Beijing. O/N Beijing

Beijing - Today, our tour guide will meet you in the lobby of your Beijing hotel at 8:00am. From there, you’ll be taken to Tiananmen Square.

Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang) - At Tiananmen Square, you can capture stunning photos of the Tiananmen Tower, Monument to People’s Heroes, and Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao. Located in the heart of Beijing, Tiananmen Square has been the site of numerous historical events and gatherings over the centuries. Today, it hosts grand celebrations, military parades, and welcoming ceremonies for foreign dignitaries. Visitors can also admire the towering Monument to People’s Heroes and the solemn Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao. Traditional structures like the Tiananmen Tower, Zhengyang Gate, and Qianmen Arrow Tower are also present.

Forbidden City-The Palace Museum - Next, you’ll cross the Tiananmen Tower to visit the Forbidden City, where 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368 - 1911) resided and managed state affairs. The Forbidden City, the largest and best-preserved ancient wooden complex in the world, served as the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The palace is divided into the Inner Court and Outer Court by the Palace of Heavenly Purity, with the Outer Court used for state affairs and the Inner Court as the living quarters for the imperial family. The complex also functions as a vast museum, showcasing over a million national treasures.

Mutianyu Great Wall - Upon arriving at the scenic area’s parking lot, you’ll take an electric car to the entrance and then a chairlift up to the 14th watchtower. Enjoy a leisurely hike on the wall for about 2 hours, ending with a toboggan ride down. The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, built and restored in the early Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), is one of the most renowned sections. Known for its unique charm, Mutianyu stands out among the Great Wall sections. Explore the ancient structure and learn about its history and significance. Your professional guide will answer any questions and share exclusive stories and facts about the Mutianyu Great Wall.

Beijing - Finally, you’ll be escorted back to your Beijing hotel.

Beijing. O/N Beijing.

Beijing - In the morning, our guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel to continue your Beijing tour.

Temple of Heaven - Our first stop is the Temple of Heaven, the largest group of royal ceremonial buildings in China. Emperors used to hold annual sacrificial ceremonies here to worship heaven and pray for a good harvest. Today, it has become a large park where you can see locals exercising and engaging in recreational activities.

Back Lakes (Hou Hai) - Next, we’ll visit Beijing Hutong, where you’ll take a rickshaw ride through the old alleys and visit a Hutong family to see how traditional Beijingers live. The area is filled with popular restaurants, cafes, and local food stores, making it a great place to have lunch. Our guide will offer suggestions. After lunch, you can stroll around Houhai Lake and explore more of the Hutong area.

Lama Temple (Yonghegong) - After visiting the Hutong, we’ll drive to the Lama Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Beijing. It combines various architectural styles from different ethnic groups, including Han, Manchu, Mongol, and Tibetan. Opened to tourists in 1981, the temple attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year for praying and sightseeing.

Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) - A 30-minute drive will take us to the Summer Palace, known as the museum of ancient royal gardens. Our expert guide will show you around. The garden mainly consists of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake. The Long Corridor, 728 meters (796.2 yards) long, is the longest corridor in Chinese gardens. It connects Longevity Hill with Kunming Lake, featuring exquisite murals and melodious music.

Beijing - Finally, our guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel, concluding our 2-day Beijing tour.

Beijing–Xi’an. O/N Xi’an.

Beijing West Railway Station - Today, there are no planned activities. You’ll take a first-class train to Xi’an. We will arrange for a driver to take you to the train station, but no tour guide will accompany you. We may book the G429 (10:45-16:25) or G667 (11:19-17:08) for you. The train journey takes around 6 hours.

Xi’an North Railway Station Parking Lot - Upon arrival in Xi’an, our local driver will pick you up and transfer you to your Xi’an hotel (Driver only, no guide).

Xi’an. O/N Xi’an.

Xi’an - In the morning, our tour guide will meet you in the lobby of your Xi’an hotel at 9:00am and transfer you to the Terracotta Warriors Museum, which is an 80-minute drive (45km).

The Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses - We will reserve tickets for you online in advance, and your guide will help you skip the line at the entrance. Following your guide, you’ll explore the Terracotta Warriors Museum, visiting the three excavated pits and the Bronze Chariots and Horses Exhibition Hall. Despite being buried for over 2,200 years, the clay warriors and horses remain vivid and distinct. You’ll spend at least two and a half hours at this incredible site.

Small Goose Pagoda - Next, we’ll transfer to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, located inside Jianfu Temple, about one kilometer south of Xi’an city proper. This pagoda, along with the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, is one of the two significant Buddhist sites from the Tang Dynasty, dating back 1300 years. The two pagodas symbolized Chang’an (Constant Peace) city, which was the name of Xi’an until the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) when Beijing became the capital of China. Chang’an served as the capital for ten dynasties.

Xi’an City Wall (Chengqiang) - After lunch, we’ll transfer to the city wall. You can walk or cycle around the wall, with bike rental fees paid locally if you choose to cycle. The ancient City Wall, which encircles the old city, is one of Xi’an’s most famous attractions. It is one of the oldest and best-preserved Chinese city walls and one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world.

Muslim Quarter - Our last stop will be the Muslim Bazaar, the city’s most vibrant area. You can explore the bazaar at your own pace and then return to the hotel on your own. Our guide will provide directions. The Great Mosque and the Bell and Drum Tower Square are within walking distance of the Bazaar. The Bazaar offers many boutique stores with fair prices and numerous excellent dining options for dinner.

Xi’an - Finally, we’ll drive you back to your Xi’an hotel.

Xi’an–Chengdu. O/N Chengdu.

Xi’an - In the morning, our tour guide will meet you in the lobby of your Xi’an hotel at 8:30am and transfer you to Hanyanglin, a 30-minute drive (15km).

Tomb of Emperor Jingdi (Hanyangling) - We’ll first drive for an hour to visit the Hanyangling Mausoleum, the site of the Mausoleum of Western Han Emperor Liu Qi, built in 153 AD. With your guide, you’ll get a close look at the thousand-year-old tombs through glass floors and walls in the tomb pits. The advanced Spectra Vision program will recreate the real life of the Western Han Dynasty from 2,000 years ago. You’ll have two hours to explore the site.

Shaanxi History Museum - After lunch, we’ll continue our Xi’an group tour at the Shaanxi History Museum. The museum, a treasure house of Chinese civilization, showcases Shaanxi’s unique historical and cultural heritage. It houses around 370,000 antiquities, ranging from prehistoric relics to those from the 1840s. The collection spans over a million years and is notable for its value, quantity, rank, and variety. Your guide will provide detailed explanations.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Dayanta) - Instead of entering the temple to visit the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, we’ll have a photo stop here for half an hour. Based on suggestions from previous guests, it’s enough to see the pagoda and the statue of Monk Xuanzang at the south square outside the temple. The pagoda, built during the Tang Dynasty, is a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. It was once the site where Xuanzang translated Buddhist sutras. Today, the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Area is a popular spot for both tourists and locals in Xi’an. It’s a wonderful place to enjoy the charming night scenes and relax. The south square leads to the Great Tang All Day Mall, where you can see unique Tang Dynasty-style sculptures and enjoy classical music performances. The north square features the largest musical fountain in Asia, with scheduled show times. If you’re interested, you can take a leisurely stroll here at night and return to the hotel on your own. Your guide will provide directions.

Xi’an North Railway Station Parking Lot - In the late afternoon, our driver and guide will take you to Xi’an North Railway Station for your train to Chengdu (D1947 18:00–21:41). The train journey takes around 4 hours.

Chengdu Station - Upon arrival in Chengdu, you’ll be picked up and transferred to your Chengdu hotel (Driver only, no guide).

Chengdu. O/N Chengdu.

Chengdu - In the morning, our driver and guide will meet you at 8:00am at your Chengdu hotel and transfer you to the Chengdu Panda Base, a 30-minute drive (15km).

Giant Panda Breeding Research Base (Xiongmao Jidi) - First, we’ll visit Chengdu’s Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, home to over 80 of China’s iconic pandas, including the familiar black and white variety and the smaller red pandas. You’ll see the pandas eating and playing in a habitat that closely resembles their natural environment. You’ll also learn about the efforts of scientists and ecologists to protect the remaining wild pandas and expand the captive population. Since 1987, over 100 pandas have been born at the Base. The Base gained even more importance after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which led to the relocation of eight pandas from the damaged Wolong reserve. Your visit supports the ongoing conservation efforts.

Chengdu Renmin Park - Next, we’ll visit Renmin Park, a comprehensive garden that combines cultural heritage and entertainment. Locals often relax here by drinking tea. To truly understand the lifestyle in the “Capital of Leisure,” you must visit Renmin Park. The park is always bustling with people sitting in the shade from sunrise. Popular activities include visiting a teahouse, ordering a cup of tea, reading for an entire afternoon, thinking about nothing, or chatting with old friends. Enjoying the slow life in Chengdu, you may suddenly feel that you are leading a happy life.

Jinli Pedestrian Street - After lunch, we’ll take a private car to Jinli Old Street, a lively area filled with delicious local snacks, delicate artifacts, and interesting folk shows. Time seems to slip away as you explore the bustling streets.

Chengdu - Finally, your guide will escort you back to your hotel.

Chengdu. The tour ends.

Chengdu - After breakfast at your hotel, our driver and guide will meet you at 9:00am and transfer you to Leshan, a 2.5-hour drive (150km).

Leshan Giant Buddha (Da Fo) - Experience the Giant Buddha of Leshan, one of Chinese Buddhism’s holiest sites, on this full-day tour from Chengdu. Dating back to the 8th century, the Giant Buddha of Leshan is the largest carved stone Buddha and the tallest pre-modern statue in the world. It was carved from the cliffs of Lingyun Shan to calm the turbulent waters of the three rivers that converge below. Stairs carved into the cliff connect the area at the Buddha’s feet with the land above, offering various vantage points to view this astonishing sight. The views over the Buddha’s elbows and knees, the river scene, and Leshan’s skyline are stunning. Upon arrival in Leshan, you’ll have lunch at a restaurant with a view of the Giant Buddha. You’ll then explore the Giant Buddha and enjoy fantastic views of the surrounding landscape from atop the Buddha’s head. We’ll also visit Lingyun Temple and Museum to gain deeper insight into the history of this remarkable Buddhist site and learn about the carving of the Giant Buddha.

Chengdu - Afterwards, we’ll take a private car back to your hotel in central Chengdu, a 2.5-hour drive. End of our services.

• Private car and guide
• Entrance tickets included
• Lunch provided
• Air-conditioned transportation
• First-class train tickets

• The hotel and dinner