Why it earns its place

Beijing is the historical opening of this route, presenting China’s imperial architecture, ceremonial spaces, classical gardens, and Great Wall scenery.

Your journey begins with an arrival transfer in Beijing. Visit the Temple of Heaven to see local lifestyle around an important imperial ritual site. Continue to Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City, where your private guide takes you beyond the central halls to explore the hidden halls. Temple of Heaven Tian’anmen Square Forbidden City Hike the Jinshanling to Simatai West Great Wall section, a route that combines restored towers with wilder ancient stretches. Jinshanling to Simatai West Great Wall Before leaving Beijing, visit the Summer Palace and enjoy a boat ride on the lake. Then take a high-speed train to Xi’an. Summer Palace high-speed train to Xi’an Optional adjustments from the source route include a hutong rickshaw tour, dumpling making in a local family, a local market visit, Simatai Great Wall at night, or Mutianyu with a round-trip cable car. hutong rickshaw tour dumpling making in a local family local market visit Simatai Great Wall at night Mutianyu with a round-trip cable car Xi’an Why This City Xi’an continues the ancient China story after Beijing, moving from imperial spaces to the Terracotta Army, the ancient city wall, and the Muslim Quarter’s old alleys. City Guide Visit the Terracotta Army and see the life-size warriors at the site. Continue to a traditional cave dwelling and learn how to make clay warriors. Terracotta Army traditional cave dwelling Return to the city area and visit the Xi’an Ancient City Wall, where you may cycle, walk, or take a golf cart. Xi’an Ancient City Wall Continue with Xi’an History Museum, Little Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Muslim Quarter, where you can taste local Muslim cuisine. Xi’an History Museum Little Wild Goose Pagoda Muslim Quarter In the evening, take a flight to Zhangjiajie. Zhangjiajie Optional adjustments from the source route include dumpling making or a dumpling banquet. dumpling making dumpling banquet

Why it earns its place

Beijing is the historical opening of this route, presenting China’s imperial architecture, ceremonial spaces, classical gardens, and Great Wall scenery.

Your journey begins with an arrival transfer in Beijing. Visit the Temple of Heaven to see local lifestyle around an important imperial ritual site. Continue to Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City, where your private guide takes you beyond the central halls to explore the hidden halls. Temple of Heaven Tian’anmen Square Forbidden City Hike the Jinshanling to Simatai West Great Wall section, a route that combines restored towers with wilder ancient stretches. Jinshanling to Simatai West Great Wall Before leaving Beijing, visit the Summer Palace and enjoy a boat ride on the lake. Then take a high-speed train to Xi’an. Summer Palace high-speed train to Xi’an Optional adjustments from the source route include a hutong rickshaw tour, dumpling making in a local family, a local market visit, Simatai Great Wall at night, or Mutianyu with a round-trip cable car. hutong rickshaw tour dumpling making in a local family local market visit Simatai Great Wall at night Mutianyu with a round-trip cable car Xi’an Why This City Xi’an continues the ancient China story after Beijing, moving from imperial spaces to the Terracotta Army, the ancient city wall, and the Muslim Quarter’s old alleys. City Guide Visit the Terracotta Army and see the life-size warriors at the site. Continue to a traditional cave dwelling and learn how to make clay warriors. Terracotta Army traditional cave dwelling Return to the city area and visit the Xi’an Ancient City Wall, where you may cycle, walk, or take a golf cart. Xi’an Ancient City Wall Continue with Xi’an History Museum, Little Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Muslim Quarter, where you can taste local Muslim cuisine. Xi’an History Museum Little Wild Goose Pagoda Muslim Quarter In the evening, take a flight to Zhangjiajie. Zhangjiajie Optional adjustments from the source route include dumpling making or a dumpling banquet. dumpling making dumpling banquet

Why it earns its place

Zhangjiajie is the core natural wonder chapter of this route, with sandstone peaks, mountaintop views, glass walkways, and the Grand Canyon Glass Bridge creating one of the most visually dramatic sections of the journey.

Explore Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in the Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Visit Tianzi Mountain and take a cable car to the mountain area. Walk on the glass walkway and look out over the sandstone peaks. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Wulingyuan Scenic Area Tianzi Mountain Continue to Yuanjiajie, said to be the inspiration for Avatar’s Hallelujah Mountains. Yuanjiajie Visit Tianmen Mountain and take the world’s longest cable car. Walk along the glass walkway and travel down the mountain road known as the 99 Bends. Tianmen Mountain 99 Bends Continue to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and walk across the world’s longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge. Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon After Zhangjiajie, take a bullet train from Zhangjiajie to Changsha, then connect by taxi to Changsha South Railway Station for the bullet train to Guilin. bullet train from Zhangjiajie to Changsha Changsha South Railway Station Guilin Optional adjustments from the source route include the Bailong Elevator or descending Tianzi Mountain by cable car. Bailong Elevator Guilin Why This City Guilin changes the route from Zhangjiajie’s mountain scenery to softer karst landscapes. It is the entry point for the Li River and the Yangshuo countryside experience. City Guide Your guide meets you in Guilin after the train connection. Guilin Visit Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill. Continue to Daxu Old Town, where the route includes meeting local people and discovering their stories. Reed Flute Cave Elephant Trunk Hill Daxu Old Town Take a Li River Cruise on a 4-star cruise. The cruise arrives in Yangshuo. Li River Cruise Yangshuo Why This City Yangshuo is the slower countryside part of this natural chapter. After the Li River, it extends the experience with rural scenery, karst peaks, and activities around the Yulong River. City Guide After check-in, enjoy free time in Yangshuo. Explore the Yulong River countryside by biking, private car, or moped. Meet local people and enjoy a peaceful morning before your flight to Shanghai. Yulong River countryside Shanghai Optional adjustments from the source route include a cooking class, tai chi lesson, farming experience, or rock climbing. cooking class tai chi lesson farming experience rock climbing

Why it earns its place

Zhangjiajie is the core natural wonder chapter of this route, with sandstone peaks, mountaintop views, glass walkways, and the Grand Canyon Glass Bridge creating one of the most visually dramatic sections of the journey.

Explore Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in the Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Visit Tianzi Mountain and take a cable car to the mountain area. Walk on the glass walkway and look out over the sandstone peaks. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Wulingyuan Scenic Area Tianzi Mountain Continue to Yuanjiajie, said to be the inspiration for Avatar’s Hallelujah Mountains. Yuanjiajie Visit Tianmen Mountain and take the world’s longest cable car. Walk along the glass walkway and travel down the mountain road known as the 99 Bends. Tianmen Mountain 99 Bends Continue to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and walk across the world’s longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge. Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon After Zhangjiajie, take a bullet train from Zhangjiajie to Changsha, then connect by taxi to Changsha South Railway Station for the bullet train to Guilin. bullet train from Zhangjiajie to Changsha Changsha South Railway Station Guilin Optional adjustments from the source route include the Bailong Elevator or descending Tianzi Mountain by cable car. Bailong Elevator Guilin Why This City Guilin changes the route from Zhangjiajie’s mountain scenery to softer karst landscapes. It is the entry point for the Li River and the Yangshuo countryside experience. City Guide Your guide meets you in Guilin after the train connection. Guilin Visit Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill. Continue to Daxu Old Town, where the route includes meeting local people and discovering their stories. Reed Flute Cave Elephant Trunk Hill Daxu Old Town Take a Li River Cruise on a 4-star cruise. The cruise arrives in Yangshuo. Li River Cruise Yangshuo Why This City Yangshuo is the slower countryside part of this natural chapter. After the Li River, it extends the experience with rural scenery, karst peaks, and activities around the Yulong River. City Guide After check-in, enjoy free time in Yangshuo. Explore the Yulong River countryside by biking, private car, or moped. Meet local people and enjoy a peaceful morning before your flight to Shanghai. Yulong River countryside Shanghai Optional adjustments from the source route include a cooking class, tai chi lesson, farming experience, or rock climbing. cooking class tai chi lesson farming experience rock climbing

Why it earns its place

Zhangjiajie is the core natural wonder chapter of this route, with sandstone peaks, mountaintop views, glass walkways, and the Grand Canyon Glass Bridge creating one of the most visually dramatic sections of the journey.

Explore Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in the Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Visit Tianzi Mountain and take a cable car to the mountain area. Walk on the glass walkway and look out over the sandstone peaks. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Wulingyuan Scenic Area Tianzi Mountain Continue to Yuanjiajie, said to be the inspiration for Avatar’s Hallelujah Mountains. Yuanjiajie Visit Tianmen Mountain and take the world’s longest cable car. Walk along the glass walkway and travel down the mountain road known as the 99 Bends. Tianmen Mountain 99 Bends Continue to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and walk across the world’s longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge. Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon After Zhangjiajie, take a bullet train from Zhangjiajie to Changsha, then connect by taxi to Changsha South Railway Station for the bullet train to Guilin. bullet train from Zhangjiajie to Changsha Changsha South Railway Station Guilin Optional adjustments from the source route include the Bailong Elevator or descending Tianzi Mountain by cable car. Bailong Elevator Guilin Why This City Guilin changes the route from Zhangjiajie’s mountain scenery to softer karst landscapes. It is the entry point for the Li River and the Yangshuo countryside experience. City Guide Your guide meets you in Guilin after the train connection. Guilin Visit Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill. Continue to Daxu Old Town, where the route includes meeting local people and discovering their stories. Reed Flute Cave Elephant Trunk Hill Daxu Old Town Take a Li River Cruise on a 4-star cruise. The cruise arrives in Yangshuo. Li River Cruise Yangshuo Why This City Yangshuo is the slower countryside part of this natural chapter. After the Li River, it extends the experience with rural scenery, karst peaks, and activities around the Yulong River. City Guide After check-in, enjoy free time in Yangshuo. Explore the Yulong River countryside by biking, private car, or moped. Meet local people and enjoy a peaceful morning before your flight to Shanghai. Yulong River countryside Shanghai Optional adjustments from the source route include a cooking class, tai chi lesson, farming experience, or rock climbing. cooking class tai chi lesson farming experience rock climbing

Why it earns its place

Shanghai is the final stop of the route, bringing the historical and natural chapters into a modern Chinese city experience.

Arrive in Shanghai after your flight and transfer to your hotel. Explore the Bund through an in-depth culture discovery. Enter old Bund buildings and hear stories from the Bund in the 1920s. Bund Visit Shanghai Tower for a panoramic view of the city. Shanghai Tower Enjoy a half-day customized Shanghai experience based on your interests. Options include relaxation, fashion, art, folk customs, shopping, a fancy bar, an art center, nail beauty, the marriage market, buying gifts, the Former French Concession, or Shanghai food discovery and shopping. half-day customized Shanghai experience On departure day, take the final airport transfer. Your guide assists you as far as the security check.