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
China Highlights: Beijing, Xi'an & the Yangtze
Beijing · Xi'an · Chongqing · Three Gorges · Chengdu
From, per person
NZ$5,290
Duration17 days
Group sizeMax 20
FlightsIncluded from AKL
GuideEnglish-speaking
Activity levelModerate
Overview
Great Wall, warriors, river cruise and pandas in 17 days
The classic China itinerary: Beijing and the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, a three-night Yangtze cruise through the Three Gorges and the giant pandas of Chengdu.
The Great Wall and the Forbidden City
The Terracotta Warriors
Three nights on the Yangtze
Giant pandas in Chengdu
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 Chongqing, a city built across steep hills where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet. Transfer to your hotel; in the evening, see the lights of Hongyadong.
Meals: Not includedOvernight: Chongqing, 4-star hotel - DAY11
See Chongqing's landmarks, including the monorail that runs straight through an apartment building at Liziba and Jiefangbei square. Board your Yangtze cruise ship in the evening and sail past the city lights.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerOvernight: Yangtze cruise, balcony cabin - DAY12
Go ashore at Xuetu Cave or the old riverside town of Xituo, then enjoy the afternoon on board. An optional excursion visits Fengdu Ghost City.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerOvernight: Yangtze cruise, balcony cabin - DAY13
Sail through Qutang Gorge, the shortest and most dramatic of the Three Gorges, then transfer to a smaller boat to explore the Lesser Three Gorges on the Daning River. Pass through Wu Gorge in the late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerOvernight: Yangtze cruise, balcony cabin - DAY14
Visit the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric project in the world. Disembark at Yichang and take the train to Chengdu.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Chengdu, 4-star hotel - DAY15
Visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in the morning, when the pandas are most active, then see the bronze treasures of the Sanxingdui Museum.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Chengdu, 4-star hotel - DAY16
Enjoy a final breakfast before a private transfer to the airport for your flight home to Auckland.
Meals: BreakfastOvernight: On board - DAY17
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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