On arrival into Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) or Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX), you will be met by your dedicated tour guide outside the baggage claim area. On the way to your pre-booked four or five star inner city hotel, your guide will point out the highlights and history of Beijing. Spend the rest of the day exploring this incredible city.

Meals included: None

After breakfast today explore Beijing with your guide who will collect you from the hotel. Visit the world’s largest city square, Tiananmen Square. Make your way across the road to the magnificent Forbidden City, a culturally historic landmark in China, which was the former residence of Chinese royalty and courtiers for five centuries. After the Forbidden City tour, exploration continues with a visit to the Summer Palace. Appreciate the beautiful gardens and imagine the lifestyle of royalty and courtiers who enjoyed this summer resort during imperial times. A stopover at Beijing’s stadium and pool – the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube – built for the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics – provides a modern contrast to China’s ancient history. Return to the hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast

Note: Your tour guide may adjust your itinerary due to closure of the Forbidden City each Monday.

In the morning, commence the day’s adventure with exploration of the Mutianyu Great Wall, a less frequented part of China’s 1,400-year-old iconic landmark, located approximately 70 kilometres from Beijing. Take a pleasant and comfortable round-trip cable car transfer over the picturesque scenery, then walk the wall to take in the Ming dynasty guard towers and sensational views. On return to the city in the afternoon, exploration continues with a visit to the Confucius Temple and Imperial College Museum. Stroll through the hutongs nearby and experience local life as you wander through quaint shops, enjoy a coffee, and gain an insider’s view of a real Beijing community.

Meals included: Breakfast

Start today with a visit to the remarkable Temple of Heaven, where emperors from the Ming and Qing Dynasties performed ceremonies and rituals to pray for good harvests and blessings for the country. Transfer to the Beijing West railway station and be checked in by your guide to travel by high speed rail journey to Xi’an. Approximately a five-hour trip, travelling at 300 kilometres per hour, you can relax and absorb the diverse landscape along the way. On arrival at the Xi’an North Station, your local tour guide will meet and escort you to your inner city four or five star hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast

Today’s tour highlight is the world-renowned Terracotta Army. Recognized as the largest underground military base in the world, take in this extraordinary archaeological discovery, which houses thousands of unique life-sized figures. Return to the city and visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, one of two iconic Buddhist pagodas in Xi’an. You may have a chance to explore the top of the pagoda and look out over Xi’an’s 1,400 years of history, before enjoying a contemplative walk through the temple and gardens. Continue on and take in the quiet of Xi’an’s Great Mosque, located in the middle of the city’s old block. Built mid seventh century, the Great Mosque is the oldest and largest Islamic mosque in China. Mix with locals and find food of every flavor in Muslim Quarter, which is bustling with authentic eateries and travel souvenirs. Today’s final destination is Xi’an’s famous Bell Tower and Drum Tower Square. Return to your hotel for a relaxed evening or book a dinner, show, or both for an evening of entertainment.

Meals included: Breakfast

After breakfast and check out from your hotel, the tour guide will take you to Xi’an’s ancient City Wall, currently the largest and best-preserved wall of its type in China. Enclosing China’s former capital city and almost 14 kilometers long, enjoy your free time by exploring on foot or bicycle. Following on from the morning’s activities, you’ll be driven to the airport for your flight to Zhangjiajie. Upon arrival, your local guide will meet and transfer you to the hotel, providing a brief introduction to Zhangjiajie on the way.

Meals included: Breakfast

After breakfast, begin your exploration of this gorgeous region in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Take the world’s highest and fastest elevator, the Bailong Elevator to reach the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area, located in the northwest of Zhangjiajie. Be inspired by the highlights to be found there, including the No. 1 Natural Bridge under Heaven, used for the design of Hallelujah Mountains in the famous film Avatar, and other iconic karst landscapes. Afterwards, ride the public shuttle bus to the Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve and appreciate more of the region’s exquisite scenery, including Helong Park, Xihai Stone Forest, Fairy Offering Flowers, and the Imperial Brush Peak. Head down the mountain by taking a two-kilometer journey on the Tianzi Mountain Cable Car. (If the cable car is not available, the Bailong Elevator will be taken). Finish the day with a small train trip where you can view the misty karst landscape of the Ten-mile Gallery in the Suoxigu Valley. Following this full day of activities, return to your hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast

Today’s sightseeing commences with a tour to the precipice of Tianmen Mountain.

Prepare yourself for the breathtaking view as you ride the world’s longest cable car to the mountaintop and walking on the glass Sky Walk perched at 1430 meters above the ground. Take the escalator through the mountain to Tianmen Cave, a huge naturally formed hole crossing the cliff of the mountain. It’s the perfect location for capturing photos of the stunning natural landscape and the 999 steps leading to the foot of the Cave. Ride the escalator down to the resting area and finish the Tianmen Mountain trip with a shuttle bus ride to the parking lot. Following the morning’s activities, you will be transferred to the airport for your fight to Shanghai. In Shanghai, your local guide will meet and transfer you to the hotel pointing out this bustling city’s local landmarks along the way.

Meals included: Breakfast

Note: Alternative travel arrangements can be made for those preferring to travel by shuttle bus up the mountain and cable car down the mountain. Please liaise with your guide to make this change.

Commence your tour of Shanghai with a visit to the Shanghai Museum, a massive museum housing over 140,000 artifacts, presenting the full history and culture of this cosmopolitan city. Enjoy a walk along The Bund, iconic and prestigious, one of the most well-preserved examples of old Shanghai glamour. Walk Nanjing Road, the busiest shopping precinct in China. Change tempo and visit Yuyuan Garden, where you can marvel at the artistically designed traditional Chinese gardens; then stroll around the nearby Yu Garden Bazaars . Make the most of your afternoon by wandering the quieter streets of Dongping Road or Sinan Road in the Former French Concession, where you will find the essence of classic Shanghai.

Meals included: Breakfast

Note: As the Shanghai Museum is closed to public on Mondays, a visit to the Shanghai History Museum is arranged as an alternative.

Your tour guide will collect you at the hotel and drive you to the airport for your flight home.

For small group tour travelers, a transfer service from your hotel to Hongqiao or Pudong Airport can be arranged on request.

Meals included: Breakfast