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 $1339 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 |
Early Bird Savings on 2020 Tours
12% off - book by Jan 31, 2020; 10% off - book by Feb 29, 2020
| Tour Prices with Standard Hotels | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2-3 travelers | 4-5 travelers | 6-9 travelers |
| $1599 $1407 | $1429 $1257 | $1229 $1081 |
| Tour Prices with Economy Hotels | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2-3 travelers | 4-5 travelers | 6-9 travelers |
| $1509 $1327 | $1339 $1178 | $1129 $993 |
- 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 $689
On our itinerary, we have requested not to have meals arranged so that we could have more flexibility with our dining choices. All the guides have given us good suggestions on where to eat and what local delicacies to try. We are happy with all the meals we had. All the guides were very professional and obliging. All the guides could converse in English well. The drivers were very experienced and most diligent in maintaining the cleanliness of their cars. Thanks to them, we were able to ride safely and comfortably throughout the journey. (1)Tracy at Xi'an. On our 2nd day in Xi'an, one of our friends could not continue his trip and had to return home immediately due to an urgent family matter. Our tour guide, Tracy, was exceedingly helpful in arranging for my friend to return home at the earliest possible time. Thanks to her initiatives and coordination, my friend flew home on the same evening. At the same time, the rest of us could continue our journey without much disruptions. (2) Linda at Beijing. Linda was always thoughtful and attentive to our needs throughout the 3 days we spent together. She surprised us by arranging a cake for my friend, Louise, as soon as she knew it was her birtrhday on 22 Dec. We were very touched by her kind gesture (and that of the agency) and it meant so much to us that our dear friend's birthday was celebrated as a "grand affair" even when we are so far away from home. (3) Li Xia at Shanghai. Li Xia was absolutely fun to be with. She was more like a friend than a tour guide to us, not only briefing us on the background and history of places we visit but also sharing her experience growing up in Shanghai and working as a tour guide. Whenever the bus ride was long, she would keep us occupied by pointing out interesting sites along the way so that we would not feel bored. Her organisational skills were excellent as she could accomodate our various requests most of the time and she was especially considerate with our photography requirements, finding us the most scenic spots for the best photographs. Thank you very much to you and your colleagues for the wonderful arrangements. ... More
From our first communication with Emily right through to our personalised experience in Beijing with Kitty and Xi'an with Susan - any questions or queries we had were answered the same day - often within hours! Our tour was personalised to suit our family (2 Adults & 6 year old daughter). We were able to arrange additional activities directly with our guides in each city & there were no factory visits or hard sell shopping stops. Both of our guides (Kitty & Susan) were amazing with our daughter - in addition to their tour guide skills and their English could not be faulted!
Everything was arranged for us from the Visa Invitations through to the train tickets and our personal driver made the whole trip seamless. The hotels (incl. breakfasts) were of a high standard.
We highly recommend Travel China Guide and will definitely use this company again. ... More
The meals were all very good. The breakfast buffets in the hotels were extensive . . . everything you can imagine. The food was fresh, well-prepared, plentiful, and with many choices. The local restaurants for lunch were all very good. The restaurants were clean and comfortable, and the food was fresh, well-prepared, and plentiful. At every meal there were many different kinds of foods so that we were able to taste much of the local food. The shows (Tang music/dance, and Shanghai Acrobats) were very enjoyable . . . and we had the best seats!!
All of our guides spoke very good English. There was never a problem in communication. All of the guides were very knowledgeable. My husband and I have travelled extensively, and my husband was a History teacher. We asked many questions . . . and the guides were able to answer all questions. In each location, the guide gave us an introduction to the area, and gave us a great deal of information about the places we visited. Each and every guide made us feel special. Each was knowledgeable and was personable and friendly. Each guide also went out of his or her way to make sure our China visit was a special experience. Our guides are very special people! They are wonderful embassadors for China. We learned a lot on our visit, and saw many places. China is a beautiful country, and the Chinese people are warm and friendly.
We would be pleased to suggest your travel agency to anyone planning to visit China. ... More