Pandas & Golden Cities

In the morning, after meeting your guide and driver at your hotel, let’s head to the symbolic Tiananmen Square, where you’ll capture stunning photos of famous national buildings such as the Monument to the People’s Heroes, National Museum, Great Hall of the People, and especially the ancient Tiananmen Tower.

Walk with your guide through the Tiananmen Tower and enter the Forbidden City, one of the grandest imperial palace complexes in human history, which has endured over 600 years of trials but remains remarkably intact to this day. During your visit, you’ll notice that unlike Western marble counterparts, these palaces and halls are largely timber-built, held together entirely by intricate Chinese mortise-and-tenon joints. To your surprise, the timber used is primarily precious golden-grained Phoebe, which grows deep in the mountains thousands of miles away in south China and takes over a century to mature. Yet wooden structures are not as durable as stone ones. To address this, ancient craftsmen applied resin to the surfaces to prevent insect damage and even established special maintenance agencies to guard against moisture.After a local-flavor lunch, let’s make our way to the Temple of Heaven, where ancient Chinese emperors once prayed for bountiful harvests. Marvel at the core Circular Mound Altar, on which the emperors reported the past year’s harvest to heaven and sought blessings for the next year. Unlike Western traditions centered on covenant and redemption, these Chinese rituals showed reverence for nature and gratitude to ancestors.

★ Watch a Heart-racing Acrobatics Show

Let’s then lose ourselves in an acrobatic spectacle at the Red Theater. Watch as an acrobat lifts heavy props with their feet, balancing force with precision - one slip means being flattened. The tightrope walker crosses the air on just a thin wire; a gust or a tremor could turn grace into a fatal fall. The flying trapeze arcs like lightning, while the Globe of Death roars like a caged storm, hurling motorcycles in dizzying loops. We cheer the sequined costumes and flawless choreography, but never see countless near-death rehearsals behind every perfect act. Our thunderous applause is just a late echo of the courage and sacrifice that came long before the spotlight. 

★ Enjoy A La Carte Dinner with Peking Duck

Afterward, follow your guide to delight in a welcome dinner, valued twice the local average and included in our price, at a highly acclaimed local restaurant. Undoubtedly, the classic Peking Duck is a must-try, which even former President George H.W. Bush raved about after just one bite. Besides, you’ll also enjoy other genuine Beijing dishes like Shredded Pork in Sweet Bean Paste and Noodles with Soybean Paste.

Finally, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

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

This morning, after picking you up from your hotel, your guide and driver will escort you to the most beautiful Mutianyu Great Wall. The Great Wall of China was constructed to defend against the incursions of the northern nomads, the Huns. Since Qin Shi Huang (259 - 210 BC), the first emperor in Chinese history, unified the six states, he initiated the project and achieved effective results. Later, the next regime undertook massive renovations and expansions for over a century, forcing the Huns to migrate westward into Europe and withdraw from the Chinese historical stage. It is said that today’s Hungarians are descendants of the Huns, as the former president of Hungary once said during a visit to China: “We’re actually from the distant East as well.” Once there, enjoy enough time for a leisurely hike on the Great Wall and view the surrounding mountain scenery.

★ Special Treats:

► We’ve included a round-trip cable car ride for you to go up and down the Great Wall effortlessly. You can also go up by chairlift and try the exciting toboggan down.
► As we’re back down at the base, your guide will bring out the prepared red wine. Raise glasses together to celebrate your one-off trip to the Great Wall.

After a buffet lunch, let’s return to downtown. En route, we’ll pause briefly at the National Stadium and National Aquatics Center, also called the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube, allowing you to capture photos alongside the two iconic structures of Beijing. 

★ Lift the Veil of Old Beijing: Hutong Rickshaw Tour & Family Visit

Then, as you ride a rickshaw through the 700-year-old Hutong alleys, you’ll see how they differ strikingly from European lanes of the same era: Beijing’s hutong form a chessboard grid of enclosed quadrangle courtyards, embodying an inward, harmonious way of living; while European’s twist and turn, lined with tall buildings that open directly onto the street, reflecting an outward-looking social culture. Here, we’ll step inside a courtyard and discover the gentle rhythm of old Beijing: from morning pigeon whistles to evening neighborly greetings, life here remains quietly insulated from the city’s clamor.

At the end of the day, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, buffet lunch

Accompanied by your guide and driver, enjoy a morning visit to the Summer Palace. Once a summer resort for the emperors from 1644 to 1911 AD, it’s now China’s most magnificent classical imperial garden. Beyond the usual pavilions and halls, dive into intriguing details where tradition and modernity intertwine. The Summer Palace was the first place in Beijing to be electrified, and in its Hall of Joyful Longevity, you can still see the chandeliers from those days. It’s said that the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908 AD), who once resided here, ordered the “ominous” electric wires concealed within embroidered screen patterns - embracing the new technology while alleviating her superstitious anxieties.

After lunch, your guide and driver will escort you to Beijing’s railway station. With the assistance of your guide and a porter, you’ll board the high-speed train to Xi’an. During the five-hour journey at 350 km/h (217 mph), you may get an illusion of flying close to the ground, while the carriage remains extremely stable: even if you place a cup of water on the small table in front of you, there will be no slightest vibration. More than just a convenient means of transportation, the high-speed train is a moving window onto wheat fields, villages, rivers, and mountains - a constantly changing, real China.

Upon arrival in Xi’an, your local guide and driver will meet you at the railway station and give you a comfortable escort to your hotel.

► Recommended Free-time Activities:
For a dynamic nightlife experience, take a 15-minute taxi by yourself from your hotel for about USD 7 to the South Gate of the City Wall. Outside the gate, enjoy a great view of the fully illuminated city tower. Inside, explore the lively bar street filled with street singers and local energy. Finally, make your own way back to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, lunch

After breakfast at your hotel, your guide and driver will accompany you to the Terracotta Army Museum, a marvelous underground army created by Emperor Qin Shi Huang over 2,000 years ago. Step up to the burial pits and stay in awe of 8,000 life-sized terracotta warriors, each with a unique face. Remarkably, statistics show that 12% even have high nose bridges and deep eye sockets, traits uncommon among East Asians but suggestive of Central Asian or even more distant origins. This diversity indicates that the army may have drawn soldiers from across the empire, much like the contemporary Roman Empire with its citizen soldiers and allies, demonstrating not just military might but the governing capability of a vast, multi-ethnic state. Moreover, appreciate the well-preserved bronze weapons, pottery horses, and other precious artifacts in the exhibition hall. After the visit, have lunch in a reputable local restaurant.

★ Terracotta Army Cultural Experiences:

1. Visit Discoverer’s Home: It’s said that the discoverer unearthed terracotta fragments while digging a well in 1974 and then handed them over to the local authority, which brought this massive burial army to light. Here, witness the original farming tools used that day and the replica of the first warrior figure found.
2. DIY Your own Clay Warrior: Follow your guide into a local workshop and make a mini terracotta warrior by kneading, molding, demolding, and then carefully polishing the facial details and armor with a carving knife. Engrave your name on it to make it an exclusive souvenir from Xi’an.

After that, let’s head back downtown to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, a seven-story brick tower built more than 1,200 years ago by the famous monk Xuanzang to house Buddhist sutras he brought back from India. However, some people believe that storing the sacred texts was merely a cover-up, and the true purpose was to suppress evil spirits and monsters underground.

★ Savor a Dumpling Dinner over a Fantastic Cultural Show

Tonight, let’s feast on a dumpling banquet at a handpicked restaurant-theater. After an exquisite meal, the stage lights dim, and an awesome Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show unfolds. With live accompaniment on traditional Chinese instruments, you'll be transported instantly back to ancient Chinese imperial court of the 7th century: chime bells and chime stones produce solemn and clear sounds, setting an imposing overture; panpipes and flutes then weave gentle melodies as dancers’ flowing sleeves conjure a celestial realm; as it intensifies, the jujube drum and pipa unleash a powerful rhythm, like thousands of cavalry charging forth.

At last, we’ll escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, lunch, dumpling dinner

Start from your hotel with your guide and driver, and set out for a stroll through City Wall Park, built along the ancient moat and known by locals as ‘Xi’an’s very own Seine Riverside’. Yet unlike the Seine’s romance, the riverbank here holds simple everyday life memories: seniors gather in the shade to play the traditional erhu instrument and sing local opera, while youths enjoy strolling or jogging.

★ Special Inclusion: Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Class

Here in the park, we’ve specially invited an experienced master to give you a session of Chinese shadowboxing. Similar to yoga, it focuses on regulating breathing and combining physical movements with meditation to help relieve anxiety and improve sleep quality. Under the master’s guidance, slow down your pace and experience the tranquility and strength in each inhale and exhale.Subsequently, let’s ascend the 600-year-old City Wall, which encircles the historic city center with its majestic 14-kilometer (8.7-mile) fortification. It’s not only a landmark but also defines the framework of the entire city: most of the streets run parallel to it and crisscross each other, forming a symmetrical layout in all directions. Gazing down from one of its crenellations, you’ll experience the sense of order of this ‘four-square city’. For a more active exploration, cycling on the wall is also a popular option, and if you’re interested, ask your guide to help you rent a bike at your own expense.

★ A La Carte Lunch to Taste Xi’an Local Food

Next, we’ll move to the Muslim Quarter, a vibrant culinary heart, where an a la carte lunch awaits. At a featured restaurant we’ve reserved for you, order local delicacies as you like. For sour-spicy flavors, try Cold Noodles. Fond of hearty noodles? Go for the Xian Ribbon Pasta. If you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss the glutinous rice with jujube. And for an extra touch, you can even see your dishes being made through the kitchen’s glass window.

Take a post-meal stroll through the bustling lanes, and you’ll reach the Great Mosque, a serene center of Islamic worship tucked away amid the bustle. Instead of typical domes and minarets, there are graceful angled eaves, carved brackets, and wooden archways, earning it the title of ‘China’s only garden-style mosque’. It’s a place where you can see how the Islamic faith and traditional Chinese architectural aesthetics coexist within the very same neighborhood.

Our last stop today will be the Shaanxi History Museum, one of the four biggest museums in China. From plain pottery jars of 4,000 years ago to bronze ritual vessels of 2,000 years ago, and then to the dazzling tri-colored wares of 1,200 years ago, the passage of time silently spreads out in every display cabinet. Pay special attention to those palm-sized pottery figurines in varied poses. They’re like the ancient ‘Pop Mart’ toys, buried alongside their owners to keep them company in the tomb’s dark solitude. After that, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

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

Today, your guide and driver will escort you from your hotel to Xi’an railway station for a second chance to experience the amazing high-speed train - 4-hour ride to Chengdu. Upon arrival, your Chengdu guide and driver will wait for you at the station and escort you to your hotel for check-in.

► Recommended Free-time Activities:
Rest at your hotel for a while, then take a 10-minute taxi by yourself for USD 3 to Taikoo Li, Chengdu’s best-known fashion hub. Wander among sleek boutiques and stylish crowds, and get a shot of the large 3D naked-eye display, a digital ode to the city’s beloved giant pandas.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

★ An Intimate Encounter with Giant Pandas 

Begin the day with a hotel pickup by your guide and driver, who will then escort you to the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, widely considered the world’s best place to see these endearing furry balls up close. Though giant pandas are now famous for their gentle, bamboo-chewing charm, they were once known in ancient China as ‘iron-eating beasts’. They would descend from the mountain habitat to lick salt off iron pots in villagers’ homes, and sometimes even bit through the metal, leaving the impression of being fierce. Saying that was not entirely wrong either - after all, an adult panda is as powerful as a lion, and in the wild, it can sprint at speeds of up to 40km/h (25 mph).

Let’s then proceed to the Thatched Cottage of Du Fu, a classical garden built to honor one of China’s greatest eighth-century poets. Inside, traditional pavilions, terraces, and corridors seamlessly intertwine with meandering streams, tranquil ponds, and bamboo groves. With every step and each turn, a new view unfolds, embodying the Chinese garden ideal of a living, breathing artistic composition. 

In the afternoon, continue our visit to People’s Park, a haven for slow-paced local life. Sit down at a teahouse, sip a cup of lidded-bowl tea, and relax in a bamboo chair. Afterward, wander over to the matchmaking corner to glimpse China’s distinctive dating and marriage culture, where parents post personal ads of their children in hopes of finding them an ideal partner. It’s somewhat like online dating scenes in the United States, but with a stronger emphasis on family values and allows you to feel parents’ eagerness for their children to get married.

Conclude today’s sightseeing at the Wide and Narrow Alleys, a ‘miniature version of Chengdu’ composed of three parallel alleys, where traditional architecture, trendy stores, and specialty food converge. If you like, taste local snacks such as sugar oil cakes, cold pot skewers, and ice jelly, at your own expense. Furthermore, you might even catch a face-changing performance in local opera at the entrance of a teahouse or hotpot restaurant. Eventually, your guide and driver will ensure a comfortable transfer back to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

After you’ve finished packing at your hotel, your guide and driver will accompany you to Chengdu’s airport for your 3-hour flight to Shanghai. Upon touching down in Shanghai, your local guide and driver will greet you, escort you to your hotel, and assist with a smooth check-in.

► Recommended Free-time Activities:
Take a 15-minute, USD 4 taxi from your hotel to Shanghai Tower, the city’s tallest landmark. An elevator shoots you to the 118th floor in just 55 seconds. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, Shanghai sprawls in a stunning 360-degree panorama. Visit at dusk to see the sunset over the Huangpu River and the city light up, revealing its ‘Magic City’ allure.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

This morning, in the company of your guide and driver, depart your hotel for Yu Garden, the only age-old classical garden that has survived in downtown’s steel forest. Meander along the winding paths and behold elegant rockery and calm ponds. Upon exiting, revel in the buzzy Yuyuan Bazaar, where retro signs are interlaced overhead, and the air fills with the tempting aroma of various snacks. You can pay yourself to try soup dumplings at Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, scallion oil noodles at Dexing Restaurant, or grab some palmier at Green Wave Pavilion if you prefer sweets.

Following that, we’ll go on a visit to Shanghai Museum, home to China’s finest artworks from the past 4,000 years, ranging from pottery to jade, calligraphy works, paintings, and bronze vessels. With your guide, linger before a bronze ritual wine vessel from the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), adorned with deer, hare, serpent, and water buffalo motifs. In ancient Chinese belief, such hybrid forms served as conduits to the spirit world: the deer’s antlers reached towards heaven, while the hare’s ears caught divine whispers. The Greeks shared this conviction, crafting rhytons in the shape of bulls, rams, or human heads, through which they poured libations in ceremonial offerings to the gods.

The afternoon will be spent along the Bund, Shanghai’s most famous waterfront promenade, where 52 exotic buildings stand like an open-air architectural exhibition. Especially the HSBC Building, hailed as “the most splendid building from the Suez Canal to the Bering Strait”, features two bronze lions at its entrance, one open-mouthed, one closed, symbolizing the flow of funds in and out. Standing here, feel the pulse of the Eastern financial empire from a century ago.

★  Huangpu River Cruise: Past Meets Future

Now we’re going to cruise along the Huangpu River to take in the city’s skyline. To the west, the Bund’s historic buildings stand like a European palace; to the east, modern high-rises like Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Tower, and World Financial Center rise in a majestic row. Some say Shanghai’s outline looks like a toad, a symbol of fortune in Chinese culture. And the Huangpu River is its open mouth, through which the wealth of the whole world flows in. This is indeed the case: since its opening as a port, goods from across the globe have been channeled through Shanghai to every corner of China.

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

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Today marks the final day of your China tour. For private tour guests, your guide and driver will accompany you from your hotel to the airport, with departure timed to your international flight, while members of group tours need to make their own way to the airport.

► Transport Reference:
Before your departure, confirm whether you’re heading to Pudong Airport (PVG) or Hongqiao Airport (SHA).

1. To Pudong Airport: For a hassle-free door-to-door service, it’s recommended that you hail a taxi. The entire journey takes approximately one hour and costs around USD 30. If you’re on a budget, consider taking a 1.5-hour, USD 1 subway ride: hotel → 8-minute walk to International Cruise Terminal station → take Line 12 to Dalian Road station → transfer to the inner loop of Line 4 to Century Avenue station → switch to Line 2 to the airport.
2. To Hongqiao Airport: It takes 40-60 minutes and costs around USD 15 by taxi. If it’s a subway ride, 1 hour and USD 0.7 is required: hotel → 8-minute walk to International Cruise Terminal station → take Line 12 to Tiantong Road station → transfer to Line 10 to the airport.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast