When your flight has landed, your tour guide will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall of the airport. He/she will greet you with a smile and a nameplate. You will be transferred to your hotel by a private van and driver.

Start your journey at the Temple of Heaven, which was the place where emperors prayed for a good harvest. Interact with the locals and join them to experience their healthy lifestyle. Lunch is served in a popular local restaurant with authentic local food.

Walk through Tian’anmen Square to explore the mysterious Forbidden City in the afternoon. While most tour groups only visit the six halls on the central axis, your private guide will take you to go deeper into the hidden halls for a fuller understanding of the history and to avoid the tour groups.

Freshen up in the morning and get ready for a 5-kilometer hike along the most recommended hiking route: from Jinshanling to Simatai West.

This section has breathtaking views and offers stunning photo opportunities in different seasons. There are over 15 watchtowers in various styles and in good condition. As this section is half restored, you can see the unrepaired ancient watchtowers and broken sections as well as the restored section of the wall during the hike.

Tips to Tailor-Make Your Tour

• For a unique experience, a visit to Simatai – the only Great Wall section that’s lit up and open at night – is highly recommended.
• If you prefer just to take a relaxing walk along the Great Wall, we can arrange a visit to the Mutianyu section with a round-trip cable car for you.

Walk around the tranquil Summer Palace at a leisurely pace, and enjoy the 300-year-old royal garden. Take a pleasant boat ride on the lake and have a stroll in the long corridors to view the exquisite paintings on the ceilings.

Enjoy lunch and race towards Xi’an on a high-speed train, which is a good way to experience the technological development of China.

Visit the Terracotta Army and admire the vividness of the warriors and listen to their stories spanning over 2,000 years.

Then discover a local craftsman’s cave dwelling and learn how to make clay warriors with your own hands.

After lunch, return to the city area and visit the 600-year-old ancient city wall. Cycling along the wall provides a good view of the city. You may also walk or take a golf cart on it.

For you to acclimate and avoid altitude sickness, your tour guide would pick you up from the airport, help you to check in, and let you rest in the hotel.

You would start your Lhasa trip from Norbulingka, a Tibetan palace that consists of beautiful gardens, luxurious buildings, pavilions, and other architectural elements.

Drepung Monastery is 6 km (4 miles) away from Norbulingka. It is one of the three great monastic universities in Tibet. The most important Tibetan festival, Shoton Festival, is held there annually in late summer.

Have you seen monks debating before? In Sera Monastery, you would see monks engaged in a lively exchange of questions and answers. It is a unique and vibrant expression of the Tibetan Buddhist culture, helping monastic students to sharpen their knowledge and critical thinking skills.

As the most famous site in Tibet, the Potala Palace is always full of tourists. To take great pictures of the palace, your tour guide would escort you to an area with amazing views and fewer crowds.

Next, you could experience real Tibetan life as you visit Jokhang Temple and walk to Barkhor Street afterward. There are numerous tea houses, restaurants, and stalls along the streets. Pilgrims walk in a clockwise direction around Jokhang Temple, spinning prayer wheels and prostrating themselves as a form of devotion.

Yamdrok Lake is one of the most beautiful and sacred lakes in Tibet. Its turquoise waters, surrounded by snowcapped mountains and vast grasslands, create a breathtaking landscape.

Your tour guide would prepare a picnic for you at the side of Yamdrok Lake if the weather permits. You could take your time at the holy place.

This would be a transfer day from Lhasa to Chengdu with a 2-hour flight.

The giant pandas are ready to meet you at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding! There are about 200 pandas, including adults and cubs, at this location. The base has a recreated a (small-scale) natural habitat for these fluffy balls of fun.

You could immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a city park to witness the lifestyles of the locals. Chengdu has been deemed the happiest city in China to live in based on an annual urban survey. You would see its people having tea, playing mahjong, or doing square dancing leisurely in the park. Visitors can’t fail to be infected by their happiness.

It takes about 2 hours to get to the Leshan Giant Buddha from Chengdu. You would explore the area via both a cruise and walkways to fully appreciate its scale.

Not only known for its Buddha statue, Leshan is also renowned as a food paradise. You wouldn’t want to miss out on the spicy and flavorsome cuisine, such as spicy Sichuan skewers, sweet-skinned duck, and Qiaojiao Beef Soup Pot.

After an early flight from Chengdu to Zhangjiajie, you would start a half-day trip to Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie in the afternoon.

Tianmen Mountain offers a range of fascinating sights and experiences, such as Tianmen Cave, the longest cableway, a glass skywalk, and a cliff-hanging walkway.

Tianmen Cave is the symbol of Tianmen Mountain. It’s an impressive opening in the mountainside and accessible via a long staircase or a cable car ride.

Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge is located at the mountain’s summit. Walking on this transparent walkway would provide you with a thrilling experience and remarkable views.

You would see some of the area’s most notable attractions in Yuanjiajie Scenic Area of Zhangjiajie. Avatar Hallelujah Mountain is located there. Be amazed by its towering height and marvel at the stunning views from the top. These views have been admired by millions of international travelers.

Tianzi Mountain offers panoramic vistas of Yuanjiajie. Its peaks are characterized by their unique shapes, resembling human figures, animals, and mythical creatures.

To avoid too much hiking, you would take the Bailong Elevator, the world’s tallest outdoor elevator, to reach the mountain peaks. You would enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding landscapes as you ascend or descend.

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon is famous for the world’s longest glass bridge that stretches across it. It offers an adventurous experience of walking on a transparent pathway. The tranquil surroundings and lush vegetation in the canyon create a beautiful picture of natural wonders.

Baofeng Lake is located in the canyon. It is a crystal-clear reservoir surrounded by picturesque mountains. The serene beauty evokes peaceful and joyful feelings.

Your transfer from Zhangjiajie to Guilin would start early in the morning because there are only early high-speed trains on this route. If you would like to set off later, you could transfer from Zhangjiajie to Changsha, and then head to Guilin.

Arriving in Guilin in the afternoon, you would be escorted to Reed Flute Cave, which is full of awesome rock formations, stalactites, stalagmites, and other intricate calcite deposits. Geologists say these formations have been sculpted over millions of years by flowing water. It’s worth a visit for cave enthusiasts.

The Longji Rice Terraces are located in Longsheng County, Guilin. The awe-inspiring terraced fields are Longsheng’s most iconic attraction. They offer stunning views throughout the year, no matter whether it’s a planting season or a harvesting season.

You would have an opportunity to hike in Ping’an Zhuang Village, a minority village nestled amid the rice terraces, for 1½ hours. It’s a wonderful place to explore and learn about the ethnic culture and local traditions.

Taking a cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is the best way to enjoy the scenic beauty along the Li River. As you sail along the Li River, you would be surrounded by breathtaking karst mountain formations. Be sure to take some great photos of you in these surroundings, which resemble a classical Chinese painting.

After arriving in Yangshuo, you would go to a rural village to experience authentic life in the countryside. Have you shopped in a local market without any language support? Have you written a Chinese couplet before? All of these experiences would be unique ways to enhance your trip.

If you prefer to enrich your day, Yangshuo provides various activities: a cooking class, a tai chi lesson, a farming experience, and even rock climbing.

Tell us what you want to try in the form on the right, so that we can include it for you.

Explore the beautiful countryside along the Yulong River.

Choose whichever type of transport you prefer, whether it’s a private car, bicycle, or moped. This is a good opportunity to meet the local people and interact with them. Enjoy a peaceful and memorable morning before flying to Shanghai.

The last stop of your trip is Shanghai, an international metropolis with a rich history and traditions.

You would not only see the historical buildings along the Bund but also hear some stories about each landmark from your knowledgeable tour guide.

Yu Garden was built in the 16th century as a private retreat. The garden beautifully combines elements of traditional Chinese art, architecture, and natural scenery. It provides insights into traditional Chinese architecture and offers a glimpse into the past.

It’s time to say goodbye! Your tour guide and driver would take you to the international airport smoothly and in good time. We welcome you back to explore more places in China next time!