---
title: "One Country, Two Clocks"
description: "15 days from the Great Wall to Victoria Harbour crossing a border without leaving China"
type: "tour"
route_id: "china-hong-kong-15-days"
total_days: 15
price: 5000
highlights: ["Beijing", "Xi'an", "Chengdu", "Guilin", "Yangshuo", "Shenzhen", "Hong Kong"]
url: "https://www.lyriktrip.com/tours/china-hong-kong-15-days"
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# One Country, Two Clocks

15 days from the Great Wall to Victoria Harbour crossing a border without leaving China

The classic arc, finished differently. The Terracotta Warriors, pandas, the Li River and Shenzhen's markets, with English-speaking guides city by city.

- Moderate — up to about 12,000 steps a day, with some stairs — City walking, Great Wall steps, one gentle forest path, and low-altitude travel throughout; cable cars do the climbing.

## Overview

Most first journeys to China stop where the famous stones stop. This one keeps moving: Beijing's palaces, the buried army outside Xi'an, Chengdu slowing you down on purpose, the Li River barely moving at all, then Shenzhen, a young city in a hurry. On the second-to-last morning you pass through immigration without leaving China: Hong Kong closes the line on its own clock, your last evening free beside the harbour. Trains, one flight and private vehicles carry the arc, and guides pass you from city to city. On the flight home, the answer to what China is like needs every one of these cities.

LyrikTrip travel designers

Every LyrikTrip journey begins with a conversation. Tell us your dates and who's coming. First reply within four hours; a clear price for your dates within one business day.

## Summary

- Route ID: china-hong-kong-15-days
- Duration: 15 days / 14 nights
- Starting price: $5,000
- Status: active
- Highlights: Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, Yangshuo, Shenzhen, Hong Kong
- Cover image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8N5rii5U.webp

## Hero tags

- private
- cultural
- nature
- cities
- first-time China

## Highlight notes

- The classic arc, finished differently. The Terracotta Warriors, pandas, the Li River and Shenzhen's markets.

## Selling points

- Follow the Great Wall from inside a Mutianyu watchtower until it drops behind a ridge.
- Look down on the buried army outside Xi'an, ranks still holding after two thousand years.
- Sit close to a Sichuan Opera stage and try to catch the instant the mask changes.
- Ride the Li River south as the peaks take both banks, then give a day to rice fields.
- Walk Huaqiangbei's component floors, the supply room behind the world's devices, then watch the skyline.
- Cross one border on your last morning and never leave China, ending beside Victoria Harbour.

## City highlights

- Beijing (3 days): the Forbidden City
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2NrOlGT4.webp
- Chengdu (3 days): pandas, alleys, opera and tea
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/fmxX7nhY.webp
- Guilin (1 days): the first argument by water
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7cPKXbrk.webp
- Shenzhen (2 days): inside the machine
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/09971fb8ed55.jpg
- Hong Kong (2 days): the crossing
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/g6hJVnXb.webp
- Xi'an (2 days): Terracotta Warriors and old city
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/kyPNvl4j.webp
- Yangshuo (2 days): the countryside
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/jhDqXRt7.webp

## Experiences

15 days from the Great Wall to Victoria Harbour. Cross a border without leaving China.

- Hutong & Shichahai Walk (Beijing): the neighborhood fabric old Beijing still lives in: gray courtyard houses, narrow lanes, lakes ringed with willows, and the Drum and Bell Towers that once told the whole city the time. You walk it with your guide on your arrival day, paced to however much energy your flight has left you; land late and the lanes simply wait for another evening. Why it opens the trip: the palaces show how emperors lived; the hutongs show how everyone else did, and they came first.
  - Subtitle: the neighborhood fabric old Beijing still lives in: gray courtyard houses, narrow
  - Tags: City
  - Host: Beijing, Beijing Lens — Imperial capital and Great Wall
  - Access: Why it opens the trip: the palaces show how emperors lived; the hutongs show how everyone else did, and they came first.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c24addfaebbd.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f8eee3ac9120.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/63616b80ebb4.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/fe9f94178424.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c3750a516f25.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b76ac68047c9.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/813e0ad5e32f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8f53a337fbca.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/748ea658803d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/61793c2d137e.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 polished 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
- Terracotta Warriors: Reading the Pits (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, armor 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: History
  - Host: Xi'an, Xi'an Lens — Warriors and ancient capital
  - Access: Why it rewards a slow visit: the scale reads in one glance, the craftsmanship only up close.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/de05241524fb.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/788c1d294602.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/70bc50b897e9.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f58fac3efc36.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dcbc4615cebd.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a379bf924cf3.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4cd4eb7405cc.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3d63338ab682.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 rings 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
- Bell and Drum Tower square and the Muslim Quarter by night (Xi'an): After dark, Bell and Drum Towers face off over smoky food lanes. Pulled noodles, persimmon cakes, roujiamo, and naan ovens line the Hui quarter. Your guide explains what to eat and how—walking included, tower entry extra, snacks cheap and self-paid. Centuries of Silk Road history stay edible here tonight.
  - Subtitle: At dusk, the timekeeping Bell and Drum Towers face off across the old center, while behind them the Hui quarter's lanes come alive. Your guide walks you through, decoding each stall—what's worth it, what's for tourists, how to eat. About two hours; tower entry extra, snacks self-paid and cheap.
  - Tags: City
  - Host: Xi'an, Xi'an Lens — Warriors and ancient capital
  - Access: the two towers that once kept the city's time, and behind them the lanes of the Hui neighborhood after dark, at the hour they are actually busy. Your guide walks it with you and reads the food stalls: what is worth stopping for, what is a tourist item, and how each thing is eaten. Climbing the Bell Tower or the Drum Tower is a separate on-site ticket and is not in your price; food is on your own account.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/be2d09d79b66.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/02e10943b0b8.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a89c8581e5c7.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/281d43f0922e.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/467e9f21253b.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/be17d6a5ce49.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2be0c598ad8d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/cc45951bdee2.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/68851d1cd2f1.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/40f5c954821f.jpg
- Panda Base Morning (Chengdu): the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a conservation and research center set in landscaped grounds. The day starts early on purpose: mornings are when the pandas are most likely to be eating, climbing and moving about, and when you hear from keepers how breeding research and conservation actually work. The animals keep their own hours; the early start is how you stack the odds.
  - Subtitle: the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a conservation and research
  - Tags: Nature
  - Host: Chengdu, Chengdu Lens — Pandas and Sichuan culture
  - Access: The animals keep their own hours; the early start is how you stack the odds.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f6af2b077278.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4db4ef6e0c06.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/dd9c9ced898c.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/cdab22c7bcf5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bcdc08962f93.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/555afb7cf137.jpg
- Tuk-Tuk Food Route (Chengdu): a ride through Chengdu's residential neighborhoods and old alleys, stopping at small restaurants and long-established local favorites. You try the things the city actually eats: guokui, a flatbread baked until the crust crackles, egg pancakes hot off the griddle, and whatever the season adds. The route is about more than the food: neighborhood markets, family-run kitchens, the daily social life that built Chengdu's reputation for eating well.
  - Subtitle: a ride through Chengdu's residential neighborhoods and old alleys, stopping at small
  - Tags: Food
  - Host: Chengdu, Chengdu Lens — Pandas and Sichuan culture
  - Access: The route is about more than the food: neighborhood markets, family-run kitchens, the daily social life that built Chengdu's reputation for eating well.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/58a19af91291.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/936a02f8cb37.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b1435e993cc1.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9dde224087c2.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/aa2e718f79ba.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2b2cfb25abaa.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/702176acc348.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1ce1da3a573e.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bbd46ee1261a.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ab776054aa66.jpg
- Sichuan Opera Up Close (Chengdu): a seat inside a traditional community theater, close to the stage. You take in the costumes, the percussion and the stage craft behind this regional art form, and then the part everyone waits for: face-changing at close range, masks switching faster than a card trick, an arm's length away. Why a community theater: this is the art form at home, performed where it grew up.
  - Subtitle: a seat inside a traditional community theater, close to the stage
  - Tags: Culture
  - Host: Chengdu, Chengdu Lens — Pandas and Sichuan culture
  - Access: Why a community theater: this is the art form at home, performed where it grew up.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/28fc4929d121.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7c6e38cac1ea.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/51a9410a311d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9504e34cb716.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c7adcea03a38.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7727dea96809.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/6a04c465a5e9.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ecc2d4225c3f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2666ac9c1042.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/551fdba21a23.jpg
- People's Park Tea (Chengdu): the day's landing place: a chair in the park, a gaiwan, the lidded cup China brews in, and residents all around you chatting, playing cards and spending their evening the Chengdu way. Nothing else is scheduled after it; you stay as long as the tea keeps coming. Why it closes the Chengdu day: after pandas, tuk-tuks and opera, this is where the city shows you what it does with free time.
  - Subtitle: the day's landing place: a chair in the park, a gaiwan, the
  - Tags: City
  - Host: Chengdu, Chengdu Lens — Pandas and Sichuan culture
  - Access: Why it closes the Chengdu day: after pandas, tuk-tuks and opera, this is where the city shows you what it does with free time.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/77584e962219.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/34f6c86b2f9f.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/8f2cd09b7914.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2e09c831a6a1.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/62048183e783.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9d549716c30b.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/54b87e0ee67b.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/46bb3f1c4d8b.jpg
- Dujiangyan & Mount Qingcheng (Chengdu): two ideas an hour from Chengdu. Dujiangyan is an ancient irrigation system that still regulates water across the Chengdu Plain: you walk its main sections while your guide shows how the design borrows the river's own movement to divide flow, release flood pressure and manage sediment. Mount Qingcheng answers with the opposite instinct: a gentle forest walk away from the busiest routes, then a private tea beside the mountain, with Taoist ideas of balance and restraint in the air rather than on a plaque.
  - Subtitle: two ideas an hour from Chengdu
  - Tags: Nature
  - Host: Chengdu, Chengdu Lens — Pandas and Sichuan culture
  - Access: Mount Qingcheng answers with the opposite instinct: a gentle forest walk away from the busiest routes, then a private tea beside the mountain, with Taoist ideas of balance and restraint in the air rather than on a plaque.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8536ecd7fa6d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9d9a43ba2c4d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ce3d6d1ff035.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ce595a251ee1.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9f898d955232.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5185e0e08b89.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b01d20980b27.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/271e2d47194f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/193c91a15f0d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/011089e873d3.jpg
- Li River Cruise (Guilin): The Li River Cruise carries travelers through Guilin's signature karst scenery toward Yangshuo.
  - Subtitle: The classic Guilin to Yangshuo river journey
  - Tags: River Cruise
  - Host: Guilin, Guilin Lens — Karst rivers and terraces
  - Access: A slow scenic transfer through one of China's most recognizable landscapes.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a5f789c445a3.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7dba15774930.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/0c55cb43391f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4a7712b16e0f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/851ee4224979.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8cc7f309eb2a.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/859a8a38d0d2.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/745a0df35af1.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b6b549bed65b.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7eea69cfad11.jpg
- Yangshuo Countryside Day (Yangshuo): a whole day in the landscape around Yangshuo: rice fields, villages and quiet riverside paths framed by limestone peaks. You choose the mode: gentle cycling, countryside walking, or a bamboo raft on the Yulong River, and the pace leaves room to watch village life and stop for photographs whenever the light asks. Why a full day: this is the landscape China has painted for centuries, and it does not reward hurry.
  - Subtitle: a whole day in the landscape around Yangshuo: rice fields, villages and
  - Tags: Slow
  - Host: Yangshuo, Yangshuo Lens — Countryside and karst calm
  - Access: Why a full day: this is the landscape China has painted for centuries, and it does not reward hurry.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/02042b694496.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5943b2f5538d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b09be4e9e978.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f08a7d5e0a6e.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/e972b823ffca.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/be8117047f82.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/21642ae11f13.jpg
- Huaqiangbei (Shenzhen): one of the world's best-known electronics districts. You walk floors and streets where components, prototypes and finished devices sell side by side, and the supply chain behind the world's gadgets stops being an abstraction: it has counters, prices and business cards. Your guide keeps the logic straight while you browse.
  - Subtitle: one of the world's best-known electronics districts
  - Tags: Tech
  - Host: Shenzhen, Shenzhen Lens — Drones and future mobility
  - Access: Your guide keeps the logic straight while you browse.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f3ad2afbd3b2.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/200120e470fb.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/968fce5767a5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/403ff3a81a73.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b0f4ce04c70d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/92c50a687090.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2c610df7011f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dd5d5cbe7e98.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2a799aaa4b8b.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4576ade7ac05.jpg
- Hong Kong, Unscheduled (Hong Kong): the journey's built-in ending: from the moment you clear immigration, the schedule stops. Victoria Harbour is a short ride from most hotels; beyond it, neighborhoods, shopping and one of the world's densest dining scenes, all yours to take in any order or none. We arrange the cross-border transfer in and the airport transfer out; between the two, we can send ideas suited to your dates, and otherwise we stay out of your way.
  - Subtitle: the journey's built-in ending: from the moment you clear immigration, the schedule
  - Tags: Free
  - Host: Hong Kong Local Host, Hong Kong culture and logistics specialist — A local host who tunes the Hong Kong chapter around access, timing and food.
  - Access: We arrange the cross-border transfer in and the airport transfer out; between the two, we can send ideas suited to your dates, and otherwise we stay out of your way.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8f991b8da1a5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9947cadd9993.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/6006220c01b5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ab1a94ade4a2.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7bc3b33714ab.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3c6496759bcc.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/0224bad36063.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/94a873f09fa4.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/59ef16f1a5a9.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/e97131af90b2.jpg
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## Itinerary

### Imperial capitals - 5 days

Beijing and Xi'an

#### Beijing (3 days)

- Subtitle: the Forbidden City
- Recommendation: Begin with the palace axis and Mutianyu.
- Transport: High-speed rail
- Transport mode: train

Keep arrival flexible and give the palace and wall separate days.

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2NrOlGT4.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: Beijing: arrival and old lanes

- (transport) — Meet the guide and transfer privately to the hotel.
- (sight) — Walk toward the Drum and Bell Towers when arrival time allows.

##### Day 2: Beijing: the Forbidden City

- (sight) — Begin on the historic Central Axis.
- (sight) — Walk gates, courtyards and halls in sequence.
- (sight) — Look back across the palace and old city's symmetry.

##### Day 3: Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall

- (sight) — Take the cable car and walk between watchtowers.
- (sight) — Follow the wall until it drops behind ridges.
- (sight) — Exterior stop only when time permits.

#### Xi'an (2 days)

- Subtitle: Terracotta Warriors and old city
- Recommendation: Read the Terracotta Warriors and old city before continuing south.
- Transport: High-speed rail
- Transport mode: train

Pair the excavation halls with the city wall and Muslim Quarter.

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/kyPNvl4j.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: Beijing: Temple of Heaven and rail west

- (sight) — Walk the Hall of Prayer, Imperial Vault and Circular Mound.
- (transport) — Travel west and meet the next guide at the station.

##### Day 5: Xi'an: Terracotta Warriors and old city

- (sight) — Read rank and formation in the excavation pits.
- (sight) — Walk or cycle a stretch of the rampart.
- (sight) — Walk food lanes with your guide; what you eat is on your account.

### Chengdu's slower clock - 3 days

Food and daily life

#### Chengdu (3 days)

- Subtitle: pandas, alleys, opera and tea
- Recommendation: Slow the line with pandas, neighborhood food, theater, tea and a forest day.
- Transport: Flight
- Transport mode: airplane

Start early for pandas and leave People's Park as the day's landing place.

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/fmxX7nhY.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: Xi'an: pagoda and rail to Chengdu

- (sight) — Read Buddhist learning and Silk Road exchanges.
- (transport) — Travel into Sichuan and transfer to the hotel.

##### Day 7: Chengdu: pandas, alleys, opera and tea

- (sight) Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding — Start early for the more active morning hours.
- (sight) — Ride neighborhoods and old alleys between small restaurants and markets.
- (sight) — See stage craft and face-changing at close range.
- (sight) — End with gaiwan tea among local residents.

##### Day 8: Chengdu: Dujiangyan and Mount Qingcheng

- (sight) — Walk the irrigation system and see how it divides flow and sediment.
- (sight) Mount Qingcheng around Chengdu — Take a gentle forest walk and quiet tea.

### Li River country - 3 days

Guilin and Yangshuo

#### Guilin (1 days)

- Subtitle: the first argument by water
- Recommendation: Enter the karst chapter by water.
- Transport: Li River cruise
- Transport mode: car

Set the first afternoon by the inbound flight.

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7cPKXbrk.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: Fly south: Guilin by water

- (transport) — Fly south and meet the local guide.
- (sight) Two Rivers and Four Lakes — Choose according to flight time.
- (sight) — Walk by the water after dark.

#### Yangshuo (2 days)

- Subtitle: the countryside
- Recommendation: Give the river and countryside one full day each.
- Transport: High-speed rail
- Transport mode: train

Let water conditions decide the Yulong mode.

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/jhDqXRt7.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: The Li River to Yangshuo

- (transport) — Travel downstream through limestone peaks, bamboo banks and villages.
- (note) — Choose West Street or the riverside.

##### Day 11: The Yangshuo countryside

- (sight) — Choose gentle cycling, walking or a Yulong River bamboo raft.
- (note) — Leave room for stops and observation.

### Delta and harbour - 4 days

Shenzhen and Hong Kong

#### Shenzhen (2 days)

- Subtitle: inside the machine
- Recommendation: Read urban growth through Huaqiangbei and Shenzhen Bay.
- Transport: Cross-border transfer
- Transport mode: car

Keep Huaqiangbei fixed and the border day free of timed visits.

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/09971fb8ed55.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8AH70UD0.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/h4WopDz7.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/j3OhqX9B.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/0540e86e5dd0.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/0cb198f8a49d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1dabf6d8d82e.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4ba54eb84471.jpg
##### Day 12: Rail to Shenzhen

- (transport) — Travel from Yangshuo into the Pearl River Delta.
- (sight) Shenzhen Bay Park — See the city's contemporary landmarks and Talent Park waterfront.
- (sight) — Look across the water to Hong Kong's hills.

##### Day 13: Shenzhen: inside the machine

- (sight) — Read manufacturing and urban growth.
- (sight) — Walk components, prototypes and devices floor by floor.
- (sight) — See technology-district exteriors and the waterfront.

#### Hong Kong (2 days)

- Subtitle: the crossing
- Recommendation: Close independently beside Victoria Harbour after the immigration crossing.
- Transport: Cross-border transfer
- Transport mode: car

Schedule nothing against the variable border queue.

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/g6hJVnXb.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2HWhFaSn.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4B3tATB2.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/6uqudQX3.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/aT7x6Ctn.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ciIucdIT.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/eDHw7F3g.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/hzBbZEE0.webp
##### Day 14: The crossing: Hong Kong

- (transport) — Pass through immigration from Shenzhen into Hong Kong.
- (note) — Keep Victoria Harbour, neighborhoods, shops and dining entirely at your pace.

##### Day 15: Departure

- (note) — Choose the harbour, a neighborhood walk or breakfast.
- (transport) — Transfer privately to Hong Kong International Airport with time to spare.

## Daily plan

### Day 1 — Beijing: arrival & the old lanes

Land, drop your bags, walk. The old city says hello at street level.

- Arrival: your local guide meets you at the airport, and a private vehicle takes you to the hotel; the rest of the day is shaped around your landing time.
- Shichahai & the hutongs: energy permitting, you walk the lakefront and the courtyard lanes behind it, past historic courtyard houses toward the Drum and Bell Towers: at the end of a gray lane, the tower that once told the whole city the time stands in silhouette. Arrive late, and you rest instead; the lanes keep.
- Stay: Beijing
- Meals: None included today

### Day 2 — Beijing: the Forbidden City

Walk the palace the way the court did. From the hill, the whole plan makes sense.

- Tian'anmen Square: you begin on the great square at the heart of Beijing's historic Central Axis, the straight line the old capital was built along.
- The Forbidden City: you enter the former palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties and walk its sequence in order: monumental gates, ceremonial courtyards, palace halls; your guide reads the architectural hierarchy as you go, which roofs outrank which, where the emperor worked and where the court actually lived.
- Jingshan Park: you climb the hill just north of the palace and turn around: the entire complex you spent the morning inside fits into a single frame, and the symmetry of the old city's plan snaps into place. Halfway up the steps you'll notice you've stopped talking; most people do.
- Stay: Beijing
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 3 — Beijing: the Great Wall at Mutianyu

The cable car does the climbing. The wall does the explaining.

- Up to the wall: you drive into the mountains north of the city, and the cable car lifts you to the upper wall; from there you walk the ridge between watchtowers, valleys dropping away on both sides.
- Inside a watchtower: you stand in a tower opening and follow the wall with your eyes until it drops behind a ridge, in both directions; your guide fills in the system it belonged to: beacon signals, garrisons, and engineering bent to fit the terrain.
- Back to the city: time permitting, the drive back pauses at the Olympic Park for exterior views of the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube: Beijing's newest century, an afternoon after its oldest wall.
- Stay: Beijing
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 4 — Beijing: Temple of Heaven, then west

A morning built around the sky. Then the fast train west.

- Temple of Heaven: you walk the complex where Ming and Qing emperors performed the ceremonies for good harvests: the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the Circular Mound Altar; the round halls rise out of square courtyards, and you can read the old cosmology, heaven round, earth square, from where you stand.
- Rail to Xi'an: your driver and guide time the transfer to your train, and the high-speed rail carries you west; in Xi'an, your next guide is waiting at the station.
- Stay: Xi'an
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 5 — Xi'an: the Terracotta Warriors & the old city

An army that never disbanded. Read its ranks, then eat in the city's oldest quarter.

- The Terracotta Warriors: you look down into the pits at the underground army of Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor: columns of soldiers receding toward earth that is still unexcavated; your guide teaches you to tell officers from archers by armor and hairstyle, and what the whole formation says about the ambition of the Qin dynasty.
- Xi'an City Wall: back in the center, you go up onto the Ming-era rampart and take a stretch on foot or by bike: gate towers ahead of you, the moat below, old streets on one side and the modern city on the other.
- The Muslim Quarter: in the evening you walk the Bell and Drum Tower area into the Muslim Quarter: charcoal smoke, flatbread ovens, shopfronts generations old; your guide steers, what you eat is on your account.
- Stay: Xi'an
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 6 — Xi'an: the pagoda, then Sichuan

Xi'an was Chang'an first. One pagoda holds the memory, then the train heads for Sichuan.

- Giant Wild Goose Pagoda: you visit the brick pagoda and its surrounding grounds and hear the story of Chang'an, Xi'an's old name, when it stood among the great cities of the world under the Tang dynasty; the pagoda anchors a history of Buddhist learning and the flow of ideas along the Silk Road between China, Central Asia and India. Standing at its base, you look up the tapering brick tiers that have watched all of it.
- Rail to Chengdu: the afternoon train carries you into Sichuan; your Chengdu guide meets you at the station, and the evening is yours for rest or a first walk around the hotel neighborhood.
- Stay: Chengdu
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 7 — Chengdu: pandas, alleys, opera, tea

Chengdu compresses nothing. Somehow one day still holds pandas, tuk-tuks, opera and tea.

- Panda base, early: you start early at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, in the hours when the pandas are most likely to be eating and climbing; keepers' routines and the base's conservation work fill in the story behind the animals.
- Tuk-tuk food route: back in the city, you board a tuk-tuk through residential neighborhoods and old alleys, stopping at small restaurants and long-standing local favorites: guokui baked until the crust crackles, egg pancakes off the griddle, markets and family kitchens along the way.
- Sichuan Opera, close: in the afternoon you take a seat in a traditional community theater: costumes, percussion, stage craft, and then face-changing at arm's length, the mask gone and replaced faster than you can settle on the moment it happened.
- People's Park: you end the day in the park with a gaiwan of tea, residents chatting and playing cards around you. You'll check the time once, and then not again.
- Stay: Chengdu
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 8 — Chengdu: Dujiangyan & Mount Qingcheng

Two ideas older than most countries. One moves water, one asks you to slow down.

- Dujiangyan: you walk the main sections of the ancient irrigation system that still regulates water across the Chengdu Plain, and stand where the river is made to divide itself: the design borrows the water's own movement to split flow, release flood pressure and carry sediment away, no dam required.
- Mount Qingcheng: in the afternoon you trade engineering for philosophy: a gentle forest walk away from the busiest routes, then a quiet tea beside the mountain, with Taoist ideas of balance and living with nature carried by the setting rather than a signboard.
- Stay: Chengdu
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 9 — Fly south: Guilin by water

Change registers mid-journey. Guilin makes its first argument by water.

- The flight south: a short flight takes you from Chengdu to Guilin; your local guide meets you at arrivals.
- First peaks: depending on your flight schedule, you visit Elephant Trunk Hill or walk the Two Rivers and Four Lakes area: a first pass at this city's particular arithmetic of rivers, lakes and limestone peaks rising straight from the streets.
- Evening by the water: after dark you stroll the waterfront as the peaks go to shadow and the city lights come down to meet their reflections.
- Stay: Guilin
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 10 — The Li River to Yangshuo

Board in a city, step off among the peaks. Let the river set the day's speed.

- The cruise: you board in Guilin and travel downstream: limestone peaks doubled in calm water, bamboo along the banks, farming villages and working boats sliding past; the city thins out behind you until the peaks take both banks. Somewhere past the third bend, you'll stop counting them.
- Yangshuo: you step off in the afternoon and check in; the evening is yours for West Street or the riverside, whichever noise level suits you.
- Stay: Yangshuo
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel; buffet lunch on board

### Day 11 — The Yangshuo countryside

No tickets today. The countryside is the whole program.

- Fields and villages: you spend the day among rice fields, villages and quiet riverside paths framed by limestone peaks, on the mode you choose: gentle cycling, countryside walking, or a bamboo raft on the Yulong River.
- The pace: the day is built loose on purpose: room to watch village life go by, and photography stops whenever the light asks; down a lane between paddies, the peaks stand in rows to the horizon.
- Stay: Yangshuo
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 12 — Rail to Shenzhen

South into the delta. The youngest city on the line, and the quickest.

- The train south: the high-speed rail carries you from Yangshuo into the Pearl River Delta; your Shenzhen guide meets you at the station.
- First pass at the new city: paced to your arrival, you take in the city's contemporary landmarks: the Civic Center, Gangxia North Station, and the Shenzhen Bay waterfront at Talent Park, where towers, transit hubs and parks were all built inside a working lifetime.
- Across the bay: at the waterfront you look out over the water: the hills on the far shore are already Hong Kong, two days early.
- Stay: Shenzhen
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 13 — Shenzhen: inside the machine

A border village within living memory. Spend a day inside what it became.

- Shenzhen Industrial Museum: you start with the backstory: exhibitions on manufacturing, urban growth and emerging industries that trace how a small border settlement became a center of innovation inside a few decades.
- Huaqiangbei: then the present tense: you walk one of the world's best-known electronics districts, floor after floor where components, prototypes and finished devices sell side by side; the supply chain behind the world's gadgets turns out to have counters, prices and business cards.
- Nanshan & the waterfront: in the afternoon you head to the Nanshan technology district for exterior views of DJI Sky City and Tencent's Seafront Towers, then walk Talent Park and the Shenzhen Bay waterfront; the evening is free for dinner and the lit skyline.
- Stay: Shenzhen
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 14 — The crossing: Hong Kong

One immigration line, same country. The journey saves its strangest turn for last.

- The crossing: at breakfast you are in Shenzhen. By afternoon you have stood in an immigration line, watched the taxis switch to the left side of the road, and paid for a coffee in a different currency. You have not left China. That evening at the harbour rail, you'll rehearse how to tell this day back home, and notice the sentence keeps needing both cities.
- Hong Kong, yours: after hotel check-in, the afternoon and evening run entirely at your pace: a stroll beside Victoria Harbour, neighborhoods and shops, or a first pass at one of the world's densest dining scenes. Nothing is scheduled after the crossing, on purpose: the day absorbs whatever the border does.
- Stay: Hong Kong
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 15 — Departure

Fly out over the water. The answer you take home needs both clocks.

- Your morning: free time shaped by your flight schedule: the harbour once more, a last neighborhood walk, or a slow breakfast.
- To the airport: at the appointed time, a private vehicle takes you from the hotel to Hong Kong International Airport, with time to spare; the skyline slides past on the airport road.
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

## Hotels

### Atour Hotel (Beijing West Railway Station South Square)

- City: Beijing
- Description: Upscale local hotel near Beijing West Railway Station South Square.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dHqyz391.webp

### Somerset Xindicheng Xi'an

- City: xi'an
- Description: A comfortable serviced-apartment option in Xi'an, suited to travellers who like extra space and a more residential feel.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1ObUAtFi.webp

### Atour Hotel Chengdu Taikoo Li Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street

- City: Chengdu
- Description: A simple Chengdu stay near Chunxi Road, good for travellers who want easy walks, food stops, and short city transfers.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bUOsDqAb.webp

### Shangri-La Hotel Guilin

- City: guilin
- Description: A softer riverside stay in Guilin, good for travellers who want a greener setting and a calmer break between sightseeing days.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/l5FMkJfm.webp

### Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel

- City: yangshuo
- Description: A characterful Yangshuo stay with a countryside feel, suited to travellers who prefer charm over a standard city hotel.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/hHS5RgEc.webp

### Kempinski Hotel Shenzhen

- City: Shenzhen
- Description: A Nanshan hotel beside the Houhai commercial district, with easy access to Shenzhen's western business and cultural areas.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2mFLzVk5.webp

### Hotel ICON

- City: Hong Kong
- Description: A curated hotel option in Hong Kong, used as the shared route hotel resource.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2XMb29Uz.webp

### 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 high-end hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and city stays.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bWOFYezP.jpg

### Sheraton Guilin Hotel

- City: Guilin
- Description: Sheraton Guilin Hotel is located by the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and easy access to Guilin’s attractions.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/kjMQHeJN.webp

### Sheraton Xi'an North City Hotel

- City: Xian
- 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

### 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

### Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen

- City: Shenzhen
- Description: Located in Futian CBD, close to major landmarks and metro lines. Featuring 500+ elegant rooms and suites with exclusive Horizon Club services.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/lNzYq6FP.webp

### Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West

- City: Hong Kong
- Description: Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7OlDihlc.webp

### 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

### China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin

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

### Shangri-La Hotel

- City: Xian
- 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

### The Temple House

- City: Chengdu
- Description: Boutique luxury hotel inside a restored Qing-dynasty courtyard near Taikoo Li with one of Chengdu's strongest design statements.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2Dh9ApbX.webp

### The Langham, Shenzhen

- City: Shenzhen
- Description: The Langham, Shenzhen is a luxury hotel in Futian CBD, featuring elegant rooms, fine dining, and premium facilities.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4S1F07e6.webp

### The Kowloon Hotel

- City: Hong Kong
- Description: The Kowloon Hotel
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9FCd1xQG.jpg

## Included / Excluded

### What's Included

- Private vehicles: Air-conditioned private vehicles for listed sightseeing and transfers, including airport and station pick-ups, cross-border transfer to Hong Kong and final airport drop-off.
- Hotels: 14 nights in selected four-star, five-star or quality boutique stays, breakfast daily from Day 2.
- Guides: Licensed English-speaking guides in every mainland city; Hong Kong is an independent stay by design.
- Tickets and experiences: Listed attractions plus the Li River cruise with its buffet lunch on board, tuk-tuk food route, Sichuan Opera seat, People's Park tea and Yangshuo countryside day; the exact list is itemized in the confirmation.

### Not Included

- Long-haul: International flights to Beijing and onward travel from Hong Kong.
- Internal legs: The Chengdu to Guilin flight and inter-city rail tickets are quoted with the confirmation.
- Meals: Beyond breakfast and the Day 10 buffet lunch on the cruise, lunches and dinners stay flexible and are on your account.
- Personal: Visas and entry requirements as applicable, gratuities, single supplement and personal spending.

### Special Notes

A few things on this route depend on flights, animals, rivers or a border.

- Arrival evening: The Shichahai walk flexes to landing time; arrive late and rest instead.
- Olympic Park: An exterior stop if time permits; the wall is not shortened for it.
- Panda mornings: The early start improves the chance of active animals, but pandas keep their own schedule.
- Guilin's first afternoon: Elephant Trunk Hill or Two Rivers and Four Lakes follows the flight schedule.
- Yulong River rafting: Subject to river levels and safety rules; the same fields and lanes remain accessible by bike or on foot.
- The border day: Queue times vary; the transfer is door to door and the Hong Kong afternoon stays free.
- Hotels and venues: Named in the confirmation; or similar means the same class and comparable location.

## Is Fifteen Days Your Length?

Tell us your dates and who's coming; the length can be shaped around you.

### Have the full window?

Read the full gradient from palaces and an army to teahouses, river, delta and Hong Kong.

### Shorter on days?

Trim a region rather than accelerating the pace.

### Want more slow days?

Add time in Yangshuo or Hong Kong.

## Good to Know

- Group: Private; from 1 guest, no minimum.
- Arrival: Day 1 follows landing time; the full program begins Day 2.
- The border: Day 14 is a full immigration crossing from the mainland into Hong Kong; carry a passport and allow variable queue time.
- Documents: Mainland and Hong Kong entry rules differ by nationality and are checked during planning.
- Language: English-speaking guides through every mainland city; Hong Kong is independent with transfers arranged.
- Shopping Policy: No shopping stops or commission detours on the route; your time is dedicated solely to the places listed here.
- Tailoring: Fully flexible. Days, stops, and pace can be added, removed, or swapped. We'll reshape the plan together before you confirm and pay.
- Payment: A 10% deposit, minimum $399, locks dates and resources; the balance is due 14 days before departure.
- Flexibility: Walking distances and conditional activities adapt to the group and operating conditions.
- Ports: Beijing In, Hong Kong Out.
- Gateway markets: Lead country marker: GB. Gateway markets from inventory: UK, WEU, NCEU, CA. Beijing in and Hong Kong out match the main gateway markets.

## 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 tunes pacing, hotels and local hosts around 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 traveler 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 traveler.

## Before You Book

Everything worth knowing before you book.

### What actually happens at the Shenzhen to Hong Kong border?

It is a full immigration crossing inside one country. Queue times vary, so the transfer is door to door and nothing timed is scheduled against it.

### Why end in Hong Kong instead of a mainland city?

It completes the route's contrast and provides a major long-haul departure hub with a free morning before the flight.

### Seven stops in fifteen days: will we feel rushed?

Moving is folded into the days, evenings stay largely free, Yangshuo gets a full countryside day and Hong Kong has no scheduled program.

### Will the pandas actually be out?

Mornings offer the better chance of eating and climbing, but the animals keep their own schedule and the conservation story remains part of the visit.

### Why aren't all meals included?

Daily breakfast is included from Day 2. Other meals stay flexible and are recommended and booked around the group.