One Country, Two Clocks

Overview

Most first journeys to China stop where the famous stones stop. This one keeps moving: Beijing's palaces, the buried army outside Xi'an, Chengdu slowing you down on purpose, the Li River barely moving at all, then Shenzhen, a young city in a hurry. On the second-to-last morning you pass through immigration without leaving China: Hong Kong closes the line on its own clock, your last evening free beside the harbour. Trains, one flight and private vehicles carry the arc, and guides pass you from city to city. On the flight home, the answer to what China is like needs every one of these cities.

LyrikTrip travel designers

Every LyrikTrip journey begins with a conversation. Tell us your dates and who's coming. First reply within four hours; a clear price for your dates within one business day.

Why you'll love this trip

The classic arc, finished differently. The Terracotta Warriors, pandas, the Li River and Shenzhen's markets.

Follow the Great Wall from inside a Mutianyu watchtower until it drops behind a ridge.
Look down on the buried army outside Xi'an, ranks still holding after two thousand years.
Sit close to a Sichuan Opera stage and try to catch the instant the mask changes.
Ride the Li River south as the peaks take both banks, then give a day to rice fields.
Walk Huaqiangbei's component floors, the supply room behind the world's devices, then watch the skyline.
Cross one border on your last morning and never leave China, ending beside Victoria Harbour.

Things to do

Terracotta Warriors: Reading the Pits, Xi'an

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

City

Great Wall

History

Active

City

Nature

Food

Culture

City

Nature

River Cruise

Slow

Tech

Free

City

Great Wall

History

Active

City

Nature

Food

Culture

City

Nature

River Cruise

Slow

Tech

Free

City

Great Wall

History

Active

City

Nature

Food

Culture

City

Nature

River Cruise

Slow

Tech

Free

Itinerary

Arrivals

Beijing · Day 1 - Day 3

Day 1 · Beijing: arrival & the old lanes

Land, drop your bags, walk. The old city says hello at street level.

Arrival Your local guide meets you at the airport, and a private vehicle takes you to the hotel; the rest of the day is shaped around your landing time.

Shichahai & the hutongs Energy permitting, you walk the lakefront and the courtyard lanes behind it, past historic courtyard houses toward the Drum and Bell Towers: at the end of a gray lane, the tower that once told the whole city the time stands in silhouette. Arrive late, and you rest instead; the lanes keep.

Day 2 · Beijing: the Forbidden City

Walk the palace the way the court did. From the hill, the whole plan makes sense.

Tian'anmen Square You begin on the great square at the heart of Beijing's historic Central Axis, the straight line the old capital was built along.

The Forbidden City You enter the former palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties and walk its sequence in order: monumental gates, ceremonial courtyards, palace halls; your guide reads the architectural hierarchy as you go, which roofs outrank which, where the emperor worked and where the court actually lived.

Jingshan Park You climb the hill just north of the palace and turn around: the entire complex you spent the morning inside fits into a single frame, and the symmetry of the old city's plan snaps into place. Halfway up the steps you'll notice you've stopped talking; most people do.

Day 3 · Beijing: the Great Wall at Mutianyu

The cable car does the climbing. The wall does the explaining.

Up to the wall You drive into the mountains north of the city, and the cable car lifts you to the upper wall; from there you walk the ridge between watchtowers, valleys dropping away on both sides.

Inside a watchtower You stand in a tower opening and follow the wall with your eyes until it drops behind a ridge, in both directions; your guide fills in the system it belonged to: beacon signals, garrisons, and engineering bent to fit the terrain.

Back to the city Time permitting, the drive back pauses at the Olympic Park for exterior views of the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube: Beijing's newest century, an afternoon after its oldest wall.

High-speed rail

Xi'an · Day 4 - Day 5

Day 4 · Beijing: Temple of Heaven, then west

A morning built around the sky. Then the fast train west.

Temple of Heaven You walk the complex where Ming and Qing emperors performed the ceremonies for good harvests: the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the Circular Mound Altar; the round halls rise out of square courtyards, and you can read the old cosmology, heaven round, earth square, from where you stand.

Rail to Xi'an Your driver and guide time the transfer to your train, and the high-speed rail carries you west; in Xi'an, your next guide is waiting at the station.

Day 5 · Xi'an: the Terracotta Warriors & the old city

An army that never disbanded. Read its ranks, then eat in the city's oldest quarter.

The Terracotta Warriors You look down into the pits at the underground army of Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor: columns of soldiers receding toward earth that is still unexcavated; your guide teaches you to tell officers from archers by armor and hairstyle, and what the whole formation says about the ambition of the Qin dynasty.

Xi'an City Wall Back in the center, you go up onto the Ming-era rampart and take a stretch on foot or by bike: gate towers ahead of you, the moat below, old streets on one side and the modern city on the other.

The Muslim Quarter In the evening you walk the Bell and Drum Tower area into the Muslim Quarter: charcoal smoke, flatbread ovens, shopfronts generations old; your guide steers, what you eat is on your account.

High-speed rail

Chengdu · Day 6 - Day 8

Day 6 · Xi'an: the pagoda, then Sichuan

Xi'an was Chang'an first. One pagoda holds the memory, then the train heads for Sichuan.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda You visit the brick pagoda and its surrounding grounds and hear the story of Chang'an, Xi'an's old name, when it stood among the great cities of the world under the Tang dynasty; the pagoda anchors a history of Buddhist learning and the flow of ideas along the Silk Road between China, Central Asia and India. Standing at its base, you look up the tapering brick tiers that have watched all of it.

Rail to Chengdu The afternoon train carries you into Sichuan; your Chengdu guide meets you at the station, and the evening is yours for rest or a first walk around the hotel neighborhood.

Day 7 · Chengdu: pandas, alleys, opera, tea

Chengdu compresses nothing. Somehow one day still holds pandas, tuk-tuks, opera and tea.

Panda base, early You start early at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, in the hours when the pandas are most likely to be eating and climbing; keepers' routines and the base's conservation work fill in the story behind the animals.

Tuk-tuk food route Back in the city, you board a tuk-tuk through residential neighborhoods and old alleys, stopping at small restaurants and long-standing local favorites: guokui baked until the crust crackles, egg pancakes off the griddle, markets and family kitchens along the way.

Sichuan Opera, close In the afternoon you take a seat in a traditional community theater: costumes, percussion, stage craft, and then face-changing at arm's length, the mask gone and replaced faster than you can settle on the moment it happened.

People's Park You end the day in the park with a gaiwan of tea, residents chatting and playing cards around you. You'll check the time once, and then not again.

Day 8 · Chengdu: Dujiangyan & Mount Qingcheng

Two ideas older than most countries. One moves water, one asks you to slow down.

Dujiangyan You walk the main sections of the ancient irrigation system that still regulates water across the Chengdu Plain, and stand where the river is made to divide itself: the design borrows the water's own movement to split flow, release flood pressure and carry sediment away, no dam required.

Mount Qingcheng In the afternoon you trade engineering for philosophy: a gentle forest walk away from the busiest routes, then a quiet tea beside the mountain, with Taoist ideas of balance and living with nature carried by the setting rather than a signboard.

Flight

Guilin · Day 9

Day 9 · Fly south: Guilin by water

Change registers mid-journey. Guilin makes its first argument by water.

The flight south A short flight takes you from Chengdu to Guilin; your local guide meets you at arrivals.

First peaks Depending on your flight schedule, you visit Elephant Trunk Hill or walk the Two Rivers and Four Lakes area: a first pass at this city's particular arithmetic of rivers, lakes and limestone peaks rising straight from the streets.

Evening by the water After dark you stroll the waterfront as the peaks go to shadow and the city lights come down to meet their reflections.

Li River cruise

Yangshuo · Day 10 - Day 11

Day 10 · The Li River to Yangshuo

Board in a city, step off among the peaks. Let the river set the day's speed.

The cruise You board in Guilin and travel downstream: limestone peaks doubled in calm water, bamboo along the banks, farming villages and working boats sliding past; the city thins out behind you until the peaks take both banks. Somewhere past the third bend, you'll stop counting them.

Yangshuo You step off in the afternoon and check in; the evening is yours for West Street or the riverside, whichever noise level suits you.

Day 11 · The Yangshuo countryside

No tickets today. The countryside is the whole program.

Fields and villages You spend the day among rice fields, villages and quiet riverside paths framed by limestone peaks, on the mode you choose: gentle cycling, countryside walking, or a bamboo raft on the Yulong River.

The pace The day is built loose on purpose: room to watch village life go by, and photography stops whenever the light asks; down a lane between paddies, the peaks stand in rows to the horizon.

High-speed rail

Shenzhen · Day 12 - Day 13

Day 12 · Rail to Shenzhen

South into the delta. The youngest city on the line, and the quickest.

The train south The high-speed rail carries you from Yangshuo into the Pearl River Delta; your Shenzhen guide meets you at the station.

First pass at the new city Paced to your arrival, you take in the city's contemporary landmarks: the Civic Center, Gangxia North Station, and the Shenzhen Bay waterfront at Talent Park, where towers, transit hubs and parks were all built inside a working lifetime.

Across the bay At the waterfront you look out over the water: the hills on the far shore are already Hong Kong, two days early.

Day 13 · Shenzhen: inside the machine

A border village within living memory. Spend a day inside what it became.

Shenzhen Industrial Museum You start with the backstory: exhibitions on manufacturing, urban growth and emerging industries that trace how a small border settlement became a center of innovation inside a few decades.

Huaqiangbei Then the present tense: you walk one of the world's best-known electronics districts, floor after floor where components, prototypes and finished devices sell side by side; the supply chain behind the world's gadgets turns out to have counters, prices and business cards.

Nanshan & the waterfront In the afternoon you head to the Nanshan technology district for exterior views of DJI Sky City and Tencent's Seafront Towers, then walk Talent Park and the Shenzhen Bay waterfront; the evening is free for dinner and the lit skyline.

Cross-border transfer

Hong Kong · Day 14 - Day 15

Day 14 · The crossing: Hong Kong

One immigration line, same country. The journey saves its strangest turn for last.

The crossing At breakfast you are in Shenzhen. By afternoon you have stood in an immigration line, watched the taxis switch to the left side of the road, and paid for a coffee in a different currency. You have not left China. That evening at the harbour rail, you'll rehearse how to tell this day back home, and notice the sentence keeps needing both cities.

Hong Kong, yours After hotel check-in, the afternoon and evening run entirely at your pace: a stroll beside Victoria Harbour, neighborhoods and shops, or a first pass at one of the world's densest dining scenes. Nothing is scheduled after the crossing, on purpose: the day absorbs whatever the border does.

Day 15 · Departure

Fly out over the water. The answer you take home needs both clocks.

Your morning Free time shaped by your flight schedule: the harbour once more, a last neighborhood walk, or a slow breakfast.

To the airport At the appointed time, a private vehicle takes you from the hotel to Hong Kong International Airport, with time to spare; the skyline slides past on the airport road.

Departures

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Hotels

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

Beijing

Atour Hotel (Beijing West Railway Station South Square)

Upscale local hotel near Beijing West Railway Station South Square.

xi'an

Somerset Xindicheng Xi'an

A comfortable serviced-apartment option in Xi'an, suited to travellers who like extra space and a more residential feel.

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.

guilin

Shangri-La Hotel Guilin

A softer riverside stay in Guilin, good for travellers who want a greener setting and a calmer break between sightseeing days.

yangshuo

Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel

A characterful Yangshuo stay with a countryside feel, suited to travellers who prefer charm over a standard city hotel.

Shenzhen

Kempinski Hotel Shenzhen

A Nanshan hotel beside the Houhai commercial district, with easy access to Shenzhen's western business and cultural areas.

Hong Kong

Hotel ICON

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

yangshuo

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

A peaceful riverside retreat for travellers who want Yangshuo's karst scenery to feel close, quiet and unhurried.

Beijing

Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast

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

Guilin

Sheraton Guilin Hotel

Sheraton Guilin Hotel is located by the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and easy access to Guilin’s attractions.

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.

Chengdu

Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

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

Shenzhen

Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen

Located in Futian CBD, close to major landmarks and metro lines. Featuring 500+ elegant rooms and suites with exclusive Horizon Club services.

Hong Kong

Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West

Yangshuo

Yangshuo Elite Garden

Located in central Yangshuo near West Street and the Li River, Yangshuo Elite Garden Hotel is a comfortable four-star hotel offering convenient access to the area’s main attractions.

Beijing

DoubleTree by Hilton Beijing East Third Ring Road

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

Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin is near Guilin Railway Station, offering comfortable stays and convenient facilities for business and leisure travelers.

Xian

Shangri-La Hotel

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

Chengdu

The Temple House

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

Shenzhen

The Langham, Shenzhen

The Langham, Shenzhen is a luxury hotel in Futian CBD, featuring elegant rooms, fine dining, and premium facilities.

Hong Kong

The Kowloon Hotel

Beijing

Atour Hotel (Beijing West Railway Station South Square)

Upscale local hotel near Beijing West Railway Station South Square.

xi'an

Somerset Xindicheng Xi'an

A comfortable serviced-apartment option in Xi'an, suited to travellers who like extra space and a more residential feel.

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.

guilin

Shangri-La Hotel Guilin

A softer riverside stay in Guilin, good for travellers who want a greener setting and a calmer break between sightseeing days.

yangshuo

Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel

A characterful Yangshuo stay with a countryside feel, suited to travellers who prefer charm over a standard city hotel.

Shenzhen

Kempinski Hotel Shenzhen

A Nanshan hotel beside the Houhai commercial district, with easy access to Shenzhen's western business and cultural areas.

Hong Kong

Hotel ICON

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

yangshuo

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

A peaceful riverside retreat for travellers who want Yangshuo's karst scenery to feel close, quiet and unhurried.

Beijing

Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast

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

Guilin

Sheraton Guilin Hotel

Sheraton Guilin Hotel is located by the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and easy access to Guilin’s attractions.

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.

Chengdu

Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

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

Shenzhen

Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen

Located in Futian CBD, close to major landmarks and metro lines. Featuring 500+ elegant rooms and suites with exclusive Horizon Club services.

Hong Kong

Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West

Yangshuo

Yangshuo Elite Garden

Located in central Yangshuo near West Street and the Li River, Yangshuo Elite Garden Hotel is a comfortable four-star hotel offering convenient access to the area’s main attractions.

Beijing

DoubleTree by Hilton Beijing East Third Ring Road

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

Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin is near Guilin Railway Station, offering comfortable stays and convenient facilities for business and leisure travelers.

Xian

Shangri-La Hotel

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

Chengdu

The Temple House

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

Shenzhen

The Langham, Shenzhen

The Langham, Shenzhen is a luxury hotel in Futian CBD, featuring elegant rooms, fine dining, and premium facilities.

Hong Kong

The Kowloon Hotel

Beijing

Atour Hotel (Beijing West Railway Station South Square)

Upscale local hotel near Beijing West Railway Station South Square.

xi'an

Somerset Xindicheng Xi'an

A comfortable serviced-apartment option in Xi'an, suited to travellers who like extra space and a more residential feel.

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.

guilin

Shangri-La Hotel Guilin

A softer riverside stay in Guilin, good for travellers who want a greener setting and a calmer break between sightseeing days.

yangshuo

Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel

A characterful Yangshuo stay with a countryside feel, suited to travellers who prefer charm over a standard city hotel.

Shenzhen

Kempinski Hotel Shenzhen

A Nanshan hotel beside the Houhai commercial district, with easy access to Shenzhen's western business and cultural areas.

Hong Kong

Hotel ICON

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

yangshuo

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

A peaceful riverside retreat for travellers who want Yangshuo's karst scenery to feel close, quiet and unhurried.

Beijing

Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast

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

Guilin

Sheraton Guilin Hotel

Sheraton Guilin Hotel is located by the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and easy access to Guilin’s attractions.

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.

Chengdu

Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

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

Shenzhen

Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen

Located in Futian CBD, close to major landmarks and metro lines. Featuring 500+ elegant rooms and suites with exclusive Horizon Club services.

Hong Kong

Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West

Yangshuo

Yangshuo Elite Garden

Located in central Yangshuo near West Street and the Li River, Yangshuo Elite Garden Hotel is a comfortable four-star hotel offering convenient access to the area’s main attractions.

Beijing

DoubleTree by Hilton Beijing East Third Ring Road

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

Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin is near Guilin Railway Station, offering comfortable stays and convenient facilities for business and leisure travelers.

Xian

Shangri-La Hotel

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

Chengdu

The Temple House

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

Shenzhen

The Langham, Shenzhen

The Langham, Shenzhen is a luxury hotel in Futian CBD, featuring elegant rooms, fine dining, and premium facilities.

Hong Kong

The Kowloon Hotel

Included / Excluded

What's Included

Private vehiclesAir-conditioned private vehicles for listed sightseeing and transfers, including airport and station pick-ups, cross-border transfer to Hong Kong and final airport drop-off.
Hotels14 nights in selected four-star, five-star or quality boutique stays, breakfast daily from Day 2.
GuidesLicensed English-speaking guides in every mainland city; Hong Kong is an independent stay by design.
Tickets and experiencesListed attractions plus the Li River cruise with its buffet lunch on board, tuk-tuk food route, Sichuan Opera seat, People's Park tea and Yangshuo countryside day; the exact list is itemized in the confirmation.

Not Included

Long-haulInternational flights to Beijing and onward travel from Hong Kong.
Internal legsThe Chengdu to Guilin flight and inter-city rail tickets are quoted with the confirmation.
MealsBeyond breakfast and the Day 10 buffet lunch on the cruise, lunches and dinners stay flexible and are on your account.
PersonalVisas and entry requirements as applicable, gratuities, single supplement and personal spending.

Special Notes

A few things on this route depend on flights, animals, rivers or a border.

Arrival evening — The Shichahai walk flexes to landing time; arrive late and rest instead.
Olympic Park — An exterior stop if time permits; the wall is not shortened for it.
Panda mornings — The early start improves the chance of active animals, but pandas keep their own schedule.
Guilin's first afternoon — Elephant Trunk Hill or Two Rivers and Four Lakes follows the flight schedule.
Yulong River rafting — Subject to river levels and safety rules; the same fields and lanes remain accessible by bike or on foot.
The border day — Queue times vary; the transfer is door to door and the Hong Kong afternoon stays free.
Hotels and venues — Named in the confirmation; or similar means the same class and comparable location.

Is Fifteen Days Your Length?

Tell us your dates and who's coming; the length can be shaped around you.

Have the full window?

Read the full gradient from palaces and an army to teahouses, river, delta and Hong Kong.

Shorter on days?

Trim a region rather than accelerating the pace.

Want more slow days?

Add time in Yangshuo or Hong Kong.

Good to Know

Group: Private; from 1 guest, no minimum.
Arrival: Day 1 follows landing time; the full program begins Day 2.
The border: Day 14 is a full immigration crossing from the mainland into Hong Kong; carry a passport and allow variable queue time.
Documents: Mainland and Hong Kong entry rules differ by nationality and are checked during planning.
Language: English-speaking guides through every mainland city; Hong Kong is independent with transfers arranged.
Shopping Policy: No shopping stops or commission detours on the route; your time is dedicated solely to the places listed here.
Tailoring: Fully flexible. Days, stops, and pace can be added, removed, or swapped. We'll reshape the plan together before you confirm and pay.
Payment: A 10% deposit, minimum $399, locks dates and resources; the balance is due 14 days before departure.
Flexibility: Walking distances and conditional activities adapt to the group and operating conditions.
Ports: Beijing In, Hong Kong Out.
Gateway markets: Lead country marker: GB. Gateway markets from inventory: UK, WEU, NCEU, CA. Beijing in and Hong Kong out match the main gateway markets.

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.

What actually happens at the Shenzhen to Hong Kong border?

It is a full immigration crossing inside one country. Queue times vary, so the transfer is door to door and nothing timed is scheduled against it.

Why end in Hong Kong instead of a mainland city?

It completes the route's contrast and provides a major long-haul departure hub with a free morning before the flight.

Seven stops in fifteen days: will we feel rushed?

Moving is folded into the days, evenings stay largely free, Yangshuo gets a full countryside day and Hong Kong has no scheduled program.

Will the pandas actually be out?

Mornings offer the better chance of eating and climbing, but the animals keep their own schedule and the conservation story remains part of the visit.

Why aren't all meals included?

Daily breakfast is included from Day 2. Other meals stay flexible and are recommended and booked around the group.

Hutong & Shichahai Walk

Mutianyu Great Wall

Terracotta Warriors: Reading the Pits

Xi'an City Wall

Bell and Drum Tower square and the Muslim Quarter by night

Panda Base Morning

Tuk-Tuk Food Route

Sichuan Opera Up Close

People's Park Tea

Dujiangyan & Mount Qingcheng

Li River Cruise

Yangshuo Countryside Day

Huaqiangbei

Hong Kong, Unscheduled

01. Hutong & Shichahai Walk

02. Mutianyu Great Wall

03. Terracotta Warriors: Reading the Pits

04. Xi'an City Wall

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

06. Panda Base Morning

07. Tuk-Tuk Food Route

08. Sichuan Opera Up Close

09. People's Park Tea

10. Dujiangyan & Mount Qingcheng

11. Li River Cruise

12. Yangshuo Countryside Day

13. Huaqiangbei

14. Hong Kong, Unscheduled

01. Hutong & Shichahai Walk

02. Mutianyu Great Wall

03. Terracotta Warriors: Reading the Pits

04. Xi'an City Wall

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

06. Panda Base Morning

07. Tuk-Tuk Food Route

08. Sichuan Opera Up Close

09. People's Park Tea

10. Dujiangyan & Mount Qingcheng

11. Li River Cruise

12. Yangshuo Countryside Day

13. Huaqiangbei

14. Hong Kong, Unscheduled

01. Hutong & Shichahai Walk

02. Mutianyu Great Wall

03. Terracotta Warriors: Reading the Pits

04. Xi'an City Wall

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

06. Panda Base Morning

07. Tuk-Tuk Food Route

08. Sichuan Opera Up Close

09. People's Park Tea

10. Dujiangyan & Mount Qingcheng

11. Li River Cruise

12. Yangshuo Countryside Day

13. Huaqiangbei

14. Hong Kong, Unscheduled

Beijing · Day 1 - Day 3Collapse

Day 1 · Beijing: arrival & the old lanes

Day 2 · Beijing: the Forbidden City

Day 3 · Beijing: the Great Wall at Mutianyu

Xi'an · Day 4 - Day 5Collapse

Day 4 · Beijing: Temple of Heaven, then west

Day 5 · Xi'an: the Terracotta Warriors & the old city

Chengdu · Day 6 - Day 8Collapse

Day 6 · Xi'an: the pagoda, then Sichuan

Day 7 · Chengdu: pandas, alleys, opera, tea

Day 8 · Chengdu: Dujiangyan & Mount Qingcheng

Guilin · Day 9Collapse

Day 9 · Fly south: Guilin by water

Yangshuo · Day 10 - Day 11Collapse

Day 10 · The Li River to Yangshuo

Day 11 · The Yangshuo countryside

Shenzhen · Day 12 - Day 13Collapse

Day 12 · Rail to Shenzhen

Day 13 · Shenzhen: inside the machine

Hong Kong · Day 14 - Day 15Collapse

Day 14 · The crossing: Hong Kong

Day 15 · Departure

Read it on your own time

Answers to all your trip questions

Beijing · Day 1 - Day 3

Xi'an · Day 4 - Day 5

Chengdu · Day 6 - Day 8

Guilin · Day 9

Yangshuo · Day 10 - Day 11

Shenzhen · Day 12 - Day 13

Hong Kong · Day 14 - Day 15