Beijing & Xi'an
Imperial China: Beijing, Shanxi & Xi'an
Beijing · Datong · Taiyuan · Xi'an
Next: March 2027Max 20Flights incl.
From, per person
NZ$3,290
Capitals & Landscapes: Beijing to Huangshan
Beijing · Xi'an · Hangzhou · Qiandao Lake · Huangshan
From, per person
NZ$5,190
Duration18 days
Group sizeMax 20
FlightsIncluded from AKL
GuideEnglish-speaking
Activity levelModerate
Overview
Imperial China and the classic landscapes of the east
From the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors to West Lake and the Yellow Mountains, with a domestic flight between Xi'an and Hangzhou.
The Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors
West Lake in Hangzhou
Hongcun Village
Huangshan
Itinerary
Day by day
- DAY1
Check in at Auckland International Airport and board your flight to China, connecting to your first destination. Our team will be in touch before departure with your flight details and pre-departure information.
Meals: Not includedOvernight: On board - DAY2
Welcome to China's capital. You'll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to rest or take a first walk through the city.
Meals: Not includedOvernight: Beijing, 4-star hotel - DAY3
Spend the morning inside the Forbidden City, home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Walk through the Meridian Gate, across the Golden Water Bridges and through the great halls of state to the Imperial Garden, with your guide explaining court life along the way. The afternoon is free, with optional visits to the Temple of Heaven, a hutong walk or a Peking duck dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Beijing, 4-star hotel - DAY4
Travel north to Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved and most scenic sections of the Great Wall. A cable car takes you up to the wall, leaving plenty of time to walk between the watchtowers. Return to Beijing for a free evening.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Beijing, 4-star hotel - DAY5
Take the high-speed train to Datong (about two hours). This afternoon, visit the Yungang Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with more than 50,000 Buddhist statues carved into the sandstone cliffs 1,500 years ago. In the evening, explore the restored walls of Datong's old town.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Datong, 4-star hotel - DAY6
Visit the Hanging Monastery, built into a sheer cliff face more than 1,400 years ago and unique for combining Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian shrines. Time permitting, stop at the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, the oldest wooden pagoda in China. Later, take the train to Taiyuan.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Taiyuan, 4-star hotel - DAY7
Explore Jinci, a temple and garden complex of ancient halls, springs and thousand-year-old trees. In the afternoon, take the high-speed train to Xi'an (about three hours), capital of 13 dynasties.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Xi'an, 4-star hotel - DAY8
Today is devoted to the Terracotta Warriors, the clay army buried with China's first emperor more than 2,200 years ago. Return to the city for a free evening; the Muslim Quarter and the Grand Tang Everbright City are lively places to try local food.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Xi'an, 4-star hotel - DAY9
Walk or cycle along the Xi'an City Wall, the most complete ancient city wall in China, with views over the old city and its Bell and Drum Towers.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Xi'an, 4-star hotel - DAY10
Arrive in Hangzhou and visit Xixi National Wetland Park, a landscape of canals and fish ponds on the edge of the city. In the evening, stroll Hefang Street in the old city.
Meals: LunchOvernight: Hangzhou, 4-star hotel - DAY11
Cruise West Lake, walk the Su Causeway and climb Leifeng Pagoda. In the afternoon, visit Lingyin Temple, founded in 326 AD, and the hundreds of Buddhist carvings at Feilai Feng.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Hangzhou, 4-star hotel - DAY12
Drive to Qiandao Lake, a reservoir dotted with more than a thousand islands. Ride the escalators up to the Tianyu viewpoint for one of the best sunset views in the region.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Qiandao Lake, 4-star hotel - DAY13
Cruise to the central lake and climb Meifeng Island, where the viewing platform looks out over more than 300 islands.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Qiandao Lake, 4-star hotel - DAY14
Explore Xidi and Hongcun, two UNESCO-listed Huizhou villages of Ming and Qing dynasty houses, carved gateways and moon-shaped ponds.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Huangshan, hotel - DAY15
Ride the cable car into Huangshan, the granite peaks that inspired centuries of Chinese painting. Walk to the Welcoming Pine, more than 800 years old, and Bright Summit, the second-highest peak.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Huangshan, hotel - DAY16
A free day. Explore Tunxi Old Street with its Huizhou architecture and ink and inkstone shops, visit the village of Chengkan, or relax in a hot spring.
Meals: BreakfastOvernight: Huangshan, hotel - DAY17
Enjoy a final breakfast before a private transfer to the airport for your flight home to Auckland.
Meals: BreakfastOvernight: On board - DAY18
Arrive back in Auckland, with plenty of stories to tell.
Meals: Not included
What's included
- Return economy flights from Auckland, including taxes
- All domestic flights and high-speed trains shown in the itinerary
- 4-star hotels, twin share (5-star where stated)
- Daily breakfast and the meals listed in the itinerary
- English-speaking local guides throughout
- Private coach and airport transfers
- Entrance fees for all sightseeing listed
- Small group of no more than 20 travellers
Not included
- Chinese visa (New Zealand passport holders currently travel visa-free for up to 30 days)
- Travel insurance (required)
- Single supplement
- Optional activities and meals not listed
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Personal expenses
Combine with
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