Sample 14-day itinerary for landscapes and cities. Start with the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army, then spend three nights among the sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie before slowing down by Hangzhou’s West Lake and finishing in Shanghai.
At a glance
- Route: Beijing (3 nights) · Xi’an (2 nights) · Zhangjiajie (3 nights) · Hangzhou (2 nights) · Shanghai (3 nights)
- Best for: active travellers and photographers who want nature as well as the classic sights
- Best season: April to May and September to October
- Pace: active, with two days of several hours’ walking and stairs in Zhangjiajie
- Hotels: 4-star or 5-star hotels in the cities, and a comfortable hotel close to the Wulingyuan park entrance
Day by day
Day 1 · Arrive in Beijing. Private transfer to the hotel.
Day 2 · Tiananmen Square, the Palace Museum and the hutongs. The Forbidden City in the morning and Beijing’s old lanes in the afternoon.
Day 3 · The Great Wall at Mutianyu. About 1.5 hours’ drive each way, with a cable car up to the wall. Peking duck for dinner.
Day 4 · High-speed train to Xi’an. About 4.5 to 6 hours. Evening in the Muslim Quarter.
Day 5 · The Terracotta Army and the City Wall. The excavation pits in the morning, then a bicycle ride or walk on the City Wall in the late afternoon.
Day 6 · Fly to Zhangjiajie. Direct flights vary by season; if needed, we route you via Changsha by high-speed train. Transfer to your hotel near Wulingyuan.
Day 7 · Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Spend the day among the sandstone pillars of the Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain areas, using the park buses and the Bailong outdoor lift between viewpoints.
Day 8 · Tianmen Mountain or the Grand Canyon. Take the long cable car up Tianmen Mountain from the city, or walk the glass bridge over the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. Cable cars close for maintenance on some dates, so we check before confirming.
Day 9 · Fly to Hangzhou. If there is no direct flight that day, we fly you to Shanghai and continue by high-speed train, about one hour. Evening walk by West Lake.
Day 10 · West Lake and tea country. A boat across the lake, the Su Causeway on foot, and a Longjing tea tasting in the hills above the lake.
Day 11 · High-speed train to Shanghai. About one hour. Afternoon on the Bund.
Day 12 · Old and new Shanghai. Yu Garden, the old town and the former French Concession.
Day 13 · A free day or a canal town. Rest, shop or take a day trip to Zhujiajiao.
Day 14 · Depart. Private transfer to the airport.
Getting between cities
- Beijing to Xi’an: high-speed train, about 4.5 to 6 hours
- Xi’an to Zhangjiajie: domestic flight, or high-speed train via Changsha
- Zhangjiajie to Hangzhou: domestic flight, or via Shanghai
- Hangzhou to Shanghai: high-speed train, about 1 hour
Included in the sample quote
- 13 nights in hotels with daily breakfast
- Private guide and vehicle on touring days, and private transfers
- High-speed train tickets and domestic flights in economy class
- Entrance tickets, park buses and the cable cars and lifts named above
- Five lunches and the Peking duck dinner
Not included
- International flights, visas and travel insurance
- Meals and drinks not listed, optional activities and tips
Adjust it for your group
For a gentler pace, drop Xi’an and add a night in Zhangjiajie. Summer brings large domestic crowds to the park, and in winter some paths and cable cars can close because of ice, so we plan the order around the season.
Prices
Travelling yourself? Send us your dates and group size for a price based on your hotel choice. Travel agencies can request net rates by group size and hotel level.