11-Day Harbin Ice Festival Tour

🌟 Day 4: Beijing → Luoyang

Check out of your Beijing hotel this morning and board your pre-booked second-class high-speed train to Luoyang, one of China’s four great ancient capitals. Once you arrive, your guide will take you on a guided tour of the UNESCO-listed Longmen Caves, a spectacular collection of thousands of Buddhist carvings and statues carved into limestone cliffs over 1,500 years ago. After exploring the caves, stroll through the food stalls and historic shops of Luoyang’s Old City Shizi Street, then sit down to a tasty lunch 🍽️ at a local restaurant. Breakfast is also included, and you’ll check into your 🏨 Luoyang hotel for the night.

🌟 Day 5: Luoyang

Start your day with a calm morning walk through Xiyuan Park, where you can observe local residents going about their daily community routines, from morning tai chi to group exercise, just like a local. Next, head out to the world-famous Shaolin Monastery, the birthplace of Chinese Zen Buddhism and legendary Shaolin martial arts. Explore the temple grounds and ancient forests, then settle in for a thrilling traditional martial arts performance by Shaolin monks, full of incredible feats of skill and strength. End the day with a hearty dinner 🍽️ at a local restaurant, where you’ll sample iconic Luoyang regional cuisine. Breakfast is included, and you’ll stay overnight at your 🏨 Luoyang hotel.

🌟 Day 6: Luoyang → Xi'an

Check out this morning and board your second-class high-speed train to Xi’an, the ancient capital of 13 Chinese dynasties and home to one of the world’s most famous archaeological discoveries. Once you arrive, head to the well-preserved Xi’an City Wall, where you can choose between a leisurely bike ride or a gentle stroll along the top of this 600-year-old fortification, with great views over the city. Next, wander through the bustling Muslim Quarter, Xi’an’s most famous food and shopping district packed with street stalls and historic mosques. Stop by the traditional Gao Family Courtyard to learn about old Xi’an life, then catch a 15-minute traditional shadow puppetry performance. End the day with a fun interactive dinner 🍽️: you’ll try your hand at making your own dumplings, then eat your creations with a refreshing cold drink. Breakfast is included, and you’ll check into your 🏨 Xi’an hotel for the night.

🌟 Day 7: Xi'an

Today is dedicated to one of the world’s greatest archaeological discoveries: the Terracotta Army. Your guided tour will walk you through the three massive excavation pits, where you’ll see thousands of life-size clay warriors and horses built to guard Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife, and learn the fascinating story of their discovery and creation. After exploring the museum, stop by a local Terracotta Warrior factory to see how artisans still craft these iconic clay figures by hand today. Sit down to a hearty lunch 🍽️ at a local restaurant after your day of sightseeing, with breakfast also included. You’ll stay another night at your 🏨 Xi’an hotel.

🌟 Day 8: Xi'an → Harbin

Check out of your Xi’an hotel this morning and board your flight north to Harbin, China’s famous winter wonderland and the main event of this tour. After arriving in frosty Harbin and checking into your 🏨 hotel, warm up with a delicious traditional Northeastern Chinese dinner 🍽️ featuring iconic Guo Bao Rou (Fried Pork in Scoop): tender thinly sliced pork coated in a tangy sweet glaze. Breakfast is included alongside your dinner today, so you can get a good night’s rest ahead of your full day of ice and snow exploration.

🌟 Day 9: Harbin

Get ready for a full day of winter magic! Start your morning browsing the bustling Hongzhuan Local Market, where you can pick up local snacks and handcrafted souvenirs while getting a feel for daily Harbin life. Next, head to Sun Island Park to explore the annual Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, where artists from across the world create massive, intricate works of art out of snow and ice. In the afternoon, move on to Harbin’s famous Snow and Ice World, a sprawling winter theme park full of towering glowing ice sculptures. Try your hand at sliding down the thrilling ice luge, wander through sparkling ice castles, and enjoy all the park’s wintry activities. End the day with a hearty warming dinner 🍽️ of Northeastern Braised Chicken in Iron Pan, with breakfast and lunch also included. You’ll stay overnight at your 🏨 Harbin hotel.

🌟 Day 10: Harbin → Beijing

Soak up the last of Harbin’s unique Russian-influenced winter charm today before heading back to Beijing. Start with a walk across the historic Chinese Eastern Railway Bridge, an iconic landmark that tells the story of Harbin’s cross-cultural history. Next, stroll along the frozen riverbank of Stalin Park, then stop to view the beautiful green-domed exterior of the historic Russian Orthodox Church of St. Sophia, one of Harbin’s most photographed landmarks. End your Harbin exploration with a visit to Zhaolin Park’s famous Ice Lantern Art Fair, where you can see hundreds of small, intricately carved ice lanterns on display. After your sightseeing, travel back to Beijing and check into your 🏨 Beijing hotel for the night. Only breakfast 🍽️ is included today.

🌟 Day 11: Beijing

Today marks the end of your 11-day China adventure. We provide a seamless pre-arranged transfer from your Beijing train station to the airport or your final departure point to ensure your trip wraps up smoothly, leaving you with lasting memories of ancient history and magical winter magic.

✅ What's Included

• All scheduled sightseeing activities, guided tours, and entrance fees for listed attractions
• All inter-city transport: 2nd class high-speed rail between Beijing → Luoyang and Luoyang → Xi'an, plus the flight from Xi'an → Harbin
• All listed meals and culinary experiences, including regional specialty dishes and the interactive Xi'an dumpling-making experience
• All listed performances: Chinese acrobatics, Shaolin martial arts, and shadow puppetry
• Nightly accommodation 🏨 for all 10 nights of the tour

❌ What's Not Included

• No major exclusions for this tour; all core itinerary costs are covered in your booking.

ℹ️ Important Information

• Duration: 11 days
• Destinations: Beijing, Harbin, Luoyang, Xi'an
• Download your free 2025 pre-travel China Travel Guide here: https://hellochinatrip.com/china-travel-guide-2025/

If you’re on the fence about booking this tour, do it. You get the perfect blend of winter magic and millennia of Chinese history all in one expertly planned trip.

My consultant Lynn from HelloChinaTrip helped me adjust a small part of the itinerary to accommodate my knee injury, and everything was completely seamless. We got incredible up-close views of the ice lantern displays in Harbin that I’ve been dreaming of visiting for years, plus got to explore the stunning Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang which I had no idea would be so breathtaking. The mix of magical winter fun and thousands of years of Chinese history was perfectly balanced across the 11 days. I left already planning my next trip to China.

The Harbin Ice Festival was the highlight of this incredible cross-China trip.

This was a fantastic tour with so many amazing sights across all four cities. The only downside was that the Harbin Ice Festival was extremely wonderful over the New Year holiday, which made moving around the ice park a little slower than expected. Everything else was perfectly organized and every historic site was even more impressive than I imagined.

Getting to see the Great Wall in Beijing, the dazzling ice sculptures in Harbin, and the ancient Terracotta Army in Xi'an all in one trip was such a perfect mix of adventure and history. The itinerary flowed really smoothly and we never felt rushed between destinations. I’d absolutely recommend this tour to any traveler looking for a one-of-a-kind winter getaway.