Temple of Heaven, Beijing

Classic Memories

SG18: 13 Days Small Group Tour of Beijing - Xi'an - Chengdu - Guilin - Shanghai
Tour Type: Small Group of maximum 6 travelers, guaranteed departures
Guide & Driver: English-speaking guide, experienced driver with an air-conditioned coach
Accommodation: 12 nights at good 5-star & 4-star hotels
Meals: 12 western buffet breakfasts, 6 lunches with some being a la carte style, 1 dumpling dinner

Highlights:
  • Must-see sights - Mutianyu Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Army, Giant Pandas
  • A once in a lifetime chance to get close to our incredibly cute national treasure - Pandas
  • Cruise on the meandering Li River & admire the essence of Guilin landscape
  • Take in the impressive skylines of Shanghai as you walk along the Bund
From $2509 per person Free Inquiry
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Day 1 Arrival in Beijing
After you reclaim your luggage and clear the Customs, you will find your English-speaking guide welcoming you at the arrival hall of the airport. Your driver will then transfer you to check in at the hotel for a three-night stay. You can use the rest of the day to have a good rest or walk around on your own.
 
Accommodation: The Great Wall Hotel Beijing - the former Sheraton
Day 2 Beijing
This morning will be spent in the heart of Beijing. We will start our 13-day China tour in Beijing at Tiananmen Square. From there, walk over the Golden Water Bridge directly to the Forbidden City. With its marvelous structural layout, exquisite decorations and valuable treasures, the Imperial Palace attracts travelers from all over the world. 

Around noon, we will arrange a sumptuous a la carte welcome lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at a decent local restaurant and we specially recommend the roasted Peking duck. 

Then we'll continue to the Temple of Heaven, the royal temple for sacrifice in ancient times. Nowadays, it is not only a tourist spot, but also a large, beautiful park for local people to spend their leisure time, especially those who are retried. In the evening, a lively Chinese Kung Fu Show at the Red Theatre is scheduled for you.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte welcome lunch  
Our group at Tiananmen Square
Day 3 Beijing
The Great Wall is one of the greatest architectural projects in human history. This morning, we will drive you to the Mutianyu section, where you will spend time exploring the steep stairs, smoke towers and grand views of this unique wonder. A round-trip cable car to ascend and descend the Wall is included during your Great Wall tour. 

As the Wall is in a rural area, the meals offered by restaurants nearby are not good. In this case, we suggest you have a hearty breakfast at the hotel this morning and then have some snacks or fast food there for lunch on your own. 

Later we will drive you back to the city and leave you with free time at a featured local market.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Take a pleasant walk on the Great Wall
Take a pleasant walk on the Great Wall
Day 4 Beijing to Xi'an by Flight
After checking out of the hotel, you will be escorted to visit the Summer Palace, which was the summer resort for emperors and royal families. In summer, beautiful lotuses bloom in Kunming Lake, and in winter, it is also a good place for ice skating. Next, we will stop at the Olympic National Stadium for you to take pictures of the Bird's Nest design at a distance.

Lunch will be a la carte (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at a good local restaurant. 

After lunch, we will take you to the old Hutong area, where narrow alleys are lined with ancient-style residential houses. You'll get a taste of the traditional features of the city and experience Chinese paper cutting. Then you will take an afternoon flight to Xi'an, the second destination of your 13 days China tour package. Your Xi'an local guide will meet you on time at the airport and then accompany you to check in the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch  
Accommodation: Sheraton Hotel
Day 5 Xi'an
A full and interesting day awaits you. We will take you out of downtown to see the Terracotta Army, which is a huge project composed of three burial pits. It was built by Emperor Qinshihuang, the first emperor who united the nation in ancient times. The life-sized terracotta army is said to guard the entrance to the Emperor's tomb. It well represents his ambition to be honored even in the after-life. 

Then we move on to visit a local family. The elaborately prepared a la carte dishes (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price) coupled with the hosts' cordial hospitality will surely make your lunch unforgettable. Learning Chinese dishes cooking recipes with the host will be a unique experience on your escorted China tour. 

After the family visit, we will proceed to Xi'an Museum and then visit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, an ancient Buddhist stupa with a unique structure and elegant appearance. Tonight, an exceptional performance awaits you. It is the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show displaying the rich culture of the Tang Dynasty. Before the show, you will have a Dumpling dinner.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Home-cooked a la carte lunch, Dumpling dinner
 Friendly Tips

Clients visiting in Jan, Feb, Mar and Dec need to arrange the dinner and evening activity on their own for this day, since the theater is usually not open at that time.
A terracotta warrior
A terracotta warrior
Learn to cook Chinese dishes
Learn to cook Chinese dishes
Day 6 Xi'an
This morning, your guide will take you to watch local people doing morning exercises in the City Wall Park and arrange a Tai Chi Practice for you. Then we will climb up the ancient City Wall. Enclosing the old city with a circuit of 13,700 meters, the square city wall is as thick as 14 meters. Visitors can rent bicycles and take a ride on the wall. Battery-powered carts are also available. The rental fee is at your expense. 

You will have a high-quality a la carte lunch (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price) at a fine local eatery.

Afterwards, your guide will lead you to the treasure house of northwest China, the Provincial History Museum, which has collected a large number of rare historical relics illustrating the achievements of different eras. A visit to the Great Mosque is scheduled for you later. You can have some free time to stroll along the nearby bustling Muslim street. Food stalls featuring snacks and local dishes line the streets. Noodles and Chinese hamburger (Rou Jia Mo) are always popular in Xi'an. Try some street food for your dinner.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch 
Local people playing Tai Chi in the City Wall Park
Local people playing Tai Chi in the City Wall Park
Day 7 Xi'an to Chengdu by High Speed Train
Your guide will escort you to the railway station for a high-speed train to Chengdu. After a four-hour trip, you will meet the local guide and get to the hotel. With all kinds of rich resources, Chengdu enjoys a reputation for being a 'Heavenly Land of Plenty'. And now Chengdu has become an ideal city for many young graduates. They would rather work and live here than go to big cities like Beijing and Shanghai. We will leave you with free time to explore this city on your own in the afternoon. Your local guide will offer you some suggestions upon request.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Chengdu Oriental Plaza
Day 8 Chengdu
We all know that Chengdu is the home of pandas, so our first stop in Chengdu is surely about pandas. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is not far from the city center, about half an hour's journey. Early morning departure is essential if you want to see the pandas at their best. Usually the keepers will feed the pandas from about 08:00 to 09:00. At this time, all the pandas come out to wait, and then they begin to eat and play. By about 11:00, the pandas are full and most of them go to sleep. So according to our experiences the best time to visit the panda base is from 08:30 to 10:00 in the morning. During the visit, you will be touched by how lovely they are. If you visit them in August or September, you may have a chance to see newborn pandas.

Next, we head to the Broad and Narrow Alleys. Just take your time to stroll leisurely through the alleys. It is a very popular place not only for travelers but also for locals. You can have lunch at one of the restaurants by yourself. Your guide will also give you more advice.

Then, we visit the Jinsha Site Museum, which displays archaeological relics from the Jinsha Site going back 3,000 years. Many gold articles have been unearthed at the site, but the most important ones are the Gold Foil of Sun and Immortal Bird and the Gold Mask. After the history and culture appreciation, it's time for you to get relaxed at Renmin Park. You will enjoy the laid-back lifestyle of a local when you sip tea in a tea house, see people gathering together playing Mahjong, or dancing and singing. The most interesting is to see the matchmaking corner where parents advertise for their children.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Giant pandas
Giant pandas
Golden Mask in Jinsha Site Museum
Golden Mask in Jinsha Site Museum
Day 9 Chengdu to Guilin by Flight
Today you will fly to Guilin. Your guide will greet you at the airport and help you check in at the hotel. 

Afterwards, your guide will accompany you to visit the Reed Flute Cave, known as the 'Natural Art Palace', the Reed Flute Cave is made up of stalactites, stalagmites, and stone pillars, which were naturally formed in different shapes and positions. Illuminated by different colored lights, the cave is like a fairyland. Then turn to Elephant Trunk Hill. You don't need to climb up the hill. It is just a scenic park, but deserves a visit. Your guide will lead you to the best place to photograph the hill, which has the appearance of an elephant drinking water from the river.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Guilin Grand Bravo Hotel
Day 10 Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin
Your trip will never be complete if you come to Guilin but do not take a Li River cruise. Usually the Li River refers to the section from Guilin to Yangshuo, which is also the most splendid part. Your guide will show you some famous spots on the Li River during the four-hour's journey.

We would like to remind you that the lunch on the cruise is a simple box lunch provided by the cruise company. We suggest you have a big breakfast at the hotel this morning.

When you arrive at Yangshuo, you will walk through the West Street, a famous street full of bars, cafées, restaurants and featured shops. Then we will drive you to the countryside to see some rural scenery, along with a visit to a local peasant's home. Late in the afternoon, we will return to Guilin.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Enjoy the Li River cruise tour to Yangshuo
Enjoy the Li River cruise tour to Yangshuo
Day 11 Guilin to Shanghai by Flight
A morning flight will take you to Shanghai today. When you arrive, your guide will greet you at Shanghai airport and escort you to check in at the hotel. You will have a free afternoon on your own arrangement.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Sheraton Shanghai Hongkou Hotel
Day 12 Shanghai
After breakfast, you will start your Shanghai exploration from the World Financial Center. It has three sightseeing observatories, of which the Sky Walk on the 100th floor is the highest. With the guide's company, you will take the high-speed elevator straight to the Sky Walk and have a panoramic view of the city. Afterwards, we'll visit the Former French Concession to get the feel of old Shanghai.

At noon, you will have an a la carte farewell lunch (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price) at a popular local restaurant and then pay a visit to the bustling Yuyuan Old Street. Afterwards, we'll visit the Bund area and have a one-hour Huangpu River cruise tour to enjoy the modern pulse of the city. At the end of the day, your guide will take you back to the hotel and bid you bon voyage at the lobby.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte farewell lunch
Explore the thriving Bund area
Explore the thriving Bund area
Day 13 Departure from Shanghai
Our 13-day China tour comes to an end today. The hotel check-out deadline is 12:00 noon. Since clients will have different flight schedules to leave Shanghai, we do not include the airport see-off service today. You can charter a taxi to the airport, which is the most efficient and money-saving way. We wish you a smooth and pleasant journey!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
B-- Breakfast L-- Lunch D-- Dinner
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Prices are per person in US Dollars; departures are guaranteed even with two persons!
Christmas & 2023 Special Deal
Enjoy 12% off if you book before Dec 25, 2022
Arrival DateDeparture DateDouble OccupancySingle Room Supplement 
Jan 09(Mon)Jan 21(Sat)$2509 $2207$729
Feb 20(Mon)Mar 04(Sat)$2509 $2207$729
Mar 04(Sat)Mar 16(Thu)$2529 $2225$759
Mar 11(Sat)Mar 23(Thu)$2529 $2225$759
Mar 25(Sat)Apr 06(Thu)$2569 $2260$759
Apr 01(Sat)Apr 13(Thu)$2669 $2348$809
Apr 08(Sat)Apr 20(Thu)$2669 $2348$809
Apr 15(Sat)Apr 27(Thu)$2669 $2348$809
Apr 22(Sat)May 04(Thu)$2669 $2348$809
May 06(Sat)May 18(Thu)$2669 $2348$809
May 13(Sat)May 25(Thu)$2669 $2348$809
May 20(Sat)Jun 01(Thu)$2669 $2348$799
May 27(Sat)Jun 08(Thu)$2649 $2331$779
Jun 03(Sat)Jun 15(Thu)$2649 $2331$769
Jun 10(Sat)Jun 22(Thu)$2649 $2331$769
Jun 17(Sat)Jun 29(Thu)$2649 $2331$769
Jun 24(Sat)Jul 06(Thu)$2679 $2357$769
Jul 01(Sat)Jul 13(Thu)$2719 $2392$769
Jul 08(Sat)Jul 20(Thu)$2719 $2392$769
Jul 15(Sat)Jul 27(Thu)$2719 $2392$769
Jul 22(Sat)Aug 03(Thu)$2719 $2392$769
Jul 29(Sat)Aug 10(Thu)$2719 $2392$769
Aug 05(Sat)Aug 17(Thu)$2719 $2392$769
Aug 12(Sat)Aug 24(Thu)$2719 $2392$769
Aug 19(Sat)Aug 31(Thu)$2719 $2392$769
Aug 26(Sat)Sep 07(Thu)$2719 $2392$789
Sep 02(Sat)Sep 14(Thu)$2719 $2392$829
Sep 09(Sat)Sep 21(Thu)$2719 $2392$829
Sep 16(Sat)Sep 28(Thu)$2719 $2392$829
Sep 23(Sat)Oct 05(Thu)$2719 $2392$829
Oct 07(Sat)Oct 19(Thu)$2719 $2392$829
Oct 14(Sat)Oct 26(Thu)$2719 $2392$829
Oct 21(Sat)Nov 02(Thu)$2649 $2331$829
Oct 28(Sat)Nov 09(Thu)$2579 $2269$819
Nov 04(Sat)Nov 16(Thu)$2579 $2269$819
Nov 11(Sat)Nov 23(Thu)$2559 $2251$799
Nov 20(Mon)Dec 02(Sat)$2519 $2216$749
Dec 04(Mon)Dec 16(Sat)$2509 $2207$729
Dec 23(Sat)Jan 04(Thu)$2519 $2216$729
Price Includes
  • Domestic airfares & train fare
  • Hotel accommodation with breakfasts
  • A la carte lunches as itinerary specifies
  • Professional English-speaking guides
  • Drivers & air-conditioned vehicles
  • Entrance fees to tourist sites
  • Tips or gratuities for hotel porters
Price Excludes
  • International airfares
  • Entry Visa fees
  • Personal expenses
  • Tips or gratuities for guides and drivers
Why Travel With Us
  • Customer Reviews
  • Questions & Answers
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    4.74 Reviews
    Jane
    United States
    Posted on January 06, 2020
    Fourth time to China, this tour was fabulous. Well worth every penny. Hotels were great except for Shanghai, good hotel not a great location. The hotel in Guilin was wonderful, near to a whole shopping area with plenty of restaurants and just across the street from the river. Our guides & drivers were wonderful in every city, especially Chengdu. I will definitely travel with them again in China.
    John
    South Africa
    Posted on December 05, 2018
    We had a wonderful time. Everything they planned for us exceeded our expectations. The hotels were all of excellent quality and our guides were friendly and informative. I will strongly recommend this company to anyone planning a trip to China and I hope that we can travel with them again in the near future ourselves. The only planning that I would have changed would have been to have allowed more free time (perhaps a half-day and evening in each city). We were on a tight timetable and wanted to see as much as possible but next time we will plan more time to explore on our own. Great trip overall and thank you very much for a great experience. ... More
    Heuberger R
    Germany
    Posted on November 22, 2018
    Generally the tour was very interesting and impressive! Very good value for money. Organization was perfect. Never any delay! I was positively surprised about the excellent standard of the hotels. Food was good and plenty! Tourist guides were also very good. Last but not least, also thanks to my consultants Wendy and Kelly, the e-mail communication with them was always very enchanting and supportive in information in all respects. I will recommend TCG to my friends and see China together with this agency definitely again. ... More
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