.
  - Subtitle: the farmland valley behind Yangshuo, where limestone towers rise straight up from the rice fields and the river winds between farmhouses and lanes.
  - Tags: Nature
  - Host: Yangshuo, Yangshuo Lens — Countryside and karst calm
  - Access: the farmland valley behind Yangshuo, where limestone towers stand straight up out of rice fields and the river runs between farmhouses and lanes. Locals cross it three ways, by bicycle, by electric bike or seated in a vehicle; this plan takes it seated, so the whole party moves together at one pace. Touring on day 11 is in your base price. Bamboo rafts and river cruises are separate tickets and are not part of this plan.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/636bbab57542.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3cab8336e544.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a640da65d9e4.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c01fb0411dbf.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3556d1e903bb.jpg
- Yu Garden and the Old City (Shanghai): A classical garden of pavilions, rockery, ponds and paths that never run straight, sitting inside the oldest quarter of Shanghai. It is the one place in the city that predates everything the skyline is famous for. A short, level visit — two hours, all of it flat — and it is the last thing on the trip, sized to fit before an afternoon flight. Admission is in your base price.
  - Subtitle: A classical garden of pavilions, rockeries, ponds and paths that never run straight in the oldest quarter of Shanghai, and the one place that predates everything its skyline is famous for.
  - Tags: Heritage
  - Host: Shanghai, Shanghai Lens — Skyline and riverfront culture
  - Access: a classical garden of pavilions, rockeries, ponds and paths that never run straight, set in the oldest quarter of Shanghai. Two hours, all of it flat. It is the one place in the city that predates everything the skyline is famous for.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7c5e906b378e.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/07b39b023295.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/075884fd7738.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3623b2d6ff22.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c3f4af921585.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7bc088a35094.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b4ff42f10f39.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8ab6fa3c88e9.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/793d4d9ec24d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a1dac8269a5f.jpg
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## Itinerary

### Six Cities, Nobody Waiting - 14 days

Journey

#### Beijing (3 days)

- Subtitle: You land, and that is the day
- Recommendation: Nothing is scheduled on arrival day. Get three generations onto Beijing time first.
- Transport: High-speed rail
- Transport mode: train

Airport pickup · The rest of the day

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/i5BaKrZV.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/14h8ZnOb.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/17bdSgjF.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1bDq9gT4.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1cZHxWkg.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1vwu9mIQ.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1X29GyUB.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1xVI7jTc.webp
##### Day 1: You land, and that is the day

- (transport) — your driver and guide meet the whole party at your Beijing arrival terminal and take you to the hotel in one vehicle, luggage and all.
- (sight) — yours. Beds, showers and an early dinner your guidebooks near the hotel on your account. Whoever wakes at four in the morning will have company by breakfast.
- (accommodation) Novotel Beijing Peace — Hotel stay in Beijing.

##### Day 2: The palace, then a pair of shoes

- (sight) — you enter the palace completed in 1420 and walk it the way it was meant to be read: the great ceremonial halls on the axis first, then the residential quarters where the court actually lived, then the imperial garden at the north end. Your entry slot is booked by us before you fly, so you go in at your time. Your guide holds the axis and cuts the side halls, and two sit-downs are planned into the morning.
- (sight) — an hour at a workbench in the afternoon. Layers of cloth are built up into a sole and then stitched through by hand, row after row. You work on a pair and the finished pair goes home with you.

##### Day 3: Everyone gets up there

- (sight) — The drive north out of the city, then a cable car that deposits the whole party onto the wall itself. From up on the ridge your guide reads the ground: where the beacon towers sit and why, what the pass below was built to close, how far one sightline had to run. You walk between towers as far as the party wishes and no farther. Somewhere along that ridge you'll spot your parents walking ahead of you.
- (dining) — a farmhouse table at the foot of the hill, northern home cooking made from what is grown locally, and an hour off your feet before the way down.
- (sight) — one person to a sledge, a metal chute running down the hillside, and a hand brake under your palm so everyone picks their own speed. It is minutes instead of a long descent on foot.

#### Xi'an (2 days)

- Subtitle: A slow morning by the lakes, then the train south
- Recommendation: The first easy day: one flat walk, one afternoon train. Beijing lets go of you gently.
- Transport: High-speed rail
- Transport mode: train

Hutongs and Shichahai · High-speed rail to Xi'an

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dEp17FuG.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2IrwPATt.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2SYFFac8.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2z6MDkku.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/34qxDxFA.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3DF4Fowd.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3G0oTlIq.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/56RpQD9k.webp
##### Day 4: A slow morning by the lakes, then the train south

- (sight) — level lanes between courtyard walls, with grey brick and doorway stones at your shoulder. Bicycles pass, and at the end of the alley the lakes have the neighbourhood out doing its morning. Two hours or so, and it shortens if the party wants a longer breakfast.
- (transport) — an afternoon train south, seats booked together, hotel and station transfers at both ends. Your quote states the cabin class for your party in writing. Xi'an is where China's capital sat for a thousand years before Beijing existed as one, and where the Silk Road started counting from.
- (accommodation) Somerset Xindicheng Xi'an — Hotel stay in Xian.

##### Day 5: One army, all day

- (sight) — an estimated eight thousand life-size soldiers, in the pits where farmers digging a well turned up the first of them. Your guide gives you the code first, then you read the figures yourself: the armour says rank, the hands say weapon, the knot of the hair says unit. In the newer excavation areas, some of the original pigment is still on the clay.
- (dining) — this is wheat country, not rice country, and lunch is where you taste the difference: wide hand-pulled noodles under chili oil and vinegar, eaten loudly. Your quote states in writing whether this lunch sits inside your base price.
- (sight) — The afternoon is free to return to the hotel before dinner, as the morning at the museum involves a lot of standing.

#### Chengdu (3 days)

- Subtitle: Up on the wall, then through the mountains
- Recommendation: A morning on top of the old city, an afternoon crossing the range that splits the country.
- Transport: Flight
- Transport mode: airplane

Xi'an City Wall · High-speed rail to Chengdu

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/j3ivUQcK.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/18sksaPz.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1BPFDek8.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2iDGv07g.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2sL1auf0.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/37Mf4mO1.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4BqwVBVY.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4mDgLfna.webp
##### Day 6: Up on the wall, then through the mountains

- (sight) — you go up onto the wall top, on the complete rectangle of rampart that still rings the old city. Inside the line the old grid runs straight; outside it the new city goes on to the horizon. Admission up to the wall top is in your base price. How your party covers ground once up there is set for your dates and named in your quote.
- (transport) — the afternoon train crosses the Qinling range, the watershed that divides northern China from the south: wheat behind you, rice and chilli ahead. Seats together, transfers at both ends, cabin class stated in writing in your quote.
- (accommodation) Atour Hotel Chengdu Taikoo Li Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street — Hotel stay in Chengdu.

##### Day 7: Pandas awake, then nowhere to be

- (sight) — you go early because that is when they are awake and moving: eating, climbing badly, falling off things. Level walkways between the enclosures, and the visit is placed first thing in the day by design.
- (sight) — a bamboo chair under the trees, a gaiwan in front of you, and the pot coming back around as long as you stay. Card games at the next table, an ear-cleaner ringing his tuning fork down the row, somebody's grandchild asleep across two chairs. Nothing is scheduled after it. An hour in, you'll notice the whole family has stopped asking what happens next.

##### Day 8: Buy it, cook it, then watch a face change

- (sight) — you shop at the neighbourhood market for the day's ingredients first, so you meet the peppercorns and the bean paste before you meet the wok.
- (sight) — a short set of home-style dishes, cooked by everyone including the children, eaten immediately. Sichuan food is read as heat from afar; up close it is numbing pepper, fermented bean paste and timing.
- (sight) — a neighbourhood theatre in the afternoon, with a look backstage at the paint pots, the headdresses and the costume racks. What the form is known for is face-changing, a painted mask swapped in the time it takes to turn your head.
- (sight) — unscheduled on purpose, and the hotel is close by for whoever wants it.

#### Guilin (1 days)

- Subtitle: A travel day, and nothing more
- Recommendation: Chengdu to Guilin by air, with nothing else asked of anyone.
- Transport: Private vehicle
- Transport mode: car

An unhurried morning · Flight to Guilin · One night in Guilin

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f8tQUpf0.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3uGHEW2j.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4UilJCmH.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4VtYWWkT.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4Yfatbqd.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5ElOR2GL.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5Mke9ayW.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/6451wQWE.webp
##### Day 9: A travel day, and nothing more

- (sight) — breakfast at your own pace, bags packed without a rush, then the transfer to the airport.
- (transport) — hotel and airport transfers at both ends are included and cabin class is stated in writing in your quote. Guilin is the gateway city for the karst country: the limestone towers you came south for start just outside it.
- (sight) — a transit night by design, so that day 10 starts in the right place instead of ending in the wrong one.
- (accommodation) Shangri-La Hotel Guilin — Hotel stay in Guilin.

#### Yangshuo (3 days)

- Subtitle: Out of the city, into the valleys
- Recommendation: The Guilin morning is the one part of this plan still being set. The afternoon is the road into the karst.
- Transport: Flight
- Transport mode: airplane

Guilin morning · Road south to Yangshuo

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dRk6ic7T.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3RSDiQUA.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/43ER0eM0.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4iXf7Jvh.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4LasL8DS.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/51gauczC.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5Pv2GT5l.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5zFw5FSH.webp
##### Day 10: Out of the city, into the valleys

- (sight) — we are settling this morning with our local partners. Two arrangements are in review: a riverside walk in the old town, and a limestone cave that carries its own ticket. Neither is written into your base price while it is unsettled, and your quote names in writing what your morning holds.
- (transport) — the drive out of Guilin runs into the valley country, and the towers draw closer to the road until they line both sides of it. Yangshuo is the small market town at their foot, and it is where you stop moving for three nights.
- (accommodation) Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel — Hotel stay in Yangshuo.

##### Day 11: The valley, viewed from the chair

- (sight) — the farmland behind Yangshuo, where limestone towers stand straight out of the rice fields and the river runs past farmhouses, lanes and old stone bridges. People here cross it three ways: by bicycle, by e-bike or seated. You take it seated, so the party stays together and stops where it wants to.
- (sight) — your guide picks the places worth getting out for, and the getting out is short each time by design.
- (sight) — the day ends early enough that dinner is unhurried and nobody is out after the light goes. You'll notice that nobody asked how much further today.

##### Day 12: The easy day we keep open

- (sight) — the guide and the private vehicle are yours for the day, you are in your third night in the same bed, and nothing has to be packed.
- (sight) — two ways to spend the day are in review with our local partners, a market town afternoon by the river and a longer old town day. Whichever is settled for your dates is confirmed in writing in your quote before you commit.
- (sight) — Bamboo rafts and river cruises require separate tickets on any stretch of water here, and none are guaranteed as part of this trip.

#### Shanghai (2 days)

- Subtitle: Out of the valley, into Shanghai
- Recommendation: The second full travel day, cleared the same way as the first.
- Transport: Private vehicle
- Transport mode: car

Road back to the airport · Flight to Shanghai · The evening

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8mWf7khq.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/13x1KtnS.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1Q9afrZn.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1Riqjj0n.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1VrlDwIi.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1vYpI6NZ.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3PEjxTGx.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4EbDdFHb.webp
##### Day 13: Out of the valley, into Shanghai

- (transport) — the drive out of the valley to Guilin airport is included, timed with room to spare rather than to the minute.
- (transport) — transfers at both ends are included and cabin class is confirmed in writing in your quote. You land in the city China uses to face the rest of the world.
- (note) — check in and eat near the hotel on your guide's recommendation, on your account. Then repack for a morning flight out.
- (accommodation) Bellagio by MGM Shanghai on the Bund — Hotel stay in Shanghai.

##### Day 14: One garden, then home

- (sight) — a classical garden in the middle of the old town, built so you never see all of it at once. Pavilions and rockeries stand around a pond, and the paths turn before they arrive. It is flat and short, the right size for a last morning with luggage already in the car.

## Daily plan

### Day 1 — You land, and that is the day

Nothing is scheduled on arrival day. Get three generations onto Beijing time first.

- Airport pickup: your driver and guide meet the whole party at your Beijing arrival terminal and take you to the hotel in one vehicle, luggage and all.
- The rest of the day: yours. Beds, showers and an early dinner your guide books near the hotel on your account. Whoever wakes at four in the morning will have company by breakfast.
- Stay: Beijing

### Day 2 — The palace, then a pair of shoes

The country's front door, walked once and properly. The day ends with something small enough to carry home.

- The Forbidden City: you enter the palace completed in 1420 and walk it the way it was meant to be read: the great ceremonial halls on the axis first, then the residential quarters where the court actually lived, then the imperial garden at the north end. Your entry slot is booked by us before you fly, so you go in at your time. Your guide holds the axis and cuts the side halls, and two sit-downs are planned into the morning.
- Cloth-shoe workshop: an hour at a workbench in the afternoon. Layers of cloth are built up into a sole and then stitched through by hand, row after row. You work on a pair and the finished pair goes home with you.
- Stay: Beijing
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 3 — Everybody gets up there

The wall, with the climb taken out. Three generations on the same stretch of it, on the same morning.

- Cable car up to Mutianyu: the drive north out of the city, then a cable car that sets the whole party down on the wall itself. From up on the ridge your guide reads the ground: where the beacon towers sit and why, what the pass below was built to close, how far one sightline had to run. You walk between towers as far as the party wants and no farther. Somewhere along that ridge you'll catch your parents walking ahead of you.
- Farmhouse lunch below the wall: a farmhouse table at the foot of the hill, northern home cooking made from what is grown nearby, and an hour off your feet before the way down.
- Toboggan down: one person to a sled, a metal chute running down the hillside, and a hand brake under your palm so everyone picks their own speed. It is minutes instead of a long descent on foot.
- Stay: Beijing
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel, and the farmhouse lunch is arranged for you; your quote states in writing whether that lunch is included in your base price.

### Day 4 — A slow morning by the lakes, then the train south

The first easy day: one flat walk, one afternoon train. Beijing lets go of you gently.

- Hutongs and Shichahai: level lanes between courtyard walls, with gray brick and doorway stones at your shoulder. Bicycles pass, and at the end of the alley the lakes have the neighbourhood out doing its morning. Two hours or so, and it shortens if the party wants a longer breakfast.
- High-speed rail to Xi'an: an afternoon train south, seats booked together, hotel and station transfers at both ends. Your quote states the cabin class for your party in writing. Xi'an is where China's capital sat for a thousand years before Beijing existed as one, and where the Silk Road started counting from.
- Stay: Xi'an
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 5 — One army, all day

One site and nothing after it. This is the day the trip slows down to look properly.

- The Terracotta Warriors: an estimated eight thousand life-size soldiers, in the pits where farmers digging a well turned up the first of them. Your guide gives you the code first, then you read the figures yourself: the armour says rank, the hands say weapon, the knot of the hair says unit. In the newer excavation areas, some of the original pigment is still on the clay.
- Shaanxi noodle lunch: this is wheat country, not rice country, and lunch is where you taste the difference: wide hand-pulled noodles under chilli oil and vinegar, eaten loudly. Your quote states in writing whether this lunch sits inside your base price.
- Back into the city: The afternoon returns to the hotel with time before dinner, as the museum morning involves a lot of standing.
- Stay: Xi'an
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 6 — Up on the wall, then through the mountains

A morning on top of the old city, an afternoon crossing the range that splits the country.

- Xi'an City Wall: You go up onto the wall top, on the complete rectangle of rampart that still rings the old city. Inside the line, the old grid runs straight; outside it, the new city goes on to the horizon. Admission up to the wall top is included in your base price. How your party covers ground once up there is set for your dates and named in your quote.
- High-speed rail to Chengdu: the afternoon train crosses the Qinling range, the watershed that divides northern China from the south: wheat behind you, rice and chilli ahead. Seats together, transfers at both ends, cabin class stated in writing in your quote.
- Stay: Chengdu
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 7 — Pandas awake, then nowhere to be

The morning is the reason the children agreed to come. The afternoon is the reason the grandparents will remember Chengdu.

- Panda base, in the morning: you go early because that is when they are awake and moving: eating, climbing badly, falling off things. Level walkways between the enclosures, and the visit is placed first thing in the day by design.
- People's Park teahouse: a bamboo chair under the trees, a gaiwan in front of you, and the pot coming back round as long as you stay. Card games at the next table, an ear-cleaner ringing his tuning fork down the row, somebody's grandchild asleep across two chairs. Nothing is scheduled after it. An hour in, you'll notice the whole family has stopped asking what happens next.
- Stay: Chengdu
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 8 — Buy it, cook it, then watch a face change

The second easy day, and the one where the family works with its hands.

- Market with the instructor: you shop the neighbourhood market for the day's ingredients first, so you meet the peppercorns and the bean paste before you meet the wok.
- Sichuan home cooking: a short set of home dishes, cooked by everyone including the children, eaten immediately. Sichuan food is read as heat from far away; up close it is numbing pepper, fermented bean paste and timing.
- Community Sichuan opera: a neighbourhood theatre in the afternoon, with a look backstage at the paint pots, the headdresses and the costume racks. What the form is known for is face-changing, a painted mask swapped in the time it takes to turn your head.
- The rest of the afternoon: unscheduled on purpose, and the hotel is close by for whoever wants it.
- Stay: Chengdu
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel, and the dishes you cook at the class

### Day 9 — A travel day, and only that

Chengdu to Guilin by air, with nothing else asked of anyone.

- A leisurely morning: breakfast at your own speed, bags packed without a countdown, then the transfer to the airport.
- Flight to Guilin: hotel and airport transfers at both ends are included and cabin class is stated in writing in your quote. Guilin is the gateway city for the karst country: the limestone towers you came south for start just outside it.
- One night in Guilin: a transit night by design, so that day 10 starts in the right place instead of ending in the wrong one.
- Stay: Guilin
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 10 — Out of the city, into the valleys

The Guilin morning is the one part of this plan still being set. The afternoon is the road into the karst.

- Guilin morning: we are settling this morning with our local partners. Two arrangements are in review: a riverside walk in the old town, and a limestone cave that carries its own ticket. Neither is written into your base price while it is unsettled, and your quote names in writing what your morning holds.
- Road south to Yangshuo: The drive out of Guilin runs into the valley country, and the towers get closer to the road until they are on both sides of it. Yangshuo is the small market town at the foot of them, and it is where you stop moving for three nights.
- Stay: Yangshuo
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 11 — The valley, taken seated

One valley, one day, no walking required of anyone. This is the day the pace stops being a compromise.

- Yulong River valley: the farmland behind Yangshuo, where limestone towers stand straight out of the rice fields and the river runs past farmhouses, lanes and old stone bridges. People here cross it three ways: by bicycle, by electric bike or seated. You take it seated, so the party stays together and stops where it wants to.
- Stops along the way: your guide picks the places worth getting out for, and the getting out is short each time by design.
- Back before dark: the day ends early enough that dinner is unhurried and nobody is out after the light goes. You'll notice that nobody asked how much farther today.
- Stay: Yangshuo
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 12 — The easy day we keep open

The third easy day, and the one still being finalised. Your guide and your vehicle are with you for all of it.

- What is settled: the guide and the private vehicle are yours for the day, you are in your third night in the same bed, and nothing has to be packed.
- What we are still setting: two ways to spend the day are under review with our local partners: a market town afternoon by the river and a longer old-town day. Whichever is settled for your dates is named in writing in your quote before you commit.
- What is not included in this plan: Bamboo rafts and river cruises are separate tickets on any stretch of water here, and none of them is included as part of this trip.
- Stay: Yangshuo
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 13 — Out of the valley, into Shanghai

The second full travel day, cleared in the same way as the first.

- Road back to the airport: the drive out of the valley to Guilin airport is included, timed with room to spare rather than to the minute.
- Flight to Shanghai: transfers at both ends are included and cabin class is stated in writing in your quote. You land in the city China uses to face the rest of the world.
- The evening: check in and eat near the hotel on your guide's recommendation, on your account. Then repack for a morning flight out.
- Stay: Shanghai
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 14 — One garden, then home

A short last morning on purpose, so the trip ends sitting down rather than running.

- Yu Garden and the old city: a classical garden in the middle of the old town, built so you never see all of it at once. Pavilions and rockeries stand around a pond, and the paths turn before they arrive. It is level and short, the right size for a last morning with luggage already in the car.
- Stay: Trip ends
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

## Hotels

### Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel (Shanghai International Resort)

- City: Shanghai
- Description: Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel: a luxury garden hotel near Pudong Airport and Disneyland, with free shuttle service to both.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a07e8f886100.jpg

### Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

- City: Yangshuo
- Description: A peaceful riverside retreat for travellers who want Yangshuo's karst scenery to feel close, quiet and unhurried.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2R0KYRQ9.webp

### Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast

- City: Beijing
- Description: International luxury hotel in Beijing, ideal for business trips and city breaks.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bWOFYezP.jpg

### Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel

- City: Shanghai
- Description: Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel, in Dapuqiao near Tianzifang, steps from Metro Line 9 and the Expo site.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5xOD9FRB.webp

### Sheraton Guilin Hotel

- City: Guilin
- Description: Sheraton Guilin Hotel is situated on the banks of the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and convenient access to Guilin's attractions.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/kjMQHeJN.webp

### Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

- City: Chengdu
- Description: A practical Chengdu base for travellers who want easy city access, relaxed days out, and a comfortable return after sightseeing.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3pup59R7.webp

### Sheraton Xi'an North City Hotel

- City: Xi'an
- Description: Sheraton Xi'an North City: five-star luxury five minutes from the Daming Palace, with an indoor pool and wellness centre.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/k01OUBYw.jpg

### Yangshuo Elite Garden

- City: Yangshuo
- Description: Located in central Yangshuo near West Street and the Li River, Yangshuo Elite Garden Hotel is a comfortable four-star hotel offering convenient access to the area’s main attractions.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/31Rz8fCF.webp

### DoubleTree by Hilton Beijing East Third Ring Road

- City: Beijing
- Description: International upscale hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and leisure stays.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/kkFJOiOe.webp

### Atour S Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao Centre Aegean

- City: Shanghai
- Description: Atour S Hotel in Hongqiao: steps from Aegean Place and Metro Line 10, six km from the National Exhibition and Convention Centre.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ciHY2Qvs.webp

### China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin

- City: Guilin
- Description: China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin is situated near Guilin Railway Station, offering comfortable accommodation and convenient amenities for both business and leisure travellers.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/hcF3JHeA.webp

### The Temple House

- City: Chengdu
- Description: Boutique luxury hotel set within a restored Qing-dynasty courtyard near Taikoo Li, boasting one of Chengdu's most striking design statements.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2Dh9ApbX.webp

### Shangri-La Hotel

- City: Xi'an
- Description: Shangri-La Hotel Xi'an: five-star luxury near the Terracotta Warriors, 35 minutes from the airport.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ldYT8r2G.webp

## Included / Excluded

### What's Included

- Private vehicle: Air-conditioned private vehicle for all listed touring in all six cities; Beijing airport pickup on day 1 and Shanghai airport drop-off on day 14; hotel and station transfers at both ends of both trains; hotel and airport transfers at both ends of both flights; the road transfer into Yangshuo and back to the airport
- Trains and flights: Beijing to Xi'an by high-speed rail, Xi'an to Chengdu by high-speed rail, Chengdu to Guilin by air, Guilin to Shanghai by air. All four are included in your base price; the cabin class for your party is stated in writing in your quote.
- Hotels: 13 nights with breakfast at your chosen level: four-star, five-star or quality boutique, as named in your written confirmation
- Guide: Licensed English-speaking guide on every touring day, in every city
- Beijing tickets and experiences: The Forbidden City with the timed reservation booked by us; Mutianyu Great Wall cable car up; the toboggan down; the hutong and Shichahai walk; the cloth-shoe workshop, with the finished pair going home with you
- Xi'an tickets: The Terracotta Warriors museum; admission up to the top of the Xi'an City Wall
- Chengdu tickets and experiences: Panda base morning admission; your teahouse seat in People's Park for as long as you sit; the community Sichuan opera visit with a look backstage; the market visit with the instructor and the Sichuan cooking class
- Yangshuo touring: The Yulong River valley on day 11, taken seated and paced to the slowest walker in the party
- Shanghai tickets: Yu Garden and the old city
- Meals: 13 hotel breakfasts, day 2 through day 14. Two lunches are arranged for you, the farmhouse lunch below the Great Wall and the Shaanxi noodle lunch; your quote states in writing whether each of those two sits inside your base price
- Insurance: Travel accident insurance; the scope and the sum insured are stated in your written confirmation

### Not Included

- International flights: Your flights into Beijing and out of Shanghai
- Visas: Visa fees and processing for guests who require a Chinese visa, including US passports
- Meals: Beyond the 13 breakfasts and the two arranged lunches: lunches and dinners are recommended and booked by your guide, on your account
- Guilin ticketed sites: No ticketed Guilin site is included in the base price. If one is arranged for your day 10 morning, its ticket price will be stated in writing in your quote.
- River boats and rafts: Bamboo rafts and river cruises on any stretch of water in Yangshuo are separate tickets and are not included in this plan.
- Wall-top hire in Xi'an: If bicycles or an electric cart are the settled way across the wall top for your dates, the hire is priced separately
- Optional add-ons: Quoted separately when you choose them; nothing optional is added by default
- Personal: Gratuities, single or extra-room difference, personal spending

### Special Notes

Several things on this route depend on your dates, the season, or a decision we have yet to make. Here they are, told straight.

- The pace is the design: Six cities in fourteen days is the ceiling for a party of three generations, and the plan is built to that ceiling. Three easy days fall on day 4, day 8 and day 12, one in every three. The two long travel days on day 9 and day 13 carry no sightseeing at all. If you want fewer cities and a slower line, ask us: we have three-city and four-city versions of this family route.
- Connecting and family rooms: we do not yet have a bookable connecting or family room type confirmed in these six cities, so this document promises none. We are securing one in each city with our partners, and we open dates on this route once each of them is confirmed in writing. Until then we take no booking and no deposit on this line, and we will tell you so rather than take your money.
- The Forbidden City is closed on Mondays: your arrival date is set so that day 2 never falls on a Monday. If the dates you want would put it there, day 2 and day 3 swap and the wall goes first.
- The national holiday week: we take no arrivals between October 1 and October 8. The Terracotta Warriors site runs at its heaviest visitor load of the year in that week and we have no crowd arrangement in place that would make it worth your day.
- December and the toboggan: Winter operating conditions for the Mutianyu toboggan are not yet confirmed with the site. For any December departure, your quote states in writing that the descent is by cable car if the toboggan is not running that day. The cable car up is unaffected.
- Visa window for 2026: the current 30-day visa-free policy runs through December 31, 2026. Because this is a 14-day plan, arrivals on or before December 18, 2026 finish inside the window. For arrivals after that date we quote once the official renewal is announced, rather than assuming it.
- Three parts still being set: the day 10 Guilin morning, the day 12 arrangement in Yangshuo, and the way your party covers the Xi'an wall top. None of them is in your base price while it is unsettled, and each is named in writing in your quote before you commit.
- Shanghai is one night: this route trades Shanghai for three unbroken nights in the river valley, so the city gets a garden and a flight out. If Shanghai proper is what your family wants, tell us and we will point you at a route built the other way around.
- Water in Yangshuo: No bamboo raft and no river cruise on any stretch is part of this plan, in any season. If you would like one added, we price it separately once conditions for your dates are verified.
- Hotels: named in your written confirmation; "or similar" always means the same class and a comparable location, never a quiet downgrade.

## Is Fourteen Days Your Length?

Fourteen days is a long time. Can it be shorter?

### Fourteen days is a lot. Can it be shorter?

Each city block stands on its own, so we cut cities rather than the pace. Tell us how many days you have and who is in the party, and we shape it from there.

## Good to Know

- Group: Private, just your party. From 1 guest. No fixed maximum party size.
- Pace: Set by the slowest walker in the party; three easy days on days 4, 8 and 12; two travel days with no sightseeing
- Ports: Arrival in Beijing, departure from Shanghai; airport pickup on day 1 and airport drop-off on day 14 are included
- Internal travel: Two high-speed rail legs and two flights, all four included in your base price, with transfers at both ends of each
- Visas: British, European and Canadian passports enter visa-free for days, and Australian and New Zealand passports do the same. US passports need a Chinese visa for a trip of this length; we check visa status before any payment
- Language: Licensed English-speaking guide on every touring day
- Payment: From 1 guest. A 10% deposit (minimum $399) locks your dates. The balance is due 14 days before departure. "Or similar" never means a quiet downgrade
- Flexibility: Cities can be cut and the order kept; the confirmation deadline and the change and refund conditions for your dates are listed in writing with your quote
- Season: October to December: Beijing and Xi'an turn cold and dry, Chengdu stays mild and grey, the river valley is cool with low water

## Your Private Concierge

- Name: Jason Hu
- Title: Private China Route Concierge
- Tagline: A bilingual planning desk for tailor-made China journeys.
- Bio: Our China team tailors the pacing, hotels and local hosts to suit each route style.
- Avatar image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c0TBypRh.png

### Stats

- 20+ Years
- 300+ Trips designed
- 24/7 On-trip care

### The Conversation

Every LyrikTrip journey begins with a conversation. Tell us your dates and who's coming — and if this length isn't right for you, we'll say so and shape a shorter arc. First reply within four hours; a clear price for your dates within one business day.

- CTA: Start the conversation

### Step 01: Tell us what excites you

Not your dates and budget — your curiosity. Where have you always wanted to go? What do you want to feel? We start there.

- 24h: First concept delivered

### Step 02: We design it around you

Your specialist builds the itinerary from scratch — routes, hosts, hotels, and experiences you won't find anywhere else.

- 100%: Bespoke, never off-the-shelf

### Step 03: Lock it in with 10%

When the plan feels right, a 10% deposit holds your entire trip. Balance due 30 days before departure.

- 10%: Deposit to secure everything

### Step 04: Travel. We handle the rest.

Your Trip Pack arrives before you fly. On the road, your concierge is one message away — for the expected and everything you didn't plan for.

- 24/7: Support throughout your journey

- Free cancellation up to 30 days
- English-speaking concierge
- Secure payment via Stripe

- CTA: Talk to Us

## Guest Reviews

- Overall rating: 4.9
- Total reviews: 523
- Count label: from 523 verified reviews

4.9 / 5

### Platforms

- google: 4.9 (312 reviews)
- tripadvisor: 5.0 (211 reviews)

- Filter tabs: All, Google, TripAdvisor
- Emily Carter (🇺🇸 Seattle, USA · 5★ · May 2026 · google): Perfect for couples - My partner and I had an amazing time in China. Everything was arranged for us — transfers, hotels, guides. No stress at all.
- Claire Brooks (🇬🇧 London, UK · 5★ · Apr 2026 · tripadvisor): Great for families - Traveled with my two kids and had zero issues. The team made sure the pace wasn't too rushed and included things the kids would enjoy. Communication was easy throughout. Will definitely use them again for our next Asia trip.
- Laura Bennett (🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada · 5★ · Mar 2026 · google): Alisa made the whole experience easy - Alisa was our point of contact throughout and she was brilliant — patient, knowledgeable, and always quick to reply. The trip itself was wonderful. Beijing and Guilin were highlights.
- Mark Henderson (🇺🇸 Denver, USA · 4★ · Feb 2026 · tripadvisor): Good service, minor hiccup but sorted quickly - Really good service. There was a small mix-up with one of our restaurant bookings but it got sorted quickly. The rest of the trip was seamless.
- Rebecca Miller (🇺🇸 Boston, USA · 5★ · Jan 2026 · google): Really listened to what we wanted - Really helpful team. They listened to what we wanted and delivered. Beijing and Xi'an were incredible.

## China Ready

We've solved the hard parts. Here's everything a first-time Western traveller needs to know before arriving.

### VPN & Internet Access

- Badge: Do this before you fly
- What's blocked: Google, Gmail, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and most Western news sites are inaccessible in China without a VPN.
- Download before you leave: It's nearly impossible to download a VPN once inside China. Install and test at home. Recommended: Astrill (most reliable), Mullvad, ExpressVPN — subscribe to at least two in case one stops working.
- Hotel Wi-Fi tip: Some hotels block VPN connections on their Wi-Fi. Use your phone's mobile data as a hotspot if the VPN drops.
- Good news: WhatsApp works perfectly through a VPN, so your messaging stays unchanged. Apple iMessage and Signal also work.

### Paying in China

- Badge: Your concierge sets this up on Day 1
- China is cashless: Alipay and WeChat Pay are used for almost everything — restaurants, taxis, markets, tickets. Cash is rarely accepted in cities.
- International cards now work: Foreign Visa/Mastercard can now link directly to Alipay (set up in minutes, $5,000 single transaction limit). Your concierge walks you through the setup on your first morning.
- Carry some cash: We recommend ¥500–800 RMB in cash for the rare vendor that won't accept digital payment, and for small towns.
- Booking this trip: Your deposit and balance are charged via Stripe — the same trusted platform used by Airbnb and Booking.com. USD billing, no surprise conversion fees.

### Visa & Entry

- Badge: We handle the paperwork
- Do you need a visa?: Most US, UK, EU, Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand passport holders need a tourist (L) visa for stays over 10 days. We provide a visa invitation letter with every booking — it significantly speeds up approval.
- 240-hour visa-free transit: Citizens of 55+ countries (including USA, UK, most of EU, AUS, NZ, Canada) can enter China visa-free for up to 10 days if transiting through eligible ports. This covers our 12-day itinerary only if you have a confirmed onward flight.
- Processing time: Apply 4–6 weeks before departure. Standard processing: 4–7 business days. Express (3 days) and same-day options available at most Chinese consulates.
- What we provide: Visa invitation letter, hotel confirmation for all nights, suggested itinerary document — everything the consulate needs, formatted correctly.

### Safety & Practical Tips

- Badge: Our responsibility, always
- Is China safe?: China consistently ranks among the safest countries for foreign tourists. Violent crime against visitors is extremely rare. Cities have extensive CCTV coverage and a visible police presence.
- Emergency numbers: Police: 110. Ambulance: 120. Your concierge is your first call for any non-emergency situation — she has local contacts for every city on the itinerary.
- Health & medications: Bring a full supply of any prescription medication. International pharmacies exist in major cities but may not carry your brand. Travel insurance is required — we can recommend policies that cover China specifically.
- Language: English fluency outside hotels and tourist sites is limited. Your guides all speak English. We provide a printed pocket card with essential Chinese phrases and emergency contacts for every traveller.

## Before You Book

Everything worth knowing before you book.

### My parents are in their seventies. Is six cities in fourteen days too much for them?

This is the question the plan was built around. Six cities in fourteen days is the ceiling for a three-generation party, and this plan is built deliberately to that ceiling: three easy days on day 4, day 8 and day 12; two long travel days that carry no sightseeing; a cable car on every climb; a river valley day done seated in the vehicle. Tell us the real limits before you book, not after. If they are tighter than this, we cut cities rather than push anyone through.

### Can we all be on the same floor, or in connecting rooms?

Not promised on this route yet, and we would rather say so now. We are securing a bookable connecting or family room type in each of the six cities, and this line opens for dates only once all six are confirmed in writing. Until then we take no deposit here. What you can count on today is the room tier you choose, breakfast for all 13 nights, and hotels named in your confirmation.

### Will the children be bored in the museums?

Two of the fourteen days are museum days, and both have an exit built in. Day 2 ends at a workbench where they make a pair of shoes to take home. Day 5 holds one site only, so the clay army gets a proper look and then the day stops. The rest of the trip is a cable car and a toboggan run, pandas before nap time, then a wok and a stage.

### What actually happens on the two travel days?

On purpose, very little. Day 9 is Chengdu to Guilin by air and day 13 is Yangshuo to Shanghai by air, with the road transfer at each end. Breakfast is unhurried, bags get packed without a countdown, and both flights are in your base price with transfers at both ends. Everyone arrives able to eat dinner sitting upright.

### Do the dates we want work for our passports?

We check before you pay. British, European and Canadian passports enter visa-free for days, and Australian and New Zealand passports do the same. We then confirm that your 14 days plus any extra days in China fit inside that window. The current policy runs through December 31, 2026, so arrivals on or before December 18, 2026 finish inside it. US passports need a Chinese visa for a trip this long: it is applied for in person at a consulate with fingerprints taken, so we tell you the current processing period first and confirm the visa is in hand before any payment.