History & Nature

After a morning meet-up at your hotel lobby, your guide and the driver will escort you on a smooth transfer to Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing. Stroll northward, pass by iconic buildings such as the Monument to the People’s Heroes, National Museum, and Great Hall of the People, and we’ll arrive before the solemn Tiananmen Tower. Here, pay attention to a pair of imposing white marble ornamental columns. It is said that such columns have served as time-tellers in distant ancient times - as early as 4,000 years ago, the ancients measured time by setting up a pole and observing the changes in its shadow on the ground throughout the day.

Next, head north for an unmatched architectural feat of the Forbidden City, the royal palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368 - 1911 AD). As the best-preserved and the largest wooden royal architectural complex in the world, it also contains a large number of unique and priceless cultural relics. There are also many secrets to discover when you visit the complex. For instance, there is a small door under the terrace into the Palace of Heavenly Purity. What was it used for? In a rigid feudal hierarchy, it was the channel for the eunuchs and maids to go across in front of the palace quickly. Sometimes, it was also the drainage tunnel during a rainstorm. Emperor Tianqi in the late Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 AD) liked to hide in the tunnel when playing hide-and-seek in his childhood.After a local flavor lunch, the guide will accompany you to the Temple of Heaven, which originally served as a place for emperors to worship the God of Heaven in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The most precious architectures inside are the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest and the Circular Mound Altar. At present, it has developed into a large park for the locals to exercise and relax, so you can have a chance to blend in with local life there.

★ Watch an Adrenaline-pumping Acrobatic Show

Then, you’ll be invited to attend an acrobatic show at the Red Theater. The artists perform astonishing feats through perfect coordination, from hoop diving and motorcycle stunts to multi‑tier chair balancing. Prepare to be mesmerized by the Shoulder Ballet, a perfect fusion of the elegant Western ballet and the breathtaking Chinese acrobatics. Dressed in an elegant Chinese costume, a ballerina spins on her partner’s shoulders, arms, and even head, moving like a princess in a music box.

★ A La Carte Welcome Dinner with Peking Duck

After a visual feast, it’s time to fill your stomach with a delicious a la carte welcome dinner, valued at US$22 per person and included in your tour price. The restaurant we have selected for you is a noted restaurant welcomed among locals, instead of those touristy eateries with low quality. The dishes are rich and distinctive, and prices are reasonable. Peking Roast Duck is one of their specialties. The guide will assist you with the ordering and give you some other recommendations based on your flavor. You can look forward to more authentic and tasty Chinese food in the following days. Give some hints: distinctive snacks in Xi’an and delicate and fresh dishes in Shanghai.

After a fulfilling day, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, lunch, a la carte welcome dinner with Peking Duck

In the morning, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel lobby and then accompany you for a 1.5-hour car ride to the Mutianyu Great Wall. To ensure an effortless and breathtaking experience, we’ve included a round-trip cable car or chairlift up & toboggan down for your convenience. As the magnificent Great Wall once only seen in photographs unfolds beneath you, you’ll definitely understand why it stands as a symbol of the Chinese spirit. Stretching approximately 5,400 meters (3.4 miles) along the mountain ridges, the ramparts wind like a great stone dragon, once guarding against incursions from northern nomadic tribes. Along the wall, you’ll notice watchtowers constructed at regular intervals. Originally, the wall lacked such structures, leaving soldiers exposed to harsh weather and their firearms vulnerable to rain and wind. During later renovations, these watchtowers were added to provide shelter and to store weapons and gunpowder.

★ A Moment to Remember: 

To celebrate conquering the Great Wall, your guide will pour you a goblet of red wine. Let’s toast to having crossed this landmark off your life’s must‑see list!

After a buffet lunch replenishing your energy, we’ll return to the city center. En route, pass by the National Stadium, widely known as Bird's Nest, where you can add more amazing photos to your travel album.

★ Beijing’s Everyday Life through Hutong Alleys & Local Family Visit

Having experienced Beijing’s grand monuments, we’ll now delve into the city’s everyday fabric with a visit to its traditional Hutong alleys. Board a classic rickshaw and, accompanied by its gentle bell ring, you’ll wind through a maze of narrow lanes. Let’s stop at a courtyard residence to glimpse the authentic local life. Standing in the center of its symmetrical layout, you’ll witness a living reflection of the Chinese family hierarchy that has endured for centuries. The northern room, receiving the best light and offering the most space, is traditionally reserved for the head of the eldest generation, embodying the core Chinese value of respecting the seniors. The east wing often houses the eldest son, seen as the family’s hope and successor, much like the morning sun rising in the east, while the west wing would typically be allocated to daughters or younger sons.

At the end of today’s itinerary, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, buffet lunch

After breakfast, your guide and driver will accompany you to the Summer Palace. It's a representative Chinese classic garden, as well as one of the best-preserved royal gardens of the country. The lake, mountain, woods, bridges, pavilions and more “get along so well” with each other, showing the super garden building skills of ancient Chinese artisans.

Leave Beijing behind with a farewell lunch, and then, your guide and driver will escort you to the railway station and assist you in getting on a high-speed train to Xi'an. At a speed of up to 350 km/h (217 mph), China’s high-speed train is one of the world’s fastest and most advanced, so a must-try for overseas visitors. It takes about 4.5-5.5 hours on the way and those with the shortest duration are always our prior choices.

Upon arrival in Xi’an, an ancient capital city with abundant historic relics, your local guide and driver will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel for check-in.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, lunch

After breakfast at your hotel, your guide and driver will pick you up to explore the Terracotta Army Museum, the grand underground regiment built 2,200 years ago to protect Qin Shi Huang (259 - 210 BC), China’s first emperor, in his afterlife. Dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the world, it will inspire your awe not only with the overall army grandeur in its three distinctive burial pits, but with the detailed sculptural craftsmanship of various warriors and bronzewares displayed in an exhibition hall. With your guide, a closer look at the statues reveals surprising subtleties - some figures even have delicate eyelashes. Such meticulous details speak to the gentleness and aesthetic care the artisans brought to their work. The most profound discovery, however, is on the arm of a general figurine: an ancient fingerprint, which has been confirmed to belong to the craftsman who made it at that time! It is said that more than 100 fingerprints have been found on over 40 restored terracotta warriors, among which the youngest one was from a 14-year-old teenager, while the majority of others closely matched the features of people between 16 and 25 years old, which means that the main force to build the terracotta warriors is a group of youngsters. And thanks to them, we can witness the pinnacle of human sculpture today. After this exhilarating visit, you’ll have a local flavor lunch.

★ Privilege of Our Guests

1. Your guide will accompany you to probe into some stories behind the dramatic discovery right at the home of its discoverer, Mr. Yang Zhifa. He is a farmer living nearby and dug out a clay figure when digging a well in 1974. At his home, you will see the hoe used to dig out the first clay warrior.
2. Next, craft your own mini warrior for this Terracotta Army trip, guided by an artisan at a local workshop. After completing it, perhaps carve your special symbol or name on it like Qin artisans, and take it home.

Following that, let’s return to the city center to visit Xi'an’s most prominent Buddhist landmark: the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.

★ Special Treat: Dumpling Dinner & Dynastic Dance Show

Then a grand evening banquet awaits you! Your guide will invite you into a theater-restaurant evoking the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD) over a millennium ago. You’ll enjoy a traditional Xi'an dumpling feast accompanied by an elegant Tang Dynasty music and dance performance. Dressed in period costumes and playing ancient instruments, the performers will reenact the legendary rise of Wu Zetian (624-705 AD), from a humble palace maid to China’s only female emperor.

After the banquet, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, lunch, dumpling dinner

After breakfast, your guide and driver will escort you to visit the City Wall Park, a local leisure venue composed of the green belt and moat along the ancient City Wall, where you can see youngsters running, couples strolling hand in hand, and elderly people practicing traditional Chinese martial arts. For cultural immersion, we’ve specially invited a master of shadowboxing, and you can learn a few of the slow-motion moves while nurturing your inner peace.

Afterward, let’s go up to the City Wall, which is not merely a wall, but an ancient defensive system consisting of the walls, gates, watchtowers, a moat, and more. Pay attention to those platforms protruding from the wall, which are humorously called ‘Horse Faces’. These protrusions were set up every 120 meters, whereas crossbows had a range of about 60 meters, which allowed for full cross-fire coverage in battles. Coupled with 2-story watchtowers on them that can be used for lookout, stationing soldiers, and storing weapons, they form an ingenious coordination of attack and defense. Nowadays, the City Wall is protected by a high-tech ‘digital nervous system’. With 3,000 monitoring points and 1,300 sensors installed, experts can track even the smallest cracks or shifts in real-time, ensuring the site’s long-term preservation. Cycling the City Wall is a fantastic way to explore. If you’re interested, your guide can help you rent a bike at your own expense. While the full circuit spans 13.7 km (8.5 mi), you may enjoy a short ride on the wall near the South Gate.

★ A La Carte Lunch for Xi’an’s Signature Flavors

At midday, dive into the Muslim Quarter, one of Xi'an’s most vibrant food streets. We’ve arranged for a time-honored restaurant here to host an authentic a la carte lunch, for you to taste an array of local flavors, such as Chinese Hamburger, Cold Noodles, Honey Sticky Rice Cake, and Sour Plum Drink.

That’s all for Xi’an exploration, and later, your guide and driver will escort you to the airport for your flight to Zhangjiajie. Upon arrival, you will be picked up and escorted to the hotel directly by your local guide and driver.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, a la carte local food lunch

Spend this whole day in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Since everything we will sightsee today is on the mountaintop, the guide will first lead you to ride the time-saving and labor-saving Bailong Elevator, the world’s highest and fastest outdoor lift. Guess how long it takes to shuttle you 335 meters (1,099 feet) up to the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area which is famous for the Hallelujah Mountain - the shooting spot of the well-known Hollywood blockbuster ‘Avatar’? Yes, it’s an amazing 88 seconds! Without it, you’d have to trek over 3 hours or drive 5 hours to appreciate the unique karst peaks of Zhangjiajie. Among the three thousand peaks, you are sure to find the Hallelujah Mountain at first sight. This solitary pillar with verdant pines growing on the top soars from the sea of clouds, like a magic cudgel floating in the air of Pandora planet. Also follow our guide to take in another landmark, the No.1 Bridge under Heaven, which is a natural stone bridge formed after thousands of years of weathering.

Post lunch, take a shuttle bus of the Park to Yangjiajie Scenic Area atop a nearby mountain. This was once the territory of the military Yang family, who had been sent here to put down an uprising for a long time and then took root. The peaks and valleys crisscross the area, forming a magnificent natural landscape. Accompanied by our guide, standing on the spacious viewing platform and overlooking the Natural Great Wall, which is actually rows of undulating peaks. When the clouds linger, it is partly hidden and partly visible, making you feel as if you are in the place where the gods live. 

After that, move to Tianzi Mountain. The quartz sandstone peaks here are of various shapes, some like huge stone towers, some like giant mushrooms, and some like sharp swords. Now it’s your time to witness the Imperial Brush Peak that constantly appears in numerous domestic and foreign media and promotional materials. It is originally a masterstroke of nature, but the people here have linked it with a Tujia King, Xiang Dakun, saying that it is changed from the writing brush Xiang had used. Then finish the day with a downhill cable car ride and go back to the hotel for rest.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, lunch

In the morning, a 40-minute drive will take you to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, which is regarded as the Zhangjiajie landscape museum, offering you a whole view of karst topography blending with the twitter of the birds and lively animals. Here, you will get one of the most thrilling experiences in your life; that is, walking across the world’s longest and highest Glass Bridge, with a relative height of around 300 meters (984 feet) and a length of 430 meters (1,411 feet). It is characterized by its bridge panels, which are made of three layers of 15-millimeter-thick toughened glass to ensure its safety, allowing visitors to enjoy the breathtaking panoramic view of the Canyon while also feeling the harmonious coexistence of technology and nature. Don’t worry too much, the opaque areas on both sides of the bridge can help you overcome your inner fear of walking this high. Later, let’s drive back to the vicinity of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park for lunch.

After a simple energy boost, enter from the East Gate of the Park and take the scenic car to Shuirao Simen, where we will begin a relaxing hike along the most beautiful part of Golden Whip Stream, a 7.5-kilometer-long (4.7-mile-long) hiking trail known for its gentle inclines, high concentration of negative oxygen ions and dense woods. During this journey, you will have the opportunity to see rare giant salamanders in the clear stream, ancient auspicious lobster flowers on the banksides, as well as first-class protected Chinese dove trees and metasequoias, which are all unique to Zhangjiajie. What’s more, prepare to be fascinated by the Lovers Peak, which resembles a male and a female hugging and gazing into each other’s eyes affectionately. If you are not too tired and still want to discover more charms, you can also discuss with the guide to accompany you to walk a bit far. 

At the end of today’s tour, you will be escorted by your guide and driver to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, lunch

After breakfast, follow our guide’s footsteps to uncover the mystery of Tianmen Mountain (Heaven's Gate Mountain), the highest in Zhangjiajie at 1,518.6 meters (4,982 feet) above sea level, which is commonly referred to as the “first sacred mountain of Western Hunan” and the “soul of Zhangjiajie”. For your convenience, we have included a round-trip cable car and transmountain escalators. Take your time to appreciate the prestigious Tianmen Cave (Heaven's Gate). It is said that during the Three Kingdoms period (220 - 280 AD), one of the mountain's precipices suddenly collapsed, creating a huge stone cave that looks like a door leading to heaven. At that time, the emperor of the Wu State, Sun Xiu, thought that this was a good omen, so he changed the name from the original 'Songliang' to Tianmen, which literally means Heaven's Gate. Taking the 7-level escalator up to the summit, not only can you stroll along the Cloud Corridor to admire the sea of clouds, but also walk on the transparent Glass Skywalk at the edge of the cliff to challenge yourself.  

As the essence of Zhangjiajie’s charms has almost been explored, your 9 days China tour package will end here. According to your onward schedule, your guide and the driver will escort you to Zhangjiajie International Airport or the high-speed train station. We wish you a nice journey home and hope to see you again in the future!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

► FYI: For your onward travel, we recommend booking flights or trains departing after 19:00. Zhangjiajie Airport offers direct flights to major domestic hubs such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, as well as to several Asian cities, including Seoul, Osaka, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok. Alternatively, high‑speed rail services are available to destinations such as Shanghai and Hong Kong, which allows you to plan your itinerary flexibly. Should you plan to leave the next day, contact us to arrange extra hotel accommodation at additional charge.