12 Days | From thriving cities to ancient villages, discover the real heart of China
Embark on a 12-day Premium journey that weaves together China’s layered history, famous icons, cultural heritage and celebrated cuisine. Uncover modern China in Shanghai, then step back in time to the villages of Huizhou. See the magnificent karst hills of Yangshuo and come face to face with the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an. Walk an original section of the Great Wall – one of the Seven Wonders of the World – and revel in the big show of Beijing. Of all China’s assets, its greatest is its people, so you’ll also visit traditional family homes for homecooked meals and travel with an expert local leader to uncover a lesser-known side of the country.
Trip overview
- Start
- Shanghai, China
- Finish
- Beijing, China
- Theme
- Explorer
- Destinations
- China
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Premium
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- CBPY
Our best 4-star accommodation and the highest level of service
All must-see locations plus authentic experiences exclusive to Premium
Trips led by our most experienced and highest-rated local leaders
- Feast on authentic Chinese cuisine during Exclusive Experiences, including a homecooked lunch with a local family in Huizhou and a delicious duck dinner in a Beijing courtyard.
- Take in the scenery of Yangshuo – with karst hills dotted along Li River, you’ll be surrounded by mountain views, sip on perfectly brewed green tea and take part in a traditional countryside cooking class.
- Get a sense of the scale of China’s epic history when you come face to face with the Terracotta warriors and visit a lesser-known section of the Great Wall during an Exclusive Experience – this is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, after all!
- Journey to the peaceful Huizhou villages, home to the quintessential image of white walled, black tiled traditional houses, and enjoy a Feature Stay in a heritage hotel converted from the mansion home of a famous Ming Dynasty poet.
- Discover the bright lights of modern China in Shanghai and uncover a different side of Beijing as you wander through the city’s hutongs, followed by a homecooked lunch in an authentic hutong house.
- The trip covers a fair amount of ground with experiencing a variety of transports, so be prepared for some long journeys. And we suggest packing relatively lightly for this trip, as you’ll need to be able to comfortably carry your own luggage onto and off the trains.
- China’s world-class sites and experiences draw large numbers of local and international travellers. We recommend a little patience and comfortable shoes as you may need to wait before entering the more popular locations on your itinerary.
Itinerary
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2025 - 31 December 2025
Inclusions
11 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 4 dinners
Plane, Private Vehicle, High Speed Train, Metro
Hotel (10 nights), Huizhou Feature Stay (1 night)
- Arrival airport transfer
- Tipping for accommodation, activities and transport
- Luggage transfer
- Daily breakfast and signature local meal experiences
- 24/7 on-ground support
- Shanghai - Shanghai cuisine welcome dinner
- Shanghai - City walking tour
- Huizhou - Bamboo weaving family visit
- Huizhou - Stone tablet inscription printing demonstration
- Huizhou - Home-cooked lunch
- Huizhou - Tangmo village tour
- Shanghai - rooftop bar (one drink included)
- Yangshuo - Walking Tour
- Yangshuo - Xianggong Hill & Tea Farm Visit
- Yangshuo - Cooking class
- Xi'an - Muslim Quarter Walking Tour
- Xi'an - Muslim Quarter dumpling dinner
- Xi'an - Terracotta Warriors Tour - leader led
- Xi'an - Home-cooked lunch
- Beijing - Forbidden City
- Beijing - Tiananmen Square
- Beijing - Wood mortise and tenon demonstration
- Beijing - Hutong home-cooked lunch
- Beijing - Hutong walking tour
- Beijing - Jingshan Park
- Great Wall - Huanghuacheng Section
- Beijing - Beijing duck dinner
- Shanghai - Acrobat show - CNY280
- Shanghai - Huangpu River Night Cruise (ticket) - CNY120
- Yangshuo - Impressions Liu Sanjie light show (minimum 4 people) - CNY328
- Yangshuo - Tai Chi/Kung Fu class - CNY120
- Xi'an - Bell & Drum Towers (entrance fee) - CNY50
- Xi'an - Great Mosque (entrance fee) - CNY25
- Xi'an - Tang Dynasty Show - CNY290
- Xi'an - Cycling on City Wall - CNY80
- Xi'an - Little Wild Goose Pagoda - CNY50
- Beijing - Beijing Opera show (ticket) - CNY380
- Beijing - Kungfu Show (ticket) - CNY280
- Beijing - Temple of Heaven Park - CNY35
- Beijing - Lama Temple (entrance fee) - CNY25
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. Please provide a scanned copy of your passport bio page at time of booking to secure flight and train tickets. Ticketing fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases, you will be required to cover the cost of issuing a new ticket if an amendment occurs.
4. This trip includes domestic flights. The luggage allowance is 20kg for check in luggage and 7kg for carry on.
5. This trip includes travel on fast trains. There are size restrictions for luggage on fast trains. Your main piece of luggage must not exceed 160cm (sum of height, length and width).
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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