Beijing, Xi’an & Shanghai

Walk through China’s vast Tiananmen Square, view the Forbidden Palace, home to Chinese emperors since 1421, travel to the Great Wall of China, see the life-size Terra Cotta Soldiers in Xi’an, and wander through the 16th century Yu Yuan Garden in Shanghai.

Request Info Request Quote
China red temple

https://worldstrides.com.au/itineraries/china

Beijing, Xi’an & Shanghai

Walk through China’s vast Tiananmen Square, view the Forbidden Palace, home to Chinese emperors since 1421, travel to the Great Wall of China, see the life-size Terra Cotta Soldiers in Xi’an, and wander through the 16th century Yu Yuan Garden in Shanghai.

Request Info Request Quote
Skip to Content
Share itinerary

9 Days

Destinations

BeijingXianShanghai

Your Adventure

1 Ni hao Beijing
  • Meet your Tour Director Arrive in Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China and one of the most populated cities on Earth! Meet your Tour Director and check into your hotel.
2 Beijing
  • Beijing guided sightseeing tour Tiananmen Square visit, Forbidden City visit, Temple of Heaven visit
    Explore the landmark sights of ancient and modern China with a licensed local guide. Covering the area of 90 football fields, Tiananmen Square can hold over 300,000 people and has always been the site for public proclamations and demonstrations. It has been China’s historic heart of celebration and also turbulence for almost a century. The gate at the southern end of the square marks the old city walls, not removed until 1958. See the nerve center of modern China in the adjoining People's Hall, the legislative building, where each of the 32 reception rooms is lavishly decorated in the style of a different province or city. In the main hall, 500 light bulbs illuminate the enormous red star on the ceiling. Move into ancient China in the Forbidden City, the formidable 9,000-room palace complex -- protected by a 170ft.-wide moat - that housed China's emperors from 1421 until 1923.
  • Peking duck dinner A favourite dish of the emperors during the Ming Dynasty, Peking duck became available to the masses when a later dynasty collapsed and court chefs took their recipes to the streets. Indulge in spiced, crispy duck carved into strips and eaten on thin pancakes with cucumber, shallot, and plum sauce.
  • Kung fu show The Legend of Kung Fu Show is a mix of traditional martial arts and modern theatre. Presenting stunning Kung Fu skills, exquisite ballet and music, this fusion of modern dance with Chinese traditional martial arts makes this performance one of the most loved Kung Fu shows in China.
3 Beijing
  • Thai chi lesson Discover the history of the Chinese martial art, Tai Chi. Learn the moves from an experienced instructor, then practice what you've been taught.
  • Great Wall of China visit Stretching from Korea to the Gobi Desert, the Great Wall of China reaches 1,500 miles along old imperial borders. The wall was built mainly by millions of slaves, repairing and lengthening existing defensive walls throughout the centuries (the oldest dating back to the 5th century BC), until the massive structure was complete. Sentries posted at the stone watchtowers along its length could use smoke to signal an imminent attack.
  • Ming Tombs visit An emperor with a home as elaborate as the Imperial Palace needs an equally elaborate final resting place, and the Ming Tombs fit the bill quite nicely. Overseen by the same emperor, Yongle, who constructed the Forbidden City, the Ming Tombs are an enormous complex of pavilions, gardens, hallways, and tombs designed to provide everything an emperor, empress, or favored concubine would need in the afterlife. Check out the Avenue of Stone Animals, where a dozen pairs of carved animals, some dating back to the 1400s, and half a dozen pairs of carved officials and soldiers wait to escort their leaders to heaven.
  • Acrobatic show Forget Cirque de Soleil - Beijing's Acrobatic Troupe has been performing for more than 50 years, and their combination of superb acrobatics, juggling, magic, and more has made them the world's best acrobatic ensemble.
4 Beijing
  • Visit a local school
  • Hutong tour Explore the back alleyways of Beijing on a guided tour. Known as ‘Hutongs’ these alleyways are where Chinese life can be seen at its most typical and traditional.
  • Dinner with a local Chinese family Enjoy dinner with a local Chinese family in the Hutong area.
5 Beijing - Xi'an
  • Visit a local food market Interact with the locals at a traditional food market. Use this opportunity to purchase some items for your lunchtime cooking class.
  • Chinese cooking class Continue your Mandarin lessons while learning to cook the local cuisine.
  • Bullet train to Xi'an
6 Xi'an
  • Xi'an guided sightseeing tour
    Ancient City Wall, Greater Wild Goose Pagoda visit
    The modern capital of Shaanxi, Xi’an served as capital to 11 dynasties over a period of 4,000 years, including the powerful Tang Dynasty, which marked the city’s peak. With a rich history and stunning location, the Qinling Mountains to the south and the Weihe River to the north, Xi’an is one of the most popular destinations in China.
  • Terracotta Warriors Museum visit Uncover the history from the Qin Dynasty, with the Terracotta Army. First discovered in 1974, these 6,000 life-size terracotta warriors were formed and buried with the first emperor of China in 210–209 BCE, with the purpose of protecting him in his afterlife. This remarkable discovery is still considered one of the biggest in archeological history.
  • Tang Dynasty singing and dancing show Elaborate costumes, haunting rhythms, spectacular dexterity. The Tang Dynasty had a wide reputation for its dance performances, used by the Emperor Taizong not only for entertainment but also to educate citizens about civic duty and military readiness. At the art form's peak popularity, there were thousands of trained dancers kept in the emperor's court.
7 Xi'an - Shanghai
  • Banpo Village Ruins & Museum visit
  • Muslim Quarter The Muslim Quarter of Xi'an is located in the city center and covers several blocks of scenic streets. More than 20,000 Muslims inhabit the area which is dotted with ten mosques, including the Great Mosque.
  • Fly to Shanghai
8 Shanghai
  • Shanghai guided sightseeing tour Yu Yuan Garden, Jade Buddha Temple visit, Silk factory visit, Bund, Tian Zi Fang visit
    Shanghai combines European elegance with Asian flair, transforming its colonial history with a unique modern outlook. See the highlights with a local licensed guide. Surrounded by a busy bazaar, the Yu Yuan Garden offers an amazingly peaceful escape into a sixteenth-century garden with fountains, bridges, and tile dragons undulating along the walls. More peace reigns at the temple of the Jade Buddha, where two exquisitely carved Buddha statues, each carved from a single piece of jade, keep watch over a community of monks.
  • Huangpu River cruise
9 Depart China (or extend your tour)
  • Depart China If ending your tour today, begin your journey home.
  • Tour extension: travel to Hong Kong
10 Tour extension: Hong Kong
  • Hong Kong guided sightseeing tour Star Ferry ride across Victoria Harbour, Kowloon, Victoria Peak, Tai Po Man Mo Temple visit, Repulse Bay, Stanley Market
    Shopping, shopping, shopping. Hong Kong's history as Britain's Asian economic centre means that the city has always buzzed with sellers and buyers. Get a taste of the action at Stanley Market, where clothing and souvenirs are offered, and Kowloon, a district jam-packed with shops and restaurants. Take a spiritual break at the Tai Po Man Mo Temple. Find even more sanctuary, and a better view, on Victoria Peak, once the enclave of wealthy Westerners and now a refreshing break from the energetic pace of the city below.
11 Tour extension: Depart Hong Kong
  • Begin your journey home

Request Quote

Thank you for your interest in our WorldStrides Beijing, Xi’an & Shanghai Tour! Please tell us a little more about yourself so we can get you sent to the right place.