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 Beijing, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie & Shanghai: 10-Day Epic China Journey

Beijing, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie & Shanghai: 10-Day Epic China Journey

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In-depth-CulturalPrivate-PartiallyGuided-PersonalizedChristmas-New-Year

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5 out of 5 stars

Five Thousand Years of Glorious History, the World-Renowned Chinese Civilization - Marvel at the Splendid Forbidden City, the Winding Great Wall Stretching Thousands of Miles, the Brilliant Eastern Culture, the Heavenly Huangshi Village, and the Mystical Zhangjiajie.

Highlights

  • Forbidden City In-Depth Tour - Experience the Centuries of History in this Majestic Palace
  • Explore the World's Largest Underground Military Museum: The Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum
  • When Modern Shanghai Meets World Heritage – A Fusion of Cityscape and Ancient Towns
  • Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: A Realm of 3,000 Unique Peaks and 800 Waters.

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Itinerary

DAY1 Beijing

No matter when your flight arrives in Beijing, you will be greeted by a guide at the airport and transferred to your hotel. After checking in, you will have the rest of the day free for activities.

DAY2 Tiananmen - Forbidden City - Temple of Heaven

The guide will meet you in the hotel lobby to begin exploring the historic city of Beijing, the Forbidden City, the largest and most complete ancient royal palace in the world. Walk to Jingshan Park, where you can enjoy beautiful views of the Forbidden City from the top of Coal Hill.

The Forbidden City is one of the most well-preserved and largest wooden structure ancient architectural complexes in China and the world. These magnificent buildings can be divided into two main parts: the "Outer Court" and the "Inner Court." The Qianqing Gate serves as the boundary; south of the Qianqing Gate is the Outer Court, where the emperor handled state affairs, while north of the Qianqing Gate is the Inner Court, where the emperor's concubines lived, serving as the emperor's family life area. Walking through the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Qianqing Palace, and Kunning Palace, and enjoying the flowers and plants in the emperor's garden, one feels as if they have traveled back in time to a historical drama.

The Palace Museum houses a large number of precious cultural relics, with estimates of over a million pieces. They are divided into multiple exhibition halls according to the types of relics. Among them, the Treasure Hall and the Clock Hall are particularly eye-catching. The Clock Hall offers clock demonstrations at 11 AM and 2 PM daily, where you can see various uniquely designed and rare mechanical clocks collected by the Qing Dynasty, which will definitely broaden your horizons.

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Enjoy lunch at an authentic Chinese restaurant along the way

Visit the Temple of Heaven, the Temple of Heaven is a dedicated altar for the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to worship heaven, ask for rain, and pray for bountiful harvests. It is a famous ancient architectural site in the country. The northern part of the altar is circular, while the southern part is square, symbolizing "Heaven is round and the Earth is square." The entire Temple of Heaven consists of two parts: the inner altar and the outer altar, with well-known buildings such as the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Echo Wall located in the inner altar.

Area Overview

The Inner Altar is divided into two parts, north and south, by walls. The northern part is known as the "Qigu Altar," where the emperor holds the grand ceremony to pray for good harvests in spring, seeking favorable weather and abundant crops. The main buildings include the Qinian Hall, the Huangqian Hall, the East and West Pavilions, the Qinian Gate, the Divine Kitchen, the Sacrificial Pavilion, and the Seventy-Two Long Corridors, among others.

The southern part is the "Round Altar," an open-air three-tier circular stone altar, which is the place where the emperor sacrifices to Heaven on the winter solstice. The main buildings include the Round Altar, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, accompanying halls, the Sacred Kitchen, three storages, and the Abattoir Pavilion.

The connection between the two altars is a stone platform that is 360 meters long, 28 meters wide, and 2.5 meters high, known as the "Sacred Path," also referred to as "Haima Avenue," or "Danbi Bridge," symbolizing the long road that heaven must traverse.

Return to the hotel, where you can plan an evening show or Peking duck dinner with your guide along the way and seek recommendations.

DAY3 Badaling Great Wall - Bird's Nest - Water Cube

Our guide will meet you in the hotel lobby and then start exploring the Great Wall.

The Mutianyu Great Wall is located in the Huairou District of Beijing, connecting to the Juyong Pass to the west and Gubeikou to the east. It has been a strategic military stronghold defending Beijing since ancient times, known as the "Perilous Mountain Pass." The architectural style of the Mutianyu Great Wall is unique, with dense watchtowers, particularly the main watchtower where three enemy towers stand in a row, which is quite rare among the Great Wall.

Enjoy lunch at a local Chinese restaurant near the Great Wall.

Drive back to Beijing, you can take a nap in the car. Visit the exterior of the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube, which are stunning buildings constructed for the Beijing Olympics. Return to the hotel for free time.

The Bird's Nest (National Stadium) is located at the northern end of Beijing's central axis. It served as the main stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and has become one of Beijing's new landmarks in recent years due to its stunning design and the numerous international events it hosts.

The Water Cube (National Aquatics Center) is located on the north side of Beijing, featuring a very unique structure. Its exterior is composed of over 3,000 irregularly shaped bubble-like air pillows, resembling water molecules in a blue ocean from afar. At night, the colorful lights are dazzling, making it a great spot for night photography.

DAY4 Beijing Gulou Yangmeizhu Xiejie - Nanluoguxiang - Xi'an

In the morning, you will have enough time to pack your luggage. Our tour guide and driver will wait for you in the hotel lobby. After checking out, we will put your luggage on the vehicle, and you will have a half-day leisure tour. We will drive to Gulou Yangmeizhu Xiejie and Nanluoguxiang to experience the lively atmosphere of Beijing's hutongs. After lunch, in the afternoon, the driver and tour guide will take you to the high-speed train station to board the train to Xi'an (approximately five hours). Your Xi'an tour guide will be waiting for you at the station and will assist you in transferring to the hotel.

DAY 5 Terracotta Warriors of Qin Shi Huang - Performance of The Song of Everlasting Sorrow

Your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby and begin the exploration of the ancient city.

The Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Army Museum, also known as the Terracotta Warriors, is a burial pit of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum. It, along with the Qin Shi Huang Emperor's Mausoleum, makes up the: Qin Shi Huang Emperor Mausoleum Museum.

The Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang is known as the Eighth Wonder of the World. The over one thousand soldier figurines unearthed here vary in appearance and have lively expressions, making it a dazzling gem in the history of ancient Chinese sculptural art, hailed as "one of the greatest discoveries in the history of archaeology in the twentieth century."

A Chinese lunch will be arranged near the Terracotta Army scenic area. Enjoy a large-scale landscape stage historical drama adapted from the narrative stories of Bai Juyi.

DAY6 Xi'an City Wall - Shanghai

After breakfast, check out from your hotel. Your guide will take you to visit the ancient city wall of Xi’an, which is the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China. Surrounding the former capital of China, it stretches nearly 14 kilometers, allowing you to explore on foot or by bicycle and enjoy your free time. After the morning activities, you will be transferred to Xi’an airport to check in for your flight to Zhangjiajie. Upon arrival in Zhangjiajie, your local guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel, providing a brief introduction to Zhangjiajie along the way.

DAY 7 Itinerary: 【Zhangjiajie National Forest Park】➠【Grand Canyon Glass Bridge】

Your trip begins in the morning, and our guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel. Get on a comfortable vehicle,heading to the main scenic area of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park【Huangshizhai Scenic Area】

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, divided into areas such as Huangshizhai, Jinbian Stream, Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, Tianzi Mountain, and Suoxiyu, is a must-visit core attraction when traveling in Zhangjiajie. Over three thousand uniquely shaped peaks rise abruptly from the ground, surrounded by lush greenery. Mist swirls between the peaks and valleys, with waterfalls and streams visible everywhere, creating breathtaking scenery. The floating mountain "Hallelujah Mountain" from the movie "Avatar" was also filmed here, which fans of the film are sure to find familiar.

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The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge is located in the Li Shu Ya and Wu Wang Po areas of the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Scenic Area. The bridge deck is entirely paved with transparent glass, and the entire project does not utilize reinforced concrete piers. This is the world's first cable-stayed glass bridge in a mountain canyon, breaking multiple world records, and it also serves various functions such as bungee jumping, zip-lining, and staging.

After dinner, the tour guide will recommend a folk grand performance "Charm of Xiangxi" bonfire party (viewing time no less than 90 minutes), where you can experience the millennia-old witchcraft culture of the mysterious Xiangxi, explore the strange customs of the Chu culture described by Qu Yuan, and the mysterious corpse transportation in Xiangxi, all in a visual and auditory feast for travelers. It integrates modern stage art with unique ethnic minority characteristics and is also the prototype of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala program "Chasing Love." Admission tickets are self-paid.

DAY8 [Tianmen Mountain ➠ Shanghai] Tour: Tianmen Mountain Cable Car 7455 meters ➠ Traverse through Tianmen Cave ➠ Shanghai

Tianmen Cave, located in the middle of Tianmen Mountain, is an underground karst cave at the edge of a plateau. It was formed due to the forces of folding, collapse, and erosion, resulting in rock layers collapsing at both the northern and southern ends. Historically known as Songliang Mountain, in the sixth year of the Yong'an era during the Three Kingdoms period (AD 263), a sudden cliff opened up on the mountain, resembling a gate, leading to the creation of a rare natural wonder in the world — Tianmen Cave. The Wu Emperor Sun Xiu regarded this as an auspicious sign, hence renaming Songliang Mountain to Tianmen Mountain. Tianmen Cave is 131.5 meters high, 57 meters wide, and 60 meters deep, with an opening extending vertically with sheer walls, soaring to the heavens. The weather changes dramatically, resembling a bright mirror embedded in the vast sky, surrounded by white clouds and purple mist, creating a majestic and awe-inspiring sight. It is a rare high-altitude natural cave tunnel in the world.

The Tianmen Mountain Tongtian Avenue is a winding mountain road located in Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park. It meanders along the sheer cliffs of the high mountains and serves as a pathway for prayer and pilgrimage to Tianmen. With a significant elevation difference, the road is filled with sharp curves, interconnected and layered, resembling a fluttering jade belt wrapping around the sky. Along the way, one can experience the thrilling and magnificent views of Tianmen Mountain.

After the morning activities, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. In Shanghai, your local guide will meet you and take you to the hotel, pointing out local landmarks of this bustling city along the way.

DAY9 City God Temple/The Bund/Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street

Your private driver and guide will be waiting for you in the hotel lobby

Go to: Chenghuang Miao Tourist Area The Chenghuang Miao Tourist Area is home to two main attractions: Yuyuan Garden and the Old Chenghuang Temple, making it a must-visit for first-time visitors to Shanghai. Here, you can experience the folk customs of Shanghai, taste authentic Shanghai snacks and local cuisine. At night, the colorful landscape lighting on the ancient architectural complex also makes it a stunning sight.

The Nanxiang soup dumplings here are a must-try, and you can also sit inside the Green Wave Corridor restaurant, enjoying Shanghai's local cuisine while watching the crowd coming and going below.


The Bund, located along the Huangpu River, is approximately 1.5 kilometers long and is a symbolic landmark of Shanghai. The diverse architectural styles of the international buildings and the night view of the river are its essence.

The Bund is lined with dozens of classically styled Renaissance buildings, including the famous Bank of China Building, Peace Hotel, Customs House, and HSBC Building, all of which showcase the grandeur of the past "Far East Wall Street." It is surprising that these buildings were not designed by the same architect nor built in the same period, yet they possess a unique harmony of aesthetics. The Bund features a variety of architectural styles, including French Classical, French Second Empire, and Gothic, all of which are significant historical sites and representative buildings of modern China, as well as a beautiful scenic line along the Huangpu River.

As night falls, the neon lights from both sides reflect and shimmer. Taking a cruise ship or ferry on the Huangpu River, you can enjoy the river breeze on your face. One side bears witness to the historical developments of the Bund, while the other features the modern landmarks of Shanghai’s Lujiazui. The elegant silhouette of the Waibaidu Bridge allows you to appreciate the beauty of this bustling metropolis from a new angle.

Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street is approximately 1200 meters long, with shops lining both sides. At a glance, modern buildings are interspersed with European-style old buildings, and the shop light boxes hang continuously. Especially under the night sky, the neon lights flicker, creating a unique charm. You can also take a ride on the "Ding Ding Car," a smaller version of an old-fashioned tram, to experience the flavor of old Shanghai.

The pedestrian street starts from Xizang Middle Road (east side of People's Square) and extends to Henan Middle Road, with a dark red marble monument at each end. Walking along the pedestrian street, one can see creative urban sculptures everywhere, as well as stylish streetlights, flower beds, and telephone booths. Looking down, many manhole covers are engraved with different architectural patterns of the city, and there are plenty of chairs in the center of the street for tourists to take a short rest.

Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street is one of the bustling commercial streets in Shanghai. As early as the early 20th century, it became a gathering place for department stores, and a stroll here is sure to yield great rewards. Today, it features both iconic department stores like Yaohan Department Store, Hualian Shopping Center, and Silk Department Store, as well as large shopping complexes such as New World City, Bailian World Trade International Plaza, Plaza 66, and Hysan Place, where you can pretty much find any kind of product.

Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street is still a paradise for foodies. The shopping centers here feature various fashionable restaurants and coffee shops, as well as multiple restaurants and food stores, such as the traditional Shanghainese restaurant Lao Ke Le, De Xing Guan, and Cui Ting Jia, along with the First Food Store and Shen Da Cheng Dim Sum Shop.

Enjoy the beautiful night view while a private car takes you to the hotel

DAY10 Oriental Pearl - A Warm Home or the Next Destination

Start a beautiful day with breakfast, whether it's included depends on the room type you choose.

Private car to the Oriental Pearl Tower.

The Oriental Pearl Tower stands tall in Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai, overlooking the Bund across the river. It is an iconic landmark of Shanghai. Dining in the revolving restaurant at a height of 267 meters while enjoying delicious food and the night view of the city is a truly exceptional experience.

The Oriental Pearl Tower stands at 468 meters tall, composed of 11 spheres of varying sizes connected together. This design is inspired by the beautiful imagery of "large beads and small beads falling on a jade plate." By climbing to the three main spheres, visitors can appreciate the urban landscape along the banks of the Huangpu River from different heights, especially when standing on the completely transparent observation corridor at a height of 259 meters, allowing for a unique experience of "walking in the air" to enjoy the panoramic view of the city. Visiting the observation deck at night to feel the vibrant colors under the night sky of the "City That Never Sleeps" is an unforgettable experience.

After enjoying lunch, we will take you to the airport or railway station according to your flight information.

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