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The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling, winding through mountains at dawn
Journey · 10 days · Private

The ChinaEssentials

The shortest route that covers the Wall, the warriors, and the river city. Built for a first China trip when time is the constraint.

The trip in one paragraph

Ten days, three cities, private drivers and local guides arranged around your companions. Beijing for the imperial capital, Xi'an for the dynasty that came before it, Shanghai for the present day. The Wall before the convoys, the warriors before the school groups, the Bund at the light photographers wait for.

10 days
Per person from
US$4,810

Per person, on 4- and 5-star hotels of your choosing

Indicative · your trip is priced when we design it.

What's included
  • Hotels
  • Breakfast
  • Private driver-guide
  • Executive private vehicle
  • Transport between destinations
  • Activities and excursions
  • Travel insurance
  • 24-hour support while you travel
Design my trip
  1. 3 nights

    Days 1 to 3: Beijing

    1. Day 01: Imperial Beijing

      The Gate of Heavenly Peace at golden hour, red lanterns along its eaves and crowds gathered at the square's barriers
      Tiananmen Square

      1. Stand in Tiananmen Square

      2. Walk the Forbidden City from south to north

      3. Climb Jingshan Park for the view over the palace

      4. Stroll Wangfujing's pedestrian street

    2. Day 02: The Great Wall, then the old city

      The Great Wall of China climbing along forested ridgelines, mist rising from the valleys
      Mutianyu Great Wall

      About 90 minutes north, then back into town

      1. Ride the cable car up to the wall at Mutianyu

      2. Visit the Temple of Heaven

      3. Wander Nanluoguxiang and the surrounding hutongs

    3. Day 03: Royal gardens and the lakes

      Pavilions of the Summer Palace above Kunming Lake, Beijing
      Summer Palace

      To the city's northwest

      1. Walk the Long Corridor at the Summer Palace

      2. Wander the ruins and lakes of Yuanmingyuan

      3. Circle the Shichahai and Houhai lakes

    Beijing’s famous dishes

    • A whole Peking duck on the carving board, lacquered skin sliced and laid beside pancakes, scallion and sweet bean sauce

      Peking duck

      (Beijing kaoya)

    • A copper Beijing hotpot with its chimney smoking, sliced lamb shoulder and sesame dipping sauce around it

      Lamb hotpot

      (shuan yangrou, the copper-pot version)

    • A bowl of Beijing zhajiangmian, wheat noodles topped with fermented soybean paste, cucumber and bean sprouts

      Zhajiangmian

      (Beijing's defining noodle bowl)

  2. High-speed rail from Beijing West, around 4.3 hours

    4 nights

    Days 4 to 7: Xi'an

    1. Day 04: Terracotta Warriors and Lintong

      Ranks of terracotta warriors standing in Pit One at Emperor Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum outside Xi'an
      Terracotta Warriors and Lintong

      About 1 hour east

      1. Meet the Terracotta Army at first entry

      2. Ride the cable car up Mount Li

      3. Look through the Lintong Museum

      4. Stroll Lintong's old streets

      5. Watch The Song of Everlasting Sorrow at Huaqing Palace

    2. Day 05: History and Tang Dynasty Culture

      A Buddha statue and reflecting pool in Daci'en Temple Ruins Park, the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda rising behind
      Wild Goose Pagoda North Square

      1. Spend the morning in the Shaanxi History Museum

      2. Walk the Daci'en Temple Ruins Park

      3. Join the lantern-lit crowds at Datang Everbright City

      4. Catch the fountain show at the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

    3. Day 06: Mount Huashan

      Cliff paths along Huashan's granite ridges
      Mount Huashan

      High-speed rail east, about 40 minutes

      1. Take the cable car to the North Peak

      2. Walk the ridge toward South Peak

      3. Wind down with a booked massage back in Xi'an

    4. Day 07: Qinling

      A ridge pavilion above the Qinling range, cloud drifting below the peaks
      Qinling

      South into the Qinling foothills

      1. Take fireside tea at a foothill farm-stay

      2. Cross the Qinling watershed pass

      3. Meet the pandas at the Four Treasures Science Park

      4. Finish with dinner and shopping at Xi'an MixC

    Xi'an’s famous dishes

    • Xi'an lamb skewers grilling over charcoal, with raw lamb pieces ready at the back and cumin and chilli powder scattered along the rail

      Xi'an BBQ Skewers

      (Cumin, Chilli, Charcoal)

    • A Xi'an rou jia mo, shredded meat tucked into a wheat bun and served one-handed

      Rou jia mo

      (Xi'an's pulled-pork flatbread)

    • A bowl of Xi'an yangrou paomo in blue-and-white porcelain: lamb broth ladled over hand-torn flatbread cubes and glass noodles, with chilli paste and pickled garlic on the side

      Yangrou paomo

      (mutton soup with hand-torn bread)

  3. Flight from Xi'an, around 2 hours

    3 nights

    Days 8 to 10: Shanghai

    1. Day 08: The Bund and historic Shanghai

      The Shanghai skyline at dusk, the Bund and Pudong towers reflected in the Huangpu
      Shanghai skyline

      1. Walk the Bund promenade

      2. Follow Nanjing Road's pedestrian street

      3. Cross into People's Square

      4. Return to the Bund for the night skyline

    2. Day 09: Classical gardens and the old town

      Rockeries, pavilions and a carp pond inside Yu Garden
      Yu Garden

      1. Explore Yu Garden

      2. Graze the snack stalls of Yuyuan Bazaar

      3. Wander the old city lanes around the City God Temple

      4. Walk Xintiandi after dark

    3. Day 10: Art and the former French Concession

      The 1924 Wukang Mansion at the Wukang and Huaihai corner, the French Renaissance Revival wedge building seen from across the junction
      Former French Concession

      1. Browse the galleries at M50 Creative Park

      2. Walk the plane-tree streets of the former French Concession

      3. Explore the lanes of Tianzifang

      4. Find a table on Anfu Road

    Shanghai’s famous dishes

    • Ten pleated xiaolongbao in a bamboo steamer, one bitten open at the front to reveal the amber broth inside, dipping bowls of Zhenjiang vinegar and shredded ginger alongside

      Shanghai xiaolongbao

      (pleated soup dumplings, eaten broth-first)

    • A bowl of crab roe noodles, golden hairy-crab roe stirred in scallion oil and lard coating thin white noodles, the autumn dish of the Jiangnan kitchen that Suzhou and Shanghai share

      Hairy crab roe noodles

      (October to early December, Yangcheng Lake's roe at its peak)

    • Six Shanghai shengjianbao on a white enamel plate at a city counter, sesame and scallion dusted across the soft tops, the crisp golden bases just visible at the edges

      Shanghai shengjianbao

      (the street-side pan-fried bun)

When to go

When to visit,
and how it feels.

April

Beijing
Daily max (°F): 69° · Mild
Rainfall (mm): 23 mm · Dry
Crowds: Steady

Warm days and blossom in the parks. The Qingming holiday in early April brings one short peak.

Xi'an
Daily max (°F): 72° · Warm
Rainfall (mm): 50 mm · Showery
Crowds: Steady

Warm, green and comfortable. The Qingming holiday in early April brings one short peak.

Shanghai
Daily max (°F): 70° · Mild
Rainfall (mm): 84 mm · Showery
Crowds: Steady

Warm and comfortable, one of the best months. The Qingming holiday in early April brings one short peak.

Temperature and rainfall are China Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991 to 2020. Crowd levels follow the Chinese public-holiday calendar and daily booking caps at the major sites.

The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling, winding through mountains at dawn
Everonia
10 daysThe China Essentials

The 10-day route, day by day, with the months that suit it

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Before you enquire

Questions worth
answering early.

  • By high-speed rail from Beijing to Xi'an and a short flight to Shanghai. Your guide takes you to the station or airport, and the next driver is waiting with your name at the other end.

Portrait of Jack Guo

Jack Guo

Your travel specialist

Jack has spent ten years working with the guides, drivers and hoteliers across China. He'll be your contact from first enquiry to final airport pickup.

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