Chloe Bennett
April 19, 2026
Customized China Tours Tailored Just for You
This 13-day private customized tour brings you all of China’s most unforgettable top highlights, spanning 7 incredible destinations including the ancient cultural capitals of Beijing and Xi’an, Guilin’s dramatic karst scenery, and a scenic cruise along the world-famous Yangtze River, ending in dynamic Shanghai. Carefully curated to deliver an exceptional experience at an unbeatable price, this fully tailorable itinerary comes with secure, trusted payment processing, giving you peace of mind for a seamless, hassle-free trip through China’s most iconic sites.
This hand-crafted private tour takes you across the very best of China over 13 days, starting in the imperial capital Beijing, moving west to the ancient capital of Xi’an to explore one of the world’s greatest archaeological wonders, then south to the karst mountain landscapes of Guilin and Yangshuo for a scenic Li River cruise. From there you’ll travel to Chongqing to board your Yangtze River cruise, exploring the Three Gorges and iconic sites along the way, before wrapping up your trip in the bustling, modern metropolis of Shanghai. The route is designed to give you a complete, immersive introduction to everything China has to offer, with no iconic highlight left out.
🌟 Day 1: Beijing Welcome to China! You’ll arrive in the capital city of Beijing today, where your local contact will meet you and help you get settled into your accommodation to rest after your travels, ready to start exploring tomorrow. 🍽️ No meals included | 🏨 Overnight in Beijing
🌟 Day 2: Beijing Kick off your Beijing adventure with a visit to the sprawling, iconic Tiananmen Square, then step into the 600-year-old Forbidden City – once the exclusive imperial home of 24 Chinese emperors, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site full of historic art and architecture. In the afternoon, you’ll travel to the lush Summer Palace, the Qing emperors’ favorite summer retreat, and enjoy a gentle boat ride across the sparkling Kunming Lake if weather permits. 🍽️ Included: Breakfast, Lunch | 🏨 Overnight in Beijing
🌟 Day 3: Beijing Today you’ll visit the stunning, less crowded Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. You’ll glide up to the wall via cable car, then spend 2-3 hours leisurely hiking along the ancient fortification, soaking in panoramic views of the wall winding over forested mountain slopes. After your hike, you’ll stop at Changling Tomb, the largest and best-preserved of the Ming Dynasty imperial tombs, to learn about ancient Chinese burial traditions. 🍽️ Included: Breakfast, Lunch | 🏨 Overnight in Beijing
🌟 Day 4: Beijing to Xi'an Before departing Beijing, you’ll explore the Temple of Heaven, a magnificent 15th-century sacred site where emperors once held annual ceremonies to pray for good harvests. You’ll wander through the tranquil surrounding park, then take a fun rickshaw ride through narrow, centuries-old hutong alleyways, getting an up-close look at traditional Beijing courtyard homes and local neighborhood life before traveling on to Xi’an. 🍽️ Included: Breakfast, Lunch | 🏨 Overnight in Xi'an
🌟 Day 5: Xi'an Spend your day exploring Xi’an’s most legendary attraction: the Terracotta Army, an 8,000-strong army of life-sized clay warriors built to guard the first emperor of China in the afterlife over 2,000 years ago. Your private guide will walk you through the three excavated pits, sharing fascinating stories about the army’s discovery and history that you won’t find in standard guidebooks. 🍽️ Included: Breakfast, Lunch | 🏨 Overnight in Xi'an
🌟 Day 6: Xi'an to Guilin You’ll board your pre-scheduled flight from Xi’an to the scenic southern riverside city of Guilin. Once you arrive and settle in, you’ll visit the famous Reed Flute Cave, a natural limestone cave filled with otherworldly stalactite and stalagmite formations, lit up to highlight their surreal shapes for a magical walking tour. 🍽️ Included: Breakfast | 🏨 Overnight in Guilin
🌟 Day 7: Guilin to Yangshuo Today you’ll set off on one of the most scenic cruises in the world: a 3.5 to 4.5-hour leisurely sail down the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo. You’ll sit back and soak in postcard-perfect views of steep limestone karst peaks rising out of misty green waters – the same scenery that inspired centuries of Chinese landscape paintings. 🍽️ Included: Breakfast, Lunch | 🏨 Overnight in Yangshuo
🌟 Day 8: Yangshuo to Chongqing Enjoy a leisurely morning to explore Yangshuo’s countryside at your own pace before traveling to the bustling riverside city of Chongqing, where you’ll prepare to board your Yangtze River cruise tomorrow. 🍽️ Included: Breakfast | 🏨 Overnight in Chongqing
🌟 Day 9: Yangtze River Cruise You’ll board your cruise ship this morning and begin your leisurely journey down the Yangtze, China’s iconic mother river. In the afternoon, you’ll take a shore excursion to Shibaozhai, a stunning 18th-century red wooden pavilion built into a rocky hill along the river, with sweeping panoramic views of the Yangtze from its top. 🍽️ Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | 🏨 Overnight on Yangtze Cruise Ship
🌟 Day 10: Yangtze River Cruise Continue your relaxed sail through the dramatic Three Gorges today, soaking in the ever-changing views of steep gorges and lush riverbanks. Today’s shore excursion takes you to the pristine Shennv Stream (Goddess Stream), where you’ll glide through narrow, misty gorges on a traditional flat-bottom boat, getting up close to the area’s unspoiled natural beauty. 🍽️ Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | 🏨 Overnight on Yangtze Cruise Ship
🌟 Day 11: Yangtze River Cruise to Shanghai This morning you’ll take a guided shore excursion to the world-famous Three Gorges Dam, one of the most impressive engineering feats in modern history, to learn about its construction and impact on the Yangtze region. After your visit, you’ll disembark and travel on to Shanghai, China’s most dynamic modern metropolis. 🍽️ Included: Breakfast | 🏨 Overnight in Shanghai
🌟 Day 12: Shanghai Explore the very best of Shanghai on your full day tour: start with a visit to the Shanghai Museum, home to one of the largest collections of ancient Chinese art and artifacts in the country. Next, wander through the classical Yu Garden, a 16th-century traditional Chinese garden filled with pavilions, koi ponds, and lush greenery, then browse the bustling shops and local snack stalls of nearby Yuyuan Market. In the afternoon, stroll through the tree-lined streets of the former French Concession, admiring the blend of colonial-era architecture and trendy local cafes and boutiques. 🍽️ Included: Breakfast, Lunch | 🏨 Overnight in Shanghai
🌟 Day 13: Shanghai After breakfast, your 13-day China adventure comes to an end. You’ll be transferred to the airport for your onward flight or next travel destination, with lasting memories of China’s history, nature, and culture. 🍽️ Included: Breakfast
Min 2 · Max 20 people per group
Traveler reviews
April 19, 2026
I traveled with my teenage kids on this tour, and every single day felt exciting and new, never boring. Private customization meant we could take longer breaks when the kids got tired, and our guide adjusted our pace easily without any pushback. The food recommendations at every stop were amazing, we got to try local specialties instead of just touristy restaurant food. By the end of the 13 days, we felt like we got a real feel for different parts of China, not just the top highlights.
February 14, 2026
Every stop from Shanghai to Kunming was thoughtfully planned and absolutely unforgettable.
October 28, 2025
As someone who loves both history and nature, this tour had the perfect balance of everything. Ancient sites like the Great Wall outside Beijing and the Terracotta Warriors were awe-inspiring, and the Yangtze cruise had the most stunning views I've ever seen. I would absolutely recommend this private tour to anyone traveling to China for the first time.
September 2, 2025
When I reached out to HelloChinaTrip, my consultant Will customized this itinerary exactly to fit what my partner and I wanted, swapping a few extra hours in Shanghai for a day trip outside Guilin that we'd been dreaming of. We got to experience all the top highlights from the Forbidden City in Beijing to the stunning karst mountains in Guilin, without the stress of planning everything ourselves. Every transfer, hotel, and guide was perfectly arranged, and we never felt rushed between destinations. This is hands down the best organized international trip I've ever taken.
May 1, 2025
Everything with the tour service was flawless, from our guide to the private transportation arrangements. We visited during the May national holiday, though, so almost every major site was far more wonderful than we expected, which made enjoying some spots a little harder. Even with that, we had an incredible time seeing all the best of China in one trip.
March 12, 2025
This 13-day custom China tour exceeded every one of my expectations.
January 30, 2025
This private customized tour took all the stress out of traveling across multiple cities in China. We got to check every single spot on our China bucket list in one seamless trip.
December 18, 2024
Seeing the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an and cruising the Yangtze out of Chongqing was such a magical combo. Our private guide showed us hidden spots in Guilin that most tourists never get to see, and the whole itinerary flowed perfectly. I can't imagine a better introduction to China.
