15 Days China Impression Small Group Tour

Itinerary Summary: Arrive in Beijing – Airport Pick-up – Hotel Check-in – Free Time

Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels

Meals Included: No Food

After arriving at Beijing airport, your driver will transfer you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is kept flexible, allowing you to adjust to the time difference, rest after your flight, or take a relaxed walk nearby if you feel ready.

As the first stop of this journey, Beijing introduces you to a city where imperial history and modern urban life share the same streets. Traditional neighbourhoods, local shops, and contemporary buildings create a first impression of China before the sightseeing program begins.

With airport transfer arranged in advance, you can start your trip without the need to organize transportation after a long international journey.

Itinerary Summary: Beijing City Tour – Tian’anmen Square – Forbidden City – Jingshan Park – Summer Palace

Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels

Meals Included: Breakfast + Lunch

Today’s sightseeing explores how Beijing was shaped by centuries of imperial planning, from ceremonial spaces in the city centre to royal gardens outside the old palace area.

Start at Tian’anmen Square, an important landmark located along Beijing’s central axis. Continue to the Forbidden City, the former imperial residence of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Beyond its grand halls and courtyards, the palace reflects traditional ideas about organization, ceremony, and the relationship between architecture and authority.

At Jingshan Park, you can view the historic city layout from above and better understand how the Forbidden City was positioned within ancient Beijing. The visit continues to the Summer Palace, where royal gardens, waterways, and landscape design reveal another aspect of imperial life.

Through professional local guidance, you will see how these places together tell the story of Beijing as a long-lasting centre of Chinese history.

Itinerary Summary: Mutianyu Great Wall – Cable Car Round Trip – Bird’s Nest & Water Cube View

Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels

Meals Included: Breakfast + Lunch

Today you will visit the Mutianyu Great Wall, a section known for its restored condition, mountain scenery, and visitor-friendly facilities.

Walking on Mutianyu allows you to see how the ancient defence system followed the natural landscape while connecting watchtowers and strategic points along the route. The surrounding mountains also provide a different perspective of Beijing beyond its urban districts.

The round-trip cable car service helps make the visit more comfortable, especially for travelers who prefer to reduce long uphill sections. Your guide will introduce the historical role of the Great Wall and explain how it was used throughout different periods of Chinese history.

On the way back, enjoy an outside view of the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube, two modern landmarks representing Beijing’s international development.

Itinerary Summary: Beijing to Xi’an – High-Speed Train – Giant Wild Goose Pagoda – Muslim Quarter – Hotel Check-in

Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast, take a high-speed train from Beijing to Xi’an. Upon arrival, your driver will meet you at the station and transfer you to your hotel.

Before hotel check-in, visit the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, a landmark from the Tang Dynasty that reflects Xi’an’s role in religious and cultural development. The site is closely connected with the spread and translation of Buddhist texts in ancient China.

Continue to the Muslim Quarter, a historic area where traditional streets, local businesses, and regional cuisine show the city’s diverse cultural background.

This transfer introduces a different chapter of Chinese history, moving from the later imperial capital of Beijing into Xi’an, a city that witnessed the rise of several ancient dynasties.

Itinerary Summary: Terracotta Warriors – Ancient City Wall – Bell Tower (or Drum Tower)

Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels

Meals Included: Breakfast + Lunch

Today you will explore Xi’an’s most famous historical sites and discover why the city remains one of China’s most important destinations for ancient history.

The first stop is the Terracotta Warriors, an archaeological discovery from the Qin Dynasty. Thousands of life-sized clay soldiers, horses, and military figures were created to protect Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife, providing valuable insight into ancient Chinese craftsmanship, military organization, and imperial power.

Continue to the Ancient City Wall, one of the best-preserved city walls in China. Walking along the restored structure offers a clear view of how traditional Chinese cities were protected and organized.

Later, visit the Bell Tower or Drum Tower area, located near the centre of Xi’an’s historic district. These landmarks once played important roles in announcing time and organizing daily life in ancient cities.

Itinerary Summary: Xi’an to Chengdu – High-Speed Train – Chengdu Train Station Pick-up – Hotel Check-in

Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast, take a high-speed train from Xi’an to Chengdu. Upon arrival, your driver will meet you at the station and transfer you to your hotel.

The journey connects two cities with very different cultural identities. Xi’an represents ancient capitals and archaeological discoveries, while Chengdu is known for its relaxed lifestyle, Sichuan culture, and unique relationship with giant panda conservation.

After check-in, you will have free time to explore the city at your own pace or rest before the next day’s sightseeing.

Itinerary Summary: Chengdu Panda Base – Sanxingdui Museum – Jinli Old Street (or Chengdu Museum – Kuanzhai Valley – Renmin Park)

Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels

Meals Included: Breakfast + Lunch

Today you will experience Chengdu through wildlife conservation, ancient civilization, and local urban culture.

Start at the Chengdu Panda Base, one of China’s leading facilities for giant panda research and conservation. The visit provides an opportunity to observe pandas in a professional environment and learn about ongoing efforts to protect this iconic species.

Continue to the Sanxingdui Museum, where remarkable bronze masks, sculptures, and archaeological discoveries reveal the unique Shu civilization that developed in Sichuan more than 3,000 years ago.

Depending on seasonal conditions, the itinerary may follow an alternative city route including Chengdu Museum, Kuanzhai Valley, and Renmin Park. These locations offer a closer look at Chengdu’s modern cultural life, traditional neighbourhoods, and local leisure style.

Itinerary Summary: Chengdu to Guilin – High-Speed Train – Elephant Trunk Hill – Reed Flute Cave – Hotel Check-in

Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today you will travel from Sichuan to Guangxi and enter one of China’s most famous landscape regions.

After arriving in Guilin by high-speed train, visit Elephant Trunk Hill, the city’s best-known natural landmark. The rock formation resembles an elephant drinking from the Li River and has become a symbol of Guilin’s connection with its surrounding waterways.

Continue to Reed Flute Cave, a natural limestone cave featuring unusual rock formations shaped by thousands of years of geological changes. The underground landscape provides another perspective on the karst environment that defines southern China.

The move from Chengdu to Guilin marks a transition from cultural experiences in Sichuan to the dramatic mountain and river scenery of Guangxi.

Itinerary Summary: Li River Cruise – Yangshuo Countryside – West Street

Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels

Meals Included: Breakfast + Lunch

Today you will experience one of China’s most recognizable natural landscapes through the Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo.

The cruise takes you through a landscape shaped by limestone peaks, rivers, and rural villages. The scenery along the river has inspired generations of artists and is widely recognized as a symbol of southern China’s natural beauty.

After arriving in Yangshuo, explore the countryside area and see a quieter side of Guangxi, where farmland, villages, and mountains create a landscape very different from China’s major cities.

Later, visit West Street, a historic pedestrian street in Yangshuo known for its mix of traditional architecture, local shops, and international atmosphere. It provides a relaxed place to experience the town after the river journey.

Itinerary Summary: Yangshuo Countryside – Guilin – High-Speed Train to Chongqing – Yangtze Cruise Check-in

Hotel Star Rating: Yangtze River Cruise Cabin

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast, return from Yangshuo to Guilin and take a high-speed train to Chongqing.

Upon arrival, your driver will transfer you to Chaotianmen Port, where you will board the Yangtze River Cruise.

The transition from Guilin to Chongqing introduces another side of China’s geography. While Guilin is known for peaceful rivers and karst mountains, Chongqing is famous for its dramatic hills, riverside location, and layered urban landscape.

Starting the cruise in Chongqing also allows you to experience the Yangtze River from one of its most distinctive cities before entering the Three Gorges region.

Itinerary Summary: Yangtze River Cruise – Shore Excursion to Fengdu Ghost City (or Similar) – Cruise Activities

Hotel Star Rating: Yangtze River Cruise Cabin

Meals Included: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

Today you will continue your Yangtze River Cruise and experience the cultural landscapes along one of China’s most important waterways.

The shore excursion takes you to Fengdu Ghost City or a similar attraction depending on the cruise arrangement. Fengdu is known for its traditional stories about the afterlife and its combination of temples, legends, and mountain scenery.

Back onboard, enjoy the slower rhythm of river travel. The cruise provides time to appreciate the changing landscapes along the Yangtze, from riverside towns to mountain areas.

Compared with a fast-paced city tour, the cruise offers a different way to understand China through its waterways, local traditions, and natural surroundings.

Itinerary Summary: Three Gorges – Shore Excursion to Shennv Stream (or Similar) – Cruise Experience

Hotel Star Rating: Yangtze River Cruise Cabin

Meals Included: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

Today’s cruise focuses on the world-famous Three Gorges, one of China’s most impressive river landscapes.

The journey passes through sections of the Yangtze where steep mountains rise directly from the river, creating the dramatic scenery that has been celebrated in Chinese literature and art for centuries.

The shore excursion to Shennv Stream offers a closer look at the quieter landscapes around the Three Gorges area. Smaller waterways, green mountains, and traditional riverside scenery create a contrast with the larger river views seen from the cruise ship.

During the day, you can also join onboard cultural activities and enjoy the changing scenery as the ship continues along the Yangtze.

Itinerary Summary: Three Gorges Dam – Yichang Train Station Transfer – High-Speed Train to Shanghai – Hotel Check-in

Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast, disembark from the cruise and visit the Three Gorges Dam, one of the largest hydroelectric projects in the world.

Located on the Yangtze River, the dam is known for its enormous scale and its role in electricity generation, river management, and navigation improvement. During the visit, you will learn about how modern engineering has transformed this section of the Yangtze while seeing the surrounding river landscape.

After sightseeing, transfer to Yichang train station and take a high-speed train to Shanghai. Upon arrival, your driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel.

This day connects two very different sides of China: the engineering achievement of the Yangtze River region and the international city atmosphere of Shanghai.

Itinerary Summary: Shanghai City Tour – Shanghai Museum – Shanghai Tower – Yu Garden & Bazaar – Nanjing Road – The Bund

Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels

Meals Included: Breakfast + Lunch

Today you will explore Shanghai, a city where traditional Chinese culture and global urban development meet.

Begin at the Shanghai Museum, where collections of ancient Chinese artworks and historical objects provide insight into China’s long cultural development. Continue to Yu Garden, a classical garden from the Ming Dynasty, and explore the nearby Yuyuan Bazaar, where traditional-style streets remain connected with modern commerce.

Visit Nanjing Road, one of Shanghai’s most famous commercial streets, before heading to The Bund. The historic buildings along the Huangpu River reflect Shanghai’s development as an international trading centre.

The final stop is Shanghai Tower, one of the world’s tallest buildings. From its modern architecture and city views, you can see how Shanghai has transformed into one of China’s leading global cities.

Itinerary Summary: Shanghai Departure – Hotel Check-out – Airport Transfer

Hotel Star Rating: 3-Star Hotels

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast, check out from your hotel before 12:00. Your driver will transfer you to Shanghai airport according to your departure schedule.

Over the past 15 days, you have traveled through China’s major historical cities, explored natural landscapes including Guilin and the Yangtze River, experienced local culture in Chengdu and Chongqing, and discovered Shanghai’s modern city life.

Since 2016, IntoTravelChina has been helping international travelers explore China with local travel expertise, professional guides, and organized services. Our experience with overseas guests allows us to create practical routes that balance sightseeing, transportation, and comfort.