Oliver Hansen
April 18, 2026
Customized China Tours Tailored Just for You
Explore China’s most iconic bucket-list destinations over 15 days on this intimate panoramic small-group tour, capped at just 16 guests for a personal, comfortable travel experience. You’ll check off seven top spots across the country: from imperial landmarks in Beijing and Xi’an to giant panda encounters in Chengdu, the jaw-dropping natural scenery of Guilin and Zhangjiajie, and the vibrant modern energy of Nanjing and Shanghai. Curated for excellent value with secure, trusted payment options, this all-encompassing route lets you experience China’s unmissable highlights in one seamless trip.
This 15-day cross-country journey offers a complete panoramic snapshot of China, weaving together millennia of culture and otherworldly natural landscapes. Starting in the northern imperial capital of Beijing, you’ll travel west to Xi’an’s 2,000-year-old archaeological wonders, then south to Chengdu to meet adorable giant pandas. Next you’ll soak in the misty karst scenery of Guilin and Yangshuo, explore the dramatic jagged peaks of Zhangjiajie, before wrapping up your adventure with a taste of modern, dynamic Shanghai. The route seamlessly transitions between historic cities and wild natural landscapes, giving you the full spectrum of what makes China such a unique travel destination.
🌟 Day 1: Beijing
Today is your arrival day in China’s bustling capital. After meeting your tour group and sorting check-in, you’ll settle into your comfortable accommodation to rest after your travels, ready to start exploring tomorrow. 🏨 Stay: Anhui Tower
🌟 Day 2: Beijing
Kick off your first full day of sightseeing with a visit to iconic Tiananmen Square, followed by a guided walking tour of the Forbidden City — the centuries-old exclusive residence of Chinese emperors. After exploring the palace grounds, head up to Jingshan Park for a sweeping panoramic view of the entire Forbidden City and Beijing cityscape. You’ll wrap up the day with a stroll through the lush, historic Summer Palace, a former imperial retreat. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included | 🏨 Stay: Anhui Tower
🌟 Day 3: Beijing
Today you’ll tick off one of the world’s greatest bucket-list experiences: a visit to the Great Wall of China. You’ll head to the peaceful, well-preserved Mutianyu section, ride a cable car up to the wall, then spend the afternoon hiking along the ancient ramparts with mountain views around every turn. On your way back to the city, stop for exterior photos at the iconic Bird’s Nest Stadium and Water Cube, Beijing’s famous Olympic landmarks. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included | 🏨 Stay: Anhui Tower
🌟 Day 4: Beijing → Xi'an
Today you’ll travel from Beijing to Xi’an, one of China’s four great ancient imperial capitals and home to one of the world’s most famous archaeological finds. After your journey, you’ll check into your centrally located accommodation to settle in before a full day of exploring tomorrow. 🏨 Stay: Holiday Inn Express Xi'an Ancient Town West, an IHG Hotel
🌟 Day 5: Xi'an
Spend the day diving into Xi’an’s incredible ancient history. Start with a visit to the world-famous Terracotta Army Museum, where you’ll explore the massive first pit (home to thousands of life-sized warrior statues) and the elaborate second pit. After learning about this 2,000-year-old wonder, head back to the city center to visit the perfectly preserved Ancient City Wall and the iconic Bell Tower at the heart of old Xi’an. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included | 🏨 Stay: Holiday Inn Express Xi'an Ancient Town West, an IHG Hotel
🌟 Day 6: Xi'an → Chengdu
After breakfast, you’ll travel south to laid-back Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. Once you arrive, explore two of the city’s most beloved spots: the 7th-century Buddhist landmark Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, and the bustling, flavor-packed Muslim Quarter, where you can wander narrow alleys lined with local street food and traditional craft shops. 🍽️ Breakfast included | 🏨 Stay: Holiday Inn Express Chengdu Wuhou
🌟 Day 7: Chengdu
Today is all about fluffy pandas and ancient mysterious history. First, visit the world-renowned Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where you’ll explore the enclosures, visit the on-site Panda Museum, and stop by the Red Panda Playgrounds to watch these tiny, energetic creatures climb and play. In the afternoon, head to the Sanxingdui Site Museum to see the incredible, unique bronze artifacts left by a 3,000-year-old lost civilization. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included | 🏨 Stay: Holiday Inn Express Chengdu Wuhou
🌟 Day 8: Chengdu → Guilin
After breakfast, travel to Guilin, the southern Chinese city famous for its dramatic karst mountain landscapes and winding rivers. Once you arrive, check into your hotel and take time to relax before your scenic river cruise tomorrow. 🍽️ Breakfast included | 🏨 Stay: Mercure Guilin High-tech Zone Hotel
🌟 Day 9: Guilin → Yangshuo
Today brings one of the most scenic days of your whole trip: a 4.5-hour leisurely sightseeing cruise along the legendary Li River. Glide past steep karst peaks rising straight out of the water, just like the landscapes in traditional Chinese paintings. A simple lunch of fresh local Chinese cuisine is served right on board the cruise. After docking in Yangshuo, head out to explore the quiet, charming Yangshuo countryside dotted with rice paddies and traditional villages. 🍽️ Breakfast and cruise-side lunch included | 🏨 Stay: Mehood Yangshuo Wubu Small Town
🌟 Day 10: Yangshuo → Zhangjiajie
Before leaving Guilin, stop to explore two iconic local landmarks: Elephant Trunk Hill, a natural rock formation shaped like an elephant drinking from the river, and the stunning Reed Flute Cave, a massive limestone cave filled with otherworldly stalactite and stalagmite formations. After your visits, travel to Zhangjiajie, home to some of the most dramatic mountain scenery on earth, and check into your hotel. 🍽️ Breakfast included | 🏨 Stay: Wulingyuan Hotel
🌟 Day 11: Zhangjiajie
Spend the day exploring the otherworldly Wulingyuan Scenic Area, the core of Zhangjiajie’s famous jagged peak landscape. Ride the world’s tallest outdoor Bailong Elevator up hundreds of meters to the mountain plateau, then hike through the stunning Yuanjiajie area (home to the famous Avatar Hallelujah Mountain). Wrap up the day with a visit to Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve, where you’ll get panoramic views of thousands of misty peaks stretching to the horizon. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included | 🏨 Stay: Wulingyuan Hotel
🌟 Day 12: Zhangjiajie
Get ready for a thrilling day of adventure! Head to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon to walk across the famous Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, a transparent bridge suspended hundreds of meters above the canyon floor with unbeatable views of the valley below. In the afternoon, enjoy a peaceful scenic cruise across crystal-clear Baofeng Lake, nestled between steep green peaks for a serene contrast to the morning’s thrill. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included | 🏨 Stay: Wulingyuan Hotel
🌟 Day 13: Zhangjiajie → Shanghai
Before leaving Zhangjiajie, explore the jaw-dropping Tianmen Mountain. Ride the world’s longest cable car up to the mountain top, visit the ancient mountaintop Tianmen Temple, then walk across the vertiginous Glass Skywalk and hike along the cliff-hanging walkway that clings to the mountain side, with heart-stopping views of the valley below. After this epic adventure, travel to Shanghai, China’s most dynamic modern metropolis, and check into your accommodation. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included | 🏨 Stay: Holiday Inn Express Shanghai Zhenping
🌟 Day 14: Shanghai
Explore the best of old and new Shanghai today. Start at the top of the Shanghai Tower, one of the tallest buildings in the world, for a 360-degree panoramic view of the entire city from its observation deck. Next, dive into thousands of years of Chinese art and history at the world-class Shanghai Museum. In the afternoon, wander the beautifully landscaped traditional Yu Garden, then explore the bustling Yuyuan Bazaar, where you can shop for traditional souvenirs and try local Shanghai snacks. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included | 🏨 Stay: Holiday Inn Express Shanghai Zhenping
🌟 Day 15: Shanghai
Today brings the end of your panoramic China adventure. After enjoying an included breakfast, you’ll check out of your hotel and head to the airport for your onward journey, taking with you countless memories of your trip across China. 🍽️ Breakfast included
Min 2 · Max 20 people per group
Traveler reviews
April 18, 2026
I was nervous about traveling to a new country where I didn’t speak the language, but this tour eliminated all that stress. All inter-city transport and attraction tickets were pre-booked, so we never had to wait in long lines or navigate confusing public transit on our own.
February 10, 2026
Ethan from HelloChinaTrip was incredibly helpful answering all my pre-trip questions, from visa guidance to what clothing to pack for different regions. Every hotel we stayed at was clean, centrally located, and far nicer than I expected for the tour price. Getting to visit giant pandas in Chengdu and walk the Great Wall outside Beijing was a total dream come true.
October 2, 2025
This is the best organized group tour I have ever been on, hands down. The small 16-guest maximum meant we got plenty of one-on-one attention from our guide, and we never felt herded like cattle like on large group tours I’ve taken in the past. The included food was incredible, we got to try authentic local specialties in every city instead of generic tourist fare. A 15-day trip covering so many destinations could have been exhausting, but the pace was perfectly balanced so we had enough time to rest and enjoy each spot. I would 100% book this tour again and recommend it to anyone looking to explore China.
July 30, 2025
As someone who loves both history and nature, this itinerary checked every single box for me. I got to explore ancient sites in Xi’an and Nanjing, hike through otherworldly rock formations in Zhangjiajie, and cruise along the misty Li River in Guilin, all in one seamless trip. Our local guides in each city were passionate and knowledgeable, and they always made sure everyone in the group felt comfortable and got the photos they wanted. This is the perfect introduction to China for any first-time visitor.
April 22, 2025
I was worried that visiting 7 cities in 15 days would feel rushed, but the pace was perfectly balanced. We got just the right mix of guided sightseeing and free time to wander and explore on our own.
March 12, 2025
This 15-day small group tour was the perfect stress-free way to see all of China’s most iconic bucket-list destinations.
January 19, 2025
The itinerary was perfectly laid out and all our transfers ran exactly on schedule, which took so much pressure off our first trip to China. We unfortunately had bad luck with heavy fog during our two days in Zhangjiajie, so we couldn’t see the iconic cliff peaks we’d been most excited for. All the other destinations more than made up for the disappointment, and the small group size kept every day comfortable and low-stress. I’d still recommend this tour to anyone wanting to see multiple top Chinese cities in one trip.
December 28, 2024
I loved that the group was capped at only 16 guests, it felt far more personal than any big bus tour I’ve joined before. Our guide shared so much fascinating local history at every stop, from Xi’an’s Terracotta Army to Guilin’s dramatic karst mountains.
December 5, 2024
Every part of this tour was well-organized and genuinely enjoyable from the first day in Shanghai to the last in Guilin.
