History
Mutianyu Great Wall
The restored Wall most first visits choose: watchtowers along a wooded ridge, cable car up, toboggan down.
In Beijing →
Find your China.
An imperial palace you walk through gate by gate, a wall drawn across the mountains, Shanghai’s skyline at night and the karst peaks of Guilin. Start with what you want to feel, and we’ll help you choose where to go.
13 places to start
Beijing 北京
China's capital, with imperial palaces, the Great Wall and old hutong lanes.
- 3–4 days
- Best Mar–May · Sep–Nov
Chengdu 成都
Sichuan's capital, known for pandas, teahouses, spicy food and relaxed city life.
- 3–4 days
- Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
Chongqing 重庆
A hilly city where two rivers meet, with hotpot, steep streets and bright night views.
- 2–3 days
- Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
Dali 大理
A Yunnan city with Bai old towns, Erhai Lake and the Cangshan mountains.
- 2–3 days
- Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
Guilin & Yangshuo 桂林・阳朔
A Guangxi city and region known for limestone hills, river trips and Yangshuo countryside.
- 3–4 days
- Best Apr–May · Sep–Oct
Hangzhou 杭州
A lakeside city with West Lake, tea-growing hills, temples and old shopping streets.
- 2–3 days
- Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
Kunming 昆明
Yunnan's capital, with mild weather, parks, markets and access to the Stone Forest.
- 2–3 days
- Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
Lijiang 丽江
A Yunnan city with Naxi old towns and access to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
- 2–3 days
- Best Apr–May · Oct–Nov
Shanghai 上海
A large riverside city with skyscrapers, historic streets, museums and shopping.
- 3–4 days
- Best Apr–May · Oct–Nov
Shangri-La 香格里拉
A high-altitude Yunnan town with Tibetan culture, monasteries and mountain grasslands.
- 2–3 days
- Best May–Jun · Sep–Oct
Suzhou 苏州
A city of classical gardens and canal streets, with a modern lakeside district.
- 2–3 days
- Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
Xi’an 西安
An ancient capital with city walls, the Terracotta Army, temples and busy food streets.
- 2–3 days
- Best Apr–May · Sep–Oct
Zhangjiajie 张家界
A Hunan destination with sandstone peaks, forest walks and Tianmen Mountain.
- 3–4 days
- Best Apr–May · Sep–Oct
The China people come for
History
Forbidden City
Walk the imperial palace gate by gate, then climb Jingshan to see its golden roofs from above.
In Beijing →
History
Terracotta Army
Ranks of clay warriors still standing in their excavation pits, outside central Xi’an. Leave half a day.
In Xi’an →History
Humble Administrator’s Garden
Suzhou’s largest classical garden: pavilions, ponds and framed views that reward a slow walk.
In Suzhou →Landscapes
Li River cruise
Glide between karst peaks from Guilin towards Yangshuo: the scenery the region is famous for.
In Guilin & Yangshuo →Landscapes
Zhangjiajie’s stone pillars
Sandstone towers rising out of the mist, with walkways along the cliff edge.
In Zhangjiajie →Landscapes
West Lake
Willow-lined causeways, pagodas and tea hills around Hangzhou’s famous lake.
In Hangzhou →
Landscapes
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
A glaciered peak above Lijiang; go early and plan for altitude.
In Lijiang →Landscapes
Giant pandas in Chengdu
A dedicated half-day to see pandas up close; worth it when pandas are a real priority.
In Chengdu →City life
The Bund at night
Historic riverfront facades on one side, Pudong’s lit-up skyline on the other.
In Shanghai →City life
Hongyadong
Stilted buildings stacked up the riverbank, best when the lights come on.
In Chongqing →
Food
Sichuan hotpot
A bubbling pot of chilli and peppercorn broth, Chengdu’s favourite way to eat together.
In Chengdu →
Food
Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter
Evening food streets in the old city for skewers, roujiamo and hand-pulled noodles.
In Xi’an →Ready-made itineraries to start from
Showing all 25 itineraries. Use the choices at the top to narrow them down.
6 daysBeijing → Xi’anBeijing and Xi’an: emperors in six days
7 daysBeijing → ShanghaiBeijing and Shanghai in a week
Chengdu → ChongqingChengdu to Chongqing: tea tables and river lights
7 daysShanghai → Hangzhou → SuzhouRiver lights, tea hills and Suzhou canals
Dali → Lijiang → Shangri-LaDali to Shangri-La: lakes, lanes and mountain air
Kunming → Dali → LijiangYunnan in a week: Kunming, Dali and Lijiang
8 daysBeijing → Xi’an → ChengduBeijing, Xi’an and Chengdu in eight days
Chengdu → Jiuzhaigou → ChongqingSichuan’s lakes between two food cities
Kunming → Dali → LijiangYunnan with a night in Shaxi
10 daysBeijing → Xi’an → ShanghaiPalaces to Shanghai’s skyline in ten days
Kunming → Dali → Lijiang → Shangri-LaYunnan: stone forests to highland roofs
13 daysBeijing → Xi’an → Guilin & Yangshuo → ShanghaiPalaces, warriors and river country in thirteen days
14 daysBeijing → Xi’an → Chengdu → Chongqing → ShanghaiTwo weeks west: palaces, pandas and Chongqing nights
14 daysBeijing → Xi’an → Chengdu → ShanghaiPalaces, pandas and Shanghai in two weeks
16 daysBeijing → Xi’an → Chengdu → Guilin & Yangshuo → ShanghaiThe grand loop: palaces, pandas and the Li River
3 daysXi’anXi’an: walls, warriors and a proper food wander
ChengduChengdu: pandas, tea and unhurried evenings
ChongqingChongqing in four days
ShanghaiShanghai: river lights and leafy afternoons
4 daysZhangjiajieZhangjiajie: above the pillars, beside the stream
5 daysBeijingBeijing: three days of greatest hits
5 daysBeijingBeijing: three days for hutong people
5 daysBeijingBeijing: three days of slow gardens
5 daysBeijingBeijing: the big sights, with room to breathe
5 daysGuilin & YangshuoGuilin to Yangshuo: let the river set the pace
Month by month: weather and what to plan around
Typical daytime high / night low, 1991–2020 averages — not a forecast.
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Coming up across China
Where the cities are
Not sure where to start?
Tell us how long you have and what you love. We’ll suggest where to go, then help you shape the days.