China is huge, so a good route matters. For a first visit, stick to the classic golden triangle — Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai — then add Guilin or Chengdu if you have more time.
Days 1–4 Beijing (Great Wall, Forbidden City, hutongs) → Days 5–7 Xi’an (Terracotta Warriors) → Days 8–11 Guilin & Yangshuo (karst rivers) → Days 12–14 Shanghai (Bund, day trip to Suzhou or Hangzhou). Travel between cities by high-speed rail.
Add Chengdu (pandas, food) and a Yangtze cruise, or extend west to Yunnan (Lijiang, Shangri-La). For Tibet, add Lhasa with a travel permit arranged in advance.
With an 18-hour Beijing layover and a 240-hour visa-free transit, you can see the Great Wall at Mutianyu, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City area before your next flight. Book a private driver for the tight timing.
A comfortable private tour costs roughly $150–$250 per person per day (guide, driver, hotels, entrance fees). Budget independent travel can be done for $60–$100/day. Flights, visas and peak-season hotels add on top.
A 2-week loop of Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin and Shanghai is the classic, easy first route — all connected by high-speed rail.
Roughly $150–$250 per person per day for a private tour, or $60–$100/day budget independent.
Yes — Beijing and Shanghai are easy with kids, and Chengdu’s pandas are a highlight for young children.
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