The classic capitals plus Zhangjiajie's peaks and the Li River karst landscape
This is the fullest two-week first-trip route for travelers who prioritize landscape as much as history. It combines China's best-known cultural cities with two very different natural regions: Zhangjiajie's sandstone pillars and the softer river-and-karst scenery of Guilin and Yangshuo. The route deliberately avoids one-night scenic stops and includes weather alternatives.
| Duration | 14 days / 13 nights |
| Group Type | Private (2-8 travelers; solo pricing on request) |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate |
| Best Season | April-May and September-November |
| Cities Visited | Beijing, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, Yangshuo, Shanghai |
| Regions | North China, Central China, South-Central China, South China, East China |
| Price Basis | From US$3,799 per person for 2 travelers sharing a room, with 4-star hotels in low or shoulder season. Regional transport is repriced against the final travel dates. |
Zhangjiajie and Guilin are not treated as interchangeable. Three nights around Zhangjiajie cover elevation, park transfers and weather risk; two nights around Yangshuo create a softer final nature phase before Shanghai.
Walk atop China's most iconic structure at its best-preserved, least-crowded section — with cable car up and toboggan slide down.
Explore Great Wall (Mutianyu) →
8,000 life-sized warriors, each with a unique face, buried for 2,200 years to guard China's first emperor in the afterlife.
Explore Terracotta Warriors →
Thousands of sandstone pillars rising from subtropical forest — the real-world inspiration for Avatar's floating mountains.
Explore Zhangjiajie National Forest Park →Take the world's longest cable car (7.5 km) to a natural rock arch — Heaven's Gate — then climb 999 steps to the sky.
Explore Tianmen Mountain & Heaven's Gate →
Four hours through karst peaks, water buffalo, and bamboo groves — the landscape that inspired Chinese painting for millennia.
Explore Li River Cruise →Bike through rice paddies between limestone peaks, float on a bamboo raft down the Yulong River, and watch sunset from Moon Hill.
Explore Yangshuo Karst Countryside →
Shanghai's iconic waterfront — colonial-era buildings facing the futuristic Pudong skyline across the Huangpu River.
Explore The Bund →Private airport transfer and a light arrival day.
Overnight: Beijing 4-star hotel
Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven with a private guide.
Overnight: Beijing 4-star hotel
Early Great Wall visit with cable car access and flexible walking distance.
Overnight: Beijing 4-star hotel
Visit the Summer Palace before taking high-speed rail to Xi'an.
Overnight: Xi'an 4-star hotel
Full archaeological visit plus City Wall or old-city food exploration.
Overnight: Xi'an 4-star hotel
Use the best available flight or rail connection; the exact mode is confirmed with the quotation.
Overnight: Zhangjiajie hotel
Explore Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain using park shuttles and lifts to reduce unnecessary climbing.
Overnight: Wulingyuan hotel
Choose the glass bridge and canyon when conditions suit, or a lower-impact forest walk as a weather alternative.
Overnight: Zhangjiajie hotel
Visit Tianmen Mountain according to ticket time, then continue to Guilin by the best practical connection.
Overnight: Guilin hotel
Take the Li River cruise through the karst peaks and stay overnight in Yangshuo.
Overnight: Yangshuo hotel
Flexible private touring by vehicle, bicycle or foot, adjusted for weather and energy.
Overnight: Yangshuo hotel
Return to Guilin and fly to Shanghai for an easy evening.
Overnight: Shanghai 4-star hotel
Yu Garden, Old City, Bund architecture and Pudong skyline with optional museum time.
Overnight: Shanghai 4-star hotel
Private transfer to Pudong or Hongqiao Airport.
Reference Price
Based on double occupancy
From US$3,799 per person for 2 travelers sharing a room, with 4-star hotels in low or shoulder season. Regional transport is repriced against the final travel dates.
Price benchmark updated: September 2026
Single supplement: +$880
Free quote within 24 hours · No deposit required
