China8 days
China: Beijing, Great Wall & Xi'an Terracotta — 8 Days
Beijing to Shanghai via overnight train, visiting the Forbidden City, Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, and the Terracotta Warriors archaeological site.
This eight-day itinerary moves through three of China's most historically significant cities without rushing. Beijing anchors the first phase, where you'll walk the grounds of the Forbidden City (built 1406–1420) and pass through the hutongs — narrow lanes of traditional courtyard homes — before heading to Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved sections of the Great Wall, about two hours outside the capital. An overnight train carries you to Xi'an, where the Terracotta Warriors — nearly 2,000 of an estimated 6,000 individually sculpted clay soldiers, each with distinct costume and facial expression — remain in formation exactly as they've stood since being buried 2,000 years ago. A second night train takes you to Shanghai, where Art Deco colonial buildings line the Bund and older neighborhoods like the Muslim Quarter retain narrow streets and small-scale commercial life. The pacing includes guided orientation in each city, but also unscheduled days in Xi'an and Shanghai to pursue your own interests — whether cycling the ancient Xi'an city wall, visiting the Shanghai Museum, or traveling to Zhujiajiao, a water town 1,700 years old.
Highlights
- Walking the Forbidden City, the political and ceremonial center of Chinese government for over 500 years, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Trekking Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, one of the most restored and accessible routes, with views across the surrounding ridges
- Viewing the Terracotta Warriors at Xi'an — nearly 2,000 individually sculpted soldiers in three open pits, discovered in 1976
- Strolling the hutongs of Beijing — traditional alleyway neighborhoods that reveal how residents lived before modern urban development
- Exploring the Bund in Shanghai — a sequence of Art Deco and colonial-era buildings that once anchored Asian finance
- Cycling or walking the ancient city wall surrounding central Xi'an
- Visiting Zhujiajiao water town, an option during free time in Shanghai, accessible by day trip
Day by day
1Arrival in Beijing & Orientation WalkBeijing · hotel lobby
You will meet your local guide at 6pm in the hotel lobby for a welcome briefing and overview of the itinerary ahead, including details about guides in each subsequent city. After the initial orientation, your guide will take you on a walk through Beijing to begin understanding the city's layout and character. The remainder of the evening is yours to rest after travel.
2Beijing: Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square & HutongsTiananmen Square · the Forbidden City · a local restaurant · the hutongs
This day centers on Beijing's most recognizable historical sites and neighborhoods. You'll begin with Tiananmen Square, one of the world's largest public squares, home to the Monument of the People's Heroes and the Great Hall of the People. From there, you'll move into the Forbidden City, the ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government for more than 500 years. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, the Forbidden City is listed by UNESCO as the most extensive collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. After lunch at a local restaurant featuring handmade dumplings, the afternoon is devoted to the hutongs — the narrow lanes formed by lines of traditional courtyard homes where residents have lived for centuries. Walking through these alleyways remains the most direct way to observe daily life in Beijing's older neighborhoods.
3Great Wall at Mutianyu & Overnight Train to Xi'anMutianyu · Beijing to Xi'an
A two-hour journey from Beijing takes you to Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved and most carefully restored sections of the Great Wall. Because of this restoration work, the Wall here is easier to climb than less-maintained sections, yet the scale and engineering difficulty remain apparent. A picnic lunch is provided on the Wall itself. You'll return to Beijing in time for the evening departure on an overnight hard-sleeper train bound for Xi'an, where you'll arrive the following morning.
4Xi'an: Terracotta Warriors & Muslim QuarterTerracotta Warriors site · Xi'an's Muslim Quarter
Upon arrival in Xi'an, you'll meet your local guide and travel to the Terracotta Warriors site. This archaeological discovery, unearthed in 1976 when farmers digging a well broke through the chamber roof, consists of nearly 2,000 warriors visible across three open pits — each figure individually sculpted from clay, each bearing a distinct costume, height, and facial expression. The warriors stand in formation alongside pottery horses and chariots, arranged as if for battle. An estimated 6,000 total figures remain within the excavation. After lunch in a local village restaurant, you'll visit Xi'an's Muslim Quarter, walking through narrow lanes lined with small shops, market stalls, and street-food restaurants that have operated here for centuries.
5Xi'an Free Day & Overnight Train to Shanghaiancient city wall · Big Wild Goose Pagoda · Bell and Drum Towers · train station
The day is unscheduled, allowing you to pursue your own interests in Xi'an. Common options include cycling atop the ancient city wall that still encircles the city center, visiting the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, or exploring the Bell and Drum Towers. In the late afternoon, you'll meet your guide in the hotel lobby before heading to the train station for the overnight hard-sleeper train to Shanghai.
6Shanghai: City God Temple, Yuyuan Garden & the BundCity God Temple · the Bund · longtangs · Shanghai Museum
The overnight train arrives in Shanghai in the morning. After a transfer to your hotel and a short rest, you'll begin a walking tour of older Shanghai. The City God Temple, originally founded as the Jinshan God Temple dedicated to the spirit of an island off Shanghai's coast, was converted to its current form in 1403 during the Ming dynasty. The temple's popularity has transformed its surroundings into a large pedestrian quarter hosting shops, restaurants, teahouses, and annual temple fairs. Nearby, the winding lanes of old Shanghai — known as longtangs — offer a close view of how residents live in densely packed traditional neighborhoods. The Shanghai Museum, designed according to Feng Shui principles, holds a permanent collection of over 120,000 pieces and regularly hosts special exhibitions. In the evening, you'll visit the Bund, the colonial-era waterfront lined with Art Deco buildings that once served as the financial center of Asia.
7Shanghai Free Day with Optional Water Town VisitZhujiajiao
Shanghai is yours to wander at your own pace. One popular option is a day trip to Zhujiajiao, a water town located near Shanghai with over 1,700 years of recorded history. Walking through its narrow cobblestone streets and crossing the arched bridges that connect its neighborhoods offers respite from modern urban density. A gondola ride along the town's waterways is a traditional way to experience the setting. Otherwise, you may use the day to revisit museums, visit additional neighborhoods, or sample the wide range of restaurants throughout the city.
8Shanghai DepartureShanghai
Depending on your outbound flight time, you have flexibility to spend the day as you wish. Wander more of Shanghai's bustling streets and neighbourhoods, or indulge in the city's diverse culinary offerings. No meals are included today.
Where you go
- 1Beijing
- 2Tiananmen Square
- 3Mutianyu
- 4Terracotta Warriors site
- 5Big Wild Goose Pagoda
- 6City God Temple
- 7the Bund
- 8Shanghai Museum
- 9Shanghai
Included
- Included:
- · 5 nights hotel in double rooms
- · 2 nights overnight on train
- · 2 breakfasts
- · Public or private transfers in air-conditioned cars
- · Local English-speaking guides in each cities
- · Entrance fees included for included activities
Not included
- Excluded:
- · International flights
- · Travel insurance
- · Chinese visa
- · Expenses of personal nature, ie laundry, alcoholic drinks, and etc.