China12 days
China: Ancient Capitals & Karst Landscapes — 12 Days
Beijing to Hong Kong via Xi'an, Chengdu, and Yangshuo — 12 days with the Terracotta Warriors, Giant Pandas, and Longji rice terraces
This 12-day itinerary moves through four distinct regions of China, each marking a different historical period and landscape. You begin in Beijing, where imperial architecture — the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and the Great Wall's Mutianyu section — sit within a modern metropolis. A night train carries you to Shaolin Monastery in Henan, home to centuries of martial tradition, then south to Xi'an, where 6,000 Terracotta Warriors stand in formation after 2,000 years underground. From there, the route shifts toward landscape: Chengdu's Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Longji's cascading rice terraces, and three days in Yangshuo's karst valleys — a region of steep limestone peaks and rural farmland. The journey ends in Hong Kong. Throughout, you'll move by train, vehicle, and on foot, staying in hotels and experiencing both formal archaeological sites and rural village life.
Highlights
- Walk the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China, one of the best-preserved spans with 22 towers
- Stand before 6,000 individually sculpted Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, each with distinct facial features and costumes
- Observe Giant Pandas at the Chengdu Breeding Research Base, where 80 percent of the world's remaining pandas live
- Hike through Longji's terraced rice fields descending into valleys from the village of Ping'an
- Cycle through Yangshuo's karst landscape and visit Moon Hill's natural limestone arch
- Visit the Forbidden City, ceremonial center of Chinese government for over 500 years
- Visit Shaolin Monastery, the legendary birthplace of Kung Fu, and the Pagoda Forest with tombs dating to AD 791
- Cycle along Xi'an's City Wall, the most significant preserved defensive wall in China at 13 kilometers
Day by day
1Arrival in BeijingBeijing · airport · hotel in central Beijing · local restaurant
Your guide and driver meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in central Beijing. At 6 pm, there is a group meeting at the hotel where your guide will outline the day-to-day structure of the trip. An orientation walk follows, ending with dinner at a local restaurant. Beijing, China's capital, sits in the north as a direct-controlled municipality. The city layers modern and traditional architecture across 16 urban, suburban, and rural districts, with influence spanning politics, economy, education, history, culture, and technology.
2Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City & Hutong AlleywaysTiananmen Square · the Forbidden City · the Hutong
After breakfast, your guide meets you at the hotel, and you take the metro to Tiananmen Square, one of the world's largest public squares. Here stand the Monument of the People's Heroes and the Great Hall of the People. The scale and breadth are difficult to convey from images alone. From there, you move to the Forbidden City, built between 1406 and 1420 as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government for more than 500 years. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 and contains the most extensive collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. The day concludes with a walk through the Hutong — traditional courtyards and alleyways that form the backbone of old Beijing's residential life.
3The Great Wall at Mutianyu & Rural Village School Visitrural village school · Mutianyu section of the Great Wall · overnight soft sleeper train to Luoyang
Your guide and driver collect you after breakfast and drive to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, one of the best-preserved spans with 22 towers winding along mountain ridges. You spend the morning exploring this well-known defensive structure, learning its history while taking in views of Huairou County, the suburban area surrounding Beijing. A picnic lunch is taken on the wall itself. In the afternoon, you transfer to a nearby rural village school to spend time with students, gaining insight into daily life in villages beyond China's modern urban centers. In the late afternoon, you board an overnight soft sleeper train to Luoyang.
4Shaolin Monastery & the Pagoda ForestShaolin Monastery · Pagoda Forest · Luoyang train station · Luoyang old town
Your guide meets you at Luoyang train station and drives you to Shaolin Monastery, the legendary birthplace of Kung Fu in Henan Province. Here you learn about the warrior monks and how martial arts traditions have evolved over centuries. An athletic Kung Fu performance is held, and if you wish, you can join a Kung Fu class at the temple itself. The Pagoda Forest, where respected monks have been laid to rest in towering stone tombs since AD 791, is explored on foot. In the evening, you return to Luoyang and walk through the old town as thousands of colorful lamps illuminate the streets and squares, creating a nighttime atmosphere distinct from the daytime cityscape.
5Longmen Grottoes & Xi'an's Gao Family MansionLongmen Grottoes · Gao Family Mansion · Muslim Quarter, local markets, and the Bell & Drum Tower
After breakfast, your guide and driver take you to the Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage site where steep limestone cliffs extend for almost a mile. The cliffs contain approximately 110,000 Buddhist stone statues, 60 stupas, and 2,800 inscriptions carved into the stone. In the afternoon, you board a bullet train south to Xi'an. Upon arrival, you visit one of the best-preserved old residences in the city, dating back 400 years, which once housed seven generations of the Gao family — notable officials of the royal court. The original furniture, pottery, porcelain, and paintings offer a window into traditional local lifestyle. The day concludes with a walk around the Muslim Quarter, local markets, and the Bell & Drum Tower.
6The Terracotta Warriors & Xi'an's City WallTerracotta Warriors · Xi'an's City Wall
You visit the Terracotta Warriors, an archaeological discovery made in 1976 when farmers digging a well unearthed the collection after 2,000 years of burial. Three main pits are open to view. Just under 2,000 of the total 6,000 warriors — each individually sculpted from clay with different costumes, heights, and facial expressions — stand in battle formation. From there, you move to Xi'an's ancient City Wall, the most significant and best-preserved wall in China. Running over 13 kilometers around the city, it is the only complete wall that has survived in the country and ranks among the world's largest ancient military defensive systems. You cycle a section of this wall, an experience few travellers encounter.
7Chengdu Arrival & Kuanzhai Alley Food WalkKuanzhai Alley · Chengdu train station
After breakfast, your guide and driver transfer you to Chengdu train station, where you board a train south. Upon arrival, a private transfer takes you to downtown Chengdu to check into your hotel. You then visit Kuanzhai Alley, also known as Wide and Narrow Alley, a complex of three historic paralleled alleyways dating to the Qing dynasty. Here you sample local food — sticky rice cakes with sesame sauce, spicy chicken on a stick, sweet rice jelly, fried beef pancakes — offering a direct entry into Sichuan's culinary tradition. You wander the area's historic atmosphere before returning to your hotel.
8Giant Panda Breeding Research Base & Wenshu MonasteryGiant Panda Breeding Research Base · Wenshu Monastery · a local restaurant
This morning you visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, where you observe the conservation efforts protecting this endangered species. Approximately 1,000 pandas remain in the world, and 80 percent inhabit the mountains of Sichuan Province. The pandas roam over 600 acres of parkland. You watch them play, eat bamboo, and rest. Afterward, you return to the hotel and visit Wenshu Monastery before dinner at a local restaurant, where you experience Sichuan Hot Pot — a regional specialty in which diners cook raw ingredients in a communal, simmering broth.
9Flight to Guilin & Hike to Ping'an Village in LongjiGuilin · Ping'an Village · Ping'an · Longji · Chengdu airport
After breakfast, your guide and driver transfer you to Chengdu airport for a flight to Guilin. Upon arrival, you are transferred to Longji for a hike to the village of Ping'an. The area is famous for its terraced rice fields that cascade down into valleys in layers of lush green. The vista from Ping'an — with rice terraces falling away in geometric patterns — creates a landscape that feels more like a rendered image than a physical place. The picturesque quality is not exaggerated; it is the geography itself.
10Trek from Ping'an to Dazhai VillagePing'an to Dazhai Village · Dazhai Village · Dazhai Village to Yangshuo
After breakfast, your guide meets you at your hotel and begins a trek toward the village of Dazhai. The hike takes approximately 2.5 hours over moderate terrain — not strenuous, and suitable for people with average fitness levels. You are advised to bring good hiking shoes and plenty of water. Dazhai is a small village of beautiful wooden stilt houses perched within views of the Longji rice terraces below. Those preferring not to hike can remain at the hotel. After the trek, you transfer to Yangshuo, a resort town in Guangxi region known for its dramatic karst mountain landscape and outdoor recreation opportunities.
11Yangshuo Countryside Cycle & Moon Hill HikeYangshuo countryside · Moon Hill · local farmhouse · Yangshuo's streets and cafes
After breakfast, your guide meets you for a bike tour into the surrounding countryside. The landscape itself carries a quietness — scenic in the literal sense, a feast for observation. You cycle toward a local farmhouse for a home-cooked lunch, then continue on foot to Moon Hill, a unique natural formation where a large semicircular hole marks the remains of what was once a grand limestone cave. The evening is unscheduled, allowing you to visit Yangshuo's streets and cafes at your own pace.
12Guilin to Hong Kong DepartureHong Kong · Guilin train station
At an arranged time, you are transferred from your hotel to Guilin train station for your journey to Hong Kong, where you will connect to your international flight home. As you depart, reflect on the regions you've explored: imperial Beijing's grandeur, the warrior-monk traditions of Shaolin, Xi'an's archaeological treasures, and Yangshuo's rural landscapes. Each destination revealed a different chapter of China — its history, natural beauty, and the character of its people. We hope your time across these distinct geographies has left you with lasting memories and wish you a pleasant onward journey.
Where you go
- 1Beijing
- 2Tiananmen Square
- 3Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall
- 4Shaolin Monastery
- 5Longmen Grottoes
- 6Terracotta Warriors
- 7Xi'an's City Wall
- 8Hong Kong
Included
- Accommodation & breakfast
- Transport service from and to airport & tours
- Speaking English guide
- Entrance fee
- Local guide fee at particular tourism objects
- Meals & mineral water as a program
- Travel Insurance
Not included
- Air ticket
- Personal & other expenses
- Optional program