River First, Then Stone

Overview

Twenty-one days is enough time to watch one idea play all the way out. First the walls: what people build when they want to hold a line, in Beijing and then in Xi'an, where the wall is a closed ring instead of a ridge. Then the water: an irrigation works from the 3rd century BC that has never stopped running, and the river it was built to split. Then the stone: a forest of quartz sandstone pillars that running water cut out of a plateau, which you walk on top of, beside and underneath across four nights. Six cities, three or more nights in each of the big ones, three easy days on purpose. By the second week you'll notice you have started reading the ground instead of photographing it.

— LyrikTrip travel designers

Every LyrikTrip journey begins with a conversation. Tell us your dates, who is coming and how much walking suits your party. First reply within four hours; a clear price for your dates within one business day. On this route we will also tell you plainly where the Yangtze procurement stands before you are asked for anything, because until it lands there is nothing here for you to book.

Why you'll love this trip

Nine stops, one corridor. Terracotta warriors, pandas, an irrigation works still running after 2,200 years, and the Bund, with English-speaking guides city by city.
21 days from the Great Wall to a forest of sandstone pillars. See the long version of China.

Ride the cable car up to the Great Wall at Mutianyu and walk the restored towers along the ridge: your first day on this route with nothing else in it, and the only climbing your legs do is between watchtowers.
Ride the top of the Xi'an City Wall on a bicycle that is already in your price: in Beijing the wall was a line across the country, here it is a closed ring around a city, and you go around it.
Stand on an irrigation works finished in the 3rd century BC that still waters the Chengdu plain today, then spend the afternoon on the Taoist mountain above it: this is the day the whole route turns from walls to water.
Ride a metro train straight through the middle of a residential tower at Liziba: a city built where the hills left no flat ground, so the trains go through the buildings instead of around them.
See the sandstone pillars from three angles across four nights in Zhangjiajie: from the platform above them, from the cliff walkway beside them, and from the streambed underneath.
End on the Bund after dark with your guide beside you: the old waterfront on one bank, the Pudong towers on the other, a treaty port looking at what it turned into.
Unpack once for four nights in Chengdu and once again for four in Zhangjiajie: nine hotel changes would fit in twenty-one days, and this plan uses six.

Things to do

Terracotta Army: Scale and Ambition, Xi'an

Bell and Drum Tower square and the Muslim Quarter by night, Xi'an

Teahouse sitting in People's Park, Chengdu

Dujiangyan River Control and Irrigation, Dujiangyan

Bailong glass elevator and Yuanjiajie, Zhangjiajie

Tianmen Mountain cableway and cliff walkway, Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon glass bridge, Zhangjiajie

Tianmen Mountain evening lighting program, Zhangjiajie

The Bund by Night: Two Banks, a Century Apart, Shanghai

Yu Garden: Older than the Skyline, Shanghai

Heritage

Viewpoint

Great Wall

Landmark

Culture

Museum

Heritage

Cycling

Heritage

City

Nature

City

Heritage

Wellness

City

Stage

City

Nature

Mountain

Walk

Nature

Heritage

Active

Stage

Hands-on

City

Heritage

Museum

City

Heritage

Viewpoint

Great Wall

Landmark

Culture

Museum

Heritage

Cycling

Heritage

City

Nature

City

Heritage

Wellness

City

Stage

City

Nature

Mountain

Walk

Nature

Heritage

Active

Stage

Hands-on

City

Heritage

Museum

City

Heritage

Viewpoint

Great Wall

Landmark

Culture

Museum

Heritage

Cycling

Heritage

City

Nature

City

Heritage

Wellness

City

Stage

City

Nature

Mountain

Walk

Nature

Heritage

Active

Stage

Hands-on

City

Heritage

Museum

City

Itinerary

Arrivals

Beijing · Day 1 - Day 3

Day 1 · Land, and let the country wait

Your driver meets your flight, whatever time it lands. Twenty-one days is long enough that the first one can be spent doing nothing.

Airport pickup Your driver and vehicle wait for the flight number on your confirmation, and the run into the city is yours to sleep through.

Beijing through the window Ring roads first, then poplars and the lit shopfronts of an ordinary street. The country you flew this far to see turns up before you have opened a bag.

Evening Nothing is scheduled. Your guide is reachable, and dinner near the hotel is recommended and booked for you if you want it, on your account.

Day 2 · One axis, then the view of it

The palace on foot, then the hill behind it. You see the plan only after you have walked the thing.

The Forbidden City Your timed slot is booked ahead by us, so you walk in on schedule. Inside you take one axis: the ceremonial halls where the court did its business, the living quarters behind them, then the imperial garden and out through the north gate. Stand in the middle of the main courtyard and look back through the gates you came in by: they line up, one wall inside another, all the way out to the street.

Pace The palace is large and guests regularly find it tiring, so the route stops at the seats we know about and the garden at the end is unhurried.

Jingshan Park Straight out of the north gate and up the hill that was built from the earth dug out of the moat. Twenty minutes of steps, and from the pavilion at the top the palace lies flat below you: gold roof after gold roof in a grid, with the city's central axis running out north and south. This is the fifteen seconds worth filming today.

Day 3 · The wall, and only the wall

Today has one thing in it, because the round trip north uses the day. This is the first of the walls.

Drive out to Mutianyu The run north out of the city takes a good part of the morning, and the vehicle stays with you all day.

Cable car up The climbing is done for you, by the uphill cable car or the open chairlift. You step off onto a restored stretch of wall with watchtowers running away along the ridge in both directions.

Walk the towers Your guide reads the wall while you walk it: the beacon towers and how a message moved along them, the pass in the valley below, and why the line runs along this ridge and not the next one. Look along the ridge with the towers stepping down it, one after another, until they stop being visible.

Descent The descent method for this route is being finalized with the operator, so your quote states in writing how you come down; the toboggan is sold separately if you want it and is never added by default.

High-speed rail

Xi'an · Day 4 - Day 6

Day 4 · Square, altar, museum, train

The fullest day in Beijing, then the high-speed rail south. It ends the wall chapter and opens the next one.

Tian'anmen Square You cross the ceremonial center of modern China on foot. Security screening comes first; your registration is done in advance with your passport details, and the queue still takes its own half hour to an hour, budgeted separately from the time you spend on the square.

Temple of Heaven Three sets of buildings in one architectural sentence, round for heaven and square for earth: the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the round altar. Walk out to the middle of the round altar and speak at a normal volume: the stone tiers were laid to send it back to you.

National Museum of China One thread through the bronzes and ceramics rather than the whole building, taken as a second look at things you have now stood in front of. Reservation booked by us.

High-speed rail to Xi'an Hotel to station by your own vehicle, then the train. The class of travel for your order is stated in writing in your quote. The North China Plain runs flat past the window for the first hour and then stops being flat.

Day 5 · Eight thousand men, one grave

The pits get the whole morning and nothing is stacked behind them. Rank, armor and hairstyle are the day's reading lesson.

The Terracotta Warriors An estimated eight thousand figures, buried to follow one man into whatever came next, standing in the trenches you look down into from the walkways. Your guide separates them for you: generals by armor and headdress, crossbowmen by stance, infantry by everything they lack.

Surviving paint In the newer excavation areas some figures still carry paint. Ask your guide to point to one and then look back down the trench: every one of those grey ranks was once colored.

Crowds This site is busy in season, which is why it holds the morning by itself and why your entry is timed rather than left to the queue.

Day 6 · A wall that closes

The second wall of the route, and the first one you can go all the way around. The evening belongs to the lanes behind the towers.

Xi'an City Wall by bicycle You ride the top of one of the most complete city walls surviving in China, bicycle hire included; walking a section instead costs the same. From up here the old city is a closed rectangle with a gate tower on each side, and the modern city presses against it from outside all the way around. Somewhere on the second side you'll notice you have stopped talking and started counting the gate towers.

Bell and Drum Tower square The two towers that kept the city's time before clocks, standing at the crossing of the old street grid. Climbing either one is a separate on-site ticket and is not in your price.

The Muslim Quarter by night The lanes of the Hui neighborhood at the hour they are actually working, with your guide reading the stalls for you: what is worth stopping for, what is made for tourists, and how each thing is eaten. Food is on your own account.

High-speed rail

Chengdu · Day 7 - Day 10

Day 7 · Over the Qinling

A pagoda in the morning, then a mountain range at 250 km/h. China changes climate on the far side of it.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda grounds The temple grounds around the brick pagoda raised to hold sutras a Tang-dynasty monk carried back overland from India. Grounds entry is included; climbing the pagoda itself is a separate on-site ticket and is not in your price.

High-speed rail through the Qinling range The afternoon train south runs through the mountain wall that divides China's north from its south, mostly in tunnel with sudden valleys between. The class of travel for your order is stated in writing in your quote. Sit on the right and watch what happens to the vegetation when you come out the far side.

Arrival in Chengdu Your Chengdu guide takes over at the station, and the evening is left open: you are here for four nights and nothing needs to happen tonight.

Day 8 · Morning animal, afternoon chair

One of the three easy days. The morning has a start time and the afternoon has none.

Chengdu panda base You are there in the morning, the hours when the pandas are generally moving: eating, coming down off things, going back to sleep in the fork of a tree. Flat shaded paths and about three hours to use as you like. Get to an enclosure fence early and wait: the animal comes over on its own schedule, not yours.

Tea sitting in People's Park Bamboo chairs under the trees and one gaiwan each, the lidded cup China brews in, topped up by someone with a long-spouted kettle for as long as you sit. Cards at the next table, an ear cleaner working two tables over with a tuning fork. The whole afternoon is set aside for this and there is nothing after it. An hour in, you'll notice nobody at your table has asked what happens next.

Day 9 · The day the route turns to water

Out by intercity rail, back the same night, bags untouched. Everything after today is about what water does.

Dujiangyan irrigation works A waterworks finished in the 3rd century BC and running ever since, which splits one river into a flood channel and an irrigation channel using no dam at all. You walk out onto the divide with the fast water on both sides and see the three parts of it working at once. The Chengdu plain has been farming behind this thing for over two thousand years, which is why it gets a whole day instead of a photo stop.

Mount Qingcheng One of the founding mountains of Taoism, rising straight above the waterworks and much quieter than the plain below. You sit down with a priest who lives in the temple and ask what you want to ask, then take a taiji session on the mountain. Both are in your price. The walking is stone steps under old trees.

Back to Chengdu The same intercity line back in the evening, into the same hotel room you left this morning.

Day 10 · Old grid, new block, painted face

An easy afternoon and a neighborhood theater. Today is the city Chengdu is now, not the one on the postcards.

Kuanzhai Alley and Taikoo Li Two blocks of Qing-dynasty street grid and one block of current Chengdu retail, walked back to back. The lanes are heavily commercialized and your guide will say so: what they are worth walking for is the shape, how wide a wide lane was and how narrow a narrow one, with the retail block afterwards showing what the same city does with money now.

Community Sichuan opera A neighborhood house rather than a hotel ballroom. You go backstage before it starts, then watch face-changing from close enough that you still fail to catch it: the painted mask becomes another mask in the time the performer takes to swing his head. Sit in the second row.

High-speed rail

Chongqing · Day 11 - Day 13

Day 11 · A city with no flat ground

Ninety minutes east by rail into a city stacked on hills. Street level here is a relative term.

High-speed rail to Chongqing Your vehicle to the station in Chengdu, the train, then your Chongqing guide at the other end. The class of travel for your order is stated in writing in your quote.

Liziba monorail You ride a working metro line straight through the middle of a residential tower, with the station inside the building and people getting off to go home. Metro fare included. Stand at the front window on the approach: the tower arrives, and then you are inside it.

Vertical city walking line Your guide walks you through a place where the ground floor of one street is the eighth floor of the next, by stairs, footbridges and lanes cut along the cliff. The stops are set on the day rather than written down in advance, because weather and crowds decide which of them are worth the climb.

Day 12 · Onto the water

You board in the afternoon and the road stops being your problem. From here to Yichang the itinerary is the river's.

Morning in Chongqing Your vehicle and guide stay with you until the pier, and the morning is kept light because the boarding time is fixed and the traffic here is vertical.

Transfer to the pier Hotel to pier by your own vehicle, included. This is where our own arrangements stop and the ship operator's program begins.

What the operator's program says Boarding at 6 p.m., sailing after dark. The four days on board are not purchased by us yet and are not sold to you on this page: no cabin is held and the ship's English-language service level is not confirmed in writing. What follows for days thirteen to fifteen is the operator's own published program, given so you can see the shape of the segment.

Day 13 · Downstream, first stop

A morning ashore at a temple hill, then the river again. The operator's program runs this day; ours does not.

Fengdu Mingshan scenic area The operator's program puts a shore visit here from 8:30 a.m. to noon, with the hill cable car and the buggy listed inside the ship's own ticket. The hill carries temples built around the Chinese underworld: the place the dead were said to report to, which is why the local name for the town translates as ghost city.

Zhongxian in the evening The operator lists an outdoor stage show at Zhongxian from 6 to 8 p.m. as complimentary and places it by the sailing schedule of the day. It is not promised here and nothing on this route depends on it.

On board Nothing is arranged by us on the ship, because we have not bought anything on it yet. Everything aboard, including meals and any service level, sits with the operator until our procurement lands.

Yangtze cruise

Yichang · Day 14

Day 14 · The narrow part

Two gorges pass the window between a morning ashore and an afternoon up a side stream. This is the day the river is doing the work you came to see.

Peak of the Three Gorges or Baidicheng The operator's program lists a shore visit from 8 a.m. to 11:30, choosing between the viewpoint above Qutang Gorge and the walled hill town at its mouth. Which one runs on a given sailing is the operator's call, not ours.

Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge The program has the ship through Qutang around 11:30 and through Wu Gorge in the early afternoon. Qutang is the short one and the tight one: the walls close in and the boat is suddenly the widest thing in the frame. Stand at the rail rather than behind glass, and look up rather than ahead.

Shennv Stream A side stream visit in the afternoon on the operator's program, on smaller boats up a tributary where the walls come closer than the main channel allows.

High-speed rail

Zhangjiajie · Day 15 - Day 18

Day 15 · Off the water, onto the train

The dam in the morning, then two hours of rail into the mountains that the water finished with long ago.

Three Gorges Dam The operator's program runs the dam visit from 8 a.m. to 12:30 and includes the cable car at Maoping port in the ship's ticket, then puts guests on its own free bus to the Yichang visitor center around midday. Two thousand years after Dujiangyan split a river without a dam, this is the same country stopping the same river with one.

Our vehicle takes over From the visitor center you are back with our arrangements: transfer to Yichang station, then the high-speed train to Zhangjiajie. Because the dam visit occupies the morning, this is an afternoon train by design, and the connection between the ship's arrival and the day's departures is checked against the published timetable order by order before your date is confirmed.

Into Zhangjiajie Pier-side transfer, station transfer and the hotel here are ours and are included. You unpack once and stay four nights.

Day 16 · What the water made

An elevator up the outside of a cliff, and then the thing this whole route has been walking toward.

Bailong glass elevator The lift runs up the outside of a cliff face inside Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, both directions in your price. Queues here run long in peak season, so the day starts early rather than after breakfast at leisure.

Yuanjiajie The platform layer on top of the plateau, looking out over the densest run of sandstone columns, including the natural stone arch called the First Bridge Under Heaven. These are the pillars the floating mountains in the Avatar films were modeled on, which is how most guests find out they have already seen this place.

The three angles Today is from above. The cliff walkway tomorrow is from beside, and the streambed the day after is from below. Nothing else is scheduled today, on purpose.

Day 17 · Beside the stone

A long cableway out of town, then walkways cut into a cliff face. Today is the vertical one.

Tianmen Mountain cableway A passenger cableway 7.4 km long, one of the longest of its kind, boarding at the edge of the city and climbing to the mountain top; the return ride is in your price. You leave from a street with traffic on it and arrive on a ridge, without a road in between.

Cliff walkway The walkways are cut into the rock face with glass-floored sections built out over the drop. A solid-floor path runs beside every glass section, so anyone who would rather not walk on glass walks the same route on stone.

Heaven's Gate The opening straight through the rock, left by a cliff collapse recorded in AD 263. A stairway climbs to it from the mountain road; the stairway is the one genuinely steep piece of walking on this route and climbing it is your choice, since the arch reads just as well from the bottom.

Evening lighting program The mountain runs an evening lighting program on some dates. When it is operating on your confirmed date we go, and it carries no extra charge; when it is not, the evening is yours and the day has already stood on the cableway and the walkway.

Day 18 · From above, across, and underneath

The last full day of stone, and the one that changes elevation most. It ends at a loom.

Tianzi Mountain The high terrace over the densest part of the pillar forest, where the columns stand in ranks below you rather than around you. The mountain is named after a Tujia leader who styled himself Son of Heaven, which tells you who held this country before the maps did.

Golden Whip Stream Down to the valley floor and along the streambed, the same columns seen from underneath with the canopy closing overhead. Walking length is set on the day to suit your party. Wild macaques work this stretch and will take food out of an open hand, so food stays packed and your guide walks the party through. Down here you'll find yourself lowering your voice without deciding to.

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon glass bridge A glass-decked bridge spanning 430 meters across the canyon; when it opened in 2016 it was the longest and highest span of its kind. A solid-floor path runs alongside for anyone who would rather cross on something opaque.

Tujia brocade workshop Xilankapu, literally "the flowered bedcover," is the local Tujia weaving tradition, worked on a waist loom with the pattern counted in threads rather than drawn on paper. You get hands on the loom when the workshop is open on your date, and a visit without the hands-on when it is not.

Flight

Shanghai · Day 19 - Day 21

Day 19 · Out of the mountains, onto the estuary

A flight east, then the last chapter of the route, which is only two days long.

Flight to Shanghai Hotel to airport, the flight, airport to hotel, both ends in your own vehicle. The cabin class for your order is stated in writing in your quote.

The Bund after dark The row of early-twentieth-century bank and trading houses holds one bank of the Huangpu and the Pudong towers hold the other, a hundred years apart, looking straight at each other across the water. Your guide is with you for the whole evening, which also means the practice-English and tea-ceremony approaches that work this waterfront on first nights do not reach you.

What changed Three weeks ago you were looking at a wall built to keep things out. Tonight you are standing on the edge that let everything in.

Day 20 · A garden that only goes in circles

The last easy day of the twenty-one. Nothing today is bigger than a courtyard.

Yu Garden and the old city Pavilions, rockery, ponds and paths that refuse to run straight, dropped inside the oldest quarter of the city. Flat the whole way, about two hours. After three weeks of imperial scale and geological scale, this is deliberately the smallest thing on the route.

Shanghai Museum Bronzes, ceramics, painting and applied arts, arranged by material rather than by dynasty, which is the arrangement that finally makes the last three weeks line up. Your reservation is booked by us because the system's English coverage is limited. Two galleries properly, not all of them quickly.

The rest of the day Nothing is scheduled after the museum. This is the third of the three easy days and the last one before you fly.

Day 21 · Plane trees, then the water one more time

A morning at street scale and a short crossing, then the airport. The route ends on the same element it turned on.

Former French Concession and Wukang Road Plane-tree streets, historic houses and small independent shops, at a scale that has nothing to do with last night's skyline. The walk shortens to fit your flight time.

Huangpu River ferry You cross on the boat people take to work, standing at the rail with commuters and their scooters rather than on a sightseeing deck; the fare is included. Twenty-one days that started at a wall finish on moving water. Halfway across you'll realize you have been reading the riverbank the whole trip.

Airport drop-off Your driver takes you to the airport, timed to your flight with room to spare. If a late flight leaves the day open, tell us and we plan the gap around your check-out rather than around a schedule.

Departures

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Hotels

These are sample stays typically included in the itinerary. Final pricing depends on the hotel level selected.

Shanghai

Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel (Shanghai International Resort)

Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel: a luxury garden hotel near Pudong Airport and Disneyland, with free shuttle service to both.

Chengdu

Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

A practical Chengdu base for travellers who want easy city access, relaxed days out, and a comfortable return after sightseeing.

Chengdu

Atour Hotel Chengdu Taikoo Li Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street

A simple Chengdu stay near Chunxi Road, good for travellers who want easy walks, food stops, and short city transfers.

zhangjiajie

Pullman Zhangjiajie

A comfortable Zhangjiajie base for travellers who want an easier return after long days around the national forest park.

Zhangjiajie

Pullman Zhangjiajie Hotel

Pullman Zhangjiajie, in Wulingyuan District, offers easy access to the UNESCO-listed Wulingyuan Scenic Area plus taxi pickup.

Beijing

Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast

International high-end hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and city stays.

Beijing

DoubleTree by Hilton Beijing East Third Ring Road

International upscale hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and leisure stays.

chongqing

Chongqing Marriott Hotel

A reliable Chongqing stay for travellers who want comfort after exploring the city’s hills, rivers, bridges, and night views.

Chongqing

Wuyu Sky Garden Hotel

A curated hotel option in Chongqing, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Shanghai

Bellagio by MGM Shanghai on the Bund

A curated hotel option in Shanghai, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Shanghai

Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel

Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel, in Dapuqiao near Tianzifang, steps from Metro Line 9 and the Expo site.

Xian

Shangri-La Hotel

Shangri-La Hotel Xi'an: five-star luxury near the Terracotta Warriors, 35 minutes from the airport.

Xian

Sheraton Xi'an North City Hotel

Sheraton Xi'an North City: five-star luxury five minutes from the Daming Palace, with an indoor pool and wellness centre.

Chongqing

Pagoda Hotel Chongqing Jiefangbei

Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie Rezen One S Hotel

An upscale city hotel offering comfortable accommodation, dining, and meeting facilities, making it an ideal base for travelers exploring Zhangjiajie’s scenic attractions.

Beijing

Hilton Beijing

Established international hotel in Beijing with reliable service and central access.

Shanghai

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao Centre Aegean

Atour S Hotel in Hongqiao: steps from Aegean Place and Metro Line 10, six km from the National Exhibition and Convention Center.

Chengdu

The Temple House

Boutique luxury hotel inside a restored Qing-dynasty courtyard near Taikoo Li with one of Chengdu's strongest design statements.

Yichang

The Westin Yichang

A curated hotel option in Yichang, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Beijing

Sofitel Beijing Central

Luxury international hotel in central Beijing with refined comfort and service.

Shanghai

Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel (Shanghai International Resort)

Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel: a luxury garden hotel near Pudong Airport and Disneyland, with free shuttle service to both.

Chengdu

Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

A practical Chengdu base for travellers who want easy city access, relaxed days out, and a comfortable return after sightseeing.

Chengdu

Atour Hotel Chengdu Taikoo Li Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street

A simple Chengdu stay near Chunxi Road, good for travellers who want easy walks, food stops, and short city transfers.

zhangjiajie

Pullman Zhangjiajie

A comfortable Zhangjiajie base for travellers who want an easier return after long days around the national forest park.

Zhangjiajie

Pullman Zhangjiajie Hotel

Pullman Zhangjiajie, in Wulingyuan District, offers easy access to the UNESCO-listed Wulingyuan Scenic Area plus taxi pickup.

Beijing

Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast

International high-end hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and city stays.

Beijing

DoubleTree by Hilton Beijing East Third Ring Road

International upscale hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and leisure stays.

chongqing

Chongqing Marriott Hotel

A reliable Chongqing stay for travellers who want comfort after exploring the city’s hills, rivers, bridges, and night views.

Chongqing

Wuyu Sky Garden Hotel

A curated hotel option in Chongqing, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Shanghai

Bellagio by MGM Shanghai on the Bund

A curated hotel option in Shanghai, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Shanghai

Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel

Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel, in Dapuqiao near Tianzifang, steps from Metro Line 9 and the Expo site.

Xian

Shangri-La Hotel

Shangri-La Hotel Xi'an: five-star luxury near the Terracotta Warriors, 35 minutes from the airport.

Xian

Sheraton Xi'an North City Hotel

Sheraton Xi'an North City: five-star luxury five minutes from the Daming Palace, with an indoor pool and wellness centre.

Chongqing

Pagoda Hotel Chongqing Jiefangbei

Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie Rezen One S Hotel

An upscale city hotel offering comfortable accommodation, dining, and meeting facilities, making it an ideal base for travelers exploring Zhangjiajie’s scenic attractions.

Beijing

Hilton Beijing

Established international hotel in Beijing with reliable service and central access.

Shanghai

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao Centre Aegean

Atour S Hotel in Hongqiao: steps from Aegean Place and Metro Line 10, six km from the National Exhibition and Convention Center.

Chengdu

The Temple House

Boutique luxury hotel inside a restored Qing-dynasty courtyard near Taikoo Li with one of Chengdu's strongest design statements.

Yichang

The Westin Yichang

A curated hotel option in Yichang, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Beijing

Sofitel Beijing Central

Luxury international hotel in central Beijing with refined comfort and service.

Shanghai

Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel (Shanghai International Resort)

Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel: a luxury garden hotel near Pudong Airport and Disneyland, with free shuttle service to both.

Chengdu

Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

A practical Chengdu base for travellers who want easy city access, relaxed days out, and a comfortable return after sightseeing.

Chengdu

Atour Hotel Chengdu Taikoo Li Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street

A simple Chengdu stay near Chunxi Road, good for travellers who want easy walks, food stops, and short city transfers.

zhangjiajie

Pullman Zhangjiajie

A comfortable Zhangjiajie base for travellers who want an easier return after long days around the national forest park.

Zhangjiajie

Pullman Zhangjiajie Hotel

Pullman Zhangjiajie, in Wulingyuan District, offers easy access to the UNESCO-listed Wulingyuan Scenic Area plus taxi pickup.

Beijing

Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast

International high-end hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and city stays.

Beijing

DoubleTree by Hilton Beijing East Third Ring Road

International upscale hotel in Beijing, suitable for business and leisure stays.

chongqing

Chongqing Marriott Hotel

A reliable Chongqing stay for travellers who want comfort after exploring the city’s hills, rivers, bridges, and night views.

Chongqing

Wuyu Sky Garden Hotel

A curated hotel option in Chongqing, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Shanghai

Bellagio by MGM Shanghai on the Bund

A curated hotel option in Shanghai, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Shanghai

Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel

Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel, in Dapuqiao near Tianzifang, steps from Metro Line 9 and the Expo site.

Xian

Shangri-La Hotel

Shangri-La Hotel Xi'an: five-star luxury near the Terracotta Warriors, 35 minutes from the airport.

Xian

Sheraton Xi'an North City Hotel

Sheraton Xi'an North City: five-star luxury five minutes from the Daming Palace, with an indoor pool and wellness centre.

Chongqing

Pagoda Hotel Chongqing Jiefangbei

Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie Rezen One S Hotel

An upscale city hotel offering comfortable accommodation, dining, and meeting facilities, making it an ideal base for travelers exploring Zhangjiajie’s scenic attractions.

Beijing

Hilton Beijing

Established international hotel in Beijing with reliable service and central access.

Shanghai

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao Centre Aegean

Atour S Hotel in Hongqiao: steps from Aegean Place and Metro Line 10, six km from the National Exhibition and Convention Center.

Chengdu

The Temple House

Boutique luxury hotel inside a restored Qing-dynasty courtyard near Taikoo Li with one of Chengdu's strongest design statements.

Yichang

The Westin Yichang

A curated hotel option in Yichang, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Beijing

Sofitel Beijing Central

Luxury international hotel in central Beijing with refined comfort and service.

Included / Excluded

What's Included

Private vehicleAir-conditioned private vehicle for all listed touring in the six cities: Beijing · Xi'an · Chengdu · Chongqing · Zhangjiajie · Shanghai; Beijing airport pickup on day one and Shanghai airport drop-off on day twenty-one; hotel and station transfers for every rail leg, hotel and airport transfers for the day nineteen flight, hotel to pier in Chongqing on day twelve and Yichang to station and station to hotel on day fifteen
GuideLicensed English-speaking guide on every touring day in each of the six cities, including the full Dujiangyan and Mount Qingcheng day and the evening programs on days six, seventeen and nineteen
Rail and airBeijing to Xi'an on day four; Xi'an to Chengdu on day seven; Chengdu to Dujiangyan and back on day nine; Chengdu to Chongqing on day eleven; Yichang to Zhangjiajie on day fifteen; the Zhangjiajie to Shanghai flight on day nineteen. Class of travel on all six sectors is being finalized: until it is settled, every quote states in writing the class booked for that order, and no order is taken without it
Hotels17 hotel nights at your chosen level, four-star, five-star or quality boutique, breakfast included: Beijing 3 · Xi'an 3 · Chengdu 4 · Chongqing 1 · Zhangjiajie 4 · Shanghai 2
Meals17 hotel breakfasts, days two to twelve and days sixteen to twenty-one; one tea sitting, one gaiwan per guest at the People's Park teahouse on day eight with refills for as long as you sit. No lunch and no dinner is in the base price
Tickets and experiences, BeijingThe Forbidden City with the timed reservation booked by us · Jingshan Park · Mutianyu Great Wall entry with the uphill cable car or open chairlift · Tian'anmen Square with the security registration done by us · Temple of Heaven · National Museum of China with the reservation booked by us
Tickets and experiences, Xi'anThe Terracotta Warriors museum entry · Xi'an City Wall entry with bicycle hire on the wall, walking a section instead is the same price · Giant Wild Goose Pagoda grounds entry · Bell and Drum Tower square and the Muslim Quarter by night, guide accompanied
Tickets and experiences, Chengdu and DujiangyanChengdu panda base morning entry · Dujiangyan irrigation works entry · Mount Qingcheng temple visit with a conversation with a resident priest and a taiji session · Kuanzhai Alley and Taikoo Li walk · community Sichuan opera theater with a look backstage and face-changing at close range
Tickets and experiences, ChongqingLiziba monorail ride through the residential tower with the metro fare included · a guided walking line through the vertical city. The stops on that walking line are not fixed in advance and are not promised: your guide sets them on the day
Tickets and experiences, ZhangjiajieZhangjiajie National Forest Park entry · Bailong glass elevator both ways · Yuanjiajie · Tianzi Mountain · Golden Whip Stream with the walking length set on the day · Tianmen Mountain entry with the return passenger cableway · the Tianmen cliff walkway, where a solid-floor path runs beside every glass section · Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon glass bridge entry, where a solid-floor path also runs alongside
Tickets and experiences, ShanghaiThe Bund and the Pudong skyline in the evening, guide accompanied · Yu Garden and the old city entry · Shanghai Museum with the reservation booked by us · former French Concession and Wukang Road walk · Huangpu River ferry crossing with the fare included
In-park conveyances, named one by oneIncluded: the Mutianyu uphill cable car or open chairlift · the Bailong glass elevator both ways · the Tianmen Mountain return passenger cableway. Being finalized: the Tianzi Mountain cableway and the forest park shuttle buses, whose pricing basis is not settled; until it is, every quote states in writing whether those two sit inside that order's base price. Not included: every other cableway, lift, shuttle and toboggan inside any scenic area, priced separately when you choose it
Conditional items, included when they runThe Tianmen Mountain evening lighting program on day seventeen is attended when it is operating on your confirmed date and carries no separate charge when it is. The Tujia brocade workshop on day eighteen is hands-on when the workshop is open that day and a visit only when it is not. Neither is promised and neither is a highlight of this route
InsuranceTravel accident insurance for the land segments in China. The policy is being finalized: until it is, every quote states in writing the insurance placed for that order

Not Included

International flightsFlights into Beijing and out of Shanghai, and any connecting sector needed to reach Beijing
VisasVisa fees and processing for guests who need a Chinese visa, including all US guests on this route
The Yangtze segmentDays twelve to fifteen. The cruise ticket and everything aboard the ship are not in the base price and are not a highlight of this route, because no cabin is secured yet
MealsEvery lunch and every dinner. Your guide recommends and books; the bill is on your account
Climbing tickets sold on top of an entry ticketClimbing the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda itself · climbing the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower
In-park conveyances outside the included listEvery cableway, lift, shuttle and toboggan not named as included above, including the Mutianyu descent by toboggan
Optional add-onsThe Mutianyu descent by toboggan is sold only as an add-on, never bundled into the base plan and never listed as a highlight. Its pricing is being finalized and it is not offered until it is priced
PersonalGratuities, single or extra-room difference, personal spending, laundry

Special Notes

A few things on this route follow the calendar, the season or a supplier's confirmation. Here they are, told straight.

Bookings are not open yet — three things have to be real first. One, a cabin held on a named sailing. Two, the cabin grade chosen and written into the inclusions. Three, the ship operator confirming in writing the English-language service level on board. Until all three are done we take no orders and no deposits. Tell us your dates and we will write to you on the day it opens.
What the four Yangtze days are and are not — they are a four-day three-night sailing from Chongqing to Yichang, and the shore program on days thirteen to fifteen above is the operator's own published one. They are not purchased by us and not sold to you here: no ticket, no cabin, no meal aboard and no service level is in the price you would be quoted today. When procurement lands, they move into the inclusions and this note changes.
Departure dates — the sailing runs once a week, so the whole twenty-one days can only start on a Monday. In October 2026 the available Mondays are October 12, October 19 and October 26. In November they are November 2 and November 9. A November 16 start is quoted only after the operator confirms that sailing in writing. Nothing departs October 1 to 7, the national holiday week, when the Terracotta Warriors site and the Bailong elevator queue at their heaviest. Nothing departs after November 16, because the ship's operating season ends on November 27, 2026.
Why Monday — a Monday start puts day two on a Tuesday, which keeps the Forbidden City morning off the palace's Monday closing day. If you want a different departure weekday, the Yangtze segment no longer fits and we answer that request as a separate plan rather than as this route.
Day fifteen is a tight connection — the operator's dam visit occupies the morning and its bus reaches the Yichang visitor center around midday, so the train to Zhangjiajie that day is an afternoon one by design. That connection is checked against the published timetable order by order before your date is confirmed, and the autumn timetable on that sector has not yet been verified for these dates.
Class of travel — the class on all six rail and air sectors is being finalized. Until it is settled, your quote states in writing the class booked for your order, and no order is taken without it in writing.
Two in-park conveyances — the Tianzi Mountain cableway and the forest park shuttle buses have not had their pricing basis settled. Your quote states in writing whether those two sit inside your base price, so that nothing is assumed to be included that is not.
Heights — Zhangjiajie has two glass sections on this route, the Tianmen cliff walkway and the Grand Canyon glass bridge. Both have a solid-floor path running alongside, so no one has to walk on glass to complete a day.
Reaching Beijing — direct service into Beijing is not full from Italy, Spain, Portugal or Greece. It is not full from Australia or New Zealand either. Guests from those markets connect through a third hub or through another Chinese gateway. We check the routing before quoting, and when the connection lands at another Chinese gateway we say plainly that the domestic sector into Beijing is on your own ticket and is not in our price.
Visa window — the 30-day visa-free policy currently runs through December 31, 2026. A 21-day trip departing on or before December 11, 2026 finishes inside that window, and every departure date offered above finishes inside it.
US passports — the US is not on the 30-day visa-free list, and 21 days is more than double the stay the 10-day visa-free transit policy allows. Every US guest on this route holds a valid Chinese tourist or business visa, ten-year multiple entry included. Visa fees and processing are not included, and we confirm visa status before any payment is taken. Guests who entered China under the transit policy cannot take this trip, and we say so before payment rather than working around it.
Confirmation and changes — the confirmation-time commitment and the change and refund terms are being finalized with our ground partners and with the ship operator. Until they are settled, each quote states in writing its own confirmation deadline and its change and refund conditions. One structural fact worth knowing now: the ship holds no space without a named booking and sells first come first served, so a date change on this route moves the whole twenty-one days to another Monday rather than moving one segment.

Is Twenty-one Days Your Length?

Fewer than twenty-one days?

The corridor comes apart cleanly. Beijing and Xi'an stand on their own as a first week; Chengdu with Dujiangyan is a self-contained block; Zhangjiajie and Shanghai make a shorter second half without the river. Tell us your dates and who is coming, and we cut days rather than cut the pace.

Good to Know

Group: Private, just your party. From 1 guest. No fixed maximum party size.
Pace: Six cities in 21 days: Beijing 3 nights, Xi'an 3, Chengdu 4, Chongqing 1, Zhangjiajie 4, Shanghai 2, plus 3 nights on the river. Three easy days on days eight, fourteen and twenty
Effort: Moderate. Every major climb has a cable car or a lift; the Heaven's Gate stairway is the one steep piece and it is optional; both glass sections have a solid-floor path alongside
Ports: Beijing in, Shanghai out; airport pickup on day one and drop-off on day twenty-one
Visas: UK and most European passports enter visa-free for days. Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passports do the same, checked order by order against your dates. US passports need a Chinese tourist or business visa for this route
Language: Licensed English-speaking local guides on every touring day, city by city. The English-language service level aboard the ship is not yet confirmed by the operator, which is one reason this route is not on sale
Payment: When this route opens for booking: From 1 guest. A 10% deposit (minimum $399) locks your dates. The balance is due 14 days before departure. "Or similar" never means a quiet downgrade
Season: Selling window October to December 2026. Monday departures only, and only on the dates listed in Special Notes; nothing October 1 to 7 and nothing after November 16

Your Private Concierge

Jenessa

Private China Route Concierge

“A bilingual planning desk for tailor-made China journeys.”

Our China team tunes pacing, hotels and local hosts around each route style.

20+

Years

300+

Trips Designed

24/7

On-Trip Care

Step 01

Tell us what excites you

Not your dates and budget — your curiosity. Where have you always wanted to go? What do you want to feel? We start there.

24h

First concept delivered

Step 02

We design it around you

Your specialist builds the itinerary from scratch — routes, hosts, hotels, and experiences you won't find anywhere else.

100%

Private, never off-the-shelf

Step 03

Lock it in with 30%

When the plan feels right, a 30% deposit holds your trip. Balance due 30 days before departure.

30%

Deposit to confirm

Step 04

Travel. We handle the rest.

Your Trip Pack arrives before you fly. On the road, your concierge is one message away — for the expected and everything you didn't plan for.

24/7

Support throughout your journey

Cancellation terms agreed in writing

English-speaking concierge

Secure payment via Stripe

Guest Reviews

4.9 / 5 · from 523 verified reviews

Emily Carter

🇺🇸 Seattle, USA

Perfect for couples

“My partner and I had an amazing time in China. Everything was arranged for us — transfers, hotels, guides. No stress at all.”

May 2026

Claire Brooks

🇬🇧 London, UK

Great for families

“Traveled with my two kids and had zero issues. The team made sure the pace wasn't too rushed and included things the kids would enjoy. Communication was easy throughout. Will definitely use them again for our next Asia trip.”

Apr 2026

Laura Bennett

🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada

Alisa made the whole experience easy

“Alisa was our point of contact throughout and she was brilliant — patient, knowledgeable, and always quick to reply. The trip itself was wonderful. Beijing and Guilin were highlights.”

Mar 2026

Mark Henderson

🇺🇸 Denver, USA

Good service, minor hiccup but sorted quickly

“Really good service. There was a small mix-up with one of our restaurant bookings but it got sorted quickly. The rest of the trip was seamless.”

Feb 2026

Rebecca Miller

🇺🇸 Boston, USA

Really listened to what we wanted

“Really helpful team. They listened to what we wanted and delivered. Beijing and Xi'an were incredible.”

Jan 2026

China Ready

We've solved the hard parts. Here's everything a first-time Western traveler needs to know before arriving.

Do this before you fly

VPN & Internet Access

What's blocked

Google, Gmail, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and most Western news sites are inaccessible in China without a VPN.

Download before you leave

It's nearly impossible to download a VPN once inside China. Install and test at home. Recommended: Astrill (most reliable), Mullvad, ExpressVPN — subscribe to at least two in case one stops working.

Hotel Wi-Fi tip

Some hotels block VPN connections on their Wi-Fi. Use your phone's mobile data as a hotspot if the VPN drops.

Good news

WhatsApp works perfectly through a VPN, so your messaging stays unchanged. Apple iMessage and Signal also work.

Your concierge sets this up on Day 1

Paying in China

China is cashless

Alipay and WeChat Pay are used for almost everything — restaurants, taxis, markets, tickets. Cash is rarely accepted in cities.

International cards now work

Foreign Visa/Mastercard can now link directly to Alipay (set up in minutes, $5,000 single transaction limit). Your concierge walks you through the setup on your first morning.

Carry some cash

We recommend ¥500–800 RMB in cash for the rare vendor that won't accept digital payment, and for small towns.

Booking this trip

Your deposit and balance are charged via Stripe — the same trusted platform used by Airbnb and Booking.com. USD billing, no surprise conversion fees.

We handle the paperwork

Visa & Entry

Do you need a visa?

Most US, UK, EU, Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand passport holders need a tourist (L) visa for stays over 10 days. We provide a visa invitation letter with every booking — it significantly speeds up approval.

240-hour visa-free transit

Citizens of 55+ countries (including USA, UK, most of EU, AUS, NZ, Canada) can enter China visa-free for up to 10 days if transiting through eligible ports. This covers our 12-day itinerary only if you have a confirmed onward flight.

Processing time

Apply 4–6 weeks before departure. Standard processing: 4–7 business days. Express (3 days) and same-day options available at most Chinese consulates.

What we provide

Visa invitation letter, hotel confirmation for all nights, suggested itinerary document — everything the consulate needs, formatted correctly.

Our responsibility, always

Safety & Practical Tips

Is China safe?

China consistently ranks among the safest countries for foreign tourists. Violent crime against visitors is extremely rare. Cities have extensive CCTV coverage and a visible police presence.

Emergency numbers

Police: 110. Ambulance: 120. Your concierge is your first call for any non-emergency situation — she has local contacts for every city on the itinerary.

Health & medications

Bring a full supply of any prescription medication. International pharmacies exist in major cities but may not carry your brand. Travel insurance is required — we can recommend policies that cover China specifically.

Language

English fluency outside hotels and tourist sites is limited. Your guides all speak English. We provide a printed pocket card with essential Chinese phrases and emergency contacts for every traveler.

Before You Book

Everything worth knowing before you book.

Twenty-one days is a long trip. Will it drag?

It is built so that it does not. One idea runs through the whole route, walls then water then stone, and each day carries one piece of it rather than three unrelated sights. Three days are deliberately easy, on days eight, fourteen and twenty, and you unpack once for four nights in Chengdu and again for four in Zhangjiajie. Twenty-one days could hold nine hotel changes; this plan uses six.

You say the Yangtze days are not sold. So what am I actually buying?

Right now, nothing: this route is not open for booking at all, and that is the honest answer. Three things have to be true first, a cabin held on a named sailing, the cabin grade chosen and written into the inclusions, and the operator confirming in writing the English-language service on board. We will not take a deposit against a segment we have not bought. What is already settled is the other seventeen days: the six cities with their guides and vehicles, the rail and air sectors, and the tickets named one by one in the inclusions above. Tell us your dates and we write to you the day the river segment lands.

I am not good with heights. Does Zhangjiajie rule me out?

No. There are exactly two glass sections on this route, the Tianmen cliff walkway on day seventeen and the Grand Canyon glass bridge on day eighteen, and each has a solid-floor path running beside it that goes to the same places. The Bailong elevator and the Tianmen cableway are enclosed cabins. The one steep climb, the stairway up to Heaven's Gate, is optional and the arch reads just as well from the bottom. Tell your guide on day one and the whole Zhangjiajie block is walked on stone.

Why can we only start on a Monday?

Because the sailing this route hangs on runs once a week, and everything before and after it is timed to reach the pier on the right day. A Monday start has a second benefit: day two lands on a Tuesday, which keeps the Forbidden City morning off the palace's Monday closing day. If Monday does not work for you, the river segment stops fitting and we will design you a different plan rather than bend this one and hope.

Do we need a visa?

Most guests on this route do not. UK and most European passports enter visa-free for stays days. Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passports do the same. Before you pay we check your 21 days plus any other days in China against that window. The current policy runs through December 31, 2026, so a departure on or before December 11, 2026 finishes inside it, and every date we offer does. US passports are different: the US is not on that list and 21 days is more than double what the 10-day transit policy allows, so every US guest holds a Chinese tourist or business visa, with the fee and the appointment their own. We confirm visa status before any payment, and if the dates do not fit we say so instead of selling.

The Forbidden City

Jingshan Park

Mutianyu Great Wall

Tian'anmen Square

Temple of Heaven

NMC: One Room for Nine Days

Terracotta Army: Scale and Ambition

Xi'an Ancient City Wall Cycling

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda grounds

Bell and Drum Tower square and the Muslim Quarter by night

Chengdu panda base

Teahouse sitting in People's Park

Dujiangyan River Control and Irrigation

Mount Qingcheng

Kuanzhai Alley and Taikoo Li

Community Sichuan opera

Liziba monorail

Vertical city walking line

Bailong glass elevator and Yuanjiajie

Tianzi Mountain

Golden Whip Stream

Tianmen Mountain cableway and cliff walkway

Heaven's Gate

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon glass bridge

Tianmen Mountain evening lighting program

Tujia brocade workshop

The Bund by Night: Two Banks, a Century Apart

Yu Garden: Older than the Skyline

Shanghai Museum

Wukang Road: A Loose Walk

Huangpu Commuter Ferry

01. The Forbidden City

02. Jingshan Park

03. Mutianyu Great Wall

04. Tian'anmen Square

05. Temple of Heaven

06. NMC: One Room for Nine Days

07. Terracotta Army: Scale and Ambition

08. Xi'an Ancient City Wall Cycling

09. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda grounds

10. Bell and Drum Tower square and the Muslim Quarter by night

11. Chengdu panda base

12. Teahouse sitting in People's Park

13. Dujiangyan River Control and Irrigation

14. Mount Qingcheng

15. Kuanzhai Alley and Taikoo Li

16. Community Sichuan opera

17. Liziba monorail

18. Vertical city walking line

19. Bailong glass elevator and Yuanjiajie

20. Tianzi Mountain

21. Golden Whip Stream

22. Tianmen Mountain cableway and cliff walkway

23. Heaven's Gate

24. Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon glass bridge

25. Tianmen Mountain evening lighting program

26. Tujia brocade workshop

27. The Bund by Night: Two Banks, a Century Apart

28. Yu Garden: Older than the Skyline

29. Shanghai Museum

30. Wukang Road: A Loose Walk

31. Huangpu Commuter Ferry

01. The Forbidden City

02. Jingshan Park

03. Mutianyu Great Wall

04. Tian'anmen Square

05. Temple of Heaven

06. NMC: One Room for Nine Days

07. Terracotta Army: Scale and Ambition

08. Xi'an Ancient City Wall Cycling

09. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda grounds

10. Bell and Drum Tower square and the Muslim Quarter by night

11. Chengdu panda base

12. Teahouse sitting in People's Park

13. Dujiangyan River Control and Irrigation

14. Mount Qingcheng

15. Kuanzhai Alley and Taikoo Li

16. Community Sichuan opera

17. Liziba monorail

18. Vertical city walking line

Beijing · Day 1 - Day 3

Xi'an · Day 4 - Day 6

Chengdu · Day 7 - Day 10

Chongqing · Day 11 - Day 13

Yichang · Day 14

Zhangjiajie · Day 15 - Day 18