10-Day Private China Escape Tour

Welcome to Guangzhou, a vibrant southern metropolis known for its rich Cantonese culture and legendary cuisine. Your private driver will meet you at the highspeed rail station and escort you to your comfortable 4+ star hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax. For a true local experience, wander into a nearby dim sum tea house – try steaming shrimp dumplings (har gow) and pork buns (char siu bao). Or simply rest up for tomorrow’s adventure in the canyons.

After breakfast, drive to Gulong Canyon in Qingyuan, just outside Guangzhou – a natural playground of waterfalls, deep gorges, and thrilling attractions. First, step onto the Yuntian Bota (CloudSky Glass Bridge), a massive transparent walkway suspended high above the canyon. The view of the rushing river below will make your heart race. Then, if you’re an adrenaline junkie, choose your own adventure:

Cliff Coaster – a toboggan track that spirals down the mountainside

QQ Speeder – a zippy mini race car on a cliffside track

Whitewater Rafting – splash through the canyon’s natural rapids

(These are optional, payonsite activities – your guide will help you arrange them.) After a day of thrills, return to Guangzhou. For dinner, hunt down a wonton noodle soup stall – the silky noodles and bouncy shrimp wontons are a local treasure.

Your local guide will show you the authentic pulse of Guangzhou today. Start at Yongqing Fang – a beautifully restored alleyway of Lingnanstyle arcade houses, now filled with artisan shops, calligraphy studios, and hidden courtyards. Taste a sugar water dessert like doublelayer milk custard from a centuryold shop. Then walk to Beijing Road, the city’s busiest shopping street. Beneath your feet, you’ll see glass panels revealing ancient road layers from the Song and Ming dynasties. Next, visit the peaceful Great Buddha Temple (Dafo Si), a hidden Buddhist temple surrounded by skyscrapers. End the day with an exterior view of the Canton Tower (Guangzhou Tower) – its twisting, hourglass shape lights up in rainbow colors at night. For dinner, join locals at a clay pot rice eatery, where rice and toppings cook over charcoal right at your table.

After breakfast, your driver will take you to the highspeed rail station for a scenic journey (approx. 5–6 hours) to Zhangjiajie, the land of towering sandstone pillars that inspired Avatar. Upon arrival, your Zhangjiajie driver will greet you at the airport (or station) and transfer you to your hotel. The evening is free – but don’t miss the 72 Strange Buildings (Qishi’er Qilou) light show (view from outside). This cluster of whimsical, tilted, and colorful structures looks like something from a Dr. Seuss book. When lit up, it’s a photographer’s dream. Grab dinner at a nearby street food stall – try Tujia bacon skewers and grilled tofu with chili sauce.

Today you step into the world of Avatar. Enter Zhangjiajie National Forest Park with your guide. Ride the Bailong Elevator (Hundred Dragons Elevator) – a glass lift built onto a vertical cliff. In just seconds, you shoot up 330 meters, and the doors open onto a jawdropping view of hundreds of stone pillars piercing the clouds. Hike through Yuanjiajie Scenic Area, where you’ll walk the narrow bridge between peaks and see the famous “Hallelujah Mountain” (renamed from Southern Sky Column). Your guide will share local Tujia legends and point out hidden rock formations. For lunch, enjoy a simple mountain meal of Tujia cured meat with wild vegetables. After a full day of exploring, return to the hotel.

Take a leisurely morning to recover – sleep in, enjoy a late breakfast, or wander near your hotel. In the afternoon, your guide picks you up for Tianmen Mountain National Park. Board the longest highmountain cable car in the world (7.5 km) – a 30minute ride that lifts you from the city to the mountain top, passing over cliffs and forests. Walk the Glass Skywalk (if you dare) and then climb down (or take the escalator) to the iconic Heaven’s Gate – a natural arch in the cliff. Stay until dusk to witness the Tianmen Cave night light show – the arch glows in shifting colors against the dark mountain. After the show, return to the hotel. For dinner, find a local stinky tofu stall – the crispy, spicy version here is surprisingly addictive.

After breakfast, your driver takes you to the station for a short 2hour highspeed train ride to Chongqing, the “Mountain City” where rivers and skyscrapers collide. Upon arrival, check into your hotel. In the afternoon, explore Ciqikou (Porcelain Village), an ancient town on the Jialing River. Stroll down narrow stone alleys lined with old teahouses, spice shops, and sizzling food stalls. Try Chen’s Mahua (sesame crisps), sour and spicy noodles, and chicken offal skewers. As night falls, head to Hongya Cave – a cliffside complex of traditional stilted houses that looks exactly like the bathhouse from Spirited Away. Golden lights reflect on the river, and every corner is a photo. For dinner, brave a Chongqing hotpot – a bubbling cauldron of red chili oil where you cook thin beef slices, tripe, and mushrooms.

Today is all about Chongqing’s unique urban quirks. Start at the Eighteen Steps (Shiba Ti) – a restored stone staircase that once connected the upper and lower city. Climb up, sampling dingding candy (a crunchy malt sweet) from a street vendor. Walk to Jiefangbei (People’s Liberation Monument), the bustling heart of Chongqing. Next, head to Liziba Station – famous for its light rail train that runs straight through a residential building. Watch from the viewing platform as the train disappears into the 19th floor. Finally, visit Baixiangju (White Elephant House) – a quirky residential building where the 1st floor and 15th floor both open onto streets (thanks to the mountain terrain). Grab a bowl of Chongqing xiaomian (spicy noodles) for a late lunch. The evening is free – consider a river cruise or simply soak in the neon skyline.

After breakfast, your driver takes you to the station for a quick 1.5hour train ride to Chengdu, the home of giant pandas and laidback tea culture. Your Chengdu guide will meet you at the station and drive you directly to Dujiangyan (approx. 1 hour from downtown). This 2,200yearold irrigation system still tames the Min River today – a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walk across the beautiful Nanqiao (South Bridge), a covered wooden bridge decorated with calligraphy and carvings. Visit Erwang Temple (Temple of the Two Kings), dedicated to the fatherson engineers who built the system. Stay until dusk to see the “Blue Tears” (Lan Yan Lei) – an ethereal bluelit water release that flows under Nanqiao, creating a magical, dreamlike scene. After the show, return to Chengdu for the night.

Your final day begins early at the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Base – the best place on earth to see giant pandas up close. Watch them tumble, chew bamboo, and nap in tree branches (morning is their most active time). Your guide will explain panda conservation efforts. Next, head to People’s Park – the heart of Chengdu’s slow, happy lifestyle. Join locals at the Hemings Teahouse (or similar) for a cup of jasmine tea. Watch elderly folks play mahjong, practice calligraphy on the ground with water brushes, and even get a traditional ear cleaning (a quirky local service – harmless and ticklish!). For lunch, wander into Jinli Ancient Street – a rebuilt alleyway of Qingstyle shops selling sugar paintings, threebigsticks (a spicy meat skewer), and dandan noodles. Optional (own expense): In the evening, catch a Sichuan Opera show at Wuhou Temple or a local theater, featuring the famous facechanging (bian lian) magic. Afterward, your driver will take you to the airport for your departure. Safe travels, and bring home the warmth of China’s southwest!