11 Days Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu & Chongqing

Duration: 11 Days / 10 Nights

Eleven days from China’s imperial north to its green, mountainous west. Begin in Beijing with the Forbidden City and the Great Wall at Mutianyu, then take the high-speed train to Xi’an for the Terracotta Warriors and the ancient City Wall. Continue by train to Chengdu for the giant pandas and the old lanes of Sichuan’s capital, and end in Chongqing, the mountain city on the Yangtze, with a free day for an optional trip to the Dazu Rock Carvings.

Tour Highlights

Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and a hutong rickshaw ride
The Great Wall at Mutianyu with cable car
The Terracotta Warriors and the City Wall of Xi’an
Giant pandas at the Chengdu Research Base
Kuanzhai Alley and Jinli Street in Chengdu
Hongya Cave, Ciqikou and the Yangtze River Cableway in Chongqing

Destinations:

Beijing Xi’an Chengdu Chongqing

Itinerary

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Day 1: Arrival in Beijing

Welcome to China. On arrival at Beijing Capital or Beijing Daxing International Airport, meet your driver and transfer by private vehicle to your hotel. Check-in and spend the rest of the day at leisure to rest and adjust to the time difference. Overnight in Beijing.

Day 2: Beijing – Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & Hutongs

Breakfast at the hotel. Begin at Tiananmen Square, the vast public square at the heart of Beijing, then walk through the Meridian Gate into the Forbidden City — the Palace Museum — home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for almost five centuries and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the afternoon, take a rickshaw ride through the old hutong lanes around Nanluoguxiang for a glimpse of traditional courtyard life in old Beijing. The Palace Museum is closed on Mondays, so the order of the Beijing days may be adjusted. Overnight in Beijing.

Day 3: Beijing – Great Wall at Mutianyu & Olympic Park

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive north of the city to Mutianyu, one of the most scenic and best-restored sections of the Great Wall, set among forested hills. Ride the cable car up and back, and walk along the ramparts between the watchtowers. On the way back, stop at the Olympic Park for photographs of the Bird’s Nest stadium and the Water Cube from outside. Overnight in Beijing.

Day 4: Beijing to Xi’an – Terracotta Warriors

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the railway station for the high-speed train to Xi’an, the ancient capital at the eastern end of the Silk Road. On arrival, meet your guide and drive to the Terracotta Army Museum to see the thousands of life-size clay warriors buried to guard the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang — a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Xi’an.

Day 5: Xi’an – City Wall, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda & Muslim Quarter

Breakfast at the hotel. Walk along the Xi’an City Wall, one of the oldest and best-preserved city walls in China — cycling on top of the wall is a popular option. Visit the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, built in the Tang dynasty to house the Buddhist scriptures brought back from India by the monk Xuanzang, and end the day in the lively Muslim Quarter with its market lanes and street food. Overnight in Xi’an.

Day 6: Xi’an to Chengdu – Giant Panda Base

Breakfast at the hotel. Take the high-speed train to Chengdu (about 3 to 4 hours), capital of Sichuan province. On arrival, meet your guide and visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to see giant pandas — and the smaller red pandas — in their bamboo-filled enclosures. Transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Chengdu.

Day 7: Chengdu – Jinsha, Kuanzhai Alley & Jinli Street

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the Jinsha Site Museum, built over the remains of the ancient Shu kingdom that flourished here some 3,000 years ago. In the afternoon, stroll through Kuanzhai Alley — the Wide and Narrow Alleys — with their restored Qing dynasty courtyard houses and teahouses, and Jinli Ancient Street, at its most atmospheric in the evening. Overnight in Chengdu.

Day 8: Chengdu to Chongqing – Hongya Cave

Breakfast at the hotel. Take the high-speed train to Chongqing, a mountain city built where the Jialing River meets the Yangtze. Transfer to your hotel. In the evening, walk with your guide to Hongya Cave, a stilt-house complex built into the cliffside that lights up spectacularly after dark. Overnight in Chongqing.

Day 9: Chongqing – Ciqikou, Yangtze Cableway & Eighteen Steps

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Ciqikou, an old Ming and Qing era town on the banks of the Jialing River, then cross the Yangtze on the Yangtze River Cableway for views over the city. End the day in the downtown Jiefangbei area and on Shibati, the historic stairway street known as the Eighteen Steps. Overnight in Chongqing.

Day 10: Chongqing – Free Day

Breakfast at the hotel. A free day at leisure. Options include a day trip to the Dazu Rock Carvings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or an excursion into the mountains around the city — either can be arranged on request. Overnight in Chongqing.

Day 11: Departure from Chongqing

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out and private transfer to Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport for your flight home. End of our services.

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Inclusions

Accommodation as per programme
Daily breakfast at the hotel
Airport and railway station transfers as per programme
Private air-conditioned vehicle on all touring days
High-speed train and domestic flight tickets as per programme
Licensed English-speaking guide on all guided tours
All entrance fees and activities as mentioned in the itinerary, including the Mutianyu Great Wall cable car
All applicable local taxes