China Grand Discovery: Beijing, Xi’an, Zhangjiajie & Shanghai – 10 Days

TOUR EXPERIENCE AT A GLANCE

• Walk along the legendary Great Wall of China at Juyong Pass
• Explore Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City
• Experience the classical landscapes of the Summer Palace
• Discover traditional Chinese jade craftsmanship
• Travel from Beijing to historic Xi’an
• Stand before the extraordinary Terracotta Warriors
• See Xi’an’s magnificent Ancient City Wall
• Experience the food and culture of the Muslim Quarter
• Enter the surreal landscapes of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
• Explore Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie
• Ride the spectacular Bailong Elevator
• Walk across the famous Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge
• Ascend magnificent Tianmen Mountain
• See the natural arch known as Heaven’s Gate
• Visit Shanghai’s peaceful Jade Buddha Temple
• Admire Shanghai from the Jin Mao Tower
• Walk along The Bund
• Experience the energy of Nanjing Road
• Travel comfortably with private transfers and local English-speaking guide

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN BEIJING – WELCOME TO THE IMPERIAL CAPITAL

Welcome to Beijing, a city where more than eight centuries of imperial history sit comfortably beside the rhythm of modern China.

Upon arrival at Beijing International Airport, your private English-speaking guide will be waiting to welcome you. After assistance with your luggage, travel by comfortable private vehicle towards your hotel. Depending on the airport and traffic conditions, the transfer generally takes approximately 45–60 minutes.

The journey into the city provides your first introduction to the extraordinary contrasts that define Beijing. Wide boulevards pass contemporary towers, residential neighbourhoods and imposing civic buildings, while glimpses of grey-tiled courtyards and narrow hutong lanes occasionally reveal an older city hidden behind the modern capital.

Beijing served as the seat of imperial power during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and its historic centre was carefully designed around ideas of hierarchy, ceremony and cosmic order. Yet it is not simply an open-air museum. Millions of residents continue their everyday lives among these layers of history, creating a city that feels both monumental and surprisingly intimate.

After checking into your hotel, the remainder of the day is intentionally left free.

This gentle start allows you to recover from your international flight, adjust to the local time and become comfortable with your surroundings before the sightseeing begins.

Travellers arriving early may wish to take a relaxed walk through a nearby neighbourhood. Beijing’s public spaces are fascinating places to observe daily life. In parks and courtyards, residents may practise tai chi, dance to music, play cards or gather beneath old trees for conversation.

An optional stroll through a traditional hutong district can provide an especially memorable first impression. These narrow lanes developed around courtyard homes known as siheyuan and once formed the social fabric of old Beijing.

In the evening, enjoy dinner independently. This may be the perfect opportunity to try dumplings, handmade noodles or the celebrated Peking duck, one of the capital’s most famous culinary traditions.

Tonight is not about rushing into sightseeing.

It is about arriving, slowing down and beginning to understand the scale of the journey ahead.

Tomorrow, you leave the city behind and travel towards one of humanity’s greatest architectural achievements: the Great Wall of China.

Meals: None
Accommodation: Hotel in Beijing
Tour Highlights: Airport welcome, private transfer, first impressions of Beijing and optional hutong exploration

DAY 2: BEIJING – JUYONG PASS GREAT WALL, JADE CULTURE & OLYMPIC BEIJING

After breakfast, leave central Beijing and drive north towards the mountains and the legendary Great Wall of China at Juyong Pass.

The journey usually takes around 1.5–2 hours depending on traffic. As the dense urban landscape begins to fade, mountain ridges rise ahead and the scenery becomes increasingly dramatic.

Juyong Pass occupies a strategic valley along one of the traditional approaches to Beijing. For centuries, controlling this passage was vital to protecting the imperial capital from armies moving south from the northern frontier.

As you arrive, the Wall appears to climb directly across the surrounding slopes.

Walk through the fortified gateway and begin exploring at your own pace. Ancient stone steps lead towards watchtowers overlooking the valley, while sections of wall disappear along distant ridgelines.

Your guide will explain that the Great Wall was not built as one continuous project. Different Chinese kingdoms and dynasties constructed defensive barriers over many centuries, with significant sections strengthened during the Ming period.

The walls, beacon towers and military stations formed a complex defence system. Soldiers could observe movement across the frontier, communicate warnings and control strategic routes through the mountains.

Yet statistics alone rarely communicate the experience.

Standing on the ramparts and watching the Wall follow the landscape is where its scale truly becomes understandable.

Take time for photographs and panoramic views. Travellers who enjoy a physical challenge may climb farther towards the higher towers, while those preferring a gentler pace can remain around the lower sections.

After the visit, return towards Beijing and stop at a traditional jade workshop.

Jade has held deep symbolic importance in Chinese culture for thousands of years. Beyond its decorative beauty, it became associated with virtue, wisdom, purity and protection.

Observe artisans cutting and polishing raw stone while learning how jade has been used for jewellery, ceremonial objects and artworks since ancient times.

Later, stop near the Bird’s Nest National Stadium and the nearby Water Cube, two architectural icons associated with the Beijing Olympic Games.

Their contemporary forms make a fascinating final contrast with the ancient fortifications experienced earlier in the day.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

The evening is free for rest or independent exploration.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Beijing
Approximate Driving: 1.5–2 hours each way
Tour Highlights: Juyong Pass Great Wall, mountain scenery, jade craftsmanship, Bird’s Nest and Olympic Beijing

DAY 3: BEIJING – TIANANMEN SQUARE, FORBIDDEN CITY, SUMMER PALACE & HONGQIAO MARKET

Today takes you deep into the ceremonial world of imperial China.

Begin at Tiananmen Square, the vast public space at the heart of Beijing. Surrounded by monumental national buildings, the square lies directly on the historic central axis around which the imperial capital was organised.

From here, walk towards the unmistakable entrance of the Forbidden City.

Passing through its enormous gateway feels almost like crossing from modern Beijing into another era.

For nearly five centuries, this vast palace complex served as the residence of emperors and the administrative centre of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Successive courtyards lead towards enormous ceremonial halls built on elevated marble terraces. Every architectural detail communicated hierarchy.

Red walls were associated with prosperity and good fortune. Yellow-glazed roof tiles reflected imperial authority. Dragons, guardian lions and mythical creatures appeared throughout the complex as symbols of power and protection.

Your guide will explain how emperors, empresses, officials, guards and thousands of palace servants lived according to an elaborate system of protocol.

As you move deeper inside, enormous ceremonial spaces gradually give way to more intimate residential courtyards, revealing that the Forbidden City was not merely a seat of government but an entire enclosed world.

In the afternoon, leave the formal atmosphere behind and travel to the elegant Summer Palace.

Built around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, this imperial retreat reflects the classical Chinese ideal of combining architecture with natural scenery.

Walk beside the lake and through part of the famous Long Corridor, whose painted beams contain thousands of colourful scenes inspired by landscapes, mythology, literature and history.

The experience is strikingly different from the Forbidden City.

Where the palace emphasises authority and ritual, the Summer Palace feels contemplative and graceful, designed for leisure and escape.

Later, continue to Hongqiao Market.

The atmosphere changes completely once again as traditional imperial history gives way to everyday commerce. Browse stalls selling clothing, accessories, souvenirs, handicrafts and other goods while experiencing one of Beijing’s lively commercial environments.

Return to your hotel after a day that reveals several sides of the capital—from political symbolism and imperial architecture to classical landscapes and contemporary street life.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Beijing
Tour Highlights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Kunming Lake, Long Corridor and Hongqiao Market

DAY 4: BEIJING – XI’AN – INTO THE ANCIENT HEART OF CHINA

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to Beijing airport or railway station for the journey to Xi’an.

Depending on the final booking arrangement, travel either by domestic flight, normally around 2–2.5 hours, or by high-speed train, which generally takes approximately 5–6 hours.

Both options reveal an important part of contemporary China.

The high-speed train in particular offers a fascinating journey through rapidly changing landscapes, passing agricultural areas, provincial cities and enormous transport infrastructure as you travel towards one of the most historically important cities in Asia.

Welcome to Xi’an.

Known in ancient times as Chang’an, Xi’an served as the capital of numerous Chinese dynasties and was one of the great cities of the ancient world.

It also marked the eastern beginning of the legendary Silk Road.

From here, merchants carried silk, tea and ceramics westward towards Central Asia. Travellers returning from distant regions brought horses, spices, glassware, musical traditions, religious ideas and new artistic influences.

Xi’an therefore became a multicultural crossroads centuries before modern international tourism existed.

Upon arrival, meet your local guide and transfer to your hotel.

Later, depending on arrival time, continue to Big Wild Goose Pagoda Square.

The pagoda is closely connected with the famous Buddhist monk Xuanzang, who travelled from China through Central Asia to India during the seventh century in search of Buddhist scriptures.

His remarkable pilgrimage eventually inspired stories that entered Chinese cultural history.

Today, the wider square has become a popular public space where residents walk, exercise and gather with family and friends.

When the musical fountain is operating, water, lights and music transform the square into a lively evening attraction.

This easy introduction works particularly well after the journey from Beijing. Rather than adding a demanding programme, it allows you to feel the personality of Xi’an at a relaxed pace.

The city immediately feels different from Beijing.

Beijing expresses imperial power on a monumental scale.

Xi’an feels older and earthier, carrying memories of ancient trade, archaeology and cultural exchange.

Return to your hotel for the night.

Tomorrow, you will come face to face with an army that waited underground for more than two thousand years.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Xi’an
Travel: Beijing – Xi’an by domestic flight or high-speed train
Tour Highlights: Silk Road history, Big Wild Goose Pagoda Square and evening local life

DAY 5: XI’AN – TERRACOTTA WARRIORS, CERAMIC TRADITIONS, CITY WALL & MUSLIM QUARTER

Today brings one of the defining experiences of any journey through China.

After breakfast, travel outside central Xi’an to the extraordinary Terracotta Army, created for the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor to unify China.

Discovered accidentally by local farmers in 1974, the underground complex has since become one of the greatest archaeological finds of the modern era.

Entering the main excavation hall is unforgettable.

Thousands of life-sized warriors stand in disciplined military formations, accompanied by clay horses and the remains of ancient chariots.

At first they appear almost identical.

Look more carefully, however, and individual differences begin to emerge.

Hairstyles, facial expressions, uniforms and armour indicate different ranks and military functions. Archers, infantrymen, cavalry soldiers and officers were arranged as though preparing to defend their emperor forever in the afterlife.

Your guide will explain how the figures were created from moulded components before individual details were added by craftsmen.

Many were originally painted in vivid colours, giving the underground army an appearance very different from the earth-toned figures visible today.

The visit also provides insight into Qin Shi Huang himself—a ruler whose short dynasty transformed Chinese history through political unification, administrative reforms and enormous state projects.

Afterwards, stop at a crockery or ceramic workshop, where you can see how traditional clay-working skills continue into the present day.

Returning to Xi’an, pause near the Ancient City Wall.

Dating largely from the Ming Dynasty, it remains one of China’s most complete historic urban fortification systems.

The broad ramparts and monumental gates offer a vivid reminder that Xi’an continued to be strategically important long after its period as an imperial capital.

Later, explore the lively Muslim Quarter.

Here, the Silk Road feels less like distant history and more like something still visible in everyday life.

Chinese and Islamic traditions have blended across generations of local families. Walk past bakeries, food stalls and restaurants preparing flatbreads, grilled meats, handmade noodles, dumplings, persimmon cakes and Xi’an’s famous roujiamo.

The aromas, crowds and street energy provide a colourful finale to the day.

Return to the hotel after experiencing two very different expressions of Xi’an: the disciplined silence of an ancient imperial army and the lively multicultural streets of a living city.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Xi’an
Tour Highlights: Terracotta Army, ceramic craftsmanship, Ancient City Wall and Muslim Quarter

DAY 6: XI’AN – FLIGHT TO ZHANGJIAJIE – FROM ANCIENT HISTORY TO WILD CHINA

After breakfast, leave Xi’an and transfer to the airport for your flight to Zhangjiajie.

Today marks the most dramatic change in the story of your journey.

The first half of the tour has been shaped almost entirely by human achievement.

Beijing revealed emperors, palaces and defensive walls. Xi’an introduced ancient armies and the cultural exchanges of the Silk Road.

From today, nature takes centre stage.

Zhangjiajie lies in Hunan Province and is famous for a landscape that seems almost too extraordinary to be real: thousands of sandstone pillars rising vertically through forests, deep valleys and frequently drifting clouds.

Upon arrival, meet your local guide and transfer towards the hotel.

The scenery gradually changes as the roads enter mountainous terrain. Dense vegetation covers steep slopes and enormous stone formations begin appearing beyond the settlements.

The remainder of the day is intentionally kept relaxed.

After several days of cultural sightseeing and travel between major cities, this slower afternoon gives you an opportunity to rest and prepare for two days of mountain exploration.

Depending on your arrival time, you may walk around the local area or simply enjoy the hotel surroundings.

Zhangjiajie’s scenery is highly influenced by weather.

Bright sunlight produces huge panoramas and clearly defined sandstone towers.

Mist creates something entirely different.

Clouds move through the valleys, covering the bases of the pillars so that isolated peaks appear to float above a white sea.

This dreamlike effect has contributed to Zhangjiajie’s popular association with the floating mountain imagery seen in the film Avatar.

Yet the real landscape needs no cinema to make it extraordinary.

Its sandstone formations are the result of geological processes operating over immense periods of time, gradually creating the vertical cliffs and narrow pillars visible today.

Enjoy dinner independently or at the hotel.

Hunan cuisine is known for bold flavours and generous use of fresh chilli, although milder options can easily be requested.

Tonight, prepare comfortable walking shoes, layered clothing and camera equipment.

Tomorrow is one of the most visually spectacular days of the entire tour, taking you deep into Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, above the valleys of Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie and across one of China’s most famous glass bridges.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Zhangjiajie
Travel: Domestic flight from Xi’an
Tour Highlights: Arrival in Zhangjiajie, dramatic mountain scenery and transition from cultural history to natural discovery

DAY 7: ZHANGJIAJIE – TIANZI MOUNTAIN, YUANJIAJIE, BAILONG ELEVATOR & GLASS BRIDGE

Today is the great natural highlight of the journey.

After breakfast, enter the spectacular landscapes of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, a world of sandstone towers, deep valleys and dense subtropical forest.

Begin by travelling towards Tianzi Mountain.

A cable car carries you above forest-covered slopes, gradually revealing the enormous scale of the surrounding landscape.

From elevated viewing platforms, hundreds of narrow rock pillars appear across the valleys.

On clear days, the views stretch across layer after layer of mountain scenery.

When mist gathers, the experience becomes even more atmospheric. Peaks rise above drifting clouds while the lower valleys disappear completely from sight.

Continue into Yuanjiajie, home to some of Zhangjiajie’s most famous formations.

Trails and viewpoints provide extraordinary perspectives across vertical cliffs and isolated sandstone pillars.

The landscape became internationally associated with the floating mountains depicted in Avatar, which explains why visitors often refer to this region as the “Avatar Mountains.”

But what makes Yuanjiajie truly remarkable is not that it resembles a movie.

It is that such a landscape exists at all.

One of today’s most memorable experiences is the extraordinary Bailong Elevator.

Built against a sheer cliff, this dramatic glass elevator transports visitors rapidly between different elevations of the scenic area.

As the cabin rises or descends, mountain scenery suddenly appears beyond the glass.

The combination of natural landscape and engineering makes the journey an attraction in its own right.

Later, continue towards Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and the spectacular Glass Bridge.

Suspended high above the canyon floor, the transparent walkway offers an entirely different perspective of the surrounding mountains.

Taking the first steps can feel slightly unsettling.

Through the glass beneath your feet, the gorge drops dramatically away.

Yet after the initial excitement, the wider scenery becomes the real attraction.

Cliffs rise on both sides while forests cover the canyon walls and distant peaks form the horizon.

Travellers who are uncomfortable with heights can cross slowly without looking directly downward, and alternative arrangements may be possible depending on the final programme.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon or evening.

Today combines extraordinary landscapes with equally remarkable engineering.

The images may be spectacular, but the strongest memory is usually simpler: standing above a sea of sandstone mountains and realising just how different this China feels from the cities you visited only days earlier.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Zhangjiajie
Tour Highlights: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie, Bailong Elevator, Grand Canyon and Glass Bridge

DAY 8: TIANMEN MOUNTAIN – HEAVEN’S GATE – FLIGHT TO SHANGHAI

Your final morning in Zhangjiajie is dedicated to another extraordinary landscape: Tianmen Mountain.

Unlike the countless sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianmen feels like a single monumental mountain rising dramatically above the surrounding region.

Begin with the famous cable-car journey from near Zhangjiajie city towards the summit.

As you rise above the urban landscape, the ground falls away and the scale of the mountains becomes increasingly dramatic.

Roads twist through the valleys below, while forested slopes and steep cliffs appear around the cabin.

Depending on weather conditions, clouds may drift across the cable route, creating moments when the surrounding landscape disappears before suddenly reopening again.

At the summit, follow walking trails built along the mountain’s cliffs.

These elevated pathways provide extensive views across the surrounding countryside.

Some sections include glass walkways, where transparent panels separate your feet from the enormous drop below.

The experience can be exhilarating, but the mountain offers much more than a thrill.

Take time to appreciate the forests, rock formations and constantly changing mountain atmosphere.

The great natural symbol of Tianmen Mountain is Tianmen Cave, commonly called Heaven’s Gate.

This enormous natural arch passes completely through the mountain.

Approaching it from below or above, depending on the day’s operating route, makes clear why the formation has inspired legends and spiritual associations.

A vast staircase rises towards the opening, creating one of Zhangjiajie’s most recognisable scenes.

Another extraordinary sight is the mountain road below.

Its sequence of dramatic hairpin bends climbs towards Tianmen Cave and looks almost like a ribbon laid across the mountainside.

After completing the visit, descend and transfer to Zhangjiajie Airport for your flight to Shanghai.

The transition could hardly be more dramatic.

Only hours earlier, you were walking between cliffs and clouds.

Now the skyline of one of Asia’s great global cities rises around you.

Upon arrival, meet your Shanghai guide and transfer to the hotel.

Depending on arrival time, enjoy a free evening.

Those with sufficient energy may take an optional walk along the Huangpu River for a first view of Shanghai after dark.

Historic European-influenced buildings line one side of the water.

Across the river, Pudong’s skyscrapers glow in the night.

The final chapter of the journey has begun.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Shanghai
Travel: Domestic flight from Zhangjiajie to Shanghai
Tour Highlights: Tianmen Mountain, cable car, glass walkway, Heaven’s Gate and arrival in Shanghai

DAY 9: SHANGHAI – JADE BUDDHA TEMPLE, SILK HERITAGE, JIN MAO TOWER, THE BUND & NANJING ROAD

Your final full day reveals the remarkable contrasts of Shanghai.

Begin at the peaceful Jade Buddha Temple.

Hidden within one of the world’s busiest cities, the temple creates an atmosphere of calm through its traditional halls, incense-filled courtyards and Buddhist sculptures.

Its celebrated jade Buddha figures were brought to Shanghai from Myanmar and have become important religious treasures.

Watching worshippers move quietly through the complex provides a contemplative beginning to a day that will later take you into the centre of modern Shanghai.

Continue to a silk factory or silk cultural centre.

Silk played an enormous role in Chinese history.

For centuries, Chinese silk travelled westward across the trade networks later collectively known as the Silk Road.

During the visit, learn how silkworm cocoons are processed into fine threads and transformed into fabrics.

The demonstrations reveal how much patience and specialised knowledge lie behind a material that once became one of China’s most famous exports.

From traditional craftsmanship, move directly into the future.

Travel into the Pudong financial district, where some of China’s tallest skyscrapers rise beside the Huangpu River.

Ascend the Jin Mao Tower to its observation level and look across the extraordinary Shanghai skyline.

From above, the city seems almost limitless.

The Huangpu River divides two very different architectural worlds.

On the Pudong side, glass towers represent the rapid transformation of modern China.

Across the water lies The Bund, your next destination.

Walk along this celebrated waterfront promenade past grand historic buildings created during Shanghai’s international commercial era.

Banks, hotels and trading houses stand shoulder to shoulder, preserving the architectural memory of the city’s rise as a global port.

Looking across from the Bund towards Pudong creates perhaps the most famous urban view in China: nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century architecture facing twenty-first-century skyscrapers across the same river.

Later, continue to Nanjing Road, one of the country’s best-known shopping streets.

Crowds move between department stores, international brands, restaurants and illuminated signs, creating a lively finale to your sightseeing.

Tonight, consider an optional Huangpu River cruise.

Seeing both the Bund and Pudong illuminated from the water provides an exceptional final-night perspective.

The mountains of Zhangjiajie may feel very far away now.

Yet this contrast is exactly what makes the journey so memorable.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Shanghai
Tour Highlights: Jade Buddha Temple, silk heritage, Jin Mao Tower, Pudong skyline, The Bund and Nanjing Road

DAY 10: SHANGHAI DEPARTURE – FAREWELL TO CHINA

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and some final free time depending on your international flight schedule.

You may take a last walk through the surrounding neighbourhood, enjoy a relaxed coffee or tea, or complete some final souvenir shopping before departure.

At the appointed time, your private driver will meet you and transfer you to Shanghai Pudong International Airport or Hongqiao Airport, according to your confirmed flight arrangements.

As your journey ends, take a moment to consider how much of China you have experienced in just ten days.

Beijing introduced the country at its most imperial.

You stood on the Great Wall as it followed the northern mountains, entered the vast courtyards of the Forbidden City and walked through the elegant landscape of the Summer Palace.

Xi’an took the story even farther back.

There, thousands of Terracotta Warriors revealed the scale of China’s first empire, while the Muslim Quarter reminded you that ancient China was never isolated. Merchants, religions, ideas and flavours travelled along the Silk Road and left cultural traces that remain visible today.

Then, in Zhangjiajie, human history temporarily disappeared behind something far older.

Sandstone pillars rose through forests and cloud.

Cliffside trails, glass bridges and mountain cable cars offered extraordinary perspectives over a landscape created by nature across immense periods of time.

Finally came Shanghai.

Here, historic trading houses face some of the tallest towers in Asia across a single stretch of river.

The city represents a country looking firmly towards the future without completely leaving the past behind.

That progression gives this ten-day journey its real character.

It is not simply a checklist of famous attractions.

It is a journey through four different expressions of China:

Beijing – Imperial China
Xi’an – Ancient China
Zhangjiajie – Wild China
Shanghai – Future China

You leave with photographs of great landmarks, but perhaps more importantly, with a deeper understanding of just how varied one country can be.

Your China Grand Discovery ends today.

The stories, landscapes and memories travel home with you.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: None
Service: Private airport transfer
Tour Conclusion: End of services