18 Days Shanghai-Xian-Guilin-Kunming-Dali-Lijiang-Shangrila-Beijing Small Group Tour

Beijing, Xian and Shanghai are the top destinations of China city tour. This 18 Days Small Group Tour will take you explore the popular cities of Beijing, Xian, Shanghai and Guilin. What’s more, we will also head to Yunnan to appreciate its stunning natural scenery and learn its minority cultures.

Highlights:

  • Experience the old and modern culture of Beijing, Xian and Shanghai.
  • Enjoy the best highlights of Guilin and Yangshuo.
  • Tour the most classic sights of Yunnan.

Brief Itinerary

  • Day 1: Shanghai Arrival
  • Day 2: Shanghai
  • Day 3: Shanghai – Xian
  • Day 4: Xian
  • Day 5: Xian
  • Day 6: Xian – Guilin
  • Day 7: Guilin – Yangsuo – Guilin
  • Day 8: Guilin – Kunming
  • Day 9: Kunming – Dali
  • Day 10: Dali
  • Day 11: Dali – Lijiang
  • Day 12: Lijiang
  • Day 13: Lijiang – Shangri-La
  • Day 14: Shangri-La
  • Day 15: Shangri-La – Beijing
  • Day 16: Beijing
  • Day 17: Beijing
  • Day 18: Beijing Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Shanghai Arrival

Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Shanghai
Meals:

Upon arrival, met by tour guide and transferred to you hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the day.

Day 2 Shanghai

Sightseeing and Activities: Yuyuan Garden, Yuyuan Market, Shanghai Museum, the Jade Buddha Temple
Accommodation: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, we will first visit Yuyuan Garden and Yuyuan Market. Yu Yuan Garden(or Yun Garden) is a famous classical garden located in Anren Jie, Shanghai. It abuts the Yuyuan Market. Then we will stop at Shanghai Museum. It is the Museum of Ancient Chinese Art with more than 120,000 precious and rare works of art. In the afternoon, we will head to the Jade Buddha Temple, which is a venerable and famous Buddhist temple built in 1928.

Day 3 Shanghai – Xian

Sightseeing and Activities: the bund, East Nanjing Road, Oriental Pearl TV Tower
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today visit the bund, which is located along the Huangpu River. It is a famous waterfront and regarded as the symbol of Shanghai. Then we will head to East Nanjing Road – the first choice for many fashion-seeking shoppers. You can find out whatever you want. Afterwards we will stop at Oriental Pearl TV Tower. The ultra-modern Oriental Pearl TV Tower combines ancient concepts with 21st Century technology, where you can get a bird-eye-view of whole Shanghai city.

In the afternoon, we will drive you to the airport for your flight to Xian. Upon arrival, met by the tour guide and transferred to hotel.

Day 4 Xian

Sightseeing and Activities: Terracotta Warriors, local family visit, Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Terracotta Army, Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum, Xian

Today visit the world famous Terracotta Warriors. The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. After that, visit a local family and have a home-made lunch.

After that, visit the the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. At night, enjoy the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show(paid by yourself).

Day 5 Xian

Sightseeing and Activities: the City Wall, Shaanxi Provincial History Museum, Great Mosque, Muslim street
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today visit the City Wall. And then visit Shaanxi Provincial History Museum, one of the first huge state museums with modern facilities in China and one of the largest with the large storage of cultural relics from the Shang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.

Have a la carte lunch at a decent local restaurant and then continue to visit the Great Mosque. Later taste some local snacks on the Muslim Street.

Day 6 Xian – Guilin

Sightseeing and Activities: Reed Flute Cave
Accommodation: Guilin
Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, transferred to the airport to take the flight to Guilin. After arrival, met by the tour guide and head to visit Reed Flute Cave. Also known as “the Palace of Natural Arts”, it is a natural limestone cave with multicolored lighting and has been one of Guilin’s most interesting attractions for over 1200 years.

Day 7 Guilin – Yangsuo – Guilin

Sightseeing and Activities: Li River, Elephant Trunk Hill
Accommodation: Guilin
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Elephant Trunk Hill (Xiangbishan) in Guilin

Take a Li River cruise to Yangsuo. On the twisty Li River from Zhujiang to Yangshuo, it covers hundreds and thousands of grotesque peaks. You will have lunch on board. Then disembark at Yangsuo and explore Yangsuo’s countryside to appreciate the beautiful rural scenery and farmer’s lifestyle.

Then transferred back to Guilin and visit Elephant Trunk Hill, which is the symbol of the city of Guilin, which got its name because it looks like an elephant drinking water.

Day 8 Guilin – Kunming

Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast

Take the flight to Kunming. A local tour guide will pick you up at airport and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

Day 9 Kunming – Dali

Sightseeing and Activities: Stone Forest, Birds and Flower Market, Green Lake
Accommodation: on the train
Meals: Breakfast

The Stone Forest in Kunming

Breakfast at hotel, our tour guide and drive will pick you up from your hotel and then drive about 85km to the Stone Forest, a notable set of limestone formations and two parts of which have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the South China Karst. Besides, Stone Forest is also famous for the ethnic culture of the Sani People (a branch of the Yi ethnicminority).

After the visit, drive back to Kunming and visit Birds and Flower Market. Then continue the tour to Green Lake, strolling around the lake, watching locals do dancing and making music.

In the evening, transferred to Kunming Railway Station for the overnight train to Dali(Reference train No.: K9626 23:30-06:42+1, soft sleeper(four-berth compartment).

Day 10 Dali

Sightseeing and Activities: Xizhou morning market, Zhoucheng Village, Erhai Lake cruise, Three Pagodas
Accommodation: Taiheju Hotel
Meals: Breakfast

Three Pagodas and Chongsheng Monastery in Dali

Arrive at Dali Railway Station in the early morning. Meet your local tour guide & driver and transfer to Taiheju Hotel for breakfast and the luggage settlement. Then head to visit Xizhou morning market and Zhoucheng Village.

In the afternoon, take a cruise on Erhai Lake. Then visit Three Pagodas in Chongsheng Monastery.

Day 11 Dali – Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities: Dali Old Town, Black Dragon Pool, Lijiang Old Town, Baisha Old Town
Accommodation: Baisha Holiday Resort
Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, explore Dali Old Town including the Foreigner Street, the Ancient City Wall of Dali and The Gate Tower.

Transfer 2 hours to Lijiang, visit Black Dragon Pool and Lijiang Old Town. Visit Baisha Old Town in the late afternoon.

Day 12 Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities:Baisha Murals, Yuhu Village and Former Residence of Joseph Rock, Mufu Palace, Wangu Tower
Accommodation: Baisha Holiday Resort
Meals: Breakfast

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang

This morning, walk to visit Baisha Murals. Then pay a visit to Yuhu Village and Former Residence of Joseph Rock.

In the afternoon, visit Mufu Palace, walk up to the top of the Lion Hill to visit Wangu Tower and enjoy the panoramic view of Lijiang Old Town from Wangu Tower.

Option: If you don’t want to choose our Lijiang city tour, you also can take our option of 1 Day Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Group Tour (Price: USD 150/Person extra).

Day 13 Lijiang – Shangri-La

Sightseeing and Activities: the First Bend of Yangtze River, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Dukezong Ancient Town, Guishan Hill
Accommodation: Sheng Qu Hotel
Meals: Breakfast

Yixiantian Ray of Sunshine in the Middle Section of Tiger Leaping Gorge

After breakfast, drive to Shangri-La city. On the way, have a view of the First Bend of Yangtze River from afar and continue to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge which is the deepest gorge in the world.

In the afternoon, drive about 2 hours to Shangri-La and check in hotel. Later, stroll around Dukezong Ancient Town and walk up to the top of Guishan Hill to see the Grand Prayer Wheel and have a panoramic view of Shangri-La city and Dukezong Ancient Town.

Transfer to the hotel.

Day 14 Shangri-La

Sightseeing and Activities: Songzanlin Monastery, Napahai Lake, local family visit
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Visit Songzanlin Monastery in the morning. Transfer to visit Napahai Lake. Pay a visit a local Tibetan family and have a simple Tibetan lunch for free.

Day 15 Shangri-La – Beijing

Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast

Today take the flight to Beijing. A local tour guide will pick you up at airport and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

Day 16 Beijing

Sightseeing and Activities: Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, Kung Fu Show
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Tiananmen Square in Beijing

We will start the tour form the center of the city – Tiananmen Square. Go north through the square and you will see the Forbidden City. As the largest and best-preserved ancient wooden structure in the world, it has more than 8,000 pavilions and thousands of historic treasures. Then enjoy the a la carte lunch.

In the afternoon, head to visit the royal altar of the Ming and Qing dynasties – the Temple of Heaven. Then have a fantastic Chinese Kung Fu Show at the Red Theatre in the evening.

Day 17 Beijing

Sightseeing and Activities: Badaling Great Wall, the Sacred Way
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast

Badaling Great Wall in Beijing

Get up early and have a big breakfast at hotel because there is no good restaurants for lunch during the journey.  Drive to visit Badaling Great Wall. After that, drop by a jade factory before heading for the Sacred Way. See the grand stone archway, several animals’ sculptures, and stone pavilions while you are marching along this 4-mile stone path. See the appearance of Bird’s Nest on the way to your hotel.

Day 18 Beijing Departure

Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast

Today your wonderful tour will complete. Be escorted to the airport for your flight and service ends.

Service Included:

  • Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
  • Meals as listed in the itinerary;
  • Accommodations: hotels based on twin occupancy as specified(Except day tours);
  • Sharing English-speaking tour guide;
  • Sharing vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
  • Service charge & government taxes;
  • Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
  • Domestic train tickets of soft sleeper.

Service Excluded:

  • Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
  • Chinese visa fees;
  • Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
  • Single room supplement;
  • Tips to guides and drivers;
  • Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
  • Personal travel accident insurance;
  • All optional programs.