China14 days
China: Beijing to Yangshuo — Forbidden City, Zhangjiajie & Karst Valleys — 14 Days
From the Forbidden City and Great Wall through the Avatar-inspired mountains of Zhangjiajie to rice terraces and karst rivers, with nights in ethnic minority villages.
This 14-day route moves through four distinct regions of China, each with its own geography and cultural character. You begin in Beijing—walking the Forbidden City's ceremonial halls and exploring hutong alleys—then travel by overnight train to Shanghai, where French Concession architecture and the Bund's Art Deco facades anchor a day trip to Suzhou's classical gardens and canal streets. The journey then pivots to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan Province, where 243 sandstone pillars rise from karst terrain; these mountains inspired the floating islands in the film Avatar, though their scale and geological history stand independent of cinema. From there, you descend into Fenghuang Ancient Town, where Miao and Tujia minorities inhabit 1,300-year-old wooden houses built on stilts above the Tuojiang River. The final leg takes you through Longji's rice terraces—constructed over five centuries and named for their resemblance to dragon scales—before arriving in Yangshuo, where cycling through countryside and a Li River cruise close the journey. The route balances urban walking with mountain hiking, temple visits with rural homestays, and includes guides fluent in local history and dialect.
Highlights
- Forbidden City: walk the 500-year ceremonial and political center, UNESCO-listed for its collection of preserved wooden structures built 1406–1420
- Great Wall at Mutianyu: one of the best-preserved sections of the 6,000-km barrier stretching across mountain ridges
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: 243 sandstone pillars rising from karst terrain; hike to the Pillar of Southern Sky and cross the First Bridge Under Heaven
- Bailong Elevator: ascend 326 meters on the world's highest outdoor elevator to Yuanjiajie's summit views
- Fenghuang Ancient Town: 1,300-year-old settlement of Miao and Tujia minorities with stilted wooden houses (diaojiao lou) lining the Tuojiang River
- Longji Rice Terraces: fields constructed over 500 years, named for their dragon-scale patterns; hike through stone paths past waterfalls and chestnut forests
- Suzhou's Master of Nets Garden: classical private garden with exquisite architecture and techniques of relative dimension
- Li River Cruise: drift through karst landscape and crystal-clear waters from Yangshuo toward Guilin
Day by day
1Arrival in Beijinghotel lobby · the capital's streets · dinner
Welcome to Beijing. You will meet your guide in the hotel lobby at 6 pm for a briefing on the itinerary ahead, including an introduction to guides in each subsequent city. An orientation walk follows, taking in the rhythm of the capital's streets before settling into dinner—Peking Duck, the signature Beijing preparation.
2Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & Hutong AlleysTiananmen Square · Forbidden City · local restaurant · hutongs
Begin at Tiananmen Square, one of the world's largest public gathering spaces and home to the Monument of the People's Heroes and the Great Hall of the People. From there, enter the Forbidden City, built between 1406 and 1420 as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government for more than five centuries. In 1987 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for the most extensive collection of preserved ancient wooden structures anywhere in the world. After lunch at a local restaurant specializing in hand-pulled dumplings, spend the afternoon walking the hutongs—narrow alleys lined with traditional courtyards that form the texture of old Beijing life. Navigation relies on subway and foot traffic.
3Great Wall at Mutianyu, Summer Palace & Overnight Train to ShanghaiMutianyu · Summer Palace · Beijing to Shanghai
A two-hour journey takes you north to Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved and most accessible sections of the Great Wall, which spans over 6,000 kilometers across mountain ridges. The wall's construction required immense labor and engineering; Mutianyu's restored state makes the climb manageable while the scale of the undertaking remains apparent. After a midday picnic lunch provided by your guide, return to Beijing in the late afternoon to visit the Summer Palace, designed in classical Chinese style. Walk through the world's longest covered corridor and observe Kunming Lake and its gardens. In the evening, board a soft sleeper train bound for Shanghai.
4Shanghai: French Concession & The BundShanghai · French Concession · The Bund · old city's narrow winding lanes (longtangs)
Arrive in Shanghai mid-morning. After a rest, walk through the old city's narrow winding lanes (longtangs), observing the rhythms of local daily life. The French Concession, a foreign settlement from 1849 to 1943, developed over that century into a cultural hybrid—Chinese and European elements coexist in its architecture and street life. Evening brings a stroll along The Bund, where Art Deco buildings rise along what was once Asia's most important financial street, their facades reflecting the city's colonial and republican-era history.
5Suzhou: Classical Gardens, Shantang Street & Grand CanalShantang Street · Grand Canal · Master of Nets Garden · Suzhou to Shanghai
A fast train takes you thirty minutes to Suzhou, a water town renowned for its classical gardens. Visit the Master of Nets Garden, one of four celebrated gardens in the city; originally a private residence and garden, it demonstrates exquisite techniques of scale, spatial composition, and cultural layering. Next, visit Shantang Street, an ancient pedestrian thoroughfare lined with small arched bridges, wooden boats, old residences, and small shops—a living example of South China's water-town character. After lunch, walk along the Grand Canal, where stone bridges, waterside houses, and the unhurried pace of local life exemplify the region's centuries-old settlement patterns. A thirty-minute fast train returns you to Shanghai in late afternoon.
6Shanghai: City God Temple & Flight to ZhangjiajieCity God Temple · Shanghai to Zhangjiajie
Visit the City God Temple, a folk shrine adjacent to Yuyuan Garden. Originally built as the Jinshan God Temple and dedicated to the spirit of an island off Shanghai's coast, it was converted into a City God Temple in 1403 during the Ming Dynasty's Yongle era. Its popularity transformed the surrounding area into a large pedestrian zone hosting shops, restaurants, teahouses, and annual temple fairs. Later, head to the airport for an evening flight to Zhangjiajie, a small town set within Hunan Province's glorious mountain landscape—243 sandstone peaks surrounded by over 3,000 karst upthrusts in a subtropical climate.
7Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: Yuanjiajie, Avatar Peaks & Golden Whip StreamGolden Whip Stream · Bailong Elevator · Pillar of Southern Sky · Platform of Forgetfulness · First Bridge Under Heaven
Spend a full day exploring Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The landscape here—sandstone pillars rising from karst valleys—inspired the floating mountains depicted in the film Avatar, though the site's geological and ecological significance extends far beyond cinema. Begin by ascending the Bailong Elevator, the world's highest outdoor elevator at 326 meters, to reach Yuanjiajie's summit. From there, a 2.5-hour hike leads into the Pillar of Southern Sky, followed by views from the Platform of Forgetfulness and a crossing of the First Bridge Under Heaven. After lunch, visit the Golden Whip Stream. A well-paved walkway traces the valley floor for another 2.5-hour hike along the waterway, offering the landscape from a different angle; wild monkeys inhabit this area and may be encountered along the route.
8Zhangjiajie: Tianzi Mountain, Imperial Brush Peak & Ten-mile GalleryTianzi Mountain · Imperial Brush Peak · Ten-mile Gallery · Monarch of the Peak Forest · Laowuchang · Shentangwan Peaks and Helong Park
Continue exploring Zhangjiajie's varied terrain. A twenty-minute cable car ascends to Tianzi Mountain, followed by a short shuttle to the central area, known as the Monarch of the Peak Forest for its sweeping views across Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Visit Laowuchang, where traditional houses and paddy fields worked by local ethnic people remain intact. Proceed to Shentangwan Peaks and Helong Park before beginning an extended descent. En route, pass the Imperial Brush Peak, Xihai stone forest, and the formation called Fairy Lady Presents Flowers. A continuous descent of 7,878 steps leads to the Ten-mile Gallery, the essence of the scenic area—lush trees, fragrant wildflowers, and twisted peaks form a landscape scroll. The day's hiking spans approximately 5 to 6 hours of continuous walking.
9Fenghuang Ancient Town: Stilted Houses & Rainbow BridgeFenghuang Ancient Town · Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang Ancient Town · Tuojiang River · Hongqiao (Rainbow Bridge)
A private transfer of approximately 3.5 hours takes you from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang Ancient Town. This settlement, with a history spanning 1,300 years, centers on Miao and Tujia ethnic minorities. Early morning mist settles over the bridges, water, and stilted houses, creating a scene resembling traditional Chinese landscape painting. Visit the diaojiao lou (traditional gabled wooden houses built on stilts) lining both sides of the Tuojiang River. Walk along the river and visit the Hongqiao, or Rainbow Bridge, built over 600 years ago during the Ming Dynasty—it remains the town's best-known landmark, a structure of engineering and cultural significance marking centuries of settlement.
10Longji Rice Terraces: Arrival & OrientationPing'an Village Rice Terrace · Fenghuang to Longji · guesthouse at Longji · Longji region
A four-and-a-half-hour bus journey from Fenghuang brings you to Longji, a region containing some of China's most extensive rice terraces. These fields shift through the seasons—filled with mountain runoff before planting, green during growth, and golden when ready for harvest. Ping'an Village Rice Terrace, the first section discovered by tourists and photographers, presents the landscape's most eye-catching form. After settling into your guesthouse, your guide will take you on an orientation walk to establish the terrain and local geography.
11Longji Valley Hike: Dragon's Scales Terraces, Waterfalls & Yao VillageLongji Valley · Dazhai · Huangluo Yao Zhai · Ping'an Village
Hike through Longji Valley's rice terraces, bamboo groves, and chestnut forests. The terraces were constructed over 500 years ago, their parallel lines resembling dragon scales—hence the region's name; the mountain summit appears to form a dragon's backbone. Stone paths wind through the landscape, descending past waterfalls and active fields worked by local farmers. The hike covers approximately 20.2 kilometers over four to five hours. Lunch takes place in a farmer's restaurant in Dazhai, after which a local shuttle transports you to Huangluo Yao Zhai, a Yao ethnic village. There, walk among wooden houses and encounter the Yao women who maintain the cultural tradition of long hair. A shuttle bus returns you to Ping'an Village for the night.
12Yangshuo: Karst Hills & West StreetYangshuo · West Street · rice terraces
If weather permits, watch sunrise over the rice terraces before breakfast. A three-and-a-half-hour private drive takes you to Yangshuo, a small village set amid green karst hills and rice fields that has become a favored base for travelers in southern China. Your guide will provide an orientation walk, showing their preferred corners of town. West Street, built during the Song Dynasty around 590 AD, shifts in character by hour—peaceful and calm during the day, bustling and modern in the evening. Dinner at one of the town's well-regarded restaurants offers local regional delicacies prepared from familiar ingredients.
13Yangshuo Countryside Bicycle Tour & Moon HillYangshuo Countryside · Yangshuo · Moon Hill · house of local friends
After breakfast, cycle out of town into the surrounding countryside to observe China's rural landscape and agricultural patterns. Each turn reveals another perspective on the karst terrain. Stop at Moon Hill, recognizable by its crescent-moon-shaped natural arch and one of Yangshuo's popular attractions. More active participants may ascend to the summit via a steep and rough path, rewarded with extended vistas across the valley and distant hills. Lunch is taken at the house of local friends, featuring a meal prepared from locally grown produce. Return to town by bike, with the evening left free.
14Li River Cruise & DepartureLi River · Guilin train station · Hong Kong
A final morning brings a relaxing cruise on the Li River, drifting through karst landscape and clear water between Yangshuo and Guilin. The journey itself serves as a visual summary of the region's geological character. Transfer to Guilin train station for a fast train to Hong Kong, where the tour concludes.
Where you go
- 1Tiananmen Square
- 2Forbidden City
- 3hutongs
- 4Mutianyu
- 5Shanghai
- 6the Bund
- 7City God Temple
- 8Yangshuo
- 9Li River
- 10Hong Kong
Included
- Included:
- · 10 nights' hotel & 2 nights' guesthouse accommodation based on twin share
- · Local English speaking guide service in each city for FIT booking of 2-5 pax
- · National English speaking guide throughout for group booking of 6 pax or up
- · Private/public transfers in each city as specified
- · Sightseeing tours with entrance fee as specified
- · 12 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 7 dinners
- · Overnight soft-sleeper train Beijing-Shanghai (1 night)
- · Regular class fast train Guilin-Hong Kong
- · Economic class flight Shanghai-Zhangjiajie
- · Private transfer Zhangjiajie-Fenghuang & Fenghuang-Longji
Not included
- Excluded:
- · International flights
- · Travel insurance
- · Chinese visa
- · Expenses of personal nature, ie laundry, alcoholic drinks, and etc.