China Golden Triangle Tour
S-101: 8 Days Private Tour of Beijing - Xi'an - Shanghai
Tour Type: Private Tour, any parts of the itinerary can be customized
Guide & Driver: English-speaking guide, experienced driver with an air-conditioned vehicle
Tour Highlights:
- Must-see sights in China - Mutianyu Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Army
- Take a rickshaw through the Hutongs & get a close touch with the original Beijing lifestyle
- Experience the Bund, classical garden, modern and old in contrast in Shanghai
- Enjoy a la carte meals & taste authentic Chinese cuisines at superb restaurants
From $1309 per person Free Inquiry
- Itinerary
- Tour Prices
- Price Includes
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Day 1 Arrival in Beijing
Airport pick-up & airport-hotel transfer.
Your flight will touch down in our capital city today. Our local professional guide and experienced driver will expect you at the airport after your baggage reclaim and customs clearance, and then escort you to check in at the hotel. Relax during the rest time of the day to recover from the jet leg and prepare for your 8 days Golden Triangle China tour.
Meals: No meals, advice freely available
Meals: No meals, advice freely available
Day 2 Beijing
Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, A la carte welcome lunch, Temple of Heaven. (B+L)
Mutianyu Great Wall
Your private journey will start from the magnificent Tiananmen Square. Then continue to the Forbidden City. The imperial palace complex is divided into two parts, the Inner Court and the Outer Court. The Inner Court was the living space for royal families, and the Outer Court served as a workplace for emperor to cope with political affairs.
After visiting the imperial palace, you will enjoy an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at one of the best restaurants in the city.
In the afternoon, you will visit the Temple of Heaven.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch
After visiting the imperial palace, you will enjoy an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at one of the best restaurants in the city.
In the afternoon, you will visit the Temple of Heaven.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch
Day 3 Beijing
Mutianyu Great Wall with a round-trip cable car, Olympic Bird's Nest. (B)
Our consultant Flora with her clients
The highlight of your 8 days China tour package will come today as you climb the amazing Great Wall at Mutianyu section, including the round-trip cable car. The Great Wall is a priceless heritage left by the Chinese ancestry. Just when you stand on the Wall and see its grandness, you will find it is no wonder that Great Wall has the vigor to surprise the whole world.
Lunch is not included. Our guide will be pleased to offer you some suggestions.
On the way back to the downtown area, while passing by the Bird's Nest, also called the Olympic National Stadium, we will make a brief stop for you to take some pictures of the huge nest. Today's last stop is a featured local market.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Friendly Tips
This tour includes the round-way cable car fees at Mutianyu Great Wall. However, if you are interested in taking the chairlift up and toboggan down the wall, we can also arrange that for you.
Lunch is not included. Our guide will be pleased to offer you some suggestions.
On the way back to the downtown area, while passing by the Bird's Nest, also called the Olympic National Stadium, we will make a brief stop for you to take some pictures of the huge nest. Today's last stop is a featured local market.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Friendly TipsThis tour includes the round-way cable car fees at Mutianyu Great Wall. However, if you are interested in taking the chairlift up and toboggan down the wall, we can also arrange that for you.
Day 4 Beijing - Xi'an
Summer Palace with boat ride on Kunming Lake, Hutong Rickshaw Tour, A 4.5-hour high speed train to Xi'an, Train station to hotel transfer. (B)
Terracotta Army, Xi'an
Photo by our client Mr. Gary Vandiver
Photo by our client Mr. Gary Vandiver
This morning, you will first visit the Summer Palace. Mainly composed of Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, it is the largest and best preserved imperial garden of the country. It is a monument to classical Chinese architecture in terms of both garden design and construction. You will also have chance to enjoy the beautiful sceneries by boat along the Kunming Lake. Then have a traditional Hutong rickshaw tour. In the afternoon, you will take a high speed train to Xi'an. Our local guide will meet you at Xi'an North Railway Station and take you to check in at the hotel.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Day 5 Xi'an
Terracotta Army, Provincial History Museum, Xi'an City Wall. (B)
Rural people celebrating the traditional festival
The whole morning will be spent to visit the Terracotta Army. You will be astonished by the life-size unearthed terracotta warriors and horses more than 2200 years ago. Over 8,000 terracotta soldiers were excavated with orderly array and grandeur. They vary in height, posture and expression.
Lunch is arranged on your own. You may ask for some advice from your guide.
In the afternoon, proceed to the Provincial History Museum. The museum has been a crucial window to show excellent culture of this ancient city and our nation, as well as a connecting bridge for cultural exchange with outside world. Then go to the time-honored City Wall. It is a top wonder of the city, initiated by the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty in the shape of a rectangle.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Lunch is arranged on your own. You may ask for some advice from your guide.
In the afternoon, proceed to the Provincial History Museum. The museum has been a crucial window to show excellent culture of this ancient city and our nation, as well as a connecting bridge for cultural exchange with outside world. Then go to the time-honored City Wall. It is a top wonder of the city, initiated by the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty in the shape of a rectangle.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Day 6 Xi'an - Shanghai
Small Wild Goose Pagoda and Xi'an Museum, A local family visit and an authentic home-cooked lunch, Fly to Shanghai, Airport-hotel transfer. (B+L)
Our clients riding bicycles on the City Wall
This morning you will visit the Xian Museum and the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, which was built for keeping the Buddhist scriptures and Buddha figures brought back from India by eminent monk Yijing during the Tang Dynasty.
Then you will have a Chinese local family visit. Not only can you visit the local people's home, but also the hosts will invite you to have an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price) at their home. What a fantastic experience! The hosts will also be glad to teach you to make dumplings or to cook your favorite Chinese dish.
Afterwards, you will take a flight to Shanghai. Our local guide will greet you at the airport and take you to check in at the hotel.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Home-cooked a la carte lunch
Then you will have a Chinese local family visit. Not only can you visit the local people's home, but also the hosts will invite you to have an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price) at their home. What a fantastic experience! The hosts will also be glad to teach you to make dumplings or to cook your favorite Chinese dish.
Afterwards, you will take a flight to Shanghai. Our local guide will greet you at the airport and take you to check in at the hotel.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Home-cooked a la carte lunch
Day 7 Shanghai
Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden, A la carte farewell lunch, the Bund and Huangpu River cruise, a cultural street. (B+L)
Pudong New Area
In the morning, our guide will escort you to see Shanghai Museum and the classical Yu Garden. As a distinguished museum of Chinese art, Shanghai Museum is also one of the four famous museums in China, holding rich and high-quality collection of ancient precious works of art. Once you enter the Yuyuan Garden, a beautiful scene delights you wherever you go; you feel that all beautiful scenes are grouped together by nature.
At noon, an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) of the true Shanghai and Cantonese cuisines at a fancy and famous local restaurant will be specially served for you today.
After lunch, you will take a Huangpu River cruise to appreciate the two representative profiles of the city along two sides of the river. It helps you understand the past, see the present and look into the future of this modern city. Then you will explore the Bund area. Free time will be given you there so that you can take some nice photos. The last stop of your China Golden Triangle tour is an old street, where is full of sense of culture and arts.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch
At noon, an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) of the true Shanghai and Cantonese cuisines at a fancy and famous local restaurant will be specially served for you today.
After lunch, you will take a Huangpu River cruise to appreciate the two representative profiles of the city along two sides of the river. It helps you understand the past, see the present and look into the future of this modern city. Then you will explore the Bund area. Free time will be given you there so that you can take some nice photos. The last stop of your China Golden Triangle tour is an old street, where is full of sense of culture and arts.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch
Day 8 Departure from Shanghai
Hotel-airport transfer & see you off, A pleasant trip home! (B)
According to your international flight schedule, your private guide will pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to the airport on time. We wish you have a pleasant journey home and thank you for choosing our 8-day China guided tours.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Meals: Western buffet breakfast
B-- Breakfast L-- Lunch D-- Dinner
| Destinations | Standard Hotels | Economy Hotels |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | Pentahotel Beijing  | Days Inn Forbidden City Hotel |
| Xi'an | Holiday Inn Xi'an Big Goose Pagoda | Days Inn City Centre Xi'an |
| Shanghai | Ocean Hotel Shanghai | Golden River-view Hotel |
Earlier Booking, Bigger Savings
12% off - book 2020 tours by Dec 31, 2019; 5% off - book 2019 tours 30 days in advance
| Tour Prices with Standard Hotels | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2-3 travelers | 4-5 travelers | 6-9 travelers |
| $1569 $1380 | $1399 $1231 | $1199 $1055 |
| Tour Prices with Economy Hotels | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2-3 travelers | 4-5 travelers | 6-9 travelers |
| $1469 $1292 | $1309 $1151 | $1109 $975 |
- Prices are per person in US Dollars based on double occupancy.
- The prices in red reflect 12% discount.
- Any parts of the itinerary e.g. tour length, activities & hotels can be tailored to your individual interests.
Price Includes
- Domestic airfares & train fares
- Hotel accommodation with breakfasts
- A la carte lunches as itinerary specifies
- Private English-speaking guides
- Private drivers & air-conditioned vehicles
- Entrance fees to tourist sites
Price Excludes
- International airfares
- Entry Visa fees
- Personal expenses
- Tips or gratuities for guides and drivers
Why Travel With Us
Other levels available for this itinerary:
8 Days Budget Beijing - Xi'an - Shanghai from $669
I sent a request with what cities and dates arriving and departing and Wendy (travel Planner) did all the rest. She came up with an itinerary that we were happy with, it took some emails back and forth for clarification but replies were very timely. This was a private tour arrangement for 2 first timers to China.
Each city had it's own local guide (Shanghai guide Ocean; Xi'an guide Celine; Beijing guide Mathew) and special shout out to the drivers that navigated the chaotic traffic(!), they all made the experience enjoyable especially hearing from locals that live in the city. All the attractions that we visited were spot on and met expectations.
Hotels were very conveniently located and the accommodations and breakfasts were all great. Metro system is very easy to use and inexpensive. Local cuisine was inexpensive and tasted delicious too!
I can't wait to arrange the next trip to see more China destinations! ... More
Overall we were very satisfied with your service and will not hesitate to use it again (if we are in china). ... More
Thank you to everyone who made our first journey to China so memorable.
A little apprehensive about a change from group to individual tour we arrived in Beijing to be met by Tina, our guide, who gave us such a warm welcome that our fears were allayed. It turned out to be the best decision, having our own guide and driver allowed more flexibility in the itinerary and we were able to talk about many differences in our cultures whilst travelling from site to site as well as being given knowledgeable tours of the various attractions we visited. Our guides in Xian, Susan and Shanghai, Carole, were equally as charming and courteous to our every need.
The sightseeing seemed relentless and the pace fast but there was so much to see and we were loathe to miss anything. Still it would have been nice to “potter” or to sit in the quiet solitude of the gardens of the Great Mosque, perhaps next time!
The Great Wall was Tim's outright winner he loved the immensity of the engineering feat although I doubt he would have liked to have built it. For me, I loved the parks and gardens where the Chinese congregate to exercise, play music, sing and play games. We were invited to have a go at a "bat and ball" exercise with a couple in the Temple of Heaven park. It looked so easy but it wasn't.
For pure spectacle the Terracotta Warriors were stunning and the work involved in the restoration awesome. We met the farmer who was one of the original people to find the first fragments of pottery. Is that not history in the making!
We watched the actors perform Chinese Kung Fu in Beijing, before sitting at very good seats in the theatre and sharing "birthday cake" with a couple from Sweden. In Xian we saw the Tang Dynasty Show and imagine our surprise at being taken to see the Shanghai Acrobatic Show which was not listed on our itinerary. Whilst this was a stunningly skillful performance which made you hold your breath my favourite was the Tang Dynasty Show, the colors, the dance, the music, the way the silk of the costumes moved like liquid, quite spectacular.
Tang Dynasty Show - what a cape!
Our hotels in Beijing and Xian were lovely with comfortable rooms, good service and excellent food. We felt the hotel in Shanghai let the tour down, it was being refurbished and whilst the room was comfortable the service and breakfast was disappointing and the view from the window, well there wasn't one. I would advise an upgrade to a better hotel if possible. However we made up for this disappointment by have the most amazing massage at the Hotels massage parlour. I went for the foot massage, much needed after all that walking.
Following the quality of service from you when make the booking we should have known that the Company's commitment to quality would continue throughout our journey in China. And so it did. ... More
Meals: Apart from one, all the meals we had during our stay in China were excellent and would recommend any of them. One in particular that we thought was exceptional would be the evening buffet dinner in the hotel on our arrival in Beijing - superb.
Guides: Our guide in Xian had a good knowledge of the places visited and her spoken English was very good but we felt that outside of the places we visited she was not forthcoming with any information and we had to ask all the time if we wanted to know anything. The visit to the City Wall programmed for Wednesday, was changed with the visit to the Provincial Museum scheduled for Thursday. This was not advised to us until we asked about the visit to the City Wall on Thursday morning.
Cars: All the vehicles used were in very good condition and clean. The drivers were very good and courteous and performed their duties well.
Compliments: We would like to give special compliments to our guides Maggie in Beijing and to Lulu in Shanghai who both carried out their job in a friendly and professional way. This made our time in China seeing all the fantastic places a wonderful experience that we will always remember. ... More
1. The Guides. All spoke very good English and were very helpful.
John in Beijing was excellent and great company. In particular he helped us to get on board the train at Beijing which was very confusing. He helped us right through to the actual carriage which surprised many of the other travelers who's guides had left them at the gate.
Tracy in Xi-an, also excellent and probably the easiest to talk to with lots of family chat which we found very interesting about life in China. Tracy also helped us to change our rail tickets and upgrade them to soft sleeper deluxe. We certainly could not have done this very easily on our own.
Ting Ting in Shanghai. We really challenged Ting Ting by losing our rail tickets to Beijing! She negotiated all the actions we needed to take and gave us Chinese instruction notes to use on our way and collect a rebate.
Gerry in Shanghai. Gerry had the easiest stretch with us - Water town and the 100 storey tower. Great English and gave lots of insight into Chinese life.
2. Tours.
Beijing: Tiananmen Square was disappointing as really there isn't anywhere to visit and understand the history. Great Wall was absolutely brilliant!! We could have spent our whole time here!! Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven were good. Ming Tombs need to be made more of. The lead in is impressive but there was very little to see in the tombs, which is a great shame and a wasted opportunity. Hutong was very interesting. Kung Fu show was also interesting but similar to many to be seen in Europe.
Xi-an: Terracotta warriors was again, brilliant!! As with the wall we could have spent our whole time here. Museum in Xi-an. Disappointing for us. Long queue to get in and really not that big a deal. Family Visit was excellent and really interesting to make our own food and talk to the house owner. Dumpling Dinner was good and I now know how many dumplings are too many..!
Shanghai: The Bund, Yuyuan gardens and Nanjing Road are all great and recommended but we really loved. Water town, we went early and it was a beautiful day with no crowds. What a place! Lovely. Shanghai World Financial centre is a great place to visit as well.
3. Hotels
Holiday Inn Beijing was the cleanest and most efficient. However the food was rarely hot even first thing in the morning.
Xian hotel was comfortable but seemed paranoid about loss of hotel property like towels and slippers etc. Again food was rarely hot and there were shortages some days of certain food items. This was the only hotel that had draft beer available although the others had taps they didn't have the beer.
Hotel in Shanghai was the worst of the three hotels although in a good location. It's basically a bit run down. No problem with service etc., just needs to be refreshed. ... More