Classics Water: 14-Day Private China Tour

Overview

This is a first journey to China, with the pace easing in the second half. Three nights each in Beijing and Xi'an: one imperial city wall, then the city's own — one you can ride across the top of. Chengdu pauses the itinerary for two days. Then the plan turns south, where the transport itself becomes a full day's content: a four-hour river journey between Guilin and Yangshuo. Shanghai returns you home across a stretch of water, where two centuries on opposite banks gaze at each other across the river. At some moment on that river, you stop asking what will happen next. What you take home is a feeling for the real distances between these six places.

— LyrikTrip Travel Designer

Share your travel dates and group size. We will verify the arrangements for hotels, transportation, and water activities based on your dates and clearly list the confirmed details in our written quote.

Why you'll love this trip

The classics, plus the water. Terracotta warriors, a city wall you ride, pandas and the Bund, with English-speaking guides city by city.
14 days from the Great Wall to a bamboo raft. See the whole country.

Ride up to the Great Wall at Mutianyu and take the toboggan back down: you arrive on the ridge with your legs still fresh, and the descent is the part you describe first at home.
Stand close enough to the Terracotta Army to tell a general from a crossbowman: after ten minutes you are reading the ranks yourself instead of being told what to look at.
Cycle the top of the Xi'an city wall on an included bicycle: for one hour the whole city sits below you on both sides at once, inside and outside the line.
Sit an afternoon in People's Park with a gaiwan refilled as long as you stay: the first day in two weeks with nowhere you have to be by a certain hour.
Spend four hours on the Li River instead of ninety minutes on the road: the transfer to Yangshuo is the day, and nothing is scheduled around it.
Push off from the bank on a bamboo raft on the Yulong River, at water level, with the karst peaks going past your shoulder rather than your windshield.
End on the Bund after dark with your guide beside you: one bank built by a treaty port, the other built in thirty years, and the water between them doing the arguing.

Things to do

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Former French Concession and Wukang Road, Shanghai

The Bund & Huangpu River Ferry, Shanghai

Heritage

Viewpoint

Great Wall

Family

Landmark

Culture

Museum

Heritage

Cycling

City

Pagoda

Nature

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City

Learn more

City

Culture

River Cruise

Slow

Active

Slow

Heritage

Museum

Riverfront

City

Heritage

Viewpoint

Great Wall

Family

Landmark

Culture

Museum

Heritage

Cycling

City

Pagoda

Nature

Learn more

City

Learn more

City

Culture

River Cruise

Slow

Active

Slow

Heritage

Museum

Riverfront

City

Heritage

Viewpoint

Great Wall

Family

Landmark

Culture

Museum

Heritage

Cycling

City

Pagoda

Nature

Learn more

City

Learn more

City

Culture

River Cruise

Slow

Active

Slow

Heritage

Museum

Riverfront

City

Itinerary

Arrivals

Beijing · Day 1 - Day 4

Day 1 · Arrive in Beijing, with time to relax.

Airport transfer will be arranged per your confirmed flights. No excursions are scheduled for today.

Airport pickup Your driver and vehicle are waiting for the flight number on your confirmation, and the run into Beijing is yours to sleep through.

Beijing through the window Ring roads first, then poplars and lit shopfronts along an ordinary city street; the country you flew this far for shows up before you have opened a bag.

Evening No evening activities are scheduled. If you'd like to dine near the hotel, we can recommend nearby restaurants; meals are at your own expense.

Day 2 · One axis, then the hill behind it

Walk along the central axis of the Forbidden City to the north gate, then ascend Jingshan to look back at the halls you have just passed.

The Forbidden City Advance reservation is required to enter the Forbidden City; the specific time slot will be confirmed based on your travel date. Once inside, follow the central axis past the ceremonial halls, the inner court, and the Imperial Garden; standing in the center of the courtyard and looking back, the gates through which you entered seem to layer one after another.

Pace The palace is large and guests regularly find it more tiring than they expected, so the route stops at the seats we know about and the garden at the end is unhurried.

Jingshan Park You leave through the palace's north gate and the park entrance is directly across the street, so the afternoon costs no transfer. Fifteen minutes of steps puts you at the hilltop pavilion, facing back south over the golden roofs you were standing between an hour ago, with the city's central axis running out of sight in both directions.

Day 3 · Muyuan Great Wall, a walk along the ridge

To reach the summit, take the cable car or chairlift, then walk along the city wall; descent slides will be scheduled based on the scenic area’s daily operating conditions.

Drive out to Mutianyu The run north out of Beijing takes a good part of the morning, which is why nothing else is on today; the vehicle stays with you all day.

Cable car or chairlift up The climbing is done for you. You step off onto a restored stretch of wall with watchtowers running away along the ridge in both directions, and your guide reads it: the beacon towers, the pass down below, and why the sightlines run where they do. Look along the ridge with the towers stepping down it, one after another, until the last one is a smudge.

Walk a section The restored towers connect, so you can keep walking as long as you feel like it and turn back at any tower. Nothing later today depends on how far you get.

Alpine slide descent If the slide is open, you can descend in a rail cart and control your speed; if it’s closed, follow the scenic area’s available options for going down.

Day 4 · Spend three more days in Beijing, then take the high-speed train to Xi'an

Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, and the National Museum of China are all still in Beijing; after the tour, take a high-speed train to Xi'an for the night.

Tian'anmen Square You cross the ceremonial center of modern China on foot. Screening comes first and takes its own half hour to an hour, so it sits in today's plan separately from your time on the square; your guide walks you to the nearest screening entrance.

Temple of Heaven Three ritual buildings on one line, and one rule that explains all of them: round stands for heaven, square stands for earth. Once your guide says it out loud you start noticing it in the paving, the terraces and the roofs, and you will notice it again in Xi'an tomorrow.

National Museum of China The National Museum is on the east side of the square, so there’s no need to cross the city to reach it. Specific exhibition halls and entry times will be confirmed based on the day’s opening hours and reservation results.

High-speed train to Xi'an After the visit, take a high-speed train to Xi'an. Specific train schedules, cabin classes, and station pickup arrangements will be confirmed based on the departure date and detailed in the written confirmation.

高铁

Xi'an · Day 5 - Day 7

Day 5 · Explore the different ranks at the Terracotta Warriors

This day is dedicated to the Terracotta Army. Get up close to the pits to examine the warriors' armor, hairstyles, and traces of original paint.

The Terracotta Army An estimated eight thousand figures, buried east of Xi'an as the first emperor's guard, standing in the pits where farmers found them. Your guide starts you at the section where the ranks are clearest, and after ten minutes you are doing it yourself: armor and hairstyle separate a general from a crossbowman from a foot soldier.

The colors In the more recently excavated areas, patches of the original paint are still on the figures. Stand at the rail and look for the ones with pigment left; that is what the whole army looked like on the day it was buried.

Crowds This site runs heavy in peak season, so your guide sets the order of the three pits by the flow on the day rather than walking them in numerical order.

Day 6 · Ride along the city walls and stroll through Hui Fang at night

Morning on top of the wall, evening in the lanes behind the Drum Tower. Today the city shows you its edge and then its middle.

Xi'an city wall cycling You collect a bicycle at the gate, ride up onto one of the most complete surviving ancient city walls in China, and set off along the top. The parapet is wide enough to ride abreast, and it closes a full loop, so you can go around or turn back at any gate. Inside the line: the old street grid and the two towers. Outside it: the twenty-first century, standing at the same height as your handlebars. Halfway around you'll find you have stopped pedaling and are simply looking sideways.

The easier version If the weather or your energy says otherwise, you walk a stretch of the parapet instead and keep the same view.

Bell Tower and Drum Tower The two timekeeping towers at the crossing of the old city's axes, seen lit from the street on the way into the quarter behind them.

The Muslim Quarter in the evening The lanes belonging to Xi'an's Hui community, at their busiest after dark. Bread gets stamped and slapped onto the wall of an oven, meat turns, sesame goes under a stone roller, and your guide tells you what each stall is making before you decide whether you want it.

Day 7 · A pagoda, then the ride to Sichuan

See the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an, then take a high-speed train to Chengdu.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda The pagoda that names this part of Xi'an, standing above its temple grounds with the cultural district laid out at its foot. You walk the compound with your guide, who gives the building its history where it stands, then the square around it before you head to the station.

High-speed train to Chengdu The afternoon service crosses the Qinling range, roughly three to four hours from the dry north into the Sichuan basin, most of it in tunnel and out again. Sit on the right-hand side and watch the vegetation change every time the train comes back into daylight.

Arrival A driver meets the train and the evening is left open; dinner near the hotel is recommended and booked for you if you want it, on your own account.

高铁

Chengdu · Day 8 - Day 9

Day 8 · Watched the pandas, then enjoyed tea at the park in the afternoon

Morning at the Panda Base, then an afternoon of people-watching over a cup of gaiwan tea in People’s Park.

Chengdu panda base You are there in the morning, the hours when the animals are generally moving: eating, coming down off a platform, dropping back to sleep in the fork of a tree. Flat shaded paths, and about three hours to use as you like. Get to an enclosure early and wait rather than walking the loop twice; the animal comes to the fence on its own schedule.

Gaiwan tea sitting at People's Park Bamboo chairs under the trees, a gaiwan each, the lidded cup China brews in, and someone with a long-spouted kettle refilling it as long as you stay. Cards at the next table, an ear cleaner two tables over working with a tuning fork. The afternoon is set aside for exactly this and nothing after it. An hour in, you'll notice you have stopped checking how much of the day is left.

À la carte options Tea beyond the included sitting, and ear cleaning if you want to try it, are ordered on the spot on your own account.

Day 9 · Two Sides of Chengdu, Then Fly to Guilin

In Chengdu, explore Kuanzhai Alley, Taikoo Li, and a Sichuan opera performance; then fly to Guilin for the night.

Kuanzhai Alley and Taikoo Li Three parallel lanes restored into a busy commercial street, and next to them a modern retail district with a Tang-era temple standing in the middle of it. We keep both because they put the city's two economies within sight of each other, and we say plainly that the lanes are a restored streetscape rather than a working one.

Community Sichuan opera theater Head to the community theater for Sichuan opera and face-changing. Please confirm backstage tour access and seating directly with the troupe's daily schedule; fixed row assignments are not guaranteed.

Flight to Guilin After completing the Chengdu segment, head to the airport and fly to Guilin. Please verify the departure date to ensure the flight connects with the Sichuan opera performance and the Li River boat for the following day.

Evening Nothing is scheduled tonight. The night in Guilin exists so that the boat can leave in the morning with you already at the river.

航班

Guilin · Day 10

Day 10 · Four hours, one direction

The Lijiang River cruise is today's itinerary: board in Guilin and disembark in Yangshuo, with the remaining time left open.

The full Li River cruise The cruise departs from Guilin and follows the Li River downstream to Yangshuo. The voyage takes approximately four hours; exact schedules and specific segments are subject to confirmation based on the departure date and water levels.

What goes past Limestone peaks standing in the water rather than behind it, bamboo along the banks, water buffalo in the shallows, fishing rafts crossing the wake. One reach of this river is the picture on the back of China's 20-yuan banknote; your guide tells you when it is coming so you can be on the right side of the deck.

Nothing to do There is no stop, no site and no queue between the two towns. Four hours is long enough that you run out of photographs and start just watching, which is the reason the boat is on this plan instead of the ninety-minute road.

Arrival in Yangshuo You step off at the town's landing and your driver takes you to the hotel, where you unpack once for two nights.

漓江游船

Yangshuo · Day 11 - Day 12

Day 11 · Sink low by the water and sit on the riverbank

Yulong River bamboo rafts, cycling along the riverside flat path, and afternoon tea by the water, in this order.

Yulong River bamboo raft Take a bamboo raft on a designated section of the Yulong River, gliding close to the water with karst peaks and shallow rapids lining the route. Rafting availability and the specific section are subject to daily water levels and safety regulations.

Yulong River riding Cycle along a flat riverside path through rice fields and villages, with karst peaks on view throughout. If you prefer not to ride, please ask us when quoting for the cost of electric bikes or a car transfer.

Riverside afternoon tea Mid-afternoon, a table by the water with mountains on three sides. It runs about an hour and it is the seam between the raft and the end of the day, not a meal; lunch and dinner are your own on this route.

Day 12 · Yangshuo to Shanghai

Fly from Yangshuo via Guilin Airport to Shanghai. This day is dedicated to transit, with no other tours scheduled.

Transfer to Guilin Airport by road Your driver takes you back out of the karst country the fast way, on the road the boat replaced two days ago.

Fly to Shanghai The flight east, then a driver at the other end. The flight number, time and class of travel for your order are written into your quote.

Nothing else today No sightseeing is scheduled, and the evening is left open; dinner near the hotel is recommended and booked for you if you want it, on your own account.

航班

Shanghai · Day 13 - Day 14

Day 13 · A garden, a museum, and a stretch of riverbank

Walk from the Yu Garden and the Shanghai Museum to The Bund, and enjoy views of Pudong across the river in the evening.

Yu Garden and the old city A classical garden of pavilions, rockery, ponds and winding paths inside Shanghai's oldest quarter. Nothing in it is meant to be seen all at once: every few steps a rock or a wall takes the view away and hands back a different one. About two hours, all flat.

Shanghai Museum Visit the Shanghai Museum to explore its bronze, ceramics, and calligraphy and painting collections. Please confirm the specific gallery wings, exhibition halls, and entry time slots on the day based on current openings and reservation status.

The Bund and the Pudong skyline in the evening You walk the waterfront after dark with your guide beside you. On one bank, the trading and bank houses a treaty port left behind; on the other, towers that went up inside thirty years. Stand at the rail with the water between the two and you can see the whole argument at once. Looking across at the far bank, you'll feel the fourteen days close up behind you into a single stretch of time.

Guide accompaniment An evening cruise along the Bund can be arranged with a guide; social tea invitations from strangers are not part of the itinerary.

Day 14 · Wukang Road, Huangpu River ferry, and then airport transfer

If the flight schedule permits, explore Wukang Road, take a ferry to see The Bund from the river, then head to the airport.

Former French Concession and Wukang Road Plane-tree streets, historic residences and small independent shops. Two or three streets rather than a list of addresses, and the pace is set by your flight time rather than by a plan.

Huangpu River ferry The public crossing the city uses to get to the other side, a few minutes on a working boat. It gives you the Bund from the water: the angle none of last night's photographs have.

Airport drop-off Your driver takes you out with margin for your flight. If the flight is late in the day and leaves you a long gap, tell us and we will plan that gap around your check-out time rather than filling it.

Departures

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Hotels

These are sample stays typically included in the itinerary. Final pricing depends on the hotel level selected.

Shanghai

Royal Garden Hotel Shanghai (Shanghai International Resort Area)

Royal Garden Hotel Shanghai: A luxurious garden hotel near Pudong Airport and Disneyland, offering complimentary shuttle service to both destinations.

yangshuo

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

A peaceful riverside retreat for travellers who want Yangshuo's karst scenery to feel close, quiet and unhurried.

Beijing

Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast

International high-end hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and city stays.

Shanghai

Pullman Shanghai Zhonggang Hui Hotel

Pullman Shanghai Zhonggang, located in the South Huangpi Bridge area near the French Concession, is just steps from Metro Line 9 and the Expo site.

Guilin

Sheraton Guilin Hotel

Sheraton Guilin Hotel is located by the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and easy access to Guilin’s attractions.

Chengdu

Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

Located near Jianshe Road and the Eastern Suburb Memory Park, its prime location makes it a desirable choice for accommodation in Chengdu.

Xian

Sheraton Xi'an North City Hotel

Sheraton Xi'an North City: five-star luxury five minutes from the Daming Palace, with an indoor pool and wellness centre.

Yangshuo

Yangshuo Elite Garden

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.

Beijing

DoubleTree by Hilton Beijing East Third Ring Road

International upscale hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and leisure stays.

Shanghai

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao Center Aegean Sea

Inside the Aegean Sea Shopping Park at the intersection of Wuzhong Road and Hongjing Road in the golden commercial district of Hongqiao Town, directly connected to Longbai Xincun Station on Metro Line 10.

Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin is near Guilin Railway Station, offering comfortable stays and convenient facilities for business and leisure travelers.

Chengdu

The Temple House

Boutique luxury hotel inside a restored Qing-dynasty courtyard near Taikoo Li with one of Chengdu's strongest design statements.

Xian

Shangri-La Hotel

Shangri-La Hotel Xi'an: five-star luxury near the Terracotta Warriors, 35 minutes from the airport.

Shanghai

Royal Garden Hotel Shanghai (Shanghai International Resort Area)

Royal Garden Hotel Shanghai: A luxurious garden hotel near Pudong Airport and Disneyland, offering complimentary shuttle service to both destinations.

yangshuo

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

A peaceful riverside retreat for travellers who want Yangshuo's karst scenery to feel close, quiet and unhurried.

Beijing

Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast

International high-end hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and city stays.

Shanghai

Pullman Shanghai Zhonggang Hui Hotel

Pullman Shanghai Zhonggang, located in the South Huangpi Bridge area near the French Concession, is just steps from Metro Line 9 and the Expo site.

Guilin

Sheraton Guilin Hotel

Sheraton Guilin Hotel is located by the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and easy access to Guilin’s attractions.

Chengdu

Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

Located near Jianshe Road and the Eastern Suburb Memory Park, its prime location makes it a desirable choice for accommodation in Chengdu.

Xian

Sheraton Xi'an North City Hotel

Sheraton Xi'an North City: five-star luxury five minutes from the Daming Palace, with an indoor pool and wellness centre.

Yangshuo

Yangshuo Elite Garden

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.

Beijing

DoubleTree by Hilton Beijing East Third Ring Road

International upscale hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and leisure stays.

Shanghai

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao Center Aegean Sea

Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin is near Guilin Railway Station, offering comfortable stays and convenient facilities for business and leisure travelers.

Chengdu

The Temple House

Boutique luxury hotel inside a restored Qing-dynasty courtyard near Taikoo Li with one of Chengdu's strongest design statements.

Xian

Shangri-La Hotel

Shangri-La Hotel Xi'an: five-star luxury near the Terracotta Warriors, 35 minutes from the airport.

Shanghai

Royal Garden Hotel Shanghai (Shanghai International Resort Area)

Royal Garden Hotel Shanghai: A luxurious garden hotel near Pudong Airport and Disneyland, offering complimentary shuttle service to both destinations.

yangshuo

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

A peaceful riverside retreat for travellers who want Yangshuo's karst scenery to feel close, quiet and unhurried.

Beijing

Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast

International high-end hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and city stays.

Shanghai

Pullman Shanghai Zhonggang Hui Hotel

Pullman Shanghai Zhonggang, located in the South Huangpi Bridge area near the French Concession, is just steps from Metro Line 9 and the Expo site.

Guilin

Sheraton Guilin Hotel

Sheraton Guilin Hotel is located by the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and easy access to Guilin’s attractions.

Chengdu

Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

Located near Jianshe Road and the Eastern Suburb Memory Park, its prime location makes it a desirable choice for accommodation in Chengdu.

Xian

Sheraton Xi'an North City Hotel

Sheraton Xi'an North City: five-star luxury five minutes from the Daming Palace, with an indoor pool and wellness centre.

Yangshuo

Yangshuo Elite Garden

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.

Beijing

DoubleTree by Hilton Beijing East Third Ring Road

International upscale hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and leisure stays.

Shanghai

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao Center Aegean Sea

Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin is near Guilin Railway Station, offering comfortable stays and convenient facilities for business and leisure travelers.

Chengdu

The Temple House

Boutique luxury hotel inside a restored Qing-dynasty courtyard near Taikoo Li with one of Chengdu's strongest design statements.

Xian

Shangri-La Hotel

Shangri-La Hotel Xi'an: five-star luxury near the Terracotta Warriors, 35 minutes from the airport.

Included / Excluded

What's Included

Private vehicleThe itineraries for the six tour packages include air-conditioned, dedicated private cars. Airport transfers on Day 1 and Day 14, as well as intercity transportation, must have their pickup/drop-off arrangements and cost responsibilities clearly itemized in the written quotation.
Intercity transportThe itinerary includes four intercity transport legs: Day 4, high-speed rail from Beijing to Xi'an; Day 7, high-speed rail from Xi'an to Chengdu; Day 9, flight from Chengdu to Guilin; and Day 12, flight from Yangshuo via Guilin Airport to Shanghai. On Day 10, travel from Guilin to Yangshuo by Li River cruise. Specific schedules, cabin classes, and fare responsibilities are subject to the written quote.
BaggageStandard checked baggage allowance under the policy of the airline or rail operator carrying that segment
Hotels13 nights at your chosen level, four-star, five-star or quality boutique, breakfast included: Beijing 3 · Xi'an 3 · Chengdu 2 · Guilin 1 · Yangshuo 2 · Shanghai 2
GuideLicensed English-speaking local guide on every listed touring day in each city, including the evening in the Muslim Quarter in Xi'an and the whole Bund evening in Shanghai
Tickets & experiences, BeijingTian'anmen Square, with screening time allowed for in that day's plan · the Forbidden City, timed reservation booked by us · Jingshan Park, entered from the Forbidden City north gate · Mutianyu Great Wall, cable car or chairlift up and toboggan down, both in the base price · Temple of Heaven · National Museum of China, reservation booked by us
Tickets & experiences, Xi'anThe Terracotta Army · Xi'an city wall cycling, bicycle rental in the base price, walking a section instead if the weather or your energy calls for it · Giant Wild Goose Pagoda · Bell Tower and Drum Tower with the Muslim Quarter in the evening
Tickets & experiences, ChengduThe panda base in the morning · gaiwan tea sitting at People's Park, refilled as long as you stay · Kuanzhai Alley and Taikoo Li · the community Sichuan opera theater with a backstage visit and face changing seen close up
Guilin & YangshuoThe full Li River cruise, Guilin down to Yangshuo, about four hours on the water, which is both the transfer and that day's main item · Yulong River bamboo raft · Yulong River riding, bicycle rental in the base price · riverside afternoon tea
Tickets & experiences, ShanghaiYuyuan Garden & the Old Town · Shanghai Museum (entry arrangements confirmed by date) · Evening stroll on the Bund with views of Pudong · Former French Concession & Wukang Road · Huangpu River public ferry
ReservationsVerify reservation procedures and entry time slots for the Forbidden City, the National Museum of China, and the Shanghai Museum by date; specific venues and entry arrangements will be detailed in the confirmation document.
Meals13 hotel breakfasts, one on each of days two through fourteen. The riverside afternoon tea on day eleven is an experience item, not a meal
OtherBottled water on scheduled touring days · travel accident insurance for the duration of the journey

Not Included

International flightsFlights into Beijing and out of Shanghai
VisasVisa fees and processing charges for travelers requiring a visa are to be borne by the traveler themselves; whether a visa is required must be verified based on passport, mode of entry, and actual date.
Lunches and dinnersLunch and dinner are not included on the full itinerary; guests may inquire for dining recommendations and cover their own meal costs.
Sightseeing not listed aboveAny attraction, venue, performance or workshop not named in the included list, including anything added locally
Spending inside venuesFood, drinks, souvenirs and paid services inside any venue. This takes in tea or ear cleaning ordered beyond the included gaiwan tea sitting, and photography services at the panda base
Extra nightsAny night before day one or after day fourteen
Optional add-onsPriced separately at the time of choosing; nothing optional is folded into the base plan
PersonalGratuities for guides and drivers · single or extra-room difference · laundry · minibar · personal shopping
Beyond reasonable controlExtra costs arising from severe weather, transport delays, traffic control and any venue closure or schedule change

Special Notes

Specific arrangements depend on the departure date and operational conditions, as detailed below.

Booking & Written Confirmation — Availability and booking for this itinerary are subject to inquiry based on your departure date. Accommodations, intercity transportation, Li River cruise, and Yangshuo cycling arrangements must be verified for each individual booking. Specific schedules, cabin grades, costs, and cancellation or modification terms are subject to the written quote and confirmation form provided prior to payment.
Winter water activities — For travel in December, please inquire for pricing. The Li River cruise and Yulong River bamboo rafting are subject to water levels, weather, and operator safety regulations. Actual departure schedules and any alternative arrangements must be verified against your specific departure date and confirmed in writing before payment. Until confirmed, we cannot guarantee that the itinerary will follow the water-based route shown on this page.
National Day Holiday — If the itinerary spans October 1–7, please verify ticket availability, Li River cruise, and intercity transit schedules based on your departure date; peak-season itineraries and costs are subject to a written quote.
Mondays and the Forbidden City — The Palace Museum is typically closed on Mondays. If Day 2 falls on a closure day, adjust the visit dates for the Palace Museum and the Great Wall according to actual opening hours, and record the confirmed itinerary in the schedule.
Guilin Flights & River Cruises — For Day 9, fly to Guilin; for Day 10, take the river cruise to Yangshuo. Confirm that the selected flights and boat departures on those dates connect seamlessly.
Evenings in Guilin — No fixed activities are scheduled for the evening of Day 9. To book an optional city night tour, please first confirm your arrival time, available slots, and associated fees.
Transportation and Cycling Specs — Frequencies and cabin classes for the four intercity legs, as well as Li River cruise schedules and boat types, and costs for alternative cycling options in Yangshuo must all be itemized in the written quote; any items not explicitly listed are not assumed to be included.
Visas and Entry — Entry requirements depend on your passport nationality, mode of entry, and the actual dates of your stay in China. Visa-exemption eligibility and permitted duration of stay are subject to official regulations in effect at the time of travel; please verify each booking carefully before payment.
US passports — Entry eligibility for U.S. passport holders must be verified against the actual itinerary and the then-current official regulations; do not assume that a 14-day trip can be completed using a visa-free transit arrangement. If a visa is required, please allow adequate time for processing.
Transit Visa-Free Entry — Travelers who have already entered China on a visa-free transit must verify that their authorized stay covers the actual dates of this itinerary; if the permitted duration is insufficient, the planned 14-day schedule cannot be followed.
Confirmation and changes — Each quote must specify the confirmation deadline and cancellation or modification policy in writing. Rescheduling may affect two domestic flights, two high-speed rail segments, and a Li River cruise; specific rules depend on the actual booked items.

Is Fourteen Days Your Length?

Fewer than fourteen days?

If you only have nine days, consider focusing on Beijing, Xi'an, and Chengdu. You can save the Guilin and Yangshuo leg for another trip. Actual days, transportation, and costs will need to be rearranged based on your travel dates.

Good to Know

Group: Group departure available; single guests may request a quote. The number of travelers, vehicle, and room type will be confirmed based on the order.
Pace: 14 days, 6 cities: 3 nights in Beijing, 3 in Xi'an, 2 in Chengdu, 1 in Guilin, 2 in Yangshuo, and 2 in Shanghai. The itinerary includes 4 intercity transfers and 1 Li River cruise that doubles as a transit leg. Day 12 is dedicated to the Yangshuo-to-Shanghai transfer, with no other sightseeing scheduled.
Effort: Moderate. The Great Wall climb is by cable car or chairlift with a toboggan back down; the Xi'an wall is ridden, or walked in part instead; the Yangshuo riding has an electric bicycle and a vehicle as easier options
Ports: Beijing in, Shanghai out. Airport pickup on day one and drop-off on day fourteen
Visas: Visa requirements depend on your passport nationality, mode of entry, and dates of stay in China; the visa-free scope and permitted duration are subject to the official regulations in effect at the time of travel. Please verify each booking individually before payment.
Language: Licensed English-speaking local guides throughout, city by city. Museum labels are translated for you as you walk
Meals: 13 hotel breakfasts. No lunch or dinner is included on any day; your guide recommends and books, on your own account
Payment: Inquiries can be made based on the departure date. Deposit schedules, final payment deadlines, cancellation and modification policies, and hotel substitution standards are subject to the written confirmation issued before payment.
Season: For National Day and winter departures, transportation, ticket availability, and the operational status of both water-based activities must be verified against specific dates; the quote should clearly state the actual arrangements.

Your Private Concierge

Jenessa

Private China Route Concierge

“A bilingual planning desk for tailor-made China journeys.”

Our China team tunes pacing, hotels and local hosts around each route style.

20+

Years

300+

Trips Designed

24/7

On-Trip Care

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%

Private, never off-the-shelf

Step 03

Lock it in with 30%

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

30%

Deposit to confirm

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

Cancellation terms agreed in writing

English-speaking concierge

Secure payment via Stripe

Guest Reviews

4.9 / 5 · from 523 verified reviews

Emily Carter

🇺🇸 Seattle, USA

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.”

May 2026

Claire Brooks

🇬🇧 London, UK

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.”

Apr 2026

Laura Bennett

🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada

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.”

Mar 2026

Mark Henderson

🇺🇸 Denver, USA

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.”

Feb 2026

Rebecca Miller

🇺🇸 Boston, USA

Really listened to what we wanted

“Really helpful team. They listened to what we wanted and delivered. Beijing and Xi'an were incredible.”

Jan 2026

China Ready

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

Do this before you fly

VPN & Internet Access

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.

Your concierge sets this up on Day 1

Paying in China

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.

We handle the paperwork

Visa & Entry

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.

Our responsibility, always

Safety & Practical Tips

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 traveler.

Before You Book

Everything worth knowing before you book.

Can I book this trip today?

Not yet, and we would rather tell you than take your money. the remaining items have to be settled: this route's internal review has to be re-run and cleared, at least one hotel has to be under contract at each of the six stops, three specifications have to be settled in writing (class of travel, the Li River boat class, the Yangshuo riding difference), and Until then we take no orders and no deposits. What you can do now is send us your dates: we will write to you the day it opens, and if your dates turn out not to work we will say so instead of selling.

Four hours on a boat. Is that too long?

It is the point of the day, not the cost of it. The road from Guilin to Yangshuo takes ninety minutes and we chose the four-hour sailing instead, so nothing else is scheduled at either end. You are on deck the whole way, with limestone peaks, bamboo, water buffalo and fishing rafts going past, and one reach of the river is the picture on the back of China's 20-yuan banknote. Most guests run out of photographs in the second hour and spend the rest of it just looking, which is the part they describe at home.

We want to travel in December. Is that possible?

Not on this route as it stands. The Li River sailing and the Yulong raft both meet low water and low temperatures in December, and the winter replacement for those two days is not decided, so we hold December dates closed rather than sell a plan we would have to change on you. October and November are open, subject to the national holiday week, and if December is your only window we will either tell you when the winter arrangement is settled or point you at a route whose December version is already fixed.

Six places in fourteen days. Is that a lot of moving?

It is four ticketed transfers plus one that is a boat ride. Beijing and Xi'an get three nights each and Yangshuo two, so the bags stay shut for most of the trip; the two short stops are Guilin, which is one night before the morning sailing, and Chengdu, which is two. Day twelve is given entirely to getting from Yangshuo to Shanghai with nothing else on it. If you want fewer moves, the Guilin and Yangshuo stretch is the part that lifts out cleanly and the first nine days stand on their own.

Do we need a visa?

Most guests on this route do not. UK and most European passports enter visa-free for stays days, and so do Canadian, Australian and New Zealand ones. Before you pay we check your 14 days plus any other days in China against that window. The current policy runs through December 31, 2026, so departures on or before December 17, 2026 finish inside it. US passports are different: the US is not on that list, and 14 days is longer than the 10-day transit policy allows, so every US guest on this route holds a Chinese tourist or business visa and needs to allow processing time. We confirm visa status before any payment.

The Forbidden City

Jingshan Park

Mutianyu Great Wall

Mutianyu Great Wall Luge Ride

Tiananmen Square

Temple of Heaven

National Museum of China

Terra Cotta Warriors

Xi'an City Wall Cycling

Bell and Drum Towers

Huifang Night Tour

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

Chengdu Panda Base

Tea at People's Park

Kuanzhai Alley and Taikoo Li

Community Opera House

Lijiang River Cruise

Yulong River Bamboo Rafting

Yulong River Cycling

Riverside Afternoon Tea

Yuyuan Garden & Old Town

Shanghai Museum

The Bund

Former French Concession and Wukang Road

The Bund & Huangpu River Ferry

01. The Forbidden City

02. Jingshan Park

03. Mutianyu Great Wall

04. Mutianyu Great Wall Luge Ride

05. Tiananmen Square

06. Temple of Heaven

07. National Museum of China

08. Terra Cotta Warriors

09. Xi'an City Wall Cycling

10. Bell and Drum Towers

11. Huifang Night Tour

12. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

13. Chengdu Panda Base

14. Tea at People's Park

15. Kuanzhai Alley and Taikoo Li

16. Community Opera House

17. Lijiang River Cruise

18. Yulong River Bamboo Rafting

19. Yulong River Cycling

20. Riverside Afternoon Tea

21. Yuyuan Garden & Old Town

22. Shanghai Museum

23. The Bund

24. Former French Concession and Wukang Road

25. The Bund & Huangpu River Ferry

01. The Forbidden City

02. Jingshan Park

03. Mutianyu Great Wall

04. Mutianyu Great Wall Luge Ride

05. Tiananmen Square

06. Temple of Heaven

07. National Museum of China

08. Terra Cotta Warriors

09. Xi'an City Wall Cycling

10. Bell and Drum Towers

11. Huifang Night Tour

12. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

13. Chengdu Panda Base

14. Tea at People's Park

15. Kuanzhai Alley and Taikoo Li

16. Community Opera House

17. Lijiang River Cruise

18. Yulong River Bamboo Rafting

19. Yulong River Cycling

20. Riverside Afternoon Tea

21. Yuyuan Garden & Old Town

22. Shanghai Museum

23. The Bund

24. Former French Concession and Wukang Road

25. The Bund & Huangpu River Ferry

01. The Forbidden City

02. Jingshan Park

03. Mutianyu Great Wall

04. Mutianyu Great Wall Luge Ride

05. Tiananmen Square

Beijing · Day 1 - Day 4

Xi'an · Day 5 - Day 7

Chengdu · Day 8 - Day 9

Guilin · Day 10

Yangshuo · Day 11 - Day 12

Shanghai · Day 13 - Day 14