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Tiananmen Gate in Beijing

Beijing · Xi’an · Chengdu · Zhangjiajie · Fenghuang · Guilin · Yangshuo · Hangzhou · Huangshan · Shanghai

China From The Inside

Go beyond seeing China. Step inside it.

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China

China From The Inside

Go beyond seeing China. Step inside it.

This 23-day journey connects Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang, Guilin, Yangshuo, Hangzhou, Huangshan and Shanghai. Follow the proposed route below and tell us your preferred dates, interests and pace.

When

Your preferred datesSubject to availability

Price

Request a quoteTailored to your journey

How long

23 days / 22 nightsProposed programme

This is a proposed itinerary. Dates, accommodation, transport, visits and included services will be confirmed in your personalised quote.

View journey route · Beijing → Xi’an → Chengdu → Zhangjiajie → Fenghuang → Guilin → Yangshuo → Hangzhou → Huangshan → ShanghaiCHINA11. Beijing22. Xi’an33. Chengdu44. Zhangjiajie55. Fenghuang66. Guilin77. Yangshuo88. Hangzhou99. Huangshan1010. ShanghaiSCHEMATIC ROUTE · NOT TO SCALE

Beijing

Explore the proposed experiences for this stage of your journey.

Days 1–4

Day 1

Arrival & First Encounter

First encounter with China through everyday life rather than landmarks.

  • Airport arrival and private transfer
  • Check-in
  • First walk through a traditional hutong neighborhood
  • Local dinner
  • Evening exploration of Beijing

Getting around: Private Transfer / Walking

Tiananmen Gate in Beijing

Day 2

Imperial China

Discover the architecture, rituals and power that shaped imperial China.

  • Tiananmen Square
  • Forbidden City
  • Imperial courtyards and ceremonial spaces
  • Jingshan Park
  • Panoramic view over the Forbidden City
  • Evening at leisure

Getting around: Private Transfer / Walking

Day 2 photos
A traveller looking towards the Great Wall
Roast duck displayed in a Beijing restaurant

Day 3

The Great Wall

One of China's most extraordinary encounters with history and landscape.

  • Travel to Mutianyu
  • Great Wall exploration
  • Scenic mountain walk
  • Local countryside lunch
  • Time to explore the surrounding landscape
  • Sunset return to Beijing

Getting around: Private Transfer / Walking

Roast duck displayed in a Beijing restaurant

Day 4

Inside Beijing

Step away from the monuments and into the rhythm of everyday Beijing.

  • Temple of Heaven
  • Traditional hutongs
  • Courtyard architecture
  • Local market or neighborhood
  • Traditional craft experience
  • Home-style Chinese cooking experience
  • Evening at leisure

Getting around: Private Transfer / Walking

Day 4 photos
Tiananmen Gate in Beijing
A traveller looking towards the Great Wall
Tiananmen Gate in Beijing
Tiananmen Gate in Beijing
A traveller looking towards the Great Wall
A traveller looking towards the Great Wall
Roast duck displayed in a Beijing restaurant
Roast duck displayed in a Beijing restaurant
1 / 3Beijing · In pictures

Xi’an

Explore the proposed experiences for this stage of your journey.

Days 5–6

Day 5

From Imperial Capital to Ancient Silk Road

Beijing → Xi’an

Follow the story of China from imperial Beijing to the gateway of the Silk Road.

  • Morning high-speed train to Xi’an
  • Check-in
  • Xi’an Ancient City Wall
  • Old City neighborhoods
  • Muslim Quarter / local food exploration
  • Evening walk through the historic center

Getting around: High-Speed Rail / Walking

AI test illustration of the Terracotta Army near Xi’an

Day 6

The First Empire

Meet the army that guarded China's first emperor for more than two thousand years.

  • Terracotta Warriors
  • Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum area
  • Qin Dynasty history
  • Local regional cuisine
  • Evening exploration

Getting around: Private Transfer / Walking

Day 6 photos
Traditional dress and cultural gathering in Xi’an
AI test illustration of the Terracotta Army near Xi’an
AI test illustration of the Terracotta Army near Xi’an
AI test illustration of the Terracotta Army near Xi’an
Traditional dress and cultural gathering in Xi’an
Traditional dress and cultural gathering in Xi’an
1 / 2Xi’an · In pictures

Chengdu

Explore the proposed experiences for this stage of your journey.

Days 7–11

Day 7

From Ancient Empire to Living Culture

Xi’an → Chengdu

Move from ancient empire into one of China's most relaxed and culturally distinctive cities.

  • Morning high-speed train to Chengdu
  • Check-in
  • Giant Wild Goose Pagoda / Tang cultural district
  • Traditional teahouse
  • People’s Park
  • Evening local dining

Getting around: High-Speed Rail / Private Transfer / Walking

AI test illustration of a giant panda eating bamboo

Day 8

China’s Gentle Giant

Meet China's most beloved symbol while discovering Chengdu's famously unhurried lifestyle.

  • Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
  • Panda observation
  • Local lunch
  • People’s Park
  • Traditional teahouse
  • Evening at leisure

Getting around: Private Transfer / Walking

Day 8 photos
A Sichuan opera performer holding a fan
A Sichuan opera fire-breathing performance

Day 9

The Taste of Sichuan

Discover a culture through its flavors, rituals and unmistakable energy.

  • Traditional local market
  • Sichuan ingredients and food culture
  • Sichuan cuisine experience
  • Explore local neighborhoods
  • Sichuan hotpot dinner
  • Sichuan Opera and face-changing performance

Getting around: Private Transfer / Walking

A Sichuan opera fire-breathing performance

Day 10

Beyond the Tourist Trail

See Chengdu through the people who live, create and build their lives here.

  • Explore a local community
  • Traditional craft or artisan studio
  • Tea culture experience
  • Local café / neighborhood life
  • Meet local makers
  • Free time for independent exploration

Getting around: Walking / Private Transfer

Day 10 photos
AI test illustration of a giant panda eating bamboo
A Sichuan opera performer holding a fan

Day 11

Inside Contemporary China

Discover the China that exists beyond history — young, creative, entrepreneurial and constantly evolving.

  • Contemporary Chengdu neighborhoods
  • Independent creative spaces
  • Local design and lifestyle
  • Meet local creators, entrepreneurs or cultural practitioners
  • Sichuan food culture
  • Evening at leisure

Getting around: Private Transfer / Walking

A Sichuan opera performer holding a fan
AI test illustration of a giant panda eating bamboo
AI test illustration of a giant panda eating bamboo
A Sichuan opera performer holding a fan
A Sichuan opera performer holding a fan
A Sichuan opera fire-breathing performance
A Sichuan opera fire-breathing performance
1 / 3Chengdu · In pictures

Zhangjiajie

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Days 12–14

Day 12

Into the Mountains

Chengdu → Zhangjiajie

Leave the cities behind and enter one of China's most extraordinary natural worlds.

  • Domestic flight to Zhangjiajie
  • Transfer to Wulingyuan
  • Check-in
  • First exploration of the surrounding landscape
  • Sunset viewpoint
  • Evening at leisure

Getting around: Domestic Flight / Private Transfer / Walking

AI test illustration: Zhangjiajie quartz sandstone pillar mountains

Day 13

The Mountains of Another World

Walk through the landscapes that seem almost unreal.

  • Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
  • Yuanjiajie
  • Tianzi Mountain
  • Mountain trails and viewpoints
  • Cable car / scenic transport
  • Sunset over the sandstone peaks

Getting around: Cable Car / Scenic Shuttle / Walking

AI test illustration: Zhangjiajie quartz sandstone pillar mountains

Day 14

Above the Clouds

Experience China from above — dramatic, vertiginous and unforgettable.

  • Tianmen Mountain
  • World's spectacular mountain cable car journey
  • Tianmen Cave
  • Cliffside walkways
  • Glass skywalk, subject to conditions
  • Mountain scenery

Getting around: Cable Car / Scenic Shuttle / Walking

AI test illustration: Zhangjiajie quartz sandstone pillar mountains
AI test illustration: Zhangjiajie quartz sandstone pillar mountains
AI test illustration: Zhangjiajie quartz sandstone pillar mountains
1 / 1Zhangjiajie · In pictures

Fenghuang

Explore the proposed experiences for this stage of your journey.

Day 15

Day 15

Into Ancient China

Zhangjiajie → Fenghuang

Enter an ancient riverside town where architecture, culture and landscape remain deeply intertwined.

  • Travel to Fenghuang
  • Fenghuang Ancient Town
  • Tuojiang River
  • Traditional stilt houses
  • Historic streets
  • Miao cultural encounters
  • Evening lights along the river

Getting around: High-Speed Rail / Private Transfer / Walking

A traditional street in the Guilin and Yangshuo region
A traditional street in the Guilin and Yangshuo region
A traditional street in the Guilin and Yangshuo region
Historic architecture lit at night in the Yangshuo region
Historic architecture lit at night in the Yangshuo region
1 / 2Fenghuang · In pictures

Guilin

Explore the proposed experiences for this stage of your journey.

Day 16

Day 16

From Ancient Towns to Karst Landscapes

Fenghuang → Guilin

Follow the journey south toward the landscapes that have inspired Chinese artists for centuries.

  • Morning exploration of Fenghuang
  • Miao cultural experience
  • Local craft / traditional culture
  • Travel to Guilin
  • Evening riverside exploration
  • Local dinner

Getting around: High-Speed Rail / Private Transfer

Day 16 photos
Karst mountains and river in the Guilin region
Rural life in the Guilin region
Karst mountains and river in the Guilin region
Karst mountains and river in the Guilin region
Rural life in the Guilin region
Rural life in the Guilin region
A traditional street in the Guilin and Yangshuo region
A traditional street in the Guilin and Yangshuo region
1 / 3Guilin · In pictures

Yangshuo

Explore the proposed experiences for this stage of your journey.

Days 17–19

Day 17

Into the Landscape of Chinese Paintings

Guilin → Yangshuo

Step into a landscape that looks like a traditional Chinese painting brought to life.

  • Li River journey
  • Karst mountain landscapes
  • Arrival in Yangshuo
  • Countryside exploration
  • Riverside walk
  • Sunset over the karst peaks

Getting around: River Cruise / Private Transfer / Walking

Historic street in the Yangshuo region

Day 18

Life Along the River

Discover rural China through its landscapes, villages and everyday rhythms.

  • Yulong River
  • Bamboo rafting
  • Countryside cycling or walking
  • Traditional villages
  • Rice fields
  • Local lunch
  • Sunset exploration

Getting around: Bamboo Raft / Bicycle / Private Transfer

Day 18 photos
Tea with a view of the rice terraces
River winding through Guangxi karst mountains

Day 19

Slow China

Slow down and experience a quieter, more intimate side of China.

  • Local village experience
  • Traditional cooking
  • Tea culture
  • Local craft
  • Meet local residents
  • Free exploration
  • Sunset by the river

Getting around: Walking / Bicycle / Private Transfer

River winding through Guangxi karst mountains
River winding through Guangxi karst mountains
River winding through Guangxi karst mountains
Historic street in the Yangshuo region
Historic street in the Yangshuo region
Tea with a view of the rice terraces
Tea with a view of the rice terraces
1 / 3Yangshuo · In pictures

Hangzhou

Explore the proposed experiences for this stage of your journey.

Days 20–21

Day 20

From Southern Landscapes to the East

Yangshuo → Hangzhou

Travel from China's dramatic southern landscapes into the refined cultural world of Hangzhou.

  • Transfer to Guilin Airport
  • Domestic flight to Hangzhou
  • Check-in
  • Evening walk around West Lake
  • Lakeside dinner

Getting around: Private Transfer / Domestic Flight / Walking

Day 20 photos
AI test illustration: Chinese tea country
Chinese tea setting

Day 21

Tea, Water & Refinement

Discover one of China's most elegant expressions of nature, tea and cultural refinement.

  • West Lake
  • Lingyin Temple
  • Longjing Tea Village
  • Tea plantation
  • Traditional tea experience
  • Tea-making experience
  • Local Hangzhou cuisine

Getting around: Private Transfer / Walking

Chinese tea setting
Traditional circular architecture at Hangzhou West Lake
Traditional circular architecture at Hangzhou West Lake
AI test illustration: Chinese tea country
AI test illustration: Chinese tea country
Chinese tea setting
Chinese tea setting
1 / 3Hangzhou · In pictures

Shanghai

Explore the proposed experiences for this stage of your journey.

Days 22–23

Day 22

Ancient Villages & the Mountain World

Hangzhou → Huangshan → Shanghai

Encounter the architecture and landscapes of historic eastern China before returning to the country's modern metropolis.

  • Morning journey toward Huangshan
  • Hongcun Ancient Village
  • Huizhou architecture
  • Traditional village streets
  • Local lunch
  • Continue toward Shanghai
  • Evening arrival and check-in

Getting around: Private Transfer / High-Speed Rail

Day 22 photos
Planted terraces at Tian An 1000 Trees in Shanghai
AI test illustration of the Shanghai skyline at blue hour

Day 23

China, From the Inside Out

End the journey where ancient China meets its future — a final reminder that China cannot be understood through a single story.

  • The Bund
  • Shanghai Old City
  • Yu Garden
  • Former French Concession
  • Contemporary Shanghai
  • Lujiazui skyline
  • Art, design or creative district
  • Farewell dinner overlooking the city

Getting around: Private Transfer / Walking

AI test illustration of the Shanghai skyline at blue hour
AI test illustration of the Shanghai skyline at blue hour
AI test illustration of the Shanghai skyline at blue hour
Planted terraces at Tian An 1000 Trees in Shanghai
Planted terraces at Tian An 1000 Trees in Shanghai
1 / 2Shanghai · In pictures

Good to know

Your stay

The proposed programme is 23 days and 22 nights. Hotels, room categories and the final night-by-night arrangements are to be confirmed.

Your programme

The activities listed above follow the proposed itinerary. Exact timing, hosts, visits, performance schedules and transport arrangements are subject to confirmation.

Your quote

Ask us to confirm the price, accommodation, guiding, admissions, meals and transport included in your quote. International flights, visas and insurance should be discussed during planning.

Planning your departure

Please tell us your onward plans, particularly where the final day includes an evening or farewell programme. We can discuss departure timing or an additional night if needed.

Photography combines the WanderBao image collection with clearly labelled AI test illustrations. Some photographs provide regional or thematic context rather than depicting a confirmed visit.

Let us shape your journey

Tell us your dates, number of travellers and the experiences that interest you.

Start planninginfo@wanderbao.com