Open menu

Moderate. The climb to the Great Wall is done by cable car or open chairlift, the Xi'an city wall is ridden rather than walked, and the two travel days each carry half a day of sightseeing at most.

Overview

九天依次走过北京、西安和深圳：在故宫与长城看古都，在兵马俑和城墙辨认旧城，再到华强北看电子市场。北京和西安各住三晚，深圳住两晚，城际交通为一段高铁和一段国内航班。第9天送至福田站，本线服务到站结束；之后凭自购高铁票前往香港西九龙站。入境与续程客票要求会按护照和实际行程在付款前逐单核对。

— LyrikTrip 旅行设计师

请告诉我们您的出行日期、每位旅行者所持护照的国籍，以及您的入境航班降落时间。我们会按实际行程核对入境条件，并在书面报价中列明交通舱位、酒店和费用。

Why you'll love this trip

  • Two capitals and a delta, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, a city wall you ride. English-speaking guides city by city.
  • 9 days from a clay army to a floor of circuit boards. See the whole span.
  • Walk one axis through the Forbidden City in the morning, then climb the hill directly behind it: the thing you spent three hours inside turns into a plan you can take in at one glance.
  • Ride up to the Great Wall instead of climbing to it, so the morning goes on walking the watchtowers rather than recovering from the steps.
  • Stand at the rail above the pits at the Terracotta Warriors with a guide who stays the whole visit: by the second pit you are picking out generals from crossbowmen by their armor.
  • Ride a bicycle along the top of the Xi'an city wall, one of the most complete still standing in China, with the old street grid on one side of you and the new city on the other.
  • Climb Huaqiangbei floor by floor with a guide who reads the trade out loud: loose components low down, prototype boards above them, finished machines above that, and the buying chain that ties the three together.
  • Give the city's own exhibition an hour to explain how it got from farmland to this in one working lifetime: the evidence is on the wall, not in an anecdote.
  • Unpack three times in nine days, not six: three nights in Beijing, three in Xi'an, and one train leg and one flight leg that each get their own half day.
Tour route mapTour route: Beijing, Xi'an, ShenzhenBeijing · ArrivalsD1–D3Xi'anD4–D6Shenzhen · DeparturesD7–D9

Things to do

The Forbidden City, Beijing
01
Jingshan Park, Beijing
02
Mutianyu Great Wall, Beijing
03
Tiananmen Square, Beijing
04
National Museum of China, Beijing
05
Temple of Heaven, Beijing
06
High-speed rail, Beijing to Xi'an, Beijing to Xi'an
07
Terracotta Army, Xi'an
08
Cycling on Xi'an City Wall, Xi'an
09
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Scenic Area, Xi'an
10
Bell and Drum Tower District and Night Food Alleys, Xi'an
11
Domestic flight, Xi'an to Shenzhen, Xi'an to Shenzhen
12
Huaqiangbei, Shenzhen
13
Shenzhen Urban Planning and Industry Exhibition, Shenzhen
14
Autonomous Rideshare Journey, Shenzhen
15
The Forbidden City, BeijingHeritage
Jingshan Park, BeijingViewpoint
Mutianyu Great Wall, BeijingGreat Wall
Tiananmen Square, BeijingLandmark
National Museum of China, BeijingMuseum
Temple of Heaven, BeijingCulture
High-speed rail, Beijing to Xi'an, Beijing to Xi'anTransport
Terracotta Army, Xi'anHistory
Cycling on Xi'an City Wall, Xi'anActive
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Scenic Area, Xi'anHeritage
Bell and Drum Tower District and Night Food Alleys, Xi'anCity
Domestic flight, Xi'an to Shenzhen, Xi'an to ShenzhenTransport
Huaqiangbei, ShenzhenTech
Shenzhen Urban Planning and Industry Exhibition, ShenzhenMuseum
Autonomous Rideshare Journey, ShenzhenTech
The Forbidden City, BeijingHeritage
Jingshan Park, BeijingViewpoint
Mutianyu Great Wall, BeijingGreat Wall
Tiananmen Square, BeijingLandmark
National Museum of China, BeijingMuseum
Temple of Heaven, BeijingCulture
High-speed rail, Beijing to Xi'an, Beijing to Xi'anTransport
Terracotta Army, Xi'anHistory
Cycling on Xi'an City Wall, Xi'anActive
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Scenic Area, Xi'anHeritage
Bell and Drum Tower District and Night Food Alleys, Xi'anCity
Domestic flight, Xi'an to Shenzhen, Xi'an to ShenzhenTransport
Huaqiangbei, ShenzhenTech
Shenzhen Urban Planning and Industry Exhibition, ShenzhenMuseum
Autonomous Rideshare Journey, ShenzhenTech
The Forbidden City, BeijingHeritage
Jingshan Park, BeijingViewpoint
Mutianyu Great Wall, BeijingGreat Wall
Tiananmen Square, BeijingLandmark
National Museum of China, BeijingMuseum
Temple of Heaven, BeijingCulture
High-speed rail, Beijing to Xi'an, Beijing to Xi'anTransport
Terracotta Army, Xi'anHistory
Cycling on Xi'an City Wall, Xi'anActive
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Scenic Area, Xi'anHeritage
Bell and Drum Tower District and Night Food Alleys, Xi'anCity
Domestic flight, Xi'an to Shenzhen, Xi'an to ShenzhenTransport
Huaqiangbei, ShenzhenTech
Shenzhen Urban Planning and Industry Exhibition, ShenzhenMuseum
Autonomous Rideshare Journey, ShenzhenTech

Itinerary

Arrivals

Beijing · Day 1 - Day 3

Beijing
Beijing
Beijing

Day 1 · Land, and let the clock start

Beijing airport transfer based on your actual flight arrival time, followed by check-in and rest.

Beijing Arrival & Airport Pickup Upon arrival in Beijing, complete entry procedures using your passport and actual itinerary; if you plan to use the transit visa-free policy, please have a confirmed onward ticket that meets the requirements ready in advance. The driver will meet you at the agreed location.
Beijing through the window Ring roads first, then poplars and lit shopfronts along a city street. The country you flew this far for is outside the glass before you have opened a bag.
Evening Nothing is scheduled. Your guide is reachable, and dinner near the hotel is recommended and booked for you if you want it, on your own account.

Stay — Beijing · Meals — None included today

Day 2 · One axis, then the hill behind it

From the northern gate of the Forbidden City, walk to Jingshan (Coal Hill) and look back along the central axis.

The Forbidden City Your timed slot is booked ahead with your details, so you walk in on the hour it says. Inside you follow one line: the ceremonial halls where the court did its business, the living quarters behind them, the imperial garden at the end. Stand in the middle of the main courtyard and look back through the gates you came in by, one inside another, all the way out to the square.
Out through the north gate The palace gate opens onto the street, and Jingshan is directly across it. The route is deliberately short here, because the walk you have just done through the halls is long and the hill still has steps in it.
Jingshan Park A few minutes of steps to the pavilion at the top, and then the whole palace is below you: gold roofs in ranks, and the central axis running away north and south, the line this city was laid out along. Up at the rail you'll find you have stopped talking and started counting roofs.

Stay — Beijing · Meals — Breakfast at the hotel

Day 3 · Take the cable car up the Great Wall and walk the watchtowers

Take a cable car or chairlift up the mountain, then walk along the Mutianyu Great Wall.

Drive out to Mutianyu The run north out of the city takes a good part of the morning, which is exactly why nothing else is on the plan today. The vehicle stays with you all day.
Ride the cable car or chairlift to the summit The cable car or chairlift to the summit is included in your itinerary. Once you reach the Great Wall, you can walk along the restored ramparts to view the watchtowers on either side of the ridge; your guide will share insights into how signals were communicated between the passes and watchtowers.
Walking the towers The restored section connects tower to tower, so you keep going as long as you want to and turn back when you have had enough. Look along the ridge with the towers stepping down it one after another: that is the fifteen seconds worth filming.
Lunch Lunch is not included. You can dine at the foot of the Great Wall after the descent.

Stay — Beijing · Meals — Breakfast at the hotel

高铁

Xi'an · Day 4 - Day 6

Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an

Day 4 · Three Beijing landmarks, then high-speed rail in the afternoon

Spend the morning visiting Tiananmen Square, the National Museum of China, and the Temple of Heaven, then head to Xi'an in the afternoon.

Tian'anmen Square You cross the ceremonial center of modern China on foot, early, when the light is still low across it. Screening comes first and takes its own half hour to an hour, so it sits in the day's budget separately; your guide walks the party to the nearest screening entrance rather than around the long side.
National Museum of China The museum is located on the east side of the square, easily accessible without changing transport. Focus on the bronze, ceramics, sculpture, and calligraphy collections; then take a high-speed train to Xi'an in the afternoon.
Temple of Heaven Three groups of buildings on one line, and one idea holding them together: round belongs to heaven, square belongs to earth. Stand at the center of the Circular Mound Altar and look out: everything around you is arranged in circles, and it is not decoration.
Afternoon train to Xi'an Your guide sees you onto the platform in Beijing and a Xi'an guide meets the train at the other end. You sit still for the afternoon while the north China plain runs past: wheat, wind turbines, then the loess country starting to fold the ground up. Somewhere in the second hour you'll notice you have stopped checking how much longer there is.

Stay — Xi'an · Meals — Breakfast at the hotel

Day 5 · Step into the Terracotta Army pits

Visit the Terracotta Army outside the city in the morning; afternoon free time.

Drive to the Terracotta Warriors The site is out of town toward the mountains, and the day is timed against the crowd rather than against the clock, because this is the one place on the route where the queue changes what you get.
Terracotta Warriors Pits An estimated eight thousand figures, dug out where they stood and looked at from railings above. Your guide stays with you the whole visit. By the second pit you are telling generals from crossbowmen by armor and by how the hair is tied, and in the newer excavation areas there is still pigment on the clay, the color the whole army was painted in before the air got to it. Ten minutes at the rail and you'll catch yourself looking at faces rather than at numbers.
Pace About three and a half hours including the drive, with the rest of the day left open. After a morning like this, most guests want an afternoon that asks nothing.

Stay — Xi'an · Meals — Breakfast at the hotel

Day 6 · Xi'an City Wall and Bell and Drum Tower District

Cycle the city walls during the day and wander around the Bell and Drum Towers in the evening.

Xi'an City Wall by bike Admission and the bicycle are both in your price. You ride along the top, wide enough to go two abreast, with the old street grid inside the line and the new city outside it. Stop at a gate tower and look both ways down the wall: the parapet runs off in a straight line until it turns a corner you cannot see the end of.
The rest of the afternoon After the city wall, enjoy some free time before heading to the Bell and Drum Tower district in the evening.
The Bell and Drum Tower quarter after dark In the evening, explore the food streets around the Bell and Drum Towers with your guide. Flatbreads bake against the furnace walls while meat skewers sizzle over charcoal. Your guide will introduce the street stalls—what you enjoy is up to you, with meals at your own expense.

Stay — Xi'an · Meals — Breakfast at the hotel

航班

Shenzhen · Day 7 - Day 9

Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Shenzhen

Day 7 · After the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, fly to Shenzhen

Explore the area around the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in the morning, then fly from Xi'an to Shenzhen in the afternoon.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda scenic area The pagoda and the cultural area around it, walked in the morning with your guide while the square in front of it is still quiet. Scenic area admission is in your price. Climbing the pagoda is a ticket sold on site, and your guide tells you on the day what the stairs are and are not worth.
To the airport Your Xi'an guide takes you from the hotel to the terminal and hands you over at the door. The flight number, time and cabin class for your order are written into your quote.
Into Shenzhen The ground under the wing changes from folded loess to a delta of water, bridges and container yards, and the light is different by the time you are on the ground. Your Shenzhen driver is waiting.
Evening After arriving in Shenzhen, no activities are scheduled for the evening.

Stay — Shenzhen · Meals — Breakfast at the hotel

Day 8 · Huaqiangbei Electronics Market

Visit an electronics market to see how components, prototypes, and finished products are traded.

Huaqiangbei You climb the market with your guide reading the trade as you go. Trays of loose components at the bottom, prototype boards and half-built machines above them, finished products above that. The order is not an accident: it is the supply chain, laid out as a staircase. Stand at a counter while a seller tests a board in front of a buyer, hands it back and the buyer walks out with it. Halfway up you'll realize you have been listening to the trade rather than looking at it.
Buying Anything you buy inside is yours to pay for, and so is any shipping or customs cost it brings. The visit is a visit, not a shopping allowance.
A driverless taxi ride Booked by date before you arrive and reconfirmed after you land. You hail it on a screen, the sensors and cameras read the street, and the wheel turns with nobody's hands on it. The service is the operator's, not ours, so where it is not running that day the time goes to a longer walk through the market with your guide and your price does not change. You are told which of the two you are getting before you pay.

Stay — Shenzhen · Meals — Breakfast at the hotel

Day 9 · Shenzhen City Tour and Departure

Morning city exhibit tour, then transfer to Futian Station for the high-speed train to Hong Kong.

Shenzhen urban planning and industry exhibition Explore the city through models, planning maps, and historic photos to see how Shenzhen's neighborhoods have changed. Venue details are subject to written confirmation.
Transfer to Futian Station A private car will take you from the hotel to Futian Station, where our service for this itinerary concludes. Please proceed to Hong Kong West Kowloon Station using your self-purchased high-speed rail ticket, and complete the entry/exit immigration procedures for both regions upon arrival.
End of itinerary Accommodation, transfers, dining, and sightseeing in Hong Kong are at your own arrangement. If you continue your journey by air from Hong Kong, please allow ample time for your train schedule, customs clearance, and airport connections.

End of itinerary — Futian Station · Meals — Breakfast at the hotel

Departures

Free PDF

Read it on your own time

We'll send this itinerary guide to your inbox for free.

No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.

Hotels

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

Atour Hotel (Beijing West Railway Station South Square)
Beijing
Atour Hotel (Beijing West Railway Station South Square)
Upscale local hotel near Beijing West Railway Station South Square.
Atour Hotel, Liuliqiao, Beijing West Railway Station
Beijing
Atour Hotel, Liuliqiao, Beijing West Railway Station
Upscale local hotel near Beijing West Railway Station and Liuliqiao.
Sheraton Xi'an North City Hotel
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.
Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast
Beijing
Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast
International high-end hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and city stays.
Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen
Located in Futian CBD, close to major landmarks and metro lines. Featuring 500+ elegant rooms and suites with exclusive Horizon Club services.
Shangri-La Hotel
Xian
Shangri-La Hotel
Shangri-La Hotel Xi'an: five-star luxury near the Terracotta Warriors, 35 minutes from the airport.
Atour Hotel (Beijing West Railway Station South Square)
Beijing
Atour Hotel (Beijing West Railway Station South Square)
Upscale local hotel near Beijing West Railway Station South Square.
Atour Hotel, Liuliqiao, Beijing West Railway Station
Beijing
Atour Hotel, Liuliqiao, Beijing West Railway Station
Upscale local hotel near Beijing West Railway Station and Liuliqiao.
Sheraton Xi'an North City Hotel
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.
Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast
Beijing
Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast
International high-end hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and city stays.
Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen
Located in Futian CBD, close to major landmarks and metro lines. Featuring 500+ elegant rooms and suites with exclusive Horizon Club services.
Shangri-La Hotel
Xian
Shangri-La Hotel
Shangri-La Hotel Xi'an: five-star luxury near the Terracotta Warriors, 35 minutes from the airport.
Atour Hotel (Beijing West Railway Station South Square)
Beijing
Atour Hotel (Beijing West Railway Station South Square)
Upscale local hotel near Beijing West Railway Station South Square.
Atour Hotel, Liuliqiao, Beijing West Railway Station
Beijing
Atour Hotel, Liuliqiao, Beijing West Railway Station
Upscale local hotel near Beijing West Railway Station and Liuliqiao.
Sheraton Xi'an North City Hotel
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.
Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast
Beijing
Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast
International high-end hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and city stays.
Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen
Located in Futian CBD, close to major landmarks and metro lines. Featuring 500+ elegant rooms and suites with exclusive Horizon Club services.
Shangri-La Hotel
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 vehicleAir-conditioned private car for all listed tours in Beijing, Xi'an, and Shenzhen; airport pickup in Beijing on Day 1; transfers from hotel to train station on Day 4 and from hotel to airport on Day 7; round-trip to Mutianyu on Day 3; transfer from hotel to Futian Station in Shenzhen on Day 9
  • GuideLicensed English-speaking guide on every touring day, days 2 through 9, including the Huaqiangbei walk and the evening walk in Xi'an
  • High-speed rail, Beijing to Xi'anOne high-speed rail leg on the afternoon of day 4, in the base price. The cabin class for your order is stated in writing in your quote
  • Domestic flight, Xi'an to ShenzhenOne domestic flight on the afternoon of day 7, in the base price. The cabin class for your order is stated in writing in your quote
  • Hotels8 nights at your chosen level, four-star, five-star or quality boutique, breakfast included: Beijing 3 · Xi'an 3 · Shenzhen 2. Hotels named in your written confirmation
  • Meals8 hotel breakfasts, days 2 through 9. No lunch or dinner is in the base price
  • Tickets and experiences, BeijingThe Forbidden City with the timed reservation booked by us · Jingshan Park · Mutianyu Great Wall with one uphill cable car or open chairlift ride · Tian'anmen Square with the guide accompanying the security screening · Temple of Heaven · the National Museum of China with the reservation booked by us
  • Tickets and experiences, Xi'anThe Terracotta Warriors with the guide throughout · Xi'an City Wall admission with the bicycle rental on the wall · Giant Wild Goose Pagoda scenic area admission · the Bell and Drum Tower quarter and the night food lanes with the guide
  • Tickets and experiences, ShenzhenThe Huaqiangbei walk with the guide, no ticket needed · the Shenzhen urban planning and industry exhibition with the guide, venue named in your written confirmation
  • InsuranceTravel accident insurance

Not Included

  • International flightsFlights into Beijing and flights out of Hong Kong
  • High-speed rail tickets from Futsan to West Kowloon, Hong KongThis high-speed rail ticket must be purchased at your own expense and is not included in the base price. If you plan to utilize visa-free transit, you must have a confirmed onward itinerary that meets the policy requirements prior to entry, and carefully verify that all applicable conditions are met.
  • Hong Kong Segment ServiceHotels, transfers, meals, and sightseeing in Hong Kong are not included in this itinerary. Day 9 services end at Futian Station.
  • VisasVisa fees and processing for guests who take the visa path rather than the transit path
  • MealsBeyond the 8 breakfasts: lunches and dinners are recommended and booked by your guide, on your own account, including whatever you eat in the night food lanes on day 6
  • Climbs and rides sold on siteThe Mutianyu downhill cable car · climbing the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda · climbing the Bell Tower or the Drum Tower. Each is paid on site at the posted fare and chosen on the day; nothing optional is added by default
  • PurchasesAnything bought at Huaqiangbei or elsewhere, and any shipping, customs or tax-refund cost it brings
  • PersonalGratuities, single or extra-room difference, personal spending

Special Notes

A few things on this route follow the calendar, the border rule or a supplier's confirmation. Here they are, told straight.

  • Pre-Travel Confirmation — Please provide your passport details and full itinerary so we can verify your entry eligibility and arrange the connecting train ticket from Futian Station to West Kowloon Station. High-speed rail and flight seat availability, Shenzhen hotel bookings, and exhibition venue reservations are subject to written quotes and booking confirmations.
  • The ten-day window is computed, not assumed — A nine-day itinerary does not automatically qualify for transit visa exemption. Before paying, verify your actual entry and exit times and complete transportation tickets against the permitted stay duration, and allow extra time for flight or train delays.
  • Connecting Ticket — To apply for visa-free transit, you must present a confirmed onward ticket with a specific date and seat that meets the policy requirements prior to entry. This route departs from Futian Station and travels by high-speed rail to West Kowloon Station in Hong Kong. Train tickets must be purchased by you directly; we will verify your transit eligibility against the actual booking details before payment is finalized.
  • Permitted stay area — Transit visa exemption eligibility must be verified case by case against your passport, port of entry, actual itinerary from Beijing to Shenzhen, and exit arrangements at West Kowloon Station; no visa exemption will be guaranteed until confirmed.
  • Departure Calendar — There are no departures during the National Day Golden Week holiday from October 1st to 7th, when visitor numbers at the Terracotta Army far exceed normal levels. Itinerary dates have been adjusted to ensure that Day 2 does not fall on a Monday (the Forbidden City's closed day); if your selected dates would make Day 2 a Monday, Days 2 and 3 will be swapped. Before your booking is finalized, the closure days of other reserved venues will also be cross-checked against your departure date.
  • End-of-Season Operations — For itineraries departing in November and December, the operating hours for the Mutianyu (Muyuan) uphill cable car will be confirmed with the operator on your specific dates prior to payment; we will inform you of the result regardless of the outcome. On the Xi'an City Wall, if the day is cold or windy, the cycling segment will be replaced by a walk on the same section, with all other afternoon arrangements remaining unchanged.
  • Driverless taxi is a conditional item — This experience is provided in real time by a commercial operator, and we cannot guarantee its operation. You must book by date before arrival and reconfirm after landing. If the experience is not running on your booked date, the time will instead be extended for a longer tour of Huaqiangbei together with your guide, at no change to your price. Both outcomes will be clearly explained to you before payment, and this experience is not included in the itinerary’s covered items.
  • Plaza Security Check — Security screening is required to enter Tiananmen Square. Expect a queue of approximately 30 minutes to one hour; this wait time is not included in your tour of the square and must be factored into your itinerary separately, so you can still arrive on time for your museum reservation.
  • Day 4 is the most packed day — The morning itinerary covers three attractions, followed by a train ride in the afternoon. The three sites are neatly aligned in a straight line—square, museum, then temple—before ending at the station, making the flow of the day perfectly logical. That said, an early start is required, and we’ve mentioned it upfront so you’re not caught off guard.
  • Hong Kong Flight Times — If you plan to continue your journey by air from Hong Kong on Day 9, please verify the connection times between Futian Station and West Kowloon Station via high-speed rail, immigration clearance, and airport transfer. Hotel accommodation in Hong Kong is not included in this itinerary.
  • Confirmation & Changes — Please refer to the written quote for final confirmation deadlines, modification, and refund terms. The high-speed rail from Beijing to Xi'an and the flight from Xi'an to Shenzhen are included in this package; the high-speed rail ticket from Futian Station to West Kowloon Station (Hong Kong) must be purchased by you. When rescheduling, please verify transportation, hotel, and entry requirements separately.

Is Nine Days Your Length?

Fewer than nine days?

Fewer than nine days?

These three cities can be split flexibly. Beijing and Xi'an can form a standalone six-day rail itinerary, and you can depart by air from either Xi'an or Beijing without visiting Shenzhen or Hong Kong. Please share your travel dates and passport nationalities so we can verify the feasible number of days and transit options.

Good to Know

Group
Private, just your party. From 1 guest. No fixed maximum party size.
Pace
9 Days, 3 Cities: 3 nights in Beijing, 3 in Xi’an, and 2 in Shenzhen. Day 1 is the arrival day, and this tour concludes on Day 9 at Futian Station.
Effort
Moderate. Cable car or open chairlift up to the Great Wall, bicycles on the Xi'an city wall with walking as the alternative, and a stepped climb of a few minutes at Jingshan. Huaqiangbei is walked over several floors
Ports
Entry into China via Beijing; on Day 9, a transfer from your Shenzhen hotel to Futian Station is included, after which tour services conclude. Please proceed independently to Hong Kong West Kowloon Station via high-speed rail and complete entry/exit procedures for both regions at West Kowloon.
Visas
Eligibility for the standard visa-free regime or the 240-hour visa-free transit depends on your passport, port of entry, onward ticket, and actual itinerary. Please verify each booking against the official rules in effect at the time of travel before payment; visa-free status is not guaranteed until confirmed.
Language
Licensed English-speaking local guides throughout, city by city
Payment
A minimum of one guest is required. Payment, change, and refund terms are subject to the written quote; visa, transport, hotel, and venue arrangements will be confirmed based on your actual travel dates.
Season
Departures are scheduled for October through December 2026, with no departures on October 1–7. For Mutianyu cable car schedules in November and December, please verify based on specific dates. The Xi'an City Wall tour may be switched to a walking tour in case of cold or windy weather.

Your Private Concierge

Jenessa

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

E
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
C
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
L
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
M
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
R
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.

Not necessarily, and that is what this route is built around. The US is not on the 30-day visa-free list, so you run it either on the 10-day visa-free transit policy or on a Chinese tourist or business visa, including a 10-year multiple-entry one. The transit path is why the plan is 9 days and why it leaves the mainland at a land crossing into Hong Kong: it needs a confirmed onward ticket with date and seat, held before you enter, and every activity has to stay inside the areas the policy permits, which Beijing, Xi'an and Shenzhen all do. Before any payment we compute your actual landing and exit times against the window and fix the path in writing. If your flights do not leave enough margin, we say so instead of selling.

Because the exit is what makes the 9 days work. The transit policy is counted from entry to exit and it needs you to leave the mainland for a third country or region inside the window. Shenzhen's Futian crossing puts Hong Kong about 30 minutes away by high-speed rail, which is the shortest and most predictable exit on the map for a plan that enters at Beijing. Our vehicle takes you from the hotel to the crossing and your guide sees you to the departure hall. From there Hong Kong is yours: hotel, meals and your international flight home, booked for that evening or later.

No, and we will not pretend otherwise. It runs on a commercial operator's live service lines, so the operator decides whether it runs on your date. We book it by date before you arrive and reconfirm it after you land. Where it is not running, that time goes to a longer walk through Huaqiangbei with your guide and your price does not change, and you are told which of the two you are getting before you pay. What holds either way: the day is about how this city makes things, and the market and the exhibition carry that on their own. The ride is a bonus, never the reason to come.

There are exactly two travel legs in nine days: a train on the afternoon of day 4 and a flight on the afternoon of day 7. Each takes half a day and neither is stacked on top of a full day of sightseeing. You get three nights in Beijing, three in Xi'an and two in Shenzhen, so you unpack three times rather than six. Day 1 carries no sightseeing at all, and day 9 is one exhibition and the border. The one dense day is day 4, and we flag it rather than bury it.

Beijing and Xi'an are dry and clear through autumn and cold by December, so this is the season the wall and the wall-top ride are most comfortable to be outdoors on; Shenzhen stays mild the whole window. Two things follow the calendar and we put both in writing before you pay: the Mutianyu uphill cable car schedule is confirmed with the operator for November and December dates, and cold or wind on the Xi'an wall turns the bicycle ride into a walk along the same stretch. We also do not depart between October 1 and 7, the national holiday week, because the crowds at the Terracotta Warriors that week change what you get for your day.

Ready when you are.

No pressure. Browse our trips, or talk to a real person. Either way, your inbox stays clean.

Browse all tripsPlan with us