Budget Travel to Highlight Cities

Welcome to Beijing! Once you arrive at the Capital International Airport (PEK), move to the hotel we have carefully selected for you by yourself.

► Transportation to the Hotel for Your Reference
Take the Capital Airport Express to Dongzhimen Station, transfer to Line 2 to Qianmen Station, and then transfer to Line 8 to Tianqiao Station. Get out of exit D here and walk for about 15 minutes, and you'll reach the hotel. It takes about 1.5 hours and costs CNY 29 (USD 4). Or you can use the Didi applet or AMap online to hail a car directly from the airport to the hotel, which also takes about 1.5 hours but costs CNY 150 - 200 (USD 21 - 28). 

► Free Time Suggestion:
The remaining time will be at your disposal. Let yourself rejuvenate at the hotel for a while, and then take the metro Line 8 from Tianqiao Station for 5 stops to Jingshan Park, located on the traditional central axis of Beijing, to savor both the quaint charm of pavilions scattered on the mountain and the surrounding natural beauty. The full view of the luxurious palaces in the world-famous Forbidden City and even the whole Beijing city will stun you a lot when you stand on the hilltop at sunset. Later, find a well-rated restaurant near the park to taste the local delicacy, Peking Roast Duck, for CNY 100 - 200 (USD 14 -28) per person. The tender meat, along with shredded cucumber and scallions, is rolled in a thin pancake covered with sweet bean sauce, leaving your mouth watering.  

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express Beijing Temple of Heaven (3 stars)

This morning, meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby at around 7:00 to 8:00 am, and then begin your fulfilling Beijing day tour in our mini group of about 12 fellow members. Rest assured that the guide will contact you the day before to confirm with you the exact pick-up time.

► Warm Tip: At today’s scenic spots, you’ll have to walk a lot without any cover, so it is suggested that you wear your most comfortable sneakers, as well as a sunhat and sunglasses. 

Riding in our comfortable vehicle, you’ll first arrive at Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing. Take a stroll on this large square where the country holds its grand gatherings, and appreciate landmark buildings like Tiananmen Tower and the Monument to the People’s Heroes, accompanied by the guide’s commentaries. 

After that, let’s head to the UNESCO-honored Forbidden City, the world’s largest wooden palace complex that has survived intact for over 600 years. Entering the Meridian Gate, you’ll behold countless resplendent red-walled and golden-tiled halls and peek into the lives of 24 emperors and other royal family members from 1420 to 1911 AD. In the most important Hall of Supreme Harmony, once a crucial venue for emperors' enthronement and celebrations, pay special attention to that extraordinary chair right in the middle. As the emperor's exclusive throne, it not only features countless lifelike golden dragons carved on it, symbolizing the supreme imperial power, but is also said to have ingeniously installed mechanisms beneath it to subdue those who, once seated, attempt to usurp the throne.► Note: 
1. To get through the entrances of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City as quickly as possible, you are advised to carry only your passport and bottled water to go through the no-bag passage instead of queuing up with your bag for the strict security check.
2. The ticket to the Forbidden City needs to be reserved with your real name 7 days in advance, so please book this tour at least 8 days before.  

Next, enjoy a 1.5-hour drive to the Mutianyu Great Wall. Winding along a mountain ridge, it is the longest section of its kind in Beijing, with a total of 22 distinctive watchtowers. While hiking on it, marvel at the iconic Zhengguan Terrace, composed of three connected towers. Its interior is not only spacious enough for stationing soldiers and stockpiling supplies, but also equipped with many lookout windows for soldiers to expose the invading enemies to the ‘rain of arrows’ in ancient times. Apart from hiking, you can also take a cable car, chairlift, or toboggan up and down the Great Wall, each of which costs CNY 100 (USD 14) for a single trip and CNY 140 (USD 20) for a round trip. You can decide on the spot whether to buy the ticket at your own expense, and the guide will be glad to assist you if needed.

At the end of the day, we’ll drive to downtown to the Shichahai Area, where there are the Tobacco Pipe Lane rich in traditional Hutong culture and the vibrant Houhai Bar Street. Wandering through the Hutong alleys to glimpse into old quadrangle courtyards, and then going for a drink in a music bar after dark will surely make your journey unforgettable. If you are interested, you can get off here to explore the nightlife by yourself and finally take a taxi back to your hotel. If not, the guide could directly escort you back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express Beijing Temple of Heaven (3 stars)

Another one-day mini group Beijing tour beckons to you today. After picking you up at your hotel at the pre-agreed time this morning, your guide will accompany you to visit the Temple of Heaven, once the exclusive royal sacrificial site 600 years ago. With your guide, take in the landmark building, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, whose sapphire blue triple-eaved roof gleams in the sun. What will amaze you most is that there is not a single nail in the entire erection, which can be regarded as an elegant ‘Lego game’ played by ancient craftsmen with mortise and tenon structures. Also, standing on the Heaven Heat Stone at the center of the Circular Mound Altar and speaking softly, you’ll hear echoes from all directions, which will make you admire the wisdom of the ancients’ perfect use of acoustic reflection.
► Note: When the main historical sites of the Temple of Heaven are closed on Mondays, we’ll arrange for you to visit scenic and old Beihai Park instead.

Afterward, move to the classical Hutong area for a fantastic rickshaw tour through a labyrinth of alleys. Peek into the authentic life of old Beijingers while listening to the carters telling the origin and development of the Hutong alleys in simple English words.  Continue your trip to Lama Temple, also known as Yonghe Lamasery, which is the largest existing Tibetan Buddhism shrine in Beijing. Step into Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses, and you’ll be shocked by the 18-meter-high (59-feet-high) giant Maitreya Buddha statue, which was carved from a single piece of sandalwood from Nepal. Walk along the glided copper-titled prayer corridor and get a glimpse of lamas reciting scriptures devoutly.

The last stop of today will be the picturesque Summer Palace, which was a 60th birthday gift given by an emperor to his mother in 1750 AD. The Longevity Hill, as the core mountain dotted with splendid pavilions and halls, is the best place to overlook the whole garden’s scenery. The three-story wooden Tower of Buddhist Incense, built halfway up the mountain, with its upturned eaves and corners, exudes an air of imperial grandeur. After climbing up to the top, you’ll see that the Seventeen-Arched Bridge in the distance spans the rippling Kunming Lake like a jade belt. Moreover, take your time to appreciate the Long Corridor, the world’s longest-covered walkway with over 14,000 paintings depicting flowers, birds, characters, and stories from classical masterpieces on its beams and lintels. After the visit, the guide will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express Beijing Temple of Heaven (3 stars)

In the morning, travel to Beijing West Railway Station on your own to take the high-speed train for around 4 hours to Xi’an with your passport. You can take a taxi to the station, which takes about 30 minutes and costs CNY 30 - 50 (USD 4 - 7). Please remember to arrive about 1 hour earlier than the time on the ticket we have booked for you in advance to avoid missing the train.

Upon your arrival at Xi’an North Railway Station, please manage your own way to the hotel we booked for you. It is more convenient to take the metro Line 2 for 9 stops to Beidajie Station, then get out from Exit C and walk a few steps to reach the hotel. About 30 minutes and CNY 4 (USD 0.6) are required for the whole ride. You can also hail a taxi or an online vehicle, taking approximately 40 minutes and costing CNY 40 - 50 (USD 5 - 7).

► Free Time Suggestion:
For the rest of the day, you can either relax at the hotel or go out for fun by yourself around the six-century-old Bell Tower, one of Xi’an’s most representative sights. When the night falls, it becomes more magnificent and brilliant under the embellishment of the lights. Find a fine angle where there are many people holding cameras to capture your own memories. Then head to the nearby Muslim Quarter, the liveliest food area, and try the local specialties, such as the Chinese hamburgers, belt-wide Biang Biang Noodles, and Crumbled Bread in Beef Stew. The average cost per person here is CNY 15 - 30 (USD 2 - 4).

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Days Inn City Centre Xi'an (3 stars)

At around 8:00, your Xi’an guide and driver will greet you at the hotel lobby, and then convoy you and your fellow members in a mini group for about 1 hour to the Terracotta Army Museum, the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang (259 - 210 BC), the first emperor in Chinese history. We appreciate your understanding that the pick-up time may be advanced by 0.5 to 1 hour during crowded statutory holidays such as May Day (May 1st - 5th) and National Day (Oct. 1st - 7th).

After entry, visit the three main pits to feast your eyes on over 8,000 life-sized terracotta warriors, horses, and chariots. In this underground army, which was accidentally discovered in 1974 when local villagers were digging wells, you’ll spot diverse arms of services, including cavalry, infantry, general, standing or kneeling archers, well-arranged in various types of battle formations, presenting you with the excellent military wisdom of ancient China. Interestingly, these pottery statues were originally painted in bright colors, featuring eye-catching red shoulder straps, purple tops, and blue bottoms, which can rival the currently popular "dopamine outfit". However, due to oxidation and the limitations of excavation techniques, the color mostly peels off after being unearthed, which has also become a great regret in the archaeological community. We won’t let you miss the Exhibition Hall either, where 230 never-before-seen treasures are on display, such as a green-faced figurine head, bronze waterfowls, and golden camels, and the guide will give you wonderful explanations.Our next stop today is the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, which is both a witness to the heyday of China in the sixth century and a carrier of Buddhist translation. Its birth is closely related to the legendary experience of a Chinese eminent monk, Xuanzang, one of the protagonists in the globally acclaimed novel Journey to the West. He made a pilgrimage for 17 years and brought 657 Buddhist scriptures back here from India. Pose for a photo in front of this internet-popular landmark and post it on your Instagram, and you’ll be sure to get a ton of likes.

Then follow your guide to ascend the City Wall, a military fortification that guarded the imperial city 600 years ago. According to experts’ calculations, it is paved by more than 26 million pieces of grey-green bricks, showing just how massive the construction project was. Stroll up and enjoy the unique coexistence of ancient buildings and modern skyscrapers of Xi’an. You can also tour by bike on the City Wall, without the roar of cars or the disturbance of traffic lights, and the guide will be willing to help you with rental at your own expense if you like.

When we drive past the Muslim Quarter, guests who would like to have dinner and wander around on their own can get off here and finally get back to the hotel by themselves, while others will be escorted back to the hotel to end today’s adventure.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Days Inn City Centre Xi'an (3 stars)

After breakfast, take metro Line 2 again by yourself from Beidajie Station to Xi’an North Railway Station, and then board a 3.5-hour high-speed train to the next city, Chengdu, with the train tickets provided by us. After arriving at Chengdu East Railway Station, please manage your own way to the hotel we booked for you: spend a total of CNY 5 (USD 0.7) taking metro Line 2 to Chunxi Road Station, transferring to Line 3 to Hongpailou Station, and walking out from Exit B to get to the hotel. A taxi takes about 40 minutes, the same as the subway, and costs CNY 40 - 50 (USD 5 - 7).

► Free Time Suggestion:
If you are looking for something to kill time after checking in at the hotel, why not take a 10-minute taxi ride to explore Wuhou Memorial Temple? Built around the 4th century AD, it is the only temple in China where a monarch and his subjects are enshrined together. Here, enjoy the garden aesthetics of the winding vermillion walls and towering bamboos that complement each other, and delve into the historical depth of the hall featuring imperial statues, long corridors lined with martial statues, and stone inscriptions. The entrance ticket is CNY 50 (USD 7). Coming out of it, you can proceed to the adjacent Jinli Ancient Street to taste spicy local snacks, such as Wonton in Chili Oil and Dan Dan Noodles, for CNY 15 - 30 (USD 2 - 4). Stay here until evening, as the lanterns will be lit up then, creating a more atmospheric environment.
 
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express Chengdu Wuhou (3 stars)

Start today with a date with China’s national treasure, the black-and-white giant pandas. Your local guide and driver will punctually show up at the hotel lobby in the morning, and then escort you on a 30-minute drive to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which has the world's largest population of captive pandas. The morning is the golden time for you to observe these cute creatures feeding and frolicking. In the nature-like environment, you’ll see some of them lying sprawled on the grass basking in the sun, some climbing trees at a slow pace, and some burying their faces in the bamboo piles and chewing intently, as if the whole world has nothing to do with them. It is also surprising to know that more than 60 pandas bred by the base have been living in overseas countries like the United States, Japan, Germany, and Singapore, as ambassadors of friendship.

In the afternoon, let’s go for a side trip out Chengdu to see the Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest stone-carved sitting Buddha in the world, which was built in 713 AD and took 90 years to complete. Accompanied by your guide, you can not only pay homage to the full-frontal view of the Buddha from the best observation deck, but also get to its foot that can accommodate hundreds of people at a time to admire its unparalleled sublimity up close. Additionally, you can pretend to embrace the Buddha’s foot to take a funny photo, echoing the common Chinese saying of ‘cram at the eleventh hour’. Finally, the guide will escort you back to your hotel in downtown Chengdu.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express Chengdu Wuhou (3 stars)

This morning, please take a taxi or metro by yourself to the railway station for a high-speed train to Guilin, with the train tickets provided by us. After about 6 hours, you’ll arrive at Guilin West Railway Station, where you are advised to take a taxi by yourself for CNY 30 - 40 (USD 4 - 5) to reach the hotel in around 30 minutes to check in.

► Free Time Suggestion:
After settling down, if you’re still energetic, walk about 10 minutes from the hotel to visit Elephant Trunk Hill, the city emblem of Guilin, named for its resemblance to an elephant drenching its nose for a drink. From its top, you’ll have a fascinating panorama of the city and the picture-postcard Li River. As dusk falls, take a night cruise at Elephant Hill Yuren Dock at a ticket price of CNY 210 (USD 30) to behold the captivating scenery of Two Rivers and Four Lakes. During the 70-minute journey, prepare to be awed by the Sun and Moon Pagodas illuminated with golden and silver lights, witness 14 distinct bridges designed based on famous bridges from around the world, and watch folk shows like ospreys fishing and Yao ethnic dances.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express Guilin City Center (3 stars)

An exciting cruise down the Li River to Yangshuo County in the company of an expert private guide is followed by a warm greeting at the hotel. This 83-kilometer-long (52-mile-long) waterway is definitely the essence of Guilin’s landscape. Among myriad dazzling sights along the way, the Yellow Cloth Shoal is particularly worth mentioning, which is honorably printed on the back of the RMB 20 note. The water, when the sun is just right, is like a huge green glass, clearly reflecting the verdant mountains and even the weeds in the cracks of the rocks on both banks. From time to time, there will also be a few bamboo rafts drifting by, with punters singing folk songs that rise and fall in pitch. Lunch today will be served on the cruise ship, and the fee is already included in our price.

After getting ashore, let’s embark on a pleasant cycling tour in the countryside, passing through farmlands and peak forests, and feel the most genuine breath here. There are both asphalt roads and winding country paths, catering to all of your own cycling pace and yearning for beautiful scenery. In the distance, the karst mountains stretch and undulate, while nearby, the wind rustles through the rice fields and the stream babble, allowing you to fully enjoy tranquility and comfort. If cycling is not your cup of tea, you can also tour in our air-conditioned car. At last, we’ll escort you back to the hotel in Guilin. Have a good rest!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express Guilin City Center (3 stars)

If your departing flight is in the late afternoon or evening, you can use the morning time to explore Guilin by yourself. The East and West Street, a 10-minute walk from your hotel, is recommended for a leisurely city walk. This oldest historical and cultural block in Guilin not only boasts the ruins of city walls and royal mansions, but is also the cradle of many time-honored brands. If you like, sample a bowl of local authentic sour and spicy rice noodles for CNY 15 - 25 (USD 2 -3.5) in an eatery hidden deep down the street.

By now, your budget China tours from Frankfurt Germany come to an end. Note to pack all your luggage and check out of the hotel by 12:00, and get yourself a taxi to the train station or airport for your onward or homebound journey. Have more vacation time to extend your trip to other popular cities in China, such as Shanghai, Chongqing, and Zhangjiajie? Welcome to contact our travel consultant at any time for your customized itinerary.

► For Your Information: 
If you are going back to Frankfurt, it is recommended that you first take a high-speed train for 2.5 hours to Guangzhou or 3.5 hours to Hong Kong, as there are no direct international flights from Guilin. In Guangzhou, you can consider the flight CZ331 (00:05/06:10, 12h5min), while in Hong Kong, the flight LH797 (23:25/06:55, 13h30min) or CX289 (23:55/07:15, 13h2min) can be your options. If you need booking services for high-speed train tickets and hotels in these two Chinese cities, we would be more than happy to assist you.

Meals: Breakfast