The Grand Tour:Beijing to Shanghai
Seventeen days through six anchors. The grand tour, for travellers who want the country in one trip and the time to walk it properly.
Seventeen days through the country at the pace it asks for. Beijing for the imperial spine, Pingyao for the walled banking town the Ming left intact, Xi'an for the dynasty before that, three nights on the Yangtze, Suzhou for the gardens, Shanghai to close. Six anchors, three regions, your own driver and guide for the land legs and a five-star cabin on the river. Built for second-China travellers and first-China travellers with time.
Per person, twin share, your choice of hotels · selected hotels
Indicative · your trip is priced when we design it.
- Hotels
- Cruise
- Guide
- Domestic flights
Private 5-seater · from US$360/day
Driver and bilingual guide (English & Chinese) included throughout.
Seventeen days,
six anchors,
every era.
- Days 1-4Beijing
The imperial spine
Four nights in central Beijing. Side-gate entry to the Forbidden City, sunrise on the Wall at Mutianyu, a hutong courtyard lunch, Temple of Heaven at dusk. The standard Beijing four days, run the way the icons earn.
This stop- Forbidden City via the side gate
- The Great Wall at Mutianyu before the buses
- Hutong courtyard lunch
- Temple of Heaven at dusk
- Days 5-6Pingyao
The Ming-walled banking town
High-speed rail south. Two nights in Pingyao, China's best-preserved Ming walled city. The original Rishengchang draft bank where modern Chinese finance began, the city wall walk at dusk, a night at a courtyard stay inside the walls.
This stop- Pingyao city wall walk at dusk
- Rishengchang draft bank, the first in modern Chinese finance
- Courtyard stay inside the walls
- City Tower and the official residence
- Days 7-9Xi'an
The dynasty before
Onward to Xi'an. Three nights inside the walled city. Warriors at first opening, the city wall by bicycle at sunrise, Huaqing Palace, the Muslim Quarter food walk at dusk. Same driver as Beijing and Pingyao.
This stop- Terracotta Warriors before the school groups
- Xi'an City Wall by bicycle at sunrise
- Huaqing Palace and the imperial hot springs
- Muslim Quarter food walk at dusk
- Days 10-13The Yangtze
Three nights on the river
Flight to Chongqing, a hot-pot dinner on the riverfront, aboard at dusk. Three nights through the Qutang, Wu, and Xiling Gorges. Premium-deck cabin with a balcony, side-boat up the Goddess Stream, an afternoon at the Three Gorges Dam.
This stop- Chongqing hot-pot dinner before boarding
- Premium-deck cabin with balcony
- Goddess Stream side-boat through the karst
- Three Gorges Dam observation deck
- Days 14-15Suzhou
Gardens and canals
Disembark at Yichang, fly to Shanghai, drive to Suzhou. Two nights at a canal-edge boutique. The Humble Administrator's Garden at first opening, an afternoon walking the Pingjiang Road canal town, a Kunqu opera teahouse for the closing evening.
This stop- Humble Administrator's Garden at first opening
- Pingjiang Road canal town on foot
- Lingering Garden walkthrough with a local guide
- Kunqu opera teahouse evening
- Days 16-17Shanghai
The river city, present tense
Bullet train into Shanghai. Two nights on or behind the Bund. The colonial waterfront in the morning, the French Concession in the afternoon, Pudong skyline from a 50th-floor terrace to close. We finish the trip at the airport with the same on-the-ground team that opened it.
This stop- The Bund at the photographer's hour
- French Concession plane-tree streets and 1920s cafés
- Yu Garden and the old town
- Pudong skyline from a 50th-floor terrace
Seventeen days,
the country at the pace
it asks for.
Pingyao is not on most operator routes. We add it because the Ming walled town tells the story the high-speed rail glosses over.
Premium-deck cabin on the Yangtze, not the lower-deck cabin the package operators book.
Suzhou is run as a two-night stay, not a Shanghai day-trip. The gardens at first opening, not at lunchtime.
No surprise stops across all six anchors. No jade factory, no silk showroom, no tea-ceremony price card.
Mei Lin Chen
Senior China Specialist
Mei Lin has spent fifteen years working with the guides, drivers and hoteliers across China. She'll be your contact from first enquiry to final airport pickup.
Stretch the route,
the natural next step.
- Add an experience
Add Chengdu pandas (+3 days)
Fly Xi'an to Chengdu for the panda base before the Yangtze, then rejoin at Chongqing.
Read more - Add a destination
Add Guilin and the Li River (+4 days)
From Shanghai south to Guilin for the karst cruise and Yangshuo countryside.
Read more - Add a destination
Add Hangzhou (+2 days)
From Suzhou south by bullet train, West Lake and the tea villages of Meijiawu.
Read more
A first-draft sketch,
by reply tomorrow.
Tell us a month and a party size. We come back with the cruise dates that fit the route, three hotel options per anchor, and an itemised all-inclusive quote. No deposit, no obligation.