Trip Summary
A fifteen-day rail sweep down the country's spine: imperial Beijing, Xi'an's warriors, Wuhan's bells, the Zhangjiajie pillars and Fenghuang's lantern river, a Guilin-to-Yangshuo karst finale and the delta towers of Guangzhou and Shenzhen — every connection a bullet train.
Trip Highlights
- The Forbidden City and Badaling wall in two full days
- Terracotta warriors at opening and Xi'an's dusk wall ride
- Yuanjiajie's avatar pillars and Tianmen's sky door
- Fenghuang's lanterns and the Li River's karst
- Canton Tower, Shamian and Shenzhen's skyline finish
Day by Day
Day 1 — Arrive Beijing
Axis-side base; Qianmen lanterns.
Flight in · Beijinginternational flights, destination pre-filledBook → Stay · Qianmenaxis-side baseBook → Car rental · Beijingpick up at Beijing Capital International Airport on arrivalBook → 
Day 2 — Imperial Beijing
Forbidden City axis, Jingshan, hutong lunch, Temple of Heaven evening.
Stay · Qianmensecond palace nightBook → Tickets · The Palace Museumskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 3 — Great Wall
Badaling battlements and the Ming Tombs' Sacred Way; Peking duck.
Stay · Qianmenthird wall nightBook → 
Day 4 — HSR to Xi'an
Four and a half hours; afternoon with the Terracotta Army, Muslim Quarter skewers.
Beijing → Xi'an trainHSR ~4.5 hBook → Stay · Xi'an Bell Towerold-city centreBook → Car rental · Xi'anpick up at Xi'an North Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Terracotta Army of Emperor Qinshihuangskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 5 — Xi'an walls
Wall bikes at dusk, the steles, Wild Goose fountains and Grand Tang parade.
Stay · Xi'an Bell Towersecond Tang nightBook → 
Day 6 — HSR to Wuhan
South to the river; Yellow Crane Tower at night.
Xi'an → Wuhan trainHSR ~2.5 hBook → Stay · Yellow Crane Towerriver-tower baseBook → Car rental · Wuhanpick up at Wuhan Railway Station on arrivalBook → 
Day 7 — Wuhan classics
Marquis Yi bells, East Lake greenway, Hubu Alley feast.
Stay · Yellow Crane Towersecond bells nightBook → Day 8 — HSR to Zhangjiajie
West into the pillars; afternoon up Tianmen's 99 bends.
Wuhan → Zhangjiajie trainHSR ~4 hBook → Stay · Wulingyuanpark-gate townBook → Car rental · Zhangjiajiepick up at Zhangjiajie West Railway Station on arrivalBook → 
Day 9 — Pillar country
Bailong elevator, Yuanjiajie decks, Ten-Mile gallery.
Stay · Wulingyuansecond pillar nightBook → Tickets · Zhangjiajieskip-the-line entryBook → Day 10 — Golden Whip & Baofeng
Stream walk and lake boat before the Fenghuang transfer.
Stay · Wulingyuanthird gallery nightBook → Tickets · Zhangjiajieskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 11 — Fenghuang
Lantern boats on the Tuo, stilt lanes and morning mist.
Zhangjiajie → Xiangxi trainHSR + taxi to FenghuangBook → Stay · Fenghuang Ancient Townstilt-house lantern stayBook → Car rental · Xiangxipick up at Fenghuanggucheng Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Fenghuang Ancient Townskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 12 — To Guilin
Train south; evening lakeside pagodas in Guilin.
Xiangxi → Guilin trainHSR ~2.5 hBook → Stay · Elephant Trunk Hilllakeside arrival nightBook → Car rental · Guilinpick up at Guilin North Railway Station on arrivalBook → 
Day 13 — Li River
Cruise down to Yangshuo; West Street cafe evening.
Stay · West Street Yangshuocruise-end cafe quarterBook → Tickets · Li Riverskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 14 — Karst day & to Guangzhou
Xingping's banknote bend morning, evening HSR to Guangzhou.
Guilin → Guangzhou trainHSR ~3 hBook → Stay · Shamian Islandarcade-island finishBook → Car rental · Guangzhoupick up at Guangzhou South Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Canton Towerskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 15 — Delta & out
Shamian arcs and Canton Tower views, HSR to Shenzhen for the airport out.
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