Xi'an Mini Group Half Day Tour, No Shopping

This morning, your English-speaking tour guide and the driver will meet you at your hotel lobby at the pre-agreed time. The guide will inform you the exact pick-up time the day before. We are at your service all the time through telephone, WeChat, or email.

After gathering the group members, we’ll set off on a 1-hour drive to the Terracotta Army Museum, through expressway and without any stopovers for tourist shops, as we value your time as much as you do. Your expert guide will provide you with necessary pre-knowledge about the Terracotta Army, a World Heritage Site that showcases the underground army established by Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor, 2,200 years ago to protect his afterlife.

We will reserve the tickets for you in advance to ensure a quick entry and avoid the hassle of queuing up at the ticket counter. Accompanied by the guide, you would enjoy 2.5 to 3 hours delving into the museum, including three main excavated pits and the newly-opened exhibition.

Standing in front of the most spectacular and largest Pit No. 1, over 6,000 life-sized terracotta figures lined up in formation seem to instantly transport you back to a battlefield of the Qin Dynasty (221 - 207 BC). Each of them is still vivid with a distinct appearance, with even the hair and armor lines clearly visible, which makes the Terracotta Army worthy of the title of ‘the Eighth Wonder of the World’. Pit No. 2, regarded as the essence of the three pits, will present you with more complete branches of the military, such as crossbowman phalanx, as well as the mixed formation of infantries, cavalries, and chariots. Besides, some of the bronze weapons unearthed here remain as sharp as new to this day, and the corrosion-resistant technology applied on them is said to be far superior to that of the same era. The scene of the warriors holding sacrificed weapons and horses surrounding the chariots in the Pit. No. 3, which has been speculated by archaeologists to be the commanding center, will inspire your boundless imagination.

What’s more, follow your guide into the new exhibition hall, where 230 treasures that have never been publicly displayed will leave you speechless in amazement. Among them, a headless armored figurine with striking purple arms may particularly catch your attention. The ‘Chinese Purple’ was an artificially synthesized pigment that is very difficult to extract even today and it is said that it might have been accidentally made by Qin craftsmen while firing colored glaze, which undoubtedly indicates the advanced craftsmanship and aesthetic sense at that time.

Lunch is not included, but you'll have some options just outside the museum, and your guide will be pleased to offer suggestions and assistance. Fast food chains and local eateries here offer adequate and hygienic food, which costs around USD 7 per person. Alternatively, you can bring some snacks to replenish energy, and then enjoy a more substantial meal when returning to the downtown area.

In about an hour, we’ll reach the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda area in downtown Xi’an, and here your Xi’an Terracotta Warriors half day tour comes to an end. We highly recommend you explore this vibrant neighborhood on your own, because the nearby ancient pagoda and Great Ci’en Temple, the music fountain on its North Square, and the Great Tang All Day Mall to the south are among the most lively areas in Xi’an. If you want to return to your hotel directly, the guide will show you the nearest subway station and offer the most convenient transportation options. We appreciate your time traveling with us!

► Additional Services (Quotation upon Request):
1. Need an airport or railway station transfer for a quick Terracotta Warriors tour? Feel free to contact us for an efficient, seamless private car service.
2. Want to cover all the highlights of Xi'an in a single day? Consider our full day mini group tour, which extends from the Terracotta Army Museum to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, City Wall, and Muslim Quarter.

► Recommended Activities around Giant Wild Goose Pagoda (at your own expense):
Want to stay longer to explore on your own? You are advised to fill your stomach first! Go to the century-old brand Shi Yulin Cold Noodles or Ziwu Road Mr. Zhang Chinese Hamburger to try Xian’s most classic Sanqin Set Meal, which consists of a bowl of Cold Noodles, a Chinese Hamburger, and a bottle of local Ice Peak soda water, allowing you to taste multiple local specialties at once for about USD 3 per person. Then step into one of the many studios here to rent a set of Hanfu suit of Tang Dynasty (618 -907 AD), and stroll around the nearby Great Tang All Day Mall, a pedestrian street with a strong historical atmosphere, to experience ancient life like most visitors do. After it gets dark, also watch free cultural performances on the street. You might even see a girl in an elegant Tang costume dancing on the base of a tumbler toy.