China Grand Tour · 24 Days | Eternal China Tours
The Grand Tour of China · 24 Days

Beijing to Shanghai
24-Day Grand Tour

Forbidden City · Mutianyu Great Wall · Terracotta Warriors · Giant Pandas · Jiuzhaigou · Hongya Cave · Fenghuang · Avatar Mountains · the Bund — seven cities, every era of China, one seamless 5-star journey.

Duration 24 Days / 23 Nights
Cities Beijing · Xi’an · Chengdu · Jiuzhaigou · Chongqing · Zhangjiajie · Shanghai
Style Private · Guided · 5-Star

What You'll Experience

The Forbidden City — 600 Years of Emperors Mutianyu Great Wall by Cable Car Terracotta Warriors of the First Emperor Chengdu Giant Panda Base The Fairy-Tale Valleys of Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong The Avatar Mountains of Zhangjiajie Old Money Meets New: the Shanghai Bund
01
The Forbidden City — 600 Years of Emperors
Walk through the Meridian Gate into the palace of 24 emperors — great halls, golden roofs and two dynasties of stories
01 The Forbidden City — 600 Years of Emperors
02 Mutianyu Great Wall by Cable Car
03 Terracotta Warriors of the First Emperor
04 Chengdu Giant Panda Base
05 The Fairy-Tale Valleys of Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong
06 The Avatar Mountains of Zhangjiajie
07 Old Money Meets New: the Shanghai Bund

Your Journey,
Day by Day

01
Day

Arrival in Beijing

Beijing Capital Airport → Hotel
Lake View Hotel Beijing (5-star)
Afternoon

Airport / Station Pickup

Your English-speaking guide and private driver will be waiting at arrivals with a personalized welcome sign. Transfer to your 5-star hotel near Beijing South Railway in comfort, then the rest of the day is yours to rest or explore the neighborhood.

Lake View Hotel room with night city view Lake View Hotel restaurant Lake View Hotel indoor pool Lake View Hotel twin room

Lake View Hotel Beijing or similar (5-star)

02
Day

Imperial Beijing

Tiananmen Square · Forbidden City · Prince Gong Mansion · Shichahai
Lake View Hotel Beijing (5-star)
Morning

Tiananmen Square & The Forbidden City

Stand on Tiananmen Square, then walk through the Meridian Gate into the Forbidden City — 980 buildings, golden roofs and 600 years of imperial stories along the central axis.

Afternoon

Prince Gong Mansion & Shichahai

Visit the best-preserved Qing dynasty princely mansion and its labyrinth garden, then stroll the willow-lined lakes of Shichahai where old Beijing still breathes.

Evening

Peking Duck Welcome Dinner

Your welcome dinner is the classic Beijing roast duck — carved at the table, wrapped in thin pancakes with scallions and sweet bean sauce.

Lake View Hotel room with night city view Lake View Hotel restaurant Lake View Hotel indoor pool Lake View Hotel twin room

Lake View Hotel Beijing or similar (5-star)

03
Day

The Great Wall & Summer Palace

Mutianyu Great Wall · Summer Palace
Lake View Hotel Beijing (5-star)
Morning

Mutianyu Great Wall

Drive north to Mutianyu, the most beautiful restored section of the Great Wall. Ride the cable car up and walk along the ridgeline between watchtowers as the Wall snakes over green mountains.

Afternoon

The Summer Palace

Return to the city for the Summer Palace — Kunming Lake, the Long Corridor and the Marble Boat, where emperors escaped the summer heat.

Lake View Hotel room with night city view Lake View Hotel restaurant Lake View Hotel indoor pool Lake View Hotel twin room

Lake View Hotel Beijing or similar (5-star)

04
Day

Temple of Heaven & Old Beijing

Temple of Heaven · Jingshan Park · Qianmen Street
Lake View Hotel Beijing (5-star)
Morning

Temple of Heaven

Visit the Temple of Heaven, where Ming and Qing emperors prayed for good harvests — a masterpiece of timber architecture set in a cypress park where locals practice tai chi.

Afternoon

Jingshan Park & Qianmen Street

Climb Jingshan hill for the classic panorama of the Forbidden City’s golden roofs, then walk Qianmen Street’s restored Republican-era storefronts and hutong lanes.

Lake View Hotel room with night city view Lake View Hotel restaurant Lake View Hotel indoor pool Lake View Hotel twin room

Lake View Hotel Beijing or similar (5-star)

05
Day

High-Speed Rail to Xi’an

G-train Beijing West → Xi’an North · Big Wild Goose Pagoda · City Wall
Mehood Elegant Hotel Xi'an (5-star)
Morning

Bullet Train: Beijing → Xi’an

Board the G-series high-speed train (about 4.5 hours) across the North China Plain to the ancient capital of 13 dynasties.

Afternoon

Big Wild Goose Pagoda & Muslim Quarter

Visit the Tang-dynasty Big Wild Goose Pagoda, then dive into the Muslim Quarter’s food lanes and cycle or stroll atop the Ming City Wall as the lanterns come on.

Mehood Hotel room with Big Wild Goose Pagoda night view Mehood Elegant Hotel Xi'an king room Mehood Elegant Hotel Xi'an room with seating area Mehood Elegant Hotel Xi'an twin room

Mehood Elegant Hotel Xi'an or similar (5-star)

06
Day

Terracotta Warriors & Tang Nights

Terracotta Army · Huaqing Palace · Great Tang All Day
Mehood Elegant Hotel Xi'an (5-star)
Morning

The Terracotta Army

Face the 2,200-year-old clay army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang — Pit 1’s thousands of soldiers, plus a hands-on mini-warrior making workshop.

Afternoon

Huaqing Palace & Mount Li

Explore the Tang royal hot-spring palace at the foot of Mount Li, scene of the emperor and Yang Guifei’s romance.

Evening

Great Tang All Day Mall

Walk the dazzling Tang-themed boulevard beneath the Big Wild Goose Pagoda — neon silk-road statues, fountains and street performances.

Mehood Hotel room with Big Wild Goose Pagoda night view Mehood Elegant Hotel Xi'an king room Mehood Elegant Hotel Xi'an room with seating area Mehood Elegant Hotel Xi'an twin room

Mehood Elegant Hotel Xi'an or similar (5-star)

07
Day

Rails to the Land of Abundance

G-train Xi’an North → Chengdu East · Kuanzhai Alley · Wuhou Shrine
Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu (5-star)
Morning

Bullet Train: Xi’an → Chengdu

Speed south through the Qinling mountains into Sichuan, the land of abundance (about 3 hours).

Afternoon

Kuanzhai Alleys & Wuhou Shrine

Wander Kuanzhai Alley’s Qing-dynasty courtyards, then the cypress-shaded Wuhou Shrine of Zhuge Liang and the lantern-hung lanes of Jinli.

Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu exterior at dusk Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu king room Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu twin room Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu restaurant

Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu Wenshu Monastery or similar (5-star)

08
Day

Pandas & Ancient Engineering

Panda Base · Dujiangyan Irrigation System
Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu (5-star)
Morning

Giant Panda Breeding Base

Arrive early for the pandas’ breakfast hour — cubs tumbling, adults lounging in the bamboo as they munch their way through the morning.

Afternoon

Dujiangyan & the Pandas of Yangtianwo

See the 2,280-year-old irrigation system that still waters the Chengdu plain, the giant panda sculpture at Yangtianwo, and the mirror-maze Zhongshuge bookstore.

Evening

Blue Tears of Dujiangyan

Stay for the evening “blue tears” when the illuminated weir glows over the night river.

Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu exterior at dusk Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu king room Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu twin room Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu restaurant

Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu Wenshu Monastery or similar (5-star)

09
Day

The Giant Buddha of Leshan

Leshan Giant Buddha · Suji Ancient Town
Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu (5-star)
Morning

Leshan Giant Buddha

Drive to Leshan to stand beneath the world’s largest stone Buddha — a 71-meter Maitreya carved into the cliff where three rivers meet (about 2 hours each way).

Afternoon

Suji Ancient Town

Slow down in Suji old town with its Ming-Qing streets and famous bangbang chicken before returning to Chengdu for a free evening.

Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu exterior at dusk Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu king room Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu twin room Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu restaurant

Mehood Elegant Hotel Chengdu Wenshu Monastery or similar (5-star)

10
Day

Into the Mountains: Huanglong

G-train Chengdu → Huanglong-Jiuzhai · Huanglong Valley
Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou Resort (5-star)
Morning

Bullet Train: Chengdu → Huanglong-Jiuzhai

Ride the new mountain railway deep into the Minshan range (about 2 hours), watching the plains give way to 3,000-meter valleys.

Afternoon

Huanglong Valley

Walk the boardwalk through Huanglong’s terraces of jade and turquoise travertine pools, stacked like a golden dragon’s scales beneath snow peaks.

Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou Resort exterior with pool and mountains Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou king room Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou spacious king room Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou restaurant

Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou Resort or similar (5-star)

11
Day

Jiuzhaigou Valley

Jiuzhaigou National Park full day · Show
Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou Resort (5-star)
Full Day

Jiuzhaigou National Park

A full day in the valley of fairy-tale lakes — Multi-Color Pond, Five-Flower Lake, Nuorilong Falls — where calcified pools glow turquoise and jade beneath snow peaks.

Evening

Jiuzhaigou Qian Gu Qing Show (VIP)

The “Eternal Love of Jiuzhaigou” spectacular — Tibetan and Qiang music, dance and acrobatics with super VIP seats and green-channel access.

Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou Resort exterior with pool and mountains Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou king room Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou spacious king room Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou restaurant

Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou Resort or similar (5-star)

12
Day

Rails to Mountain City Chongqing

G-trains to Chongqing · Two-River Night Cruise
Four Points by Sheraton Chongqing (5-star)
Morning

Trains: Jiuzhaigou → Chengdu → Chongqing

Descend from the mountains by rail to the mountain city of Chongqing, built on cliffs where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet.

Evening

Two-River Cruise & Cloud Eye

Board the night cruise for Hongya Cave’s golden stilt-houses and the neon canyons of both rivers, then look down on it all from the Cloud Eye observation deck.

Four Points by Sheraton Chongqing aerial view Four Points by Sheraton Chongqing king room Four Points by Sheraton Chongqing room with city view Four Points by Sheraton Chongqing breakfast

Four Points by Sheraton Chongqing, Yuzhong Peninsula or similar (5-star)

13
Day

Magic Mountain City

Liziba Train-through-Building · Yangtze Cableway · Xiahaoli
Four Points by Sheraton Chongqing (5-star)
Morning

Liziba & the Yangtze Cableway

Watch the monorail thread through a residential tower at Liziba, then ride the Yangtze cableway across the river for the best view of the skyline.

Afternoon

Eighteen Steps & Xiahaoli

Explore the restored Eighteen Steps stairways and Xiahaoli’s cliff-hanging lanes above Longmenhao old street.

Four Points by Sheraton Chongqing aerial view Four Points by Sheraton Chongqing king room Four Points by Sheraton Chongqing room with city view Four Points by Sheraton Chongqing breakfast

Four Points by Sheraton Chongqing, Yuzhong Peninsula or similar (5-star)

14
Day

Rails to Fenghuang Ancient Town

G-train Chongqing → Zhangjiajie West → Fenghuang
Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Fenghuang (5-star)
Morning

Bullet Train: Chongqing → Zhangjiajie West

Head south into the Wuling mountains (about 2 hours) and continue by road to Fenghuang.

Afternoon

Fenghuang Ancient Town

Walk the flagstone lanes of one of China’s most beautiful river towns — wooden stilted houses leaning over the Tuojiang, stepping stones and red lanterns.

Evening

Fenghuang by Night

Stay for dusk when the riverside houses light up in gold — the town is at its most photogenic after dark. Overnight at the Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale hot-spring hotel.

Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Fenghuang Hot Spring or similar (5-star)

15
Day

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon · Glass Bridge
Wyndham Ruijing Manshan Zhangjiajie (5-star)
Full Day

Grand Canyon & Glass Bridge

Walk the world’s longest glass bridge 300 meters above the canyon floor, then descend into the gorge for the boardwalk trail along emerald streams (choose five of seven canyon experiences).

Wyndham Ruijing Manshan exterior at dusk Wyndham Ruijing Manshan king room Wyndham Ruijing Manshan second king room Wyndham Ruijing Manshan restaurant

Wyndham Ruijing Manshan Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan or similar (5-star)

16
Day

Tianmen Mountain

Tianmen Mountain · Glass Walkway · Show
Wyndham Ruijing Manshan Zhangjiajie (5-star)
Full Day

Tianmen Mountain (Cable Car A-line)

Ride one of the world’s longest cable cars to the summit, walk the cliff-hugging glass skywalk and the Guigu plank road, and look up through Tianmen Cave — the gate to heaven — from the 999-step stairway.

Evening

Charming Xiangxi Show

An evening of Tujia and Miao songs, dances and stunts — front-row VIP seats with green-channel entry.

Wyndham Ruijing Manshan exterior at dusk Wyndham Ruijing Manshan king room Wyndham Ruijing Manshan second king room Wyndham Ruijing Manshan restaurant

Wyndham Ruijing Manshan Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan or similar (5-star)

17
Day

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Yuanjiajie · Tianzi Mountain · Bailong Elevator
Wyndham Ruijing Manshan Zhangjiajie (5-star)
Full Day

Avatar Mountains

The day in the park that inspired Pandora: Yuanjiajie’s Hallelujah pillars, Tianzi Mountain’s stone forest, the Skyfields terraces, and the 326-meter glass Bailong Elevator — the world’s tallest outdoor lift.

Wyndham Ruijing Manshan exterior at dusk Wyndham Ruijing Manshan king room Wyndham Ruijing Manshan second king room Wyndham Ruijing Manshan restaurant

Wyndham Ruijing Manshan Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan or similar (5-star)

18
Day

Baofeng Lake & Golden Whip Stream

Baofeng Lake cruise · Golden Whip Stream walk
Wyndham Ruijing Manshan Zhangjiajie (5-star)
Morning

Baofeng Lake

Cruise the high-mountain lake wedged between sheer sandstone walls — water so green it looks lit from below.

Afternoon

Golden Whip Stream

Follow the boardwalk along Golden Whip Stream, the park’s most poetic trail, past pinnacles with names like Golden Whip and Eagle of Guard.

Wyndham Ruijing Manshan exterior at dusk Wyndham Ruijing Manshan king room Wyndham Ruijing Manshan second king room Wyndham Ruijing Manshan restaurant

Wyndham Ruijing Manshan Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan or similar (5-star)

19
Day

Flight to Shanghai

MU690 Zhangjiajie → Shanghai Pudong
Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai (5-star)
Morning

Free Morning in Zhangjiajie

A slow last morning in the mountain town before your flight.

Afternoon

Flight: Zhangjiajie → Shanghai

Fly MU690 (about 2 hours) from the sandstone peaks to the Bund. Transfer to your hotel near Zhongshan Park and the rest of the evening is yours — Nanjing Road East is a short metro ride away.

Hyatt Centric Shanghai lobby lounge Hyatt Centric Shanghai twin room Hyatt Centric Shanghai second room Hyatt Centric Shanghai restaurant

Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai or similar (5-star)

20
Day

Shanghai Classics

Shanghai Tower · Yu Garden · the Bund & Huangpu Cruise
Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai (5-star)
Morning

Shanghai Tower Observation Deck

Ascend the 632-meter Shanghai Tower — the world’s second-tallest building — to the 118th-floor deck for the city-and-river panorama, plus a close look at the tuned mass damper.

Afternoon

Yu Garden & City God Temple

Step into the Ming-dynasty Yu Garden’s rockeries and pavilions, then the snack streets of the City God Temple bazaar.

Evening

The Bund & Huangpu Night Cruise

Walk the heritage waterfront at dusk, then board the cruise as Pudong’s towers light up across the river.

Hyatt Centric Shanghai lobby lounge Hyatt Centric Shanghai twin room Hyatt Centric Shanghai second room Hyatt Centric Shanghai restaurant

Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai or similar (5-star)

21
Day

Shanghai CityWalk

Xintiandi · Tianzifang · Wukang Road · Anfu Road
Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai (5-star)
Morning

Xintiandi & Tianzifang

Compare two faces of old Shanghai: Xintiandi’s polished shikumen courtyards and Tianzifang’s maze of studio lanes in restored brick terraces.

Afternoon

Wukang Road & Anfu Road

Walk the former French Concession’s plane-tree avenues — the landmark Wukang Mansion, cafe-hopping on Anfu Road and the quiet bend of Yuyuan Road.

Hyatt Centric Shanghai lobby lounge Hyatt Centric Shanghai twin room Hyatt Centric Shanghai second room Hyatt Centric Shanghai restaurant

Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai or similar (5-star)

22
Day

Day Trip to Suzhou

Humble Administrator’s Garden · Pingjiang Road · Shantang Street
Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai (5-star)
Morning

Humble Administrator’s Garden & Lion Grove

High-speed rail or private transfer to Suzhou (about 30 minutes). Explore the Humble Administrator’s Garden — the masterpiece of Ming garden design — and the Lion Grove’s rock labyrinth.

Afternoon

Pingjiang Road & Shantang Street

Walk Pingjiang Road’s canals and the seven-li Shantang Street, where whitewashed houses lean over the water just as they did in Song times. Return to Shanghai in the evening.

Hyatt Centric Shanghai lobby lounge Hyatt Centric Shanghai twin room Hyatt Centric Shanghai second room Hyatt Centric Shanghai restaurant

Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai or similar (5-star)

23
Day

Free Day in Shanghai

Your day, your pace
Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai (5-star)
Full Day

Free Day in Shanghai

A whole day to design yourself — the Shanghai Museum, a last round of shikumen lanes, tailor-made shopping, or simply more coffee under the plane trees. Your guide is on call for bookings and tips.

Hyatt Centric Shanghai lobby lounge Hyatt Centric Shanghai twin room Hyatt Centric Shanghai second room Hyatt Centric Shanghai restaurant

Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai or similar (5-star)

24
Day

Departure

Hotel → Airport / Railway Station
All Day

Transfer to Airport

Schedule to be confirmed with your travel specialist. Your driver will meet you at the hotel lobby and see you off at the airport or railway station.

Inclusions & Exclusions

  • 23 nights in 5-star hotels with daily buffet breakfast — Lake View Beijing, Mehood Elegant Xi'an & Chengdu, Grand Rezen Jiuzhaigou, Four Points Chongqing, Wyndham Fenghuang & Zhangjiajie, Hyatt Centric Shanghai
  • English-speaking guide throughout the journey
  • All entrance tickets in the itinerary: Forbidden City, Prince Gong Mansion, Mutianyu cable car, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Terracotta Warriors, Huaqing Palace, Wuhou Shrine, Panda Base, Dujiangyan, Leshan Giant Buddha, Huanglong, Jiuzhaigou, Tianmen Mountain, Grand Canyon, Forest Park, Baofeng Lake, Shanghai Tower, Yu Garden and more
  • High-speed rail (second class): Beijing → Xi'an, Xi'an → Chengdu, Chengdu → Huanglong-Jiuzhai, Chongqing → Zhangjiajie
  • Flight (economy): Zhangjiajie → Shanghai MU690
  • Private vehicle throughout with airport & train station transfers (5-seat car for 2 pax, 7-seat MPV for 3–4 pax, minibus for 5–10 pax, tour coach for 10+ pax)
  • Welcome dinner — classic Peking roast duck
  • Shows: Jiuzhaigou Qian Gu Qing (super VIP) and Charming Xiangxi (VIP)
  • International flights to and from China
  • Chinese visa fees
  • Lunches and dinners (except the Peking duck welcome dinner) — your guide happily recommends and books local restaurants
  • Personal expenses, optional activities and gratuities
  • Travel insurance (strongly recommended)

Transparent Pricing

Two ways to travel, one transparent price — a private vehicle with driver throughout, or the Didi plan where your guide calls rides on China's leading app. Both pair with 5-star or 4-star hotels. All prices in USD per person.

Travelers
Private · 5★
Private · 4★
Didi · 5★
Didi · 4★
2 travelers
$6,148
$5,759
$5,203
$4,698
4 travelers
$4,705
$4,316
—
—
6 travelers
$4,413
$4,024
—
—
8 travelers
$4,267
$3,878
—
—
10 travelers
$3,990
$3,601
—
—
Private — private vehicle with driver throughout Didi — guide calls rides on the Didi app for you ★ — hotel class

With the Didi plan, your guide uses China's Didi ride-hailing app to arrange cars locally whenever needed — every Didi fare is already included in the tour price.

Twin sharing · Private departure on any date · Solo travelers & all group sizes — request a tailored quote

Secure Payment Methods
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Ready for the Grand Tour?

Every departure is private and fully customizable. Tell us your dates, group size, and preferences — we'll handle the rest.

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