Unveiling China's Highlights: An 18-Day Journey Through Culture and Nature

Beijing(4N)-Jiuzhaigou(2N)-Leshan-Emeishan(1N)-Chengdu(1N)-Guiyang(2N)-Kaili(1N)-Zhangjiajie(3N)-Shanghai(3N)

This is a China Highlights journey stitching imperial legacies, ethnic tapestries, and nature’s surreal masterpieces into one epic mosaic of China’s soul: From Beijing’s imperial grandeur, soar to Jiuzhaigou - a postcard-perfect realm of jewel-toned lakes reborn post-earthquake, nature’s resilience in Sichuan’s heights. Descend to Chengdu, where pandas nibble bamboo and fiery hotpot perfumes ancient teahouse alleys. Pay homage to Leshan’s cliff-carved Buddha and Emeishan’s sacred peaks, where Buddhist chants mingle with misty trails. Dive into Guizhou’s ethnic mosaic: Guiyang’s karst landscapes and Kaili’s vibrant Miao villages, alive with batik blues and silversmith clinks. Then, marvel at Zhangjiajie’s gravity-defying sandstone pillars, a real-life “Avatar” wonderland. Culminate in Shanghai, where the Bund’s colonial whispers duel with Pudong’s neon-lit futurism.

Great Wall

Beijing Hutong

798 Art Zone

Beijing Panjiayuan Market

Jiuzhaigou

Jiuzhaigou

Giant Panda

Leshan Giant Buddha

Emeishan

Monkey in Emeishan

Huangguoshu Waterfall

Qingyan Old Town

Langde Miao Village

Guizhou Miao Minority

Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge

Shanghai

Yuyuan Garden

Zhujiajiao Water Town

Oriental Pearl TV Tower

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: Beijing  

Our last day in Beijing first goes to 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. Then 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. Continue to the Lama Temple, a swirl of Tibetan Buddhist incense and gilded deities. A short stroll leads to the Confucius Temple, its cypress-shaded courtyards echoing with millennia of scholarly reverence, stone steles etched with imperial wisdom. Then dive into Nanluoguxiang, a maze of Ming-dynasty hutongs reborn as hipster havens—sip craft coffee beside traditional courtyard homes

Day 5: Beijing Flight to Jiuzhaigou

We will take an early morning flight to Jiuzhaigou. Drive to visit Huanglong Scenic Area to see its colorful pools and unique travert formationsine amid snow - capped mountains and dense forests, then another 2h driving to the hotel at entrance area of Jiuzhaigou.

Day 6: Jiuzhaigou

Full day tour of Jiuzhaigou, a fairyland of prismatic lakes, cascading waterfalls, and ancient forests.

Day 7: Chengdu – Leshan – Emeishan

Transfer to take high-speed train to Chengdu and then drive to Leshan. We will visit the Leshan Giant Buddha by taking a boat tour and also walking along the pathways to admire its grandeur closely. Continue driving to Emeishan and check in hotel.

Day 8: Emeishan – Chengdu 

The visit of Emeishan starts from Baoguo Temple at the foot of the mountain, then go up to Wannian Temple by cable car, walk through the Monkey area and go down. Drive back to Chengdu, with a stop at Huanglongxi Old Town to explore its old streets, traditional architecture, and rich cultural heritage, showcasing a slice of old - time Sichuan charm.

Day 9: High-speed Train from Chengdu to Guiyang

In Chengdu, we visit the Panda Base to see adorable giant pandas, then explore Wenshu Temple for Buddhist culture, relax at People's Park with its teahouses, and stroll through Kuan Zhai Xiang Zi for old - town charm and local snacks. Transfer to railway station and take high-speed train to Guiyang.

Day 10: Guiyang

Take a drive to explore the Dragon Palace, an underground cave system with unique karst formations and underground rivers. Then visit the impressive Huangguoshu Waterfall, one of China's largest waterfalls, and finally, head to Jiaxiu Tower, a historic riverside pavilion with traditional architecture and scenic views.

Day 11: Kaili

In the morning, we first take a visit of Qingyan Old Town, a Ming dynasty fortress of 600 years old turned to be living museum of stone architecture, minority crafts, and Guizhou’s iconic street-food aromas, then drive to Gaoyao to see the impressive terrace fields, visit Shiqiao Village for a traditional paper-making workshop, and explore the local market in Kaili for a taste of authentic regional culture and crafts.

Day 12: High-speed Train to Zhangjiajie

Drive to visit Langde Miao Village to explore its traditional Miao culture, architecture, and enjoy authentic performances by the local Long - skirt Miao people at the entrance of village, then Gejia Minority Village, a lesser-known ethnic enclave famed for intricate batik art, folk festivals, and pastoral serenity. Transfer to take high-speed train to Zhangjiajie via Huaihua.

Day 13: 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 14: 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 15: 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 16: 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 17: 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 18: 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.