11-Day Small-Group China Tour: Beijing, Xi'an, Yangtze Cruise and Shanghai

Overview

Day by day itinerary

1. 1Arrival in Beijing & Pick-up⌄

   Your professional local guide will meet you at Beijing Airport after reclaiming your luggage and clearing customs. The driver will take you to the hotel in a comfortable vehicle and help you with the check-in procedure. The rest of the day is left for you to have a good rest or to become familiar with our capital city on your own.

   Overnight: Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong (5 stars)

2. 2Beijing City Highlights Tour⌄

   Tiananmen Square is the biggest urban city square in the world.

   From the Tiananmen Square, you will enter the Imperial Palace, also known as the Forbidden City to explore its fascinating halls and pavilions. Here, you will not only learn how the emperor handled political affairs and lived their lives, but appreciate numerous ancient art treasures. After enjoying a buffet lunch, we will return downtown.

   In the afternoon, you will see the Temple of Heaven, with its unique architecture, where the emperors worshipped the heavens in hopes of good harvests.

   Tonight, we will arrange for you to enjoy the wonderful acrobatic show in the Red Theater. We specially serve you a welcome a la carte dinner (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in tour price) at a popular restaurant, where you can have a taste of the most famous Peking Roast Duck and other authentic typical dishes.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong (5 stars)

3. 3China Great Wall Tour⌄

   This morning we will take you to Mutianyu section to experience at first hand the wonder of the Great Wall. The round-trip cable car will be arranged. Standing on the wall and looking at it stretching up and down into boundless distance is an exciting experience and will leave you a life-long memory. To celebrate and commemorate this moment, we specially provide red wine for a group-toasting on the Great Wall. After enjoying a buffet lunch, we will return downtown.

   In the afternoon, on the way back you will have a photo stop at the Olympic National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest.

   Afterwards, you will take a rickshaw tour to explore the original Hutong alleys and have a chance to visit a local family.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch

   Overnight: Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong (5 stars)

4. 4Beijing - Xi'an by High-speed Train⌄

   In the morning, you will visit the Summer Palace - the largest existing imperial garden with a graceful landscape and magnificent constructions.

   After a local flavor lunch, you will take a high-speed train to Xi'an, where your local guide will pick you up at the railway station and transfer you to the hotel.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch

   Overnight: Crowne Plaza Xi'an (5 stars)

5. 5Terracotta Army Tour⌄

   The visit to the Terracotta Army will begin your day's journey. In the museum, there are three excavated pits displaying amazing warrior figures and Chinese ancient weapons. Afterwards, take a family visit to the home of the first discoverer of the Terracotta Army. And then make a mini clay warrior by yourself with the help of a local artisan. We will serve your lunch today at a good local restaurant nearby.

   In the afternoon, you will visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which was built in the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) to store the Buddhist scriptures brought from ancient India.

   A splendid evening is in store when you will be entertained by the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show while partaking in the famous Dumpling Dinner. Since the theater is not open in January, February, March, and December, the tour prices do not include the show and dumpling dinner for tours that start during those months.

   Meals: Breakfast · Dinner: Dumpling dinner with the show (April to November) · Lunch

   Overnight: Crowne Plaza Xi'an (5 stars)

6. 6Xi'an - Chongqing by flight⌄

   You will fly to Chongqing in the morning. Your guide will pick you up and help you to check in at the luxury Century Cruise Ship. The buffet dinner will be served on board. Tonight, you will be invited to attend the Welcome Party hosted by the Captain.

   Meals: Breakfast · Dinner

   Overnight: Century Victory (5 stars)

7. 7Yangtze River Cruise⌄

   After breakfast, disembark for an excursion to the Fengdu Ghost City. Afternoon is free time for you to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Yangtze River on deck. Attend some cultural programs onboard if you like.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Century Victory (5 stars)

8. 8Yangtze River Cruise⌄

   The most essential part of your Yangtze River cruise tour comes today as the ship sails through the Three Gorges: Qutang, Wu and Xiling gorges. Experience an exciting onshore excursion to Shennv Stream.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Century Victory (5 stars)

9. 9Yichang - Shanghai by a bullet train⌄

   After breakfast, you will disembark for an excursion to the Three Gorges Dam. Before that, you should pack your luggage and complete check-out procedures. After finishing the excursion, the cruise ship company will drive you to the Three Gorges Tourist Center in Yichang city. Our local guide will meet you there and then see you off at Yichang East Railway Station for a bullet train to Shanghai.

   Since time is not enough for you to sit in the restaurant to enjoy lunch today, the guide will take you to KFC or McDonald's to buy some take-away food on the way to the station. And also, we will prepare some fruits and drinks for you. The rail journey takes approximately 6.5 hours. On arrival in Shanghai, your local guide and driver will welcome you and transfer you to the hotel.

   Meals: Breakfast

   Overnight: The Sunrise on the Bund (4 stars) - for 2026 & 2027

10. 10Shanghai City Trip⌄

    This morning, you will visit one of the four largest museums in China, Shanghai Museum, which specializes in exhibiting art works from ancient times.

    After that, explore Yu Garden and its nearby traditional bazaar. The symbol of the Garden is the Nine Zigzag Bridge built of granite and grass-white jade and the quaint, elegant mid-lake pavilion.

    After that, stroll along the thriving Bund area and then take a one-hour cruise along the Huangpu River - the mother river of Shanghai. As the symbol and a microcosm of the city, the river has witnessed the glory, humiliation, despair, and prosperity of Shanghai.

    Meals: Breakfast

    Overnight: The Sunrise on the Bund (4 stars) - for 2026 & 2027

11. 11Leave Shanghai⌄

    After breakfast at the hotel, please find your own way to the airport for your homeward flight. Due to different flight schedules, the hotel-airport transfer service is not included. However, we would be happy to assist you if needed.

    Meals: Breakfast