James Wilson
February 14, 2026
Customized China Tours Tailored Just for You
Dive into China’s rich past, buzzing present, and promising future on this immersive 11-day multi-city tour that includes a special extension to scenic Suzhou. You’ll explore five of China’s most iconic destinations: imperial Beijing, ancient cultural hub Xi’an, historic Nanjing, dynamic global metropolis Shanghai, and the elegant garden city Suzhou, getting a well-rounded look at the country’s incredible diversity. This carefully curated top itinerary is offered at unbeatable prices, with secure, trusted payment processes to guarantee a smooth, worry-free booking experience.
This 11-day immersive journey starts in the heart of imperial China, Beijing, where you soak in centuries of dynastic history before heading west to Xi'an, home of the world-famous Terracotta Warriors. From Xi'an, you travel east through the historic ancient capital Nanjing en route to Shanghai, China's vibrant global megacity where you explore both traditional old-town alleys and the iconic futuristic waterfront. The tour includes a special extended stop in Suzhou, the "Venice of the East" famous for its delicate classical gardens and winding Grand Canal culture, before wrapping up back in Shanghai, giving you a complete, layered taste of everything China has to offer.
🌟 Day 1: Beijing
Your China adventure begins today as you arrive in Beijing, the nation's buzzing capital. After clearing arrival procedures, you'll be transferred to your accommodation and can settle in at your leisure. 🏨 Stay: Dong Fang Hotel
🌟 Day 2: Beijing
Kick off your first full day of sightseeing with a visit to iconic Tiananmen Square, the world's largest public square steeped in modern Chinese history. Next, step into the Forbidden City, the sprawling former imperial palace that housed Chinese emperors for over 500 years. We wrap up the day with a visit to the Temple of Heaven, the stunning ceremonial site where ancient emperors prayed for bountiful harvests. 🍽️ Breakfast included at your hotel. 🏨 Stay: Dong Fang Hotel
🌟 Day 3: Beijing
Cross the Great Wall of China off your bucket list today with a visit to the scenic, less-crowded Mutianyu section, where you can hike along the ancient battlements surrounded by forested hills. After returning to the city, we stop at a traditional local tea house to sample classic Chinese teas and learn about centuries-old tea culture. We end the day at the Summer Palace, the beautiful imperial lakeside retreat. 🍽️ Breakfast included at your hotel. 🏨 Stay: Dong Fang Hotel
🌟 Day 4: Beijing to Xi'an
Before departing Beijing for Xi'an, we take a charming walking tour through the city's traditional hutong alleyways, lined with historic courtyard homes, where you can catch a glimpse of authentic local life. After the tour, we travel to Xi'an, one of China's four great ancient capitals, and check in for the night. 🍽️ Breakfast included at your Beijing hotel. 🏨 Stay: Aurum International Hotel
🌟 Day 5: Xi'an
Dive deep into Xi'an's 3,000-year history today with a visit to the world-famous Terracotta Warriors Museum, the incredible archaeological site that houses thousands of life-size clay warriors built to guard China's first emperor in the afterlife. Next, we visit the 7th-century Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a sacred Buddhist landmark that still holds ancient scriptures brought from India. We end the day with a stop at a local jade factory to learn about China's traditional jade carving craft. 🍽️ Breakfast included at your hotel. 🏨 Stay: Aurum International Hotel
🌟 Day 6: Xi'an to Shanghai
Start your day with a stroll atop Xi'an perfectly preserved ancient city walls, the largest intact city walls in China, offering panoramic views of the city's mix of old and new. Next, we explore the lively Xi'an Muslim Quarter, a bustling historic neighborhood filled with incredible street food and traditional craft stalls, perfect for sampling local snacks and picking up souvenirs. After our excursion, we travel east to Shanghai, passing through historic Nanjing along the way. 🍽️ Breakfast included at your Xi'an hotel.
🌟 Day 7: Shanghai
Settle into dynamic Shanghai today with a full day of sightseeing that blends old and new. We start with a tour of Shanghai's charming old town, where you can wander narrow alleys lined with traditional shops, before visiting Yu Garden, a stunning 16th-century classical Chinese garden tucked in the heart of the city. Next, we stop at the serene Jade Buddha Temple to see its famous giant white jade Buddha, before ending the day with a leisurely sunset walk along the Bund, Shanghai's iconic waterfront with unbeatable views of Pudong's futuristic skyline. 🍽️ Breakfast included at your hotel. 🏨 Stay: Holiday Inn Express Zhabei Hotel
🌟 Day 8: Shanghai
Today we explore beyond Shanghai's city center: first, we take a short trip out to the ancient water town of Zhujiajiao, a 1,700-year-old settlement crisscrossed by canals and stone bridges, where you can experience traditional riverside Chinese life. Back in central Shanghai, we wander the tree-lined streets of the Former French Concession, filled with historic colonial villas, trendy cafes and boutique shops, before stopping at a local silk factory to learn about China's world-famous silk production process. 🍽️ Breakfast included at your hotel. 🏨 Stay: Holiday Inn Express Zhabei Hotel
🌟 Day 9: Shanghai to Suzhou
This morning we leave Shanghai and travel just an hour north to Suzhou, the famous "Garden City of China" known worldwide for its classical gardens and canal heritage. After arriving and checking in to your accommodation, you'll have the rest of the day free to explore the local neighborhood at your own pace. 🍽️ Breakfast included at your Shanghai hotel. 🏨 Stay: Garden Hotel
🌟 Day 10: Suzhou
Spend the day exploring Suzhou's most iconic highlights: we start with a tour of the Humble Administrator's Garden, Suzhou's largest and most famous classical garden, famous for its delicate design blending water, rockeries and pavilions. Next, we visit the equally stunning Lingering Garden, known for its intricate architecture and beautiful bonsai collections, before exploring the ancient Panmen City Gate, Suzhou's 2,500-year-old original water gate. We wrap up the day with a relaxing 45-minute cruise along the Suzhou Grand Canal, for a unique water-level view of the city. 🍽️ Breakfast included at your hotel + group lunch at a local restaurant serving classic Suzhou cuisine. 🏨 Stay: Garden Hotel
🌟 Day 11: Suzhou to Shanghai
Your 11-day immersive China journey comes to an end today. After breakfast at your Suzhou hotel, we travel back to Shanghai, where you will be dropped off for your departure flight or onward travel. 🍽️ Breakfast included at your Suzhou hotel.
Min 2 · Max 20 people per group
Traveler reviews
February 14, 2026
Ethan, my consultant from HelloChinaTrip, was incredibly responsive when I had questions before departure and even helped adjust a small dinner request for my dietary restriction. Every stop on the tour felt intentional: Beijing’s Forbidden City felt steeped in legend, Nanjing’s historical sites were moving and thoughtfully explained, Xi’an’s Terracotta Army exceeded every expectation I had, and Shanghai’s bustling streets showed off China’s dynamic present. The Suzhou extension at the end was the perfect relaxing capstone, with gentle canal boat rides and strolls through ancient gardens. I left this tour feeling like I actually understood the layers of China, not just checked off a list of tourist spots. This is the best organized multi-city tour I’ve ever joined.
September 22, 2025
I loved how the itinerary wove together China’s thousands of years of history with its cutting-edge modern culture across five iconic cities. All of our local guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and great at adjusting timelines on the fly. My only issue is that we traveled during the October national holiday, so all major sites were much more wonderful than anticipated, which cut into our leisurely exploration time. Even with that, the tour was incredibly well-organized and worth every dollar.
June 19, 2025
As someone who loves both historical sites and modern city exploration, this tour checked every single box on my travel wishlist. The pace was just right—never too rushed, but we still got to experience so much across five incredible Chinese cities. I’m already recommending this tour to all my friends who want to visit China.
March 12, 2025
This perfectly balanced tour gave me an incredible look at China’s past, present and future all in one trip.
December 18, 2024
Getting to see Xi’an’s ancient Terracotta Warriors one day and Shanghai’s futuristic skyline the next was such a thrilling, eye-opening experience. The Suzhou extension was absolutely worth adding, with its quiet, perfectly manicured gardens that felt like a peaceful escape. I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to China.
