Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Shanghai β the classic circuit, privately
10 days / 9 nights Β· Beijing β Xi'an β Guilin β Shanghai
Beijing β Shanghai
The ultimate first-time China itinerary β four iconic cities, ten unforgettable days, every moment designed around you. Walk the Great Wall without the crowds at Mutianyu. Stand before 8,000 Terracotta Warriors with a private archaeologist guide. Cruise the Li River through a landscape so surreal it belongs on a scroll painting. End your journey on the Bund as Shanghai's skyline lights up across the river. No buses. No fixed scripts. No rushed photo stops. Just you, your private guide, and the story behind every stone, every dish, every dynasty.
Accommodation
Handpicked 4-star boutique hotels in each city: β’ Beijing: The Orchid Hotel (hutong courtyard) or similar β 3 nights β’ Xi'an: Eastern House Boutique (inside city wall) or similar β 2 nights β’ Guilin: Shangri-La Guilin (river view) or similar β 2 nights β’ Shanghai: Yangtze Boutique (French Concession) or similar β 2 nights All hotels include daily breakfast. Upgrades to 5-star available on request.
Transportation
β’ Beijing β Xi'an: First-class high-speed train (~5.5 hours, window seats) β’ Xi'an β Guilin: Domestic flight (~2 hours, economy) β’ Guilin β Shanghai: Domestic flight (~2.5 hours, economy) β’ All city transfers: Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver β’ Airport pickup (Beijing) and drop-off (Shanghai) included
Meals
9 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 2 dinners
Forbidden City with a Historian
Skip the standard audio guide. Your private historian-guide reveals the palace's hidden stories: concubine rivalries, eunuch politics, and the emperor who had 3,000 wives.
Great Wall at Mutianyu
The best-preserved section, with far fewer visitors than Badaling. Cable car up, walk the ramparts at your pace, lunch with a view of the wall snaking across the mountains.
Terracotta Warriors Up Close
Stand before 8,000 life-sized warriors β each with a unique face. Private archaeologist guide explains the ongoing excavation and why this army was buried for 2,200 years.
Li River Cruise Through Karst
Four hours through the landscape that appears on the Β₯20 bill. Mist-shrouded peaks, bamboo groves, cormorant fishermen β the China you imagined.
Shanghai Bund at Night
Art Deco grandeur meets neon skyline across the Huangpu River. Walk the Bund with your guide, then ascend Shanghai Tower for a view from the world's second-tallest building.
High-Speed Train Through the Countryside
First-class window seats Beijing β Xi'an. Watch China's landscapes transform β wheat fields to loess plateau β at 300 km/h, with your guide narrating the passing geography.
Day 1
DArrive Beijing β Welcome to China
Touch down at Beijing Capital Airport. Your private guide and driver meet you at arrivals with a name sign. Private transfer to your hotel β a restored hutong courtyard in the heart of old Beijing. Freshen up, then join your guide for a welcome dinner at a courtyard restaurant serving imperial cuisine. Your guide walks you through the journey ahead over tea.
Day 2
B,LBeijing β Tiananmen, Forbidden City & Jingshan
Begin at Tiananmen Square β the world's largest public square β as your guide explains its role from dynastic times to today. Enter the Forbidden City through the Meridian Gate. Your guide brings 500 years of palace intrigue to life: concubine rivalries, eunuch politics, emperor rituals. Skip the standard route to explore quieter courtyards most groups miss. Climb Jingshan Hill for the iconic rooftop panorama β golden tiles stretching to the horizon.
Day 3
B,LBeijing β Great Wall at Mutianyu
Early start to beat the crowds. Private driver takes you to Mutianyu β the best-preserved section of the Great Wall, with far fewer visitors than Badaling. Cable car up, then walk the ramparts at your pace. Your guide shares the wall's hidden history: how it was built, where the bricks came from, what life was like for the soldiers stationed here. Lunch at a farm-to-table restaurant overlooking the wall. Afternoon visit to the Summer Palace β Kunming Lake, the Long Corridor, and the Marble Boat at golden hour.
Day 4
B,LBeijing β Xi'an β Temple of Heaven & High-Speed Train
Morning visit to the Temple of Heaven. Join locals practicing tai chi and ballroom dancing in the park β your guide translates the moves if you want to join. See the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, an architectural masterpiece built without a single nail. Explore a hutong alley by rickshaw, stopping at a family home for tea. Afternoon: board the first-class high-speed train to Xi'an (~5.5 hours). Your Xi'an guide meets you at the station for a private transfer to your hotel inside the ancient city walls.
Day 5
B,L,DXi'an β Terracotta Warriors & Tang Dynasty Evening
The day you've been waiting for. Private drive to the Terracotta Warriors museum. Your guide β a history specialist β walks you through all three pits: the main battle formation (6,000 warriors, each with a unique face), the command headquarters, and the bronze chariot exhibition. Learn why each figure is different, how they were discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974, and the ongoing excavation work. Lunch at a local restaurant famous for hand-pulled biang biang noodles. Evening: Tang Dynasty dinner and music show β a spectacle of classical dance, silk costumes, and ancient instruments.
Day 6
B,LXi'an β Guilin β City Wall & Muslim Quarter
Rent bikes and cycle atop Xi'an's 600-year-old city wall β the most complete ancient fortification in China (14km loop, do as much as you like). Walk through the Muslim Quarter, a sensory overload of sizzling lamb skewers, pomegranate juice stalls, and the Great Mosque β a rare fusion of Chinese temple architecture and Islamic tradition. Afternoon flight to Guilin. Your Guilin guide meets you at the airport. Check into your riverside hotel.
Day 7
B,LGuilin β Yangshuo β Li River Cruise
Board a private boat for the Li River cruise β four hours through the karst landscape that inspired a thousand scroll paintings. Mist-shrouded peaks rise vertically from the water, bamboo groves line the banks, cormorant fishermen drift past on bamboo rafts. Your guide points out the formations that appear on the Β₯20 bill. Arrive in Yangshuo, a charming town nestled among the peaks. Afternoon: walk or bike through rice paddies and ancient villages. Sunset drinks at a rooftop bar with 360Β° karst views.
Day 8
B,LYangshuo β Shanghai β Countryside Morning & Fly East
Morning tai chi session with a local master on the riverbank (optional, all levels welcome). Bike through Dragon Bridge countryside: rice paddies, water buffalo, farmers in conical hats β the rural China that feels centuries away from Shanghai. Drive back to Guilin for your flight to Shanghai. Your Shanghai guide meets you at the airport. Evening: walk the Bund β Art Deco grandeur on one side, Pudong's neon skyline on the other. The city reveals itself at night.
Day 9
B,LShanghai β Old & New, Yu Garden to French Concession
Start at Yu Garden, a 16th-century scholar's retreat of rockeries, pavilions, and carp ponds in the heart of old Shanghai. Cross the Nine-Turn Bridge and explore the surrounding bazaar. Walk the French Concession: plane-tree-lined streets, 1920s lane houses, hidden cafΓ©s β your guide reveals the stories behind the facades. Afternoon visits to Shanghai Tower observation deck (world's second-tallest building) for a view that puts the city in perspective. Evening: farewell dinner at a Michelin-recommended Shanghainese restaurant, then an ERA acrobatics show β a jaw-dropping spectacle of balance and athleticism.
Day 10
BDepart Shanghai β Journey Home
Private transfer to Shanghai Pudong Airport. Your guide helps with check-in and says goodbye. If your flight is late, optional morning visit to the Propaganda Poster Art Centre or a last stroll through the Former French Concession β your guide adjusts the morning to your schedule.
Absolutely β it's designed as the perfect introduction. You'll see China's four most iconic destinations with private guides who handle every detail. No Mandarin needed, no navigating unfamiliar systems. By the end, you'll feel like you truly understand China.
Moderate. The Great Wall involves steps and uneven terrain (cable car reduces the climb). City sightseeing is mostly walking at your pace. The Li River cruise is seated. Xi'an city wall cycling is optional. Tell us your fitness level and we'll adjust β this is a private tour, so everything is flexible.
Yes β this is your private journey. Add days in Yangshuo for more countryside exploration. Swap Shanghai for Hong Kong. Add a cooking class in Xi'an or a calligraphy workshop in Beijing. Extend to Chengdu for pandas. The itinerary shown is our recommended blueprint; we tailor it to your interests.
Spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) are ideal β comfortable temperatures, blue skies, and golden light for photos. Summer (June-August) is hot but manageable with early starts. Winter (November-March) offers fewer crowds and snow-dusted Great Wall views, though it's cold in Beijing.
25% deposit to confirm your booking. Balance due 30 days before departure. We accept bank transfer, credit card (Stripe), and Wise. Full terms in your booking agreement.
China is one of the safest countries in the world for travelers. Violent crime is extremely rare, and solo female travelers consistently report feeling safe. Your guide is with you throughout, and our 24/7 concierge is a WhatsApp message away.
Most nationalities need a tourist visa (L visa) for mainland China. We provide an official invitation letter and detailed guidance through the application process. Many nationalities can also use the 144-hour transit visa for shorter stays. Ask us about your specific passport situation.
Many Western apps (Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, Gmail) are blocked in China. We recommend installing a VPN before arrival (ExpressVPN and Astrill work reliably). Your hotels have Wi-Fi, and we provide a local SIM card option. Offline maps and translation apps are loaded on your guide's phone as backup.
Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure. Flexible rebooking always available.
β’ 30+ days before departure: Full refund minus $200 admin fee β’ 15-29 days before departure: 50% refund β’ 0-14 days before departure: No refund β’ Date changes: Free up to 30 days before departure; $100 rebooking fee within 30 days (subject to availability) β’ We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance that covers trip cancellation β’ In the unlikely event we cancel your trip, you receive a 100% refund plus $200 toward a future booking
Zhang Wei
English, Mandarin
Imperial history, Beijing hutong culture, Chinese philosophy
Li Na
English, Mandarin, French
Tang Dynasty, Silk Road history, Xi'an food culture
Chen Mei
English, Mandarin, Cantonese
Karst geology, ethnic minority cultures, rural China
Wang Fang
English, Mandarin, Japanese
Shanghai history, Art Deco architecture, contemporary China
Based on 2 travelers. Price varies by group size and season. Includes all listed inclusions β no hidden costs.
We typically respond within minutes. Tell us your dates and group size for a personalized quote.