10-Day Beijing, Xi‘an, Chengdu & Shanghai Small Group Tour: Pandas, Ancient Kingdoms & Imperial Capitals
Join our 10-day small group tour covering Beijing’s Forbidden City, Xi‘an’s Terracotta Warriors, Chengdu‘s giant pandas, and Shanghai’s Bund. Max 16 travelers. Book your China adventure today.
World Heritages
Giant Pandas
Architectures
Skyscrapers
History Museums
Route:
Beijing-Xi'an-Chengdu-Shanghai
- Tour Code: ITC-GT-013
- Guide: English-speaking guide, experienced driver with an air-conditioned vehicle
- Accommodation: 9 nights at good 3-star hotels
- More personal than a traditional coach tour, far better value than a private tour.
Price:
USD 1720
per person
Select Date & Book
Lowest Price Guarantee. Reserve Now and Pay Later.
Notes:Prices may vary depending on the season and promotional activities. Please consult your advisor for details.
Why Choose lnto Explore China Group Tour
Worry-Free Travel
With years of experience in group travel across China, we provide professional tour guides,
comfortable coaches, and well-paced itineraries for a smooth and enjoyable journey.
Itineraries with Great Value
Our tours cover China's most iconic sights and cultural highlights. All packages are clearly priced
with no hidden costs, offering a high-quality experience at a competitive rate.
No Shopping Stops
We guarantee a truly immersive journey with no shopping stop. Spend more time exploring scenic
spots, enjoying authentic food, and discovering local culture
Travel with Flexibility
Whether you're traveling solo, with friends, or as a family, you can easily join us. Enjoy better
value than private tours with small groups of 6-12 people and year-round departures.
Experience
Clarissa
Four Cities, One Rhythm: Beijing, Xi‘an, Chengdu, Shanghai
The Great Wall at golden hour. A terracotta soldier’s face, inches from yours. A panda gnawing bamboo ten feet away. The Bund lit up like a film set. This route is for travelers who don‘t want to choose between history, wildlife, and urban energy – but also don’t want to be rushed through any of it. Small group, honest pacing, local guides who actually know their neighborhoods.
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Beijing – Rickshaw ride through the hutongs
Climb into a three-wheeled pedicab. Your driver pedals through alleys no wider than his handlebars. He stops at a courtyard door, points out carved lintels, and tells you which courtyard once housed a prince and which now shelters a family of opera singers. The clatter of bicycle bells and kitchen steam fill the air.
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Chengdu – Gaiwan tea at a local house
Sit down at a wooden table in an old teahouse. Your server brings a gaiwan – a lidded cup with loose tea leaves. You learn to hold it with three fingers, use the lid to strain the leaves, and sip slowly. Around you, retirees play chess, a storyteller holds court, and time moves at a crawl.
Itinerary
Explore each day’s highlights, pace, routes, hotels, meals, and photos—so you know exactly what to expect along the way.
Route Map Full route
Your driver meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel in the city centre. Once you’ve checked in, the rest of the day is yours.
If you‘re not too tired, step outside and let the city hit your senses. The sheer density of Beijing can feel like a different planet—the air smells like sesame oil and petrol, and the noise of scooters and chatter spills out of every lane. Walk a few blocks and you’ll see laundry hanging from balconies above storefronts selling live crabs and cured meats. No plan needed. Just get lost in the street-level chaos, then head back to the quiet of your hotel when you‘ve had enough.
Itinerary Summary: Tian‘anmen Square – Forbidden City – Jingshan Park – Summer Palace
Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Start at the world’s largest public square—Tian‘anmen Square—where the sheer openness hits you before any building does. From there, you pass through the gates of the Forbidden City, a walled city of nearly 1,000 structures that housed China’s emperors for five centuries. The scale is deliberate: wide courtyards, raised halls, and a north-south axis that once ordered the entire capital. Your guide walks you through the main halls, pointing out the details that reveal how power was performed here—the carved dragons, the bronze vats for fire-fighting, the thresholds worn smooth by generations of feet.
A short walk to Jingshan Park takes you up an artificial hill built from the soil of the Forbidden City‘s moat. From the top, the palace’s golden roofs form a grid below you—a perspective that was once reserved for the emperor alone. In the afternoon, you head to the Summer Palace, a lakeside retreat that served as an escape from Beijing‘s summer heat. The Long Corridor runs along Kunming Lake with over 14,000 painted panels, each telling a fragment of Chinese folklore. The Marble Boat sits motionless at the water’s edge—built not to sail, but to be seen.
Itinerary Summary: Mutianyu Great Wall – Bird‘s Nest & Water Cube (Exterior)
Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Today you head to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, about 73 kilometres from the city centre. It’s less crowded than Badaling and gives you 5.4 kilometres of wall with 22 watchtowers to explore. A round-trip cable car takes you up near Tower 14, so you can spend your energy walking the wall itself, not climbing to it.
You can head east for steeper, more dramatic views, or west for a quieter stretch where the wall curves through forest. The stones under your feet are still the original Ming Dynasty work—worn, uneven, and exactly what you came to see.
On the way back, the bus passes the Bird‘s Nest and Water Cube, the two iconic venues from the 2008 Olympics. There’s a brief stop for photos before heading back to the city.
Itinerary Summary: High-Speed Train to Xi’an – Giant Wild Goose Pagoda – Muslim Quarter
Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast
Morning transfer to the railway station for the high-speed train to Xi‘an. The distance is 1,200 kilometres, and the train covers it in 4.5 to 6 hours. The route crosses the North China Plain and enters the Loess Plateau—a region of deep valleys and silt deposits.
Upon arrival, you’re met at the station and taken to your hotel. In the afternoon, you visit the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, a seven-storey brick pagoda built in 652 AD. It was constructed to house Buddhist scriptures brought back from India by the monk Xuanzang—he spent 19 years on the road, and this tower was his library.
From there, you walk into the Muslim Quarter, a dense network of streets that has been home to Xi‘an’s Hui Muslim community for centuries. The stalls sell lamb skewers, flatbread, and a hundred other things you won‘t see anywhere else. It’s a place to eat, watch, and get lost in the crowd.
Itinerary Summary: Terracotta Warriors – Ancient City Wall – Bell Tower / Drum Tower
Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
The morning is devoted to the Terracotta Warriors, about an hour’s drive east of the city. The site was uncovered in 1974 and covers 20,000 square metres. Pit 1 contains roughly 6,000 life-sized figures, each with a different face, arranged in battle formation. The scale is staggering—it was built to accompany the first emperor of China into the afterlife and took decades to complete.
After returning to the city, you visit the Ancient City Wall, built in the 14th century. It‘s 13.7 kilometres around, and you can walk along the top or rent a bicycle. The view looks both directions—towards the old city and the newer districts beyond. The day finishes at the Bell Tower or Drum Tower, two landmarks that have stood at the centre of Xi’an for over 600 years.
Itinerary Summary: High-Speed Train to Chengdu – Hotel Check-in – Free Time
Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast
Morning high-speed train from Xi’an to Chengdu—about 3.5 to 4 hours. As the train moves south, the landscape changes again: the loess plateau gives way to the green, hilly terrain of Sichuan.
Upon arrival, you‘re met at the station and taken to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours. Chengdu is known for its food, and the area around your hotel is a good place to start. Ask your hotel for a local hotpot recommendation—Sichuan hotpot is a meal that demands your full attention. The city has a famously relaxed pace, so take your time.
Itinerary Summary: Chengdu Panda Base – Sanxingdui Museum – Jinli Old Street (Plan A) OR Chengdu Panda Base – Chengdu Museum – Kuanzhai Alley – Renmin Park (Plan B)
Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast
Plan A starts with the Chengdu Panda Base, the world‘s most successful giant panda breeding facility. The park opens at 7:30 AM, and arriving early means catching the pandas during their most active hours—they eat, climb, and roll around in the morning cool. The base is home to over 50 giant pandas and several red pandas. Next is the Sanxingdui Museum, one of China’s most important archaeological sites. The museum houses bronze masks, golden sceptres, and ivory artifacts from a lost civilisation that flourished over 3,000 years ago. The bronze masks with protruding eyes and the 3.96-metre bronze tree are genuinely strange and unforgettable. The day ends at Jinli Old Street, a restored pedestrian street lined with traditional Sichuan architecture, food stalls, and souvenir shops.
Plan B offers a more urban Chengdu experience. After the Panda Base, you visit the Chengdu Museum, which covers the city‘s history from prehistoric times to the present. Then Kuanzhai Alley—a restored Qing-dynasty district of courtyard houses now filled with teahouses, galleries, and restaurants. The day finishes at Renmin Park, where locals play mahjong, drink tea, and practise tai chi. It’s a glimpse of Chengdu‘s famously relaxed pace of life.
Itinerary Summary: Flight to Shanghai – Hotel Check-in – Free Time
Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast
Morning flight from Chengdu to Shanghai. By the time you land, you‘re in a different China again—flat, dense, and vertical. After checking into your hotel, the rest of the day is yours.
If you have the energy, step outside and let Shanghai’s rhythm pull you in. The streets are wider, the buildings taller, and the pace faster than anything you‘ve seen so far. Walk a few blocks and you’ll see the full spectrum of the city—old ladies playing cards on the sidewalk, delivery scooters weaving through traffic, and neon signs competing for your attention. There‘s no plan. Just get a feel for the city that moves faster than the rest of China.
Itinerary Summary: Shanghai Museum – Shanghai Tower – Yu Garden & Bazaar – Nanjing Road – The Bund
Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Your Shanghai day begins at the Shanghai Museum, a building designed to resemble an ancient bronze cooking vessel. Inside, the collection of bronze vessels, ceramics, and calligraphy tells the story of China through its objects—some dating back 3,500 years. Then you ascend Shanghai Tower, China‘s tallest building at 632 metres. The 118th-floor observation deck gives you a full view of the city’s layout: the Huangpu River curving through, Pudong‘s towers clustered below, and Puxi’s older neighbourhoods stretching west.
Next is Yu Garden, a Ming-dynasty garden built between 1559 and 1577. Zigzag bridges, rockeries, and pavilions are packed into just 2 hectares—a masterpiece of space and balance. The adjacent Yuyuan Bazaar is a maze of stalls selling everything from tea to souvenirs. Afternoon along Nanjing Road—5.5 kilometres of shops, department stores, and neon—leads you to The Bund. The 1.5-kilometre promenade is lined with 52 colonial-era buildings, facing Pudong‘s towers across the river. The contrast is what makes this view the city’s defining image.
Travel Date and Price (USD per person)
Included & Excluded
From USD 1720 per person
- The price is based on two people sharing a double room. If you prefer a single room, please contact us for a quote.
- Price may vary depending on exchange rates, travel dates, and hotel class.
- Prices may vary depending on the season and promotional activities. Please consult your advisor for details.
Price Includes:
- Comfortable hotel with daily breakfast (twin room)
- Professional English-speaking local tour guide
- Air-conditioned private coach throughout the tour
- Entrance tickets to all listed attractions and activities
- Lunches as specified in the itinerary
- Domestic flights and high-speed train tickets
- One travel accident insurance per person
Cancellation Policy
We understand that travel plans may change. Please review our cancellation policy below:
- Free cancellation if canceled 60 days or more before the tour starts
- 5% of total tour cost if canceled 45-59 days before departure
- 10% of total tour cost if canceled 30-44 days before departure
- 25% of total tour cost if canceled 15-29 days before departure
- 45% of total tour cost if canceled 7-14 days before departure
- 100% of total tour cost if canceled less than 7 days before departure
Date of Arrivial
What Our Clients Say?
Based on 10,000+ traveler reviews
Daniel Dorothea
Canada
Reviewed on April 29,2025
Shopping on Nanjing Road in Shanghai was just amazing! It's truly the "First Commercial Street of China", where tradition and modernity blend perfectly. You can find awesome souvenirs and experience the trendy vibes in cool stores. The neon lights at night are just spectacular, shining bright like Times Square in New York. The food here is incredible too. I had a feast for my taste buds. Shanghai, I'll definitely be back!
Destination(s):
Shanghai
Date of
Experience:
May 08,2024
Elvis Eva
Canada
Reviewed on June 20,2025
As a solo traveler from Canada, I was nervous about navigating China alone—but this 11-day tour was PERFECT! From hiking the Great Wall at sunrise (Day 3) to gasping at the Terracotta Army (Day 5), every day delivered ‘pinch-me’ moments. The real showstopper? Zhangjiajie’s Avatar Mountains (Day 7)! Our guide made the stone pillars come alive with stories.
Massive thanks for handling all logistics—bullet train tickets, entry passes, car! And the 4-star hotels surprised me.
Destination(s):
Beijing Xian Zhangjiajie Shanghai
Date of
Experience:
June 02,2025
Simon
America
Reviewed on May 29,2025
Our 2-day Zhangjiajie tour was beyond spectacular! As someone who’s visited Beijing and Shanghai for work, this trip revealed China’s wild, magical heart. Day 1 in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park felt like stepping onto Pandora—I’m a huge Avatar fan, and Yuanjiajie’s floating peaks left me breathless. The misty pillars and lush valleys like pure movie magic!
Then came Fenghuang Ancient Town, we eat dinner beside the thundering waterfall. It seems Unreal! The night views of stilt houses glowing over the river were straight from a fairy tale.
For fellow Avatar lovers and adventure seekers: Don’t miss this bucket-list experience! 10/10 would return.
A Well-Traveled Film Buff, May 2025
Destination(s):
Zhangjiajie
Date of
Experience:
May 08,2025
