China tours & tailor-made travel
12 daysBeijing
Travel through China’s historic heartland, from imperial Beijing and the merchant courtyards of Pingyao to the ancient capital of Xi’an and the Buddhist landscapes of Sichuan. Explore royal palaces, walled cities, historic trading houses and sacred mountains, discovering how Chinese history has been shaped by dynasties, commerce, religion and place.
Highlights
Written by the planner who runs this trip. Days marked with meals and where you sleep, so you can see what is actually arranged.
Meeting point · Beijing airport or railway station pickup on arrival. Exact meeting details will be confirmed before travel.
Arrive in Beijing and meet your driver or tour representative for a transfer to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, choose an optional Beijing food experience or evening city tour.
Explore Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven to understand Beijing’s imperial city planning, palace culture and ritual traditions. Your guide will introduce how ceremonial spaces expressed the order of the imperial capital.
You can enjoy a day of leisure in Beijing or choose one of two Great Wall excursions: visit Mutianyu to admire the mountain scenery and enjoy a more relaxed hike, or explore Simatai and the historic Gubei Water Town.
Enjoy a free morning in Beijing before taking a high-speed train to Pingyao. After arrival, check in and begin discovering the atmosphere of one of China’s best-preserved historic walled cities.
Explore Pingyao Ancient City, its historic city walls and traditional Ming and Qing courtyards. Learn how Shanxi merchant families, trading houses and financial networks shaped the city’s role in Chinese commercial history.
Enjoy a free day in Pingyao or add a visit to the Qiao Family Compound or a traditional paper-cutting and handicraft experience. In the evening, take a high-speed train to Xi’an.
Visit the Terracotta Warriors to explore the power of Qin Shi Huang’s first unified empire. Continue to the Xi’an City Wall and consider how the ancient capital developed as a major center of the Silk Road.
Enjoy a free day in Xi’an and choose from historic, culinary or cultural experiences. Suggested options include the Shaanxi History Museum, a Tang-style banquet, a noodle-making class or a full-day excursion to Mount Hua.
Take a high-speed train from Xi’an to Chengdu and enjoy free time after arrival. You may add a half-day visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a teahouse and local-culture experience or a Jinjiang River night cruise.
Travel from Chengdu to Leshan and visit the Leshan Giant Buddha, carved into the cliffs above the river. After the visit, continue to the Mount Emei area for the night.
Explore Mount Emei according to your preferred activity level, then return to Chengdu. Choose a foothills monastery route, a mid-mountain combination of temples and nature, or a higher mountain route with cable cars and views from Golden Summit.
Enjoy a final free morning in Chengdu before leaving for your next destination. Your departure transfer will be arranged according to your confirmed flight or train details.
The practical things worth knowing before you commit.
The route includes Beijing, Pingyao, Xi’an, Chengdu, Leshan and Mount Emei, combining imperial sites, merchant heritage, Silk Road history and Buddhist landscapes.
You can choose either a Mutianyu Great Wall day trip or a Simatai Great Wall and Gubei Water Town day trip. Confirm your preferred route before booking.
The Pingyao day explores the ancient walled city, city walls, Ming and Qing courtyards and the merchant culture that made Shanxi an important commercial region.
Choose between a foothills monastery route, a mid-mountain temples and nature route, or a higher route featuring cable cars and Golden Summit views. The best option depends on your fitness level, weather and operating conditions.
Mount Hua involves mountain walking, steps and steep sections. It is best suited to travelers who are comfortable with a more physically demanding full-day excursion.
Yes. Optional choices include courtyard experiences, paper-cutting, handicrafts, noodle-making, teahouse culture, local food and cultural performances.
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