Trip Summary
Fifteen days, seven stops, the whole story: imperial Beijing and the Wall, Ming-era Pingyao, the Terracotta Army, Sichuan pandas and hotpot, the Li River's karst, West Lake poetry, and Shanghai's future-facing skyline — China's past-to-present in one perfect arc.
Trip Highlights
- Great Wall + Forbidden City + duck — the Beijing trinity
- Overnight inside Pingyao's walled Ming city
- Terracotta Army pits at opening time
- Panda breakfast and Sichuan hotpot in Chengdu
- Li River cruise to Yangshuo's karst wonderland
- West Lake dawn before Shanghai's neon finale
Day by Day
Day 1 — Beijing
Arrive; Wangfujing.
Flight in · Beijinginternational flights, destination pre-filledBook → Stay · Qianmenaxis-side baseBook → Car rental · Beijingpick up at Beijing Capital International Airport on arrivalBook → 
Day 2 — Beijing
Forbidden City, Jingshan, Qianmen.
Stay · Qianmenaxis-side baseBook → Tickets · The Palace Museumskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 3 — Beijing
Great Wall + Ming Tombs; duck dinner.
Stay · Qianmenaxis-side baseBook → Tickets · Badaling-Mutianyu Great Wallskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 4 — Pingyao
HSR 4 h; walled-city lanes, city god temple, bank museum.
Beijing → Pingyao trainHSR ~4 hBook → Stay · Pingyao Ancient Citya courtyard inn inside the Ming wallsBook → Car rental · Pingyaopick up at Pingyao Ancient City Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Pingyao Ancient Cityskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 5 — To Xi'an
HSR 3 h; wall cycling at dusk.
Pingyao → Xi'an trainHSR ~3 hBook → Stay · Xi'an Bell Towerthe crossroads of the old cityBook → Car rental · Xi'anpick up at Xi'an North Railway Station on arrivalBook → 
Day 6 — Xi'an
Terracotta Army + Huaqing.
Stay · Xi'an Bell Towerthe crossroads of the old cityBook → Tickets · Terracotta Army of Emperor Qinshihuangskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 7 — To Chengdu
HSR 3–4 h; Jinli evening.
Xi'an → Chengdu trainHSR ~3.5–4.5 hBook → Stay · Kuanzhai Alleyold lanes by People's ParkBook → Car rental · Chengdupick up at Chengdu East Railway Station on arrivalBook → 
Day 8 — Chengdu
Pandas 07:30; People's Park; Kuanzhai.
Stay · Kuanzhai Alleyold lanes by People's ParkBook → Day 9 — Chengdu → Guilin
Flight; twin-pagoda evening.
Chengdu → Guilin flightDirect ~1.5 hBook → Stay · West Street Yangshuothe bike-and-café quarterBook → Car rental · Guilinpick up at Guilin Liangjiang International Airport on arrivalBook → 
Day 10 — Li River
Cruise to Yangshuo.
Stay · West Street Yangshuothe bike-and-café quarterBook → Tickets · Li Riverskip-the-line entryBook → Day 11 — Yangshuo
Yulong e-bikes, rafting, Impression show.
Stay · West Street Yangshuothe bike-and-café quarterBook → Tickets · Li Riverskip-the-line entryBook → Day 12 — To Hangzhou
Flight to Hangzhou; lake-night walk.
Guilin → Hangzhou flightDirect ~2 hBook → Stay · West Lakenorth-shore lake lifeBook → Car rental · Hangzhoupick up at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport on arrivalBook → 
Day 13 — Hangzhou
West Lake boat, Longjing tea hills.
Stay · West Lakenorth-shore lake lifeBook → Tickets · West Lakeskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 14 — To Shanghai
HSR 1 h; the Bund at blue hour.
Hangzhou → Shanghai trainHSR ~1 hBook → Stay · The Bundgrand finale on the riverfrontBook → Car rental · Shanghaipick up at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station on arrivalBook → 
Day 15 — Shanghai & out
Yu Garden morning; fly out of PVG.
Flight out · Shanghaideparture flights from Shanghai, destination openBook → 
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