Exploring the Wonders of Zhangjiajie on an 11 Day Classic Tour

Beijing(3N)-Xian(1N)-Zhangjiajie(3N)-Shanghai(3N)

This could be the ideal classic tour itinerary for first-time visitors to China. It blends tradition with modernity, history with culture, and nature with human achievements. The tour includes two ancient capital cities: Beijing and Xian, the renowned oriental metropolis of Shanghai, and the remarkable Zhangjiajie, known for its distinctive sandstone pillar formations that offer a stunning natural scenery. 

great wall

Terracotta Army

zhangjiajie

the bund

zhujiajiao water town

Day 1: Arrive in Beijing

Upon arrival of Beijing, you will meet with our private guide and be transferred to hotel for check-in. After that, you can choose to explore the fascinating capital city by your own in the rest of the day, or enjoy a good rest at hotel after a long-time flight journey.

Day 2: Beijing

The second day in Beijing will take you to experience the charm of this ancient capital city. We start with Tian’anmen Square, the largest public square in the world, by walking from the south to the north side to closely feel the symbolic heart of Beijing. Crossing the road by underground passage, we stroll into Forbidden City, a grand and ancient architectural complex that once served as the imperial palace for Ming and Qing dynasty emperors. Walking through its vast halls and courtyards, you can marvel at the intricate details of the buildings, the rich history that permeates every brick and beam, and the sense of awe that comes from standing in a place where centuries of Chinese history unfolded. Going out from the north gate of Forbidden City, we continue to Coal Hill, on top of which you will have a stunning panoramic view of the palace complex. Walking through Yan Dai Xie Jie, a bustling street with various shops, we go to Houhai, originally served as a royal lake and now a popular spot for both locals and tourists seeking a blend of culture and relaxation. After a short stay at Bell and Drum Tower Square, we will take a rickshaw to shuttle between the old Hutongs, including a visit of local family living there.

Day 3: Beijing

In the morning, we will drive to visit Great Wall at the Mutianyu Section, less crowded yet equally majestic part of this iconic landmark. You will ride a cable car up to the highest watchtower, then take a hike along the flagstones of hundreds of years old to admire the natural scenery and experience the historical significance. The next must-see spot is Summer Palace. With its beautiful lakes, gardens, and pavilions, it is a perfect example of Chinese landscape gardening. The last stop of today goes to 798 Art Zone, a renowned cultural and artistic hub, where you will find various art forms like painting, sculpture, photography, and installation art, and all kinds of nice shops.

Day 4: High-speed Train to Xian

Our last day in Beijing will go to visit The Temple of Heaven, which was served as the sacred place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped the heavens and prayed for good harvests, now it has become a popular park for locals and tourists to do more exercises or have a relax, like practicing Taichi, singing, dancing, playing poker, strolling with a bird and so on. Before leaving from Beijing, we will take a visit of Panjiayuan Market, a sprawling marketplace in Beijing renowned for its vast collection of antiques, cultural artifacts, and second-hand goods. After that, we take high-speed train to Xian.

Day 5: Xian Flight to Zhangjiajie

This morning, we drive to visit one of the most iconic attractions in China, Terracotta Army. The life-sized terracotta soldiers and horses, discovered near the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, are a testament to the ancient craftsmanship and military power of the Qin dynasty. It's an awe-inspiring sight that transports visitors back to ancient times. Back to the city, we continue to visit the Ancient City Wall, which has a history of over 600 years. You can walk or cycle along the wall to get a panoramic view of the city and appreciate the ancient defensive architecture. Go to take a walking tour of Muslim Street, a collective term for a Muslim community area renowned for its bustling atmosphere, rich history, and a wide variety of delicious food. Here we will visit a quiet grand mosque hidden in the alley and enter a traditional courtyard to enjoy the ancient traditional art form of China – Shadow Play. In the evening, we will take a flight to Zhangjiajie.

Day 6: Zhangjiajie

We will take a full day tour of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: From the entrance we first take tourist shuttle to enter the forest park, take Bailong Elevator up to Yuanjiajie, visit “the First Bridge under heaven”, “Vertigo Platform”, “the Pillar of South Heaven “and so on; Then take battery car to Tianzi Mountain and visit Helong Park, Yubi Peak, Fairies Spreading Flowers and other sites. Going down by cable car, we will take tourist shuttle to Golden Whip Stream for a light and relaxing walking along the river.

Day 7: Zhangjiajie

In the morning, we drive to visit Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, a vast area filled with stunning landscapes, including deep gorges, towering cliffs, and lush forests, and the Glass Bridge. The bridge spans 430 meters (1,410 feet) in length and is suspended 300 meters (980 feet) above the ground, making it one of the longest and highest glass-bottom bridges in the world. In the afternoon, we will visit Baofeng Lake by taking cruise boat to enjoy its picturesque landscapes, crystal-clear waters, and local minority customs.

Day 8: Zhangjiajie Flight to Shanghai

The last day in Zhangjiajie will take you to Tianmen Mountain, also known as "Heaven's Gate Mountain". From the station located in the city center, we will take a long cable car for nearly half an hour up to the mountain, walk along glass plank road, take elevator to Tianmen Cave, and go down by tourist shuttle through the road of 99 bends. Before transfer to airport for flight to Shanghai, you can enjoy some relaxing time in coffee shop, massage shop or pedestrian street after several days’ walking in mountains and valleys.

Day 9: Shanghai

Our tour will start with the visit of Yu Garden, a famous classical Chinese garden located in the city center, and nearby market, where you will find various local snacks, traditional handicrafts, souvenirs, pearls and other specialty goods. Walk along Nanjing Pedestrian Road until to the Bund, a famous waterfront area along the Huangpu River known for its historical architecture, stunning skyline, and vibrant nightlife. In the late afternoon, we will visit a multiple-function commercial complex Known as “the Hanging Gardens of Babylon”, which contains a shopping mall, restaurants, art galleries, and office space. For the evening, we offer several optional activities, like Acrobatic Show or Night Boat Cruise on Huangpu River, you can choose according to your wishes.

Day 10: Water Town of Shanghai

This morning will take you to Zhujiajiao Water Town, which is often referred to the "Venice of Shanghai" due to its network of canals, arched stone bridges, and traditional architecture. You can ride a hand-cranked boat to the town center and then take a walking tour among the streets. Back to Shanghai, visit Tian Zi Fang, a creative district known for its abundance of art studios and galleries, and Xin Tian Di, a comprehensive business district for shopping, dining, entertainment and culture.

Day 11: Departure From Shanghai

From the bankside of Huangpu River, we will take the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel to Pudong, first visit Shanghai Municipal History Museum on the ground floor of Oriental Pearl TV Tower, then go up to its main observation deck for a panoramic view of Shanghai’s skyline. Continue to Lane 1192 Old Shanghai Style Street, an "immersive" retro food street perfectly reproduces the old Shanghai style in the thirties of the last century, where you can see rickshaws, docks, old-fashioned trams, shop signs and other scenes. The last stop in Shanghai will be Fun Collection, an underground market with all kinds of products, like clothes, suitcases, toys, digital products, handicrafts and so on.

After that, you will be transferred to airport for departure flight back to home, ending the whole tour in China.