11 Days China Scenic & Cultural Tour in Group (Shanghai Zhangjiajie Xian Beijing)

The journey

Tour type: Small group of maximum 16 travelers, guaranteed departures. The published day-by-day itinerary below is supplied for this route.

From $2,099 per person

Highlights

• Arrival in Shanghai | Airport Pick-up and Hotel Check-in
• Shanghai City Tour | Shanghai Tower, Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden & Bazaar, Nanjing Road & The Bund (BL)
• Shanghai Airport Transfer | Zhangjiajie Airport Pick-up & Hotel Check-in (B)
• Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Tour | Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain, Ten-mile Gallery (BL)

Day by day

• Day 1 — Arrival in Shanghai | Airport Pick-up and Hotel Check-in: Nihao! Welcome to Shanghai, China’s most internationalized and vibrant city! Shanghai's long-term fusion of Eastern and Western cultures has contributed to Shanghai's unique culture. Upon your arrival at the airport/train station in Shanghai, the driver will meet and greet you at the exit, and then escort you to the well-selected hotel in downtown Shanghai. The rest of the day is free on your own so you can have a good rest for the jet lag or explore by yourself around your hotel.
• Day 2 — Shanghai City Tour | Shanghai Tower, Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden & Bazaar, Nanjing Road & The Bund (BL): Today, your group will have full day to experience the perfect blend of East and West in the "Paris of the East." Explore brilliant museums, classical gardens, futuristic skyscrapers, and stunning architecture - all in one vibrant city.
• Day 3 — Shanghai Airport Transfer | Zhangjiajie Airport Pick-up & Hotel Check-in (B): On this day, you will have some time till be met in the hotel lobby and escorted to the airport for your flight to Zhangjiajie (about 2.5 hours).
• Day 4 — Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Tour | Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain, Ten-mile Gallery (BL): After breakfast, you will have a whole day to explore Wulingyuan Scenic Area, a spectacular island of nature dominated by more than 3,000 narrow quartz sandstone pillars. First, take a sightseeing bus to Bailong Elevator that within 1.5 minutes you can go from the valley bottom up to the pillar peak. It is the fastest and as well as the tallest outdoor elevator in the world. Next, enjoy the hike into a mysterious Pandora World - Yuanjiajie, where is rightly the shooting location of “Hallelujah Mountains” in reality. Catch the chance to shoot South Sky Pillar, the landmark of Yuanjiajie, about 150 meters high vertically rising high from the deep valley, looking like a giant standing so upright under heaven. Go to the Enchanting Platform for a marvel at the unbelievable scenery with hundreds of various peaks like bamboo shoots towering from the grounds. And then enjoy the lush scenery of Natural Bonsai at Backyard Garden.
• Day 5 — Zhangjiajie Tour | Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, Baofeng Lake (BL): After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon for the breathtaking Grand Canyon Glass Bridge experience. The Grand Canyon Glass Bridge wants to say “hello” to you and makes you yell “my god” to give a deeper impression of Zhangjiajie. Suspended between two peaks, the glass bridge is 430 meters long and 300 meters high, which is the longest and highest glass bridge in the world. Standing on the transparent glass is like floating in the air and you can have superb panoramic view of the entire Grand Canyon.
• Day 6 — Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain & Airport Transfer | Xian Airport Pick-up & Hotel Check-in (BL): After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel lobby. Today, you will make a breathtaking visit to Tianmen Mountain, one of the world’s most beautiful mountains. You won’t miss the chance to experience the world’s longest cable car, walk on the glass skywalk, and pay a visit Heaven’s Door and view Avenue toward Heaven with 99 turns.
• Day 7 — Xian City Tour | Terracotta Warriors, Ancient Wall, Bell Tower （BL）: After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel. Drive about 40km (about 1 hour) to uncover one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the world - the Terracotta Army Museum, built by the first emperor of China, Qin Shihuang, to protect him in the afterlife. Around 8,000 vivid life-size Terracotta Warriors have been found so far. First, visit the largest and most imposing pit, believed to contain over 6,000 terracotta figures of soldiers and horses. You will be amazed by this subterranean life-size army of thousands standing silently to guard the emperor. Marvel also at the fabulous artistic skills of ancient Chinese artisans. Next, move to another pit where you can see around 1,300 warriors and horses. Examine the ancient army formation, including the kneeling and standing archers, the chariot war array, and numerous troopers holding weapons.
• Day 8 — Xian tour: Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and Muslim Quarter; Train Station Transfer | Beijing Train Station Pick-up & Hotel Check-in (B): This morning, you will go to visit the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, one of Xi'an's most recognizable landmarks and symbol of the magnificence of the Tang Dynasty. This seven-story pagoda standing in the tranquil Da Ci'en Temple is one of China's best examples of a Tang-style pagoda (squarish rather than round). It was completed in AD 652 to house Buddhist sutras brought back from India by the monk Xuan Zang. His travels inspired one of the best-known works of Chinese literature, Journey to the West. Later, you will have the opportunity to explore the vibrant and bustling Muslim Quarter (Muslim Street). This historic quarter, situated just behind the Drum Tower about 430 meters west of the Bell Tower in downtown Xian, has been around for over 1,000 years.
• Day 9 — Beijing City Tour | Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Summer Palace (BL): Today you will spend the whole day exploring the ancient citadel of Beijing through China's famous landmarks, imperial grandeur, and royal gardens.
• Day 10 — Beijing Great Wall Tour | Mutianyu Great Wall, Glimpse of Bird’s Nest & Water Cube (BL): In this morning, you will head northwest of Beijing (about 1.5-2 hours’ drive, 73km) to the Great Wall at Mutianyu. The Great Wall boasts a history over 2,000 years and stretches more than 3,000 miles across several provinces of northern China, making it one of the most impressive ancient masterpieces on the planet. Mutianyu Great Wall is connected with the Jiankou Great Wall in the west and the Gubeikou Great Wall in the east. Mutianyu is the longest and best fully-restored Great Wall with fewer tourists and is also famed for its 23 Ming-era watchtowers and stunning views. Take the cable car up to the 14th watchtower and then enjoy the memorable hiking time on the wall while visiting its western route. With the green pines and cypresses covering the surrounding area, and the winding wall standing majestically on the vast land, you will capture the most stunning natural scenery in this section. Challenge yourselves while climbing up to the 20th watchtower where you could fulfill your Great Wall dream. Cherish the chance and take photos as many as you like!
• Day 11 — Departure from Beijing | Hotel Check-out and Airport See-off (B): It is time to end your 8-day China group tour. You will have some time in Beijing and explore more on your own till be escorted to the airport/train station for your flight or high speed train to your next destination.