History & Nature

After a pre-trip meeting at your hotel, your guide and the driver will escort you on a smooth transfer to Tiananmen Square, the heart of Beijing. Wandering along its central axis, you can take photos with iconic buildings, such as the Great Hall of the People, the Monument to the People’s Heroes, and the outstanding Tiananmen Tower.

Heading north, let’s enter the Forbidden City, the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911 AD) and home to 24 emperors. Beyond its massive red wooden gate lies the political heart of the palace: the Three Great Halls, where emperors deliberated on state affairs with ministers and held grand ceremonies. The largest, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, rises from a lofty white marble terrace, appearing to float above the clouds. Along the edge of the terrace stand rows of exquisitely carved marble railings. More than just decorations, they formed one of the world’s earliest alarm systems. When intruders were detected, the guards would insert horn-shaped trumpets into the specially designed holes on top of the railings and sound them, quickly sending alerts across the entire palace. In addition to grand buildings, your guide will accompany you to the Treasure Gallery of the Forbidden City, where you can peek at the extravagant imperial life through the gleaming showpieces, such as the Phoenix Crown, Gem-inlaid Enamel Bowl, and the Gold Cup.At noon, we’ll treat you to a local flavor lunch. Then, continue to the Temple of Heaven, the world’s largest surviving altar complex. Here, you’ll learn about traditional Chinese rituals of worship to Heaven while visiting its iconic triple‑eaved Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the marble Circular Mound Altar.  

★ Special Treat 1: Adrenaline-pumping Acrobatic Show

In the late afternoon, you’ll be invited to attend an acrobatic show at the Red Theater. The artists perform astonishing feats through perfect coordination, from hoop diving and motorcycle stunts to multi‑tier chair balancing. Prepare to be mesmerized by the Shoulder Ballet, a perfect fusion of the elegant Western ballet and the breathtaking Chinese acrobatics. Dressed in elegant Chinese costume, a ballerina spins on her partner’s shoulders, arms, and even head, moving like a princess in a music box.

★ Special Treat 2: A la Carte Welcome Dinner

After the show, enjoy a specially arranged welcome dinner, valued at CNY150 (USD 21) per person. Rather than a standard group-tour meal served in assembly-line settings, you can order from an a la carte menu to savor the Beijing Roast Duck and other local dishes.

Following dinner, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, A la carte welcome dinner with Peking Duck
Accommodation: Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong (5 stars)

In the morning, your guide and the driver will pick you up from your hotel. Let’s hit the road to the Mutianyu Great Wall. To ensure an effortless and breathtaking experience, we’ve included a round-trip cable car for your ascent. As the magnificent Great Wall once only seen in photographs unfolds beneath you, you’ll definitely understand why it stands as a symbol of the Chinese spirit. Stretching approximately 5,400 meters (3.4 miles) along the mountain ridges, the ramparts wind like a great stone dragon, once guarding against incursions from northern nomadic tribes. Along the wall, you’ll notice watchtowers constructed at regular intervals. Originally, the wall lacked such structures, leaving soldiers exposed to harsh weather and their firearms vulnerable to rain and wind. During later renovations, these watchtowers were added to provide shelter and to store weapons and gunpowder.

★ A Moment to Remember: To celebrate conquering the Great Wall, your guide will pour you a goblet of red wine. Let’s toast to having crossed this landmark off your life’s must‑see list!After a buffet lunch replenishing your energy, we’ll return to the city center. Along the way, you will have the chance to view and stop for photos of the National Stadium, widely known as the “Bird’s Nest,” an iconic masterpiece of steel architecture.

Having experienced Beijing’s grand monuments, we’ll now delve into the city’s everyday fabric with a visit to its traditional Hutong alleys. Board a classic rickshaw and, accompanied by its gentle bell ring, you’ll wind through a maze of narrow lanes. Let’s stop at a courtyard residence to glimpse the authentic local life. Standing in the center of its symmetrical layout, you’ll witness a living reflection of the Chinese family hierarchy that has endured for centuries. The northern room, receiving the best light and offering the most space, is traditionally reserved for the head of the eldest generation, embodying the core Chinese value of respecting the seniors. The east wing often houses the eldest son, seen as the family’s hope and successor, much like the morning sun rising in the east, while the west wing would typically be allocated to daughters or younger sons.

At the end of today’s itinerary, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Buffet lunch
Accommodation: Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong (5 stars)

After breakfast, your guide and the driver will accompany you to the Summer Palace, the brightest crown jewel of classical imperial gardens in China. Here, you can appreciate the artistry of traditional Chinese landscape design while strolling among stone bridges, elegant pavilions, and covered walkways.

After enjoying a local flavor lunch, your guide and the driver will convoy you to the Beijing West Railway Station to catch a high-speed train to Xi'an. Gliding at a speed up to 350 km/h (217 mph), the sleek train redefines “smooth”. The ride is so vibration-free that you can even balance a coin upright on the window ledge. It’s not just a transfer - it’s a chance to relax in quiet comfort while the scenery of the countryside unfolds like a fast-forwarded movie outside your window.

You’ll arrive in Xi'an in 5 hours. Upon disembarking, your Xi'an tour guide and the driver will greet you at the railway station and escort you to the pre-booked hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Xi'an (5 stars)

After breakfast, your guide and the driver will escort you to the Terracotta Army Museum to see the underground legion from over 2,200 years ago. Standing beside the excavation pits, you’ll see more than 8,000 clay soldiers and horses arranged in precise battle formations, as if ready to charge at any moment. You might assume these figures are identical copies, yet each one is uniquely crafted with distinct facial features and even specific military roles. To tell an ordinary soldier from a commanding officer, look closely at their clothing, headwear, and shoes. Typically, common soldiers wear no caps, while generals don a flat, rectangular headdress. Additionally, the toes of an officer’s shoes curve upward, and the higher the curve, the higher his rank.

Enjoy a local flavor lunch we’ve arranged for you, and then your guide will introduce the home of the first discoverer of the Terracotta Army to you, where the former U.S. President Bill Clinton also visited. Here, you can see the original hoe and handcart used during the initial excavation, as well as a replica of the very first warrior unearthed.

★ Make Your Own Terracotta Figurine

Then, we will visit a craft workshop where you can create your own miniature terracotta warrior under the guidance of a local artisan. You can choose between a lifelike or a "chibi-style" warrior, or even opt for other historical figures, such as a Tang Dynasty court lady. Once shaped, engrave your name on the base, making it a one-of-a-kind souvenir of Xi'an.

Next, let’s return to the city center to visit Xi'an’s most prominent Buddhist landmark: the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.

★ Special Treat: Dumpling Dinner & Dynastic Dance Show

A grand evening banquet awaits you! Your guide will invite you into a theater-restaurant evoking the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty over a millennium ago. You’ll enjoy a traditional Xi'an dumpling feast accompanied by an elegant Tang Dynasty music and dance performance. Dressed in period costumes and playing ancient instruments, the performers will reenact the legendary rise of Wu Zetian (624-705 AD), from a humble palace maid to China’s only female emperor.

After the banquet, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dumpling dinner
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Xi'an (5 stars)

Your guide and the driver will accompany you to start the last morning in Xi'an at the City Wall Park, where the locals gather for their morning exercises. You’ll encounter people jogging along the moat and singing the local opera. Here, we’ll arrange a short lesson with a master instructor for you to experience traditional Chinese shadowboxing firsthand. Afterwards, we’ll ascend the historic City Wall to take in a panoramic view of the city.

At midday, dive into the Muslim Quarter, one of Xi'an’s most vibrant food streets. We’ve arranged for a time-honored restaurant here to host an authentic a la carte lunch, for you to taste an array of local flavors, such as Chinese Hamburger, Cold Noodles, Honey Sticky Rice Cake, and Sour Plum Drink.

After lunch, your guide and the driver will escort you to the airport for your flight to Zhangjiajie. Upon landing, your Zhangjiajie guide and the driver will meet you and provide a direct transfer to the hotel we reserved for you.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte local food lunch 
Accommodation: Howard Johnson Neodalle Resort Zhangjiajie (5 stars)

This morning, your guide and driver will take you to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, where a surreal landscape of towering stone pillars and peaks awaits. Gazing up at these colossal formations from below may feel overwhelming, but don’t worry, we will make full use of the park’s facilities, including cable cars, elevators, and shuttle buses, to ensure a comfortable and relaxed visit.

Upon entering the park, let’s board the Bailong Elevator. Certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s tallest outdoor lift, it ascends the equivalent of 107 stories in under two minutes, offering a thrilling ride above the stone pillars and a striking example of human ingenuity amid natural grandeur. Getting out of the cab, you’ll enter the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area. Surrounded by soaring rock pillars, you may feel as though you’ve stepped into the world of Pandora from the movie “Avatar”. See if you can spot the real‑life “Hallelujah Mountain” that inspired the movie’s floating peaks.

Next, join your guide to ride a park shuttle to Yangjiajie Scenic Area. Here, instead of isolated pillars, you’ll see rows of parallel stone walls rising like a Natural Great Wall carved by wind and water across the valley.

Another short shuttle ride will take you to Tianzi Mountain, boasting a vast forest of over 3,000 quartz‑sandstone pillars. Some rise like swords into the sky, while others stand in rows like soldiers. When mist fills the valleys, the shifting shadows of the pillars create an ethereal, almost mystical atmosphere. Finally, a scenic cable car will facilitate your descent from the mountain, after which your guide and the driver will convoy you back to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Howard Johnson Neodalle Resort Zhangjiajie (5 stars)

This morning, your guide and the driver will escort you to the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon to experience the thrilling Glass Bridge. Recognized as a marvel of modern bridge engineering, the structure seems to float among the clouds like a silken ribbon suspended between the precipitous cliffs. When you look down through the transparent panels over 300 meters (984 feet) above the canyon floor, you may feel a rush of vertigo.

In the afternoon, we’ll enter the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park again for a scenic hike along the Golden Whip Stream. Along the way, a rock formation shaped like a whip may catch your eyes, which gives the stream its name. According to local legend, it was once an emperor’s magical whip that could move mountains. A river crayfish tried to steal it and, upon being caught, threw the whip aside, where it turned into stone. Besides, you’ll encounter many other whimsical rock shapes, some resembling a tipsy monk, others an embracing couple - truly a test to your imagination. 

After today’s itinerary, your guide and driver will return you to the hotel before dusk.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Howard Johnson Neodalle Resort Zhangjiajie (5 stars)

Today, your guide and driver will accompany you to Tianmen Mountain, the final destination of your 9 days China group tour. The included round-trip cableway will help you explore the mountain’s majesty with ease. Partway up the mountain, you’ll see the magnificent natural stone arch known as Heaven’s Gate, which is believed to be a passage between the earthly and celestial realms. Local tradition holds that deities descend through this opening to visit the human world every year, which is why many visitors light incense and make wishes here.

Ride the superlong transmountain escalator to the summit and take the chance to experience the Glass Skywalk. With the vertical rock face on one side and a sheer drop of hundreds of meters on the other, walking along the transparent path gives you the thrilling sensation of treading above the clouds.

After the visit, your guide and the driver will convoy you to Zhangjiajie International Airport or the high-speed train station, marking the conclusion of your journey here. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

► FYI: For your onward travel, we recommend booking flights or trains departing after 19:00. Zhangjiajie Airport offers direct flights to major domestic hubs such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, as well as to several Asian cities, including Seoul, Osaka, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok. Alternatively, high‑speed rail services are available to destinations such as Shanghai and Hong Kong, which allows you to plan your itinerary flexibly. Should you plan to leave the next day, contact us to arrange extra hotel accommodation at additional charge.