6-Day China Small Group Tour: Beijing & Shanghai Highlights with Imperial History and Modern City Life

This tour can be booked with a minimum of 1 guest. Join our 6-day small group tour from Beijing to Shanghai. Visit the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Shanghai's Bund with a small group of max 16 travelers. Guaranteed departures. Book your China highlights tour today.

World Heritages Architectures Skyscrapers Museum and Chinese-style Gardens
Route: Beijing-Shanghai
  • Tour Code: ITC-GT-010
  • Guide: English-speaking guide, experienced driver with an air-conditioned vehicle
  • Accommodation: 5 nights at good 3-star hotels
  • More personal than a traditional coach tour, far better value than a private tour.
Price: USD  830  per person
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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 Into Travel China Day Tour

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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.
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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.
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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
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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 and year-round departures.

Experience

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The Great Wall Meets the Bund – 6 Days of Contrasts

History sits heavy in Beijing – the Forbidden City’s golden roofs, the Great Wall’s winding spine. Then Shanghai flips the script with art deco lanes and sci‑fi towers. Two cities, two speeds, one seamless trip. Real hosts, genuine eats, and the kind of stories you don‘t find in guidebooks.
  • Beijing – Hutong rickshaw with a local driver – Climb aboard a pedicab and weave through narrow alleyways where cars can't fit. Your driver grew up in these lanes – he points out hidden courtyards, explains who used to live behind which doors, and shares how the neighborhood has changed over the decades.

  • Shanghai – Old City walking & a master calligrapher's studio – Wander the maze of lanes around Yuyuan before the crowds arrive. Then step into a second‑floor studio where a calligrapher shows you how to hold the brush and write your name in Chinese characters – you take the scroll home as a one‑of‑a‑kind souvenir.

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

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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 explore the neighbourhood. Beijing’s city centre is walkable, with wide avenues and smaller streets lined with shops and local eateries. Grab a coffee, take a walk, or simply settle in. No need to plan. The city will reveal itself at its own pace.

The day starts at Tian’anmen Square, one of the largest public squares in the world, capable of holding a million people. From there, you walk into the Forbidden City — the walled palace complex that was home to China‘s emperors for over 500 years during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It contains nearly 1,000 buildings and more than 9,000 rooms. Your guide leads you through the main halls, explaining the rituals and power structures that once defined this place.

A short walk takes you to Jingshan Park, an artificial hill formed from soil excavated during the Forbidden City’s construction. The view from the top gives you a complete overhead perspective of the palace layout.

In the afternoon, you head to the Summer Palace, a sprawling imperial garden built around Kunming Lake. The Long Corridor stretches 728 metres along the lake, its beams decorated with over 14,000 painted panels. This was a place for retreat, not governance — and it still feels that way.

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 offers a longer stretch of wall — 5.4 kilometres with 22 watchtowers. A round-trip cable car takes you up near Tower 14, saving your energy for walking along the wall itself.

You can head east for steeper terrain and more dramatic views, or west for a quieter, forested stretch. The stonework is original Ming Dynasty construction, worn smooth by centuries of weather and footsteps. On the return drive, the bus passes the Bird‘s Nest and Water Cube, the two iconic venues from the 2008 Olympics. There’s a brief photo stop before heading back to the city.

Morning transfer to the railway station for the high-speed train to Shanghai. The journey takes about 4.5 to 6 hours. As the train moves south, the landscape shifts from the flat plains of northern China to the more developed, denser terrain of the Yangtze River Delta. Upon arrival, you‘re met at the station and taken to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours.

If you have the energy, step out and get a feel for Shanghai. The city moves at a different pace — faster, taller, and louder than Beijing. A walk along Nanjing Road or the nearby streets will give you an immediate sense of the city’s energy.

Start at the top of Shanghai Tower, China‘s tallest building at 632 metres. The elevator takes you to the 118th-floor observation deck in under a minute. From 546 metres, the city spreads out beneath you — the Huangpu River curving through, Pudong’s towers clustered below, and the older neighbourhoods of Puxi stretching west.

Then descend to the Shanghai Museum, housed in a building designed to resemble an ancient bronze vessel. Its collection of bronzes, ceramics, and calligraphy is among the best in China. 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: Nanjing Road runs 5.5 kilometres from the city centre to the waterfront, Shanghai‘s main commercial artery since the 1860s. End at The Bund at dusk. The 1.5-kilometre promenade is lined with 52 buildings of varying architectural styles — neo-classical, Art Deco, Renaissance — built between 1860 and 1937. Across the river, the Pudong skyline answers with towers that didn’t exist before 1990.

Your driver picks you up from the hotel and takes you to the airport for your departure flight. Six days, two cities — from the Forbidden City to the Bund, from imperial history to modern skylines. The contrasts are what you‘ll remember.

Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall + Old Hutong Culture
We have replaced the “Bird's Nest + Water Cube” visit with a deeper dive into Beijing's traditional Hutong culture. After the Great Wall, we will head to Nanluoguxiang. From there, you are within walking distance of the Bell and Drum Towers, Yandaixie Street, and the Shichahai/Houhai area.

Travel Date and Price (USD per person)
Month Available Date Price Book The Tour
Oct Oct 18, 2026 USD830.00
Oct 21, 2026 USD830.00
Oct 28, 2026 USD830.00
Nov Nov 4, 2026 USD830.00
Nov 11, 2026 USD830.00
Nov 18, 2026 USD830.00
Nov 25, 2026 USD830.00
Dec Dec 2, 2026 USD830.00
Dec 9, 2026 USD830.00
Dec 16, 2026 USD830.00
Dec 23, 2026 USD830.00
Jan Jan 20, 2027 USD910.00
Jan 27, 2027 USD910.00
Feb Feb 3, 2027 USD910.00
Feb 20, 2027 USD910.00
Feb 27, 2027 USD910.00
Mar Mar 12, 2027 USD910.00
Mar 19, 2027 USD910.00
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Apr Apr 2, 2027 USD910.00
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Nov Nov 2, 2027 USD910.00
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Dec Dec 7, 2027 USD910.00
Dec 14, 2027 USD910.00
Dec 21, 2027 USD910.00

Included & Excluded

From USD 830 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:
  • Air-conditioned vehicle throughout the tour
  • Pick-up and drop-off service at the airport or train stations(Early/Late arrivals: Please notify us in advance. Extra charges may apply.)
  • Driver Service(Includes driver's service fee, fuel, tolls, and parking fees)
  • Professional licensed English-speaking local guide
  • 3-Star Hotels
  • Daily hotel buffet breakfast provided each morning
  • Lunches and dinners clearly indicated in the day-by-day itinerary
  • First entrance tickets to all attractions listed in the itinerary
  • Includes necessary sightseeing bus or cable car fees
  • Travel Agency Liability Insurance
  • Personal travel insurance purchased for your group before departure
  • Professional support from tour planning to on-the-ground operation
Price Excludes:
  • All costs related to obtaining your China entry visa
  • International airfares and any flights not included in the itinerary
  • Arrival/departure flights or train transfers on the first and last day
  • No guiding service provided on the first or last day
  • Recommended optional activities and night activities
  • Tips or gratuities for guides and drivers
  • Personal expenses, laundry, telephone calls, etc.
  • Extra cost for travelers requesting a single room instead of sharing

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 Arrival

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What Our Clients Say?

Based on 10,000+ traveler reviews
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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
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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
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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
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